S&C for Figure Skating: Strength Training w/c 31/8/15

First I must say that I am pleased to announce my first international publication having just been published in the International Figure Skating magazine.

In this Blog I am going to briefly talk about strength training and why it is an essential component of any training programme.

Strength Training; such a widely discussed, sometimes controversial and occasionally misunderstood discipline. 

Strength underpins movement, performance and fitness. 

A stronger endurance athlete will be more economical, a stronger sprinter will be faster and a stronger thrower more powerful. Appropriate strength training will improve performance and reduce injury risk.
Away from competitive sports strength training can help improve every day functional movements such as walking up stairs, carrying shopping or playing with your kids. These tasks require a smaller percentage of our maximum strength and are therefore easier to complete. 

Strength training performed correctly will improve mobility and coordination as well as boost metabolism to increase calorie expenditure and help towards optimal body functioning.

Gaining strength doesn't just mean lifting heavy weights, for example something needs to get stronger if we are to improve our balance standing on one leg. Being able to hold a specific position such as a plank for longer, or getting your leg high enough in a spiral to get a score on the ice needs an increase in strength. Therefore, body weight exercises, plyometrics and Pilate's type programmes will all elicit strength gains in young athletes when delivered appropriately and with correct technique.
Recent studies have shown that strength training is a key component of youth physical development and should underpin any young athletes programme.
Movement, coordination and mobility will all develop and improve with increases in strength and through learning basic strength training techniques.
As the athlete matures and training becomes more specific once a single training focus or sport has been identified then more specific strength training goals will be implemented. For rugby and American football players hypertrophy might be a goal, increases in muscle size for strength and power increases whilst the increase in body mass will help in making and breaking tackles. Whilst for young Figure Skaters and Gymnasts it may be power, muscular endurance and coordination with no increase in bodyweight, lean or otherwise.

Improving maximal, optimal or functional strength requires the correct training stimulation to achieve the desired outcome. Strength gains can be made with little or no increase in actual muscle mass; however a change in structure will occur including a possible change in muscle fibre type (Type I to Type II), a change in pennation angle as well as a possible change in body composition (increased lean body mass and a reduction in body fat) which may lead to a perceived increase in muscle mass due to better muscle definition. However, the real advantage here is the increase in the power to weight ratio.
A clear message here is that young athletes and especially female athletes competing in aesthetic sports shouldn't be afraid to strength train, that the benefits of strength training for performance and for general fitness should not be underestimated or ignored!

Thanks for reading this far and I hope you enjoyed this article, as always your feedback and comments are welcomed both here and on the Get Coached Facebook Page.

Get Coached S&C for Figure Skating w/c 20/7/2015

Hello and welcome to my second blog post from the Toronto Cricket & Curling Club, Toronto, Canada! Our month at camp is nearly over and there has been some great leaps made during this time, and not just their jumps on the ice!
The skaters here have all worked hard and really moved forward in their skating. New friends from across the world have been made and new experiences gained through working with the team of coaches here. I can say that the two Scots girls have really enjoyed their first camp at the TCC and I am sure they will make every effort to get back here as soon as they can!

This post is going to look at what I consider to be one of the most beneficial exercises that a young skater can do off the ice to improve strength, balance and core control; the single leg or pistol squat!
It is a well documented exercise with some excellent video demonstrations on You Tube. What I would like to do is highlight the benefits to skaters and show a couple of regressions to help progress the exercise.

To perform a single leg squat well full ankle and hip range of motion is needed as is good flexibility through the hamstrings, hip flexors, gluts and lower back to ensure good posture through out the movement. It is important to ensure that the back is kept extended with minimal tuck under of the hips or butt wink as it is also known. The supporting leg knee should track over the toes, not rotate inwards thus pushing the hip out. It is also important to try and keep the pelvis level i.e. don't hitch up or drop down either hip. This will challenge the core musculature including the gluts in a way that will transfer directly to the ice.
The single leg squat can be seen in many different forms on the ice including Tea Pots for the beginner skaters, Hydra Blades, Sit Spins and for leg strength to land the jumps!
Many of the skaters I work with can already perform moderately good single leg squats or have achieved this with a little coaching and hard work. Getting it technically correct, deep and well balanced may take a little longer but it is definitely worth persevering with.
If a deep and well balanced squat can't be achieved initially then it may be worth regressing the exercise to then move forward again.

This can be done in several ways, two of which I will cover here. The following video shows wall mounted TRX straps being used to assist with balance and returning to an upright position. This I find has helped the skaters to gain the strength and confidence to squat deep. I emphasise that the straps should be used as little as possible to ensure the most benefit can be gained from the movement.
The elevated foot can also be put on a box behind the athlete to load the front leg whilst still assisting in the movement as seen here. Again emphasis is put on the need for good posture and control throughout the movement.
This is an easy exercise to perform anywhere, beside the rink, at home etc and the benefits for skaters young and older are great. They can even be done on the ice in the form of repeated Tea Pots too! So if you as a skater or the skaters you coach are not already doing single leg squats in one form or another then get it added to the sessions.
If you have any questions or comments on this or any other exercises I have covered please do not hesitate to get in touch here, on my FB Page Get Coached or by email tsilvester@getcoached.net

Get Coached S&C for Figure Skating w/c 13/7/2015

This latest Blog post is coming from the Summer Training Camp at the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club where one Senior Get Coached and two Gain the Edge/Get Coached skaters are getting put through their paces by a fantastic team of coaches. Without going into any specific detail I would like to give my thoughts and observations on the coaches and the camp.
Firstly, I must say that Toronto has made us feel very welcome. We are lucky enough to be staying with friends for the month of the camp which has enabled a relaxed and comfortable stay.
Getting about is relatively easy once the transport systems and roads have been figured out and everyone we have so far met have been friendly and helpful.
The Toronto Cricket club (TCC) as it is known in short is an excellent venue with superb facilities and a lot happening. There are tennis, cricket, curling and figure skating activities as well as various kids summer camps too.
The rink is good although our skaters found the low boarder a little unusual at first they soon got used to hooping on and off the ice wherever they needed to. The atmosphere here is a very positive one where hard work is the norm! One early impression I had was that there is very little if any idle chatter around the edge of the rink that is sometimes evident at home, even when there are no coaches present. The work ethic of the regular camp attendees is definitely infectious and the skaters are in constant motion.
The coaches work as a team on the ice under a Head Coach with each having their own specialist area of expertise. This allows them to really understand their discipline and deliver it to the skaters in a way that each individual benefits. This also includes and Off-ice coach and physiologist which I was interested to learn, although the physiologist is for elite skaters only.
Whilst each coach works independently on the ice it is clear that there is a team focus and any crossover of skills is coached the same way by each coach. This is very good as there is no ambiguity about coaching the technical elements to the skaters, same song, same hymn sheet and all that!
A multi disciplinary coaching team is in my opinion most definitely the way to go where possible. This approach is used by quite a few elite level sports coaches and their teams in Britain and beyond and instigating this at club level with a sport such as skating that has very limited funds can only have a positive impact.
Strong leadership, mutual respect and a willingness to make it work are a must and the skaters should really benefit if what I see here is put into practice. It goes without saying that resources, venue availability and a positive attitude by all involved including skaters, coaches and parents will be deciding factors too.
We still have a week and a half left and I will endeavour to write again before returning to Scotland.
If you have read this far thank you and I hope you have enjoyed my Blog. Any relevant feedback and comments are always welcome here and on the Get Coached Facebook Page.

Get Coached S&C for Figure Skating w/c 29/6/2015

It's been a while  since the last blog post so I thought I had better get writing!
We have recently bought a new house which we are decorating and extending. This project has taken up a lot of time but will be worth the effort once completed.

Anyway, I thought I would write about Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ). These are just some of my opinions, thoughts and experiences gained over the years.

First I must clarify that I do not agree with ladder drills if you want to run fast on the track or on the field and I am not going discuss any specific ladder or plyometric drills or exercises  either. 

However, ladder drills are excellent if you need quick, accurate and  coordinated footwork during the execution  of your sport, such as the step sequence of  a skating programme.
Quickness as in accelerating the body in an explosive type movement can be improved by increasing strength i.e. squats, power via Olympic  lifts, or various jump type exercises and plyometrics.

Quickness can also be the ability to move our limbs or body quickly in any given pattern or direction.  For example, when executing a Figure Skating jump the arms need to be brought in close to the body on leaving the ice to facilitate quick rotation and snapped out again on landing. Timing and whole body coordination are essential for a successful  landing.
As an S&C coach I would not look to replicate a technical sporting movement in the gym but rather to enhance the athletes physical  ability to move quickly in an accurate and defined manner so that the Sports Coach can then work on the technical aspects more effectively. Ladder drills can be a specific stand alone session to develop quickness and coordination, a fun addition to a session for younger athletes or part of a complex during a lifting session in the gym. Learning complex footwork patterns for the ladder and executing them accurately is a skill in itself and will enhance the athletes ability to learn new drills as well as moving more effectively in their sport.
In a sport where young athletes already perform a lot of jumps it is important to monitor the volume of any additional high impact work done in the gym or during Off-ice or Dry Land Jump sessions. It is very easy to quickly exceed an appropriate volume of jumps in any given session or day if discussion between coaches or prior planning is not done!
Being able to move  quickly and accurately  in any sport is an advantage especially in a  such a technical sport as Figure Skating. As such I will use any tools I feel that will enhance my athletes  abilities from ladders and hurdles to barbells for the Olympic lifts and their variations.
Speed of movement is not just about physical  effort but also about the mental drive to make the body move fast, the specific application of that effort.
Thanks again for reading this far, I hope you have enjoyed the blog and maybe even gained a little food for thought here? Please feel free to post any relevant  comments  or feedback here or on the Get Coached FB page.

Get Coached - S&C for Figure Skating w/c 5/1/2015

Welcome to my first Blog post of 2015 and a  Happy New Year to you all!
Although the festive season now feels as if it was more than just a month ago!
We are now deep into the winter/off season training and it is going well overall. An injury and school exams have had an impact on attendance for some whilst there have been some good personal best lifts for my senior skaters and some very good progress with my junior, advanced and basic novice level skaters.

We have covered the back squat in a previous blog http://getcoached1.blogspot and as such I am only going to discuss it's variations and benefits.

It is common knowledge that a squat done well along with it's appropriate warm up exercises can improve hip, knee and ankle range of movement as well as strength and this has certainly been the case for some of the skaters I work with. This includes body weight squats, BB front and back squats, overhead and overhead split squats, kettlebell goblet squats and single leg or pistol squats.
This is in no way all the squats covered as there are many more variations to be found. However, the above squats are ones that I regularly use for my skaters and clients. These exercises will also build a foundation of whole body strength that will transfer well into the competitive arena as well as improving functional movement for everyday life.
Any and every athlete competing at any and every level will benefit from good coaching of these exercises in their training regime.
Once again thank you for reading this far, all relevant suggestions and comments are welcome here and on my Get Coached FB page.