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.