skateGREAT blog

This week we’ve been blessed (?) with some of the coldest weather and snow we’ve had in the past 18 years.

At our rink, the weather really highlighted the dedication of some of our skaters, who made the most of two days forced absence from school and work by getting in some ice skating practise.

They diligently worked hard, some for many hours working on their new routines and elements. But all of them forgot to do one very important thing….

and its something I’m sure some of you reading this probably have forgotten to do before as well….

no one remembered to do stretching AFTER they finished training.

Why is it so important?

Stretching after you skate is the best time to work on increasing your flexibility because your muscles are already warm, you can do passive stretching safely (because you are not about to do dynamic activity afterwards), and you are pretty much unhurried.

Promise me now that….

“I will remember to WARM DOWN every time I train ^_^ “

Take an honest look at your skating. what happened in 2008?

Did you land that jump?

Did you pass the test?

Did you finish as high as you’d like to?

I’m not singling you out.  I faced the same tough questions… and found some answers that gave me the breakthroughs I’d always been missing. Continue reading »

Hope everyone has a great Holiday break and that you all come back refreshed and ready to skate - GREAT!

After much tinkering the new skateGREAT  blog and shop are finally up!   Watch this space as 2009 will see the introduction of many great new products and features to help you all bring your skating to the next level.

Everyone on our mailing list will be getting a little present on January 1st so if you haven’t already done so don’t forget to sign up!

All the best from the skateGREAT team!

Even though everyone who as skated for any amount of time knows what a teapot/shoot the duck is, most people are neglecting the excellent benefits that this exercise offers. In fact, lots of skaters just do them once or twice and then neglect them completely. Its time for that to change! Continue reading »

Most people know that off ice spinners can help improve their spinning. However they can be used for so much more. The skateGREAT team have been developing new exercises that will improve your body awareness and control - helping you acheive more on the ice.

One of our favourites is the two foot twist. A simple exercise that will improve your core stability and control, and give specific training for a multitude of on ice techniques.  This beautiful little exercise will teach you how to “check” to help you get the feeling of controlling your centre as you twist-perfect for 3 turns and slaloms.  It will strengthen your core and trim that waistline - lets get going!  Continue reading »

What ice skater can say they wouldn’t like better balance? This exercise comes from the secretive world of Kung Fu. Although quite simple it becomes very difficult to hold the entire balance sequence for extended periods of time.

This drill will increase your body position awareness and help develop the strength endurance of your muscles in the area around your calf and ankle. Lets get to it! Continue reading »

There are many misconceptions in the fitness world particularly with regard to stretching.  Perhaps some of the most pervasive are based on the idea that we have to physically lengthen the muscle, ligaments or tendons in order to improve our suppleness.  However such thinking can be extremely counter-productive  and may even lead to the destabilization of joints and over exposure to injury.

So what makes you unable to do splits?  Continue reading »