Sk8Strong Holiday Gift Cards

Sk8Strong holiday gift cards are now available! Give your coaches, skaters, students, or friends a great gift for the holidays.  Gift cards redeemable at http://www.sk8strong.com/ are available in various amounts from $10 to $75 at www.sk8strong.com/giftcardcatalog.html.

Off-Ice Training Seminars for Skaters and Coaches

Sk8Strong offers several options for your rink or club to host an off-ice training seminar.  There are several different topics that you can choose from to create a full day seminar or half-day workshop.  Sk8Strong Off-Ice Training seminars are fully interactive, and topics are offered for coaches and skaters.  You may find detailed information at www.sk8strong.com/seminarinformation.html.  If you don't find exactly what you're looking for, contact Lauren at laurensteve@sk8strong.com to tailor a seminar to your club or rinks' needs and numbers of skaters.

Great training aids available exclusive to www.sk8strong.com! Limited time only!

Sk8Strong is happy to announce that we are making 2 great training products availble for a limited time only:the Perfect-A-Poise and the Extreme Stride. Read below for details.

The Perfect-A-Poise is a revolutionary resistance training tool that promotes better posture, coordination, and consistency of positions in skating. Designed by former world team member and ice dance and moves in the field specialist Mathew Gates, this training aid teaches skaters how to find their opposing lines of movement. Mathew found that these opposite lines of movement, drawn from shoulder to skate, are key to establishing proper skating positions and posture. Skaters will develop a foundational posture to incorporate into skating movements and positions, from jumps and spins to moves in the field and ice dance. the end result is a more integrated, consistent and fluid skating technique.

Perfect-A-Poise works for all levels of skaters; it's excellent for skaters just learning how to stroke properly, yet essential to skaters wanting better control into their triple jumps or during advanced footwork.

The shoulder strap, which is velvet lined for comfort, is strapped to a skaters shoulder. This is connected to a double resistance cord, which concludes at a smaller strap which is easily attached to the front of the boot of the opposite skate. A skater can use this training tool to perform stroking, crossovers, moves, foorwork, jump entries, landing positions, and more!

**Only available in the size for skaters 5'1 to 5'6 in height

The Extreme Stride is a revolutionary resistance training tool that will assist a skaters training both on and off the ice, working all of the hip muscles in the primary skating positions. Developed by Mathew Gates, a former world team member and specialist in ice dance and moves in the field, this training aid can be used on and off the ice to develop strength of the hip abductors, adductors, extensors, and flexors.

It consists of four velvet lined straps attached by resistance cords, with a center slidable ring to form an 'X' pattern. One strap attaches to the right skating boot and to the left leg below the knee, and the other attaches to the left skating boot and the right leg belwo the knee. A skater will be able to perform various exercises and skating positions such as stroking, edges, crossovers, and more to strengthen the hip musculature.
A demonstration video on CD iin window media player format is included with this product, and includes both on and off ice skating drills.

Visit www.sk8strong.com/catalog to order yours now while they last!

Good luck to all Regional Competitors!

Sk8Strong wishes all US regional championship competitors the best of luck this month!  Congratulations for all of your hard work and dedication.  Take a much needed break after regionals (or congrats on moving to sectionals) then begin a new chapter to your off-ice training routine.  This is the time to make necessary changes in your workouts and evaluate what is helping you and what you need to concentrate more on.  Feel free to ask Sk8Strong any questions when embarking on a new training routine at laurensteve@sk8strong.com.  Good luck everyone!!

Earn Money as a Sk8Strong Affiliate!

Sk8Strong is happy to announce the beginning of its affiliate marketing program!  This program is a way for vendors, skating clubs, and website owners to share in the profits of Sk8Strong sales, without having to lift a finger.  How does it work?  You sign up for our affiliate program (it's completely free), and you are given your own tracking code/link.  You can place a Sk8Strong banner or text link on your website, or even send out a simple email to your friends and colleagues, and each time a customer makes a purchase at http://www.sk8strong.com/ from that link, you earn a commission.  Simple and easy!  To read more details, go to www.sk8strong.com/becomeanaffiliate.html.  We'd love you to join!

How Often Do I Need to Do My Off-Ice Training Workouts?

If we all lived in a perfect world in which we had time for everything we wanted to do, we would need 30 hours in every day.  This busy generation of skaters has school, homework, skating, sport #2, musical instrument or drama club of choice, etc..... If you're an adult skater, you have work, kids, driving to kids' various activities above, meals, laundry, etc...  Oh yes, and we expect you to fit in some off-ice training?!

The problem is, without off-ice training, a skater wouldn't be as successful on the ice.  Most skaters need consistent work on flexibility, core strength, plyometrics, functional strength, and balance to keep up with their skating routine.  The question is, how much is enough, and how much is too much?

A skater who is seriously competitive at the level which they are training 4-6 days per week for regionals, sectionals, or nationals should be doing at least 3 days per week of some form of off-ice training, ideally 4-5.  Training should involve all areas of off-ice training: core, full body strength, flexibility work, plyometrics, and cardio.  Periodization rules should be followed to maximize performance throughout the season.

If you are a skater who is competitive and skates to do well at regionals, does other activities, and trains 3-5 days per week, 2-3 days of off-ice work is recommended.  Due to the limited time, it is important to complete the key exercises which will help better your performance.  It is beneficial to meet with a physical therapist or experienced strength trainer to determine your target weaknesses and deficits.  From there, you will know which exercises are most important for your body structure, and will do the most effective workout in a shorter period of time.  Note that every skater should include the appropriate core exercises in his or her routine, as well as exercises that promote proper body alignment and progress to the correct plyometric strengthening program.

Recreational skaters who skate 1-3 days per week typically are involved in many other activities, and have little time to spare.  If you fit in this category, attempt to include 1 off-ice training session in your busy schedule per week.  Since you do not skate as often, the dominant skating muscles may not be as strong as other skaters', and you may progress at a slower pace.  Even one off-ice session per week will benefit you more than none!

An adult skater typically has more responsibilities outside of skating, including family and work.  Sometimes it is hard to fit in one or two sessions per week (and I speak from experience)! If you also fall into that category, try to fit in at least one off-ice training session per week.  In the 'new age' of training, you can do all of the exercises you need in the comfort of your own home with minimal equipment.  If you are the busy skater with young kids under foot, exercise at home while they play!  It is very important for the adult skater to work on flexibility and strength training to prevent injury, which is more prevalent as we get older.

Off-ice training is important to your health and overall longevity in the sport.  Try to follow these general guidelines or guidelines given to you by a qualified health professional to fully develop your athletic potential. "You don't do sports to get fit, you get fit to stay in your sport"- (Attain Sports Performance 2009)

"Inner Champion, a Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure Skaters"

Sk8Strong is excited to now include a great mental training book in our catalog. I luckily stumbled upon the book "The Inner Champion, a Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure Skaters" a few months ago. This book, written by Choeleen Loundagin, is a comprehensive guide to sport psychology for figure skaters. Ms. Loundagin's book has received numerous testimonials from top coaches and skaters in the figure skating world, and is a must have for the competitive skater. Visit www.sk8strong.com/catalog.html for detailed information about this great product!