SKATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Inline secrets from the world's top skaters and coaches

This week's tip:

Cross-Training for the Off-Season

By Debbie Rice
Jan. 4, 2008

Skating may be one of the most enjoyable ways to get and stay in shape. But even it can get old if you keep doing the same thing month after month, year after year.

That's why I modify my training routine during the off season. Not only does the change of pace prevent burnout, it also makes me all the more eager to hit the pavement when the roads dry out in the spring.

Here's my list of cross-training ideas for the off-season:

Join an indoor speed team

Not only will indoor training hone your cornering technique, it will also improve your cardiovascular conditioning. Indoor teams do all kinds of drills during the off-season, including circle drills, "lap the pack," starts, and dropbacks. All of these drills polish your technique and improve your agility while helping to maintain your base conditioning.

Do dryland exercises

Dryland excerises are great for developing your core strength and balance. Start with a weekly routine of squats, jumps, low-walks and knee bends. Working on a slideboard is also helpful. But if you don't have one, you can simply mimic the motion of skating on whatever surface is available. This will provide similar results. Just remember to stay as low as possible and move slowly and with control.

Sign up for a spinning class

Spinning classes are all the rage these days. They are offered by most gyms and many adult education programs. They involve sitting on a stationary bike and being led through an imaginary outdoor cycling workout. They are excellent for building cardiovascular fitness and skate muscles. If you're working on cardio, use a high gear; for strength, use a low gear.

Take up mountain biking

This is one of my favorite cross-training methods. I've found that if I bundle up, I can get an intense workout even in the cold. You'll find that going up and down hills really puts the burn on your skating muscles and gives you a great interval workout. Like skating, mountain biking helps build core strength, balance and agility. But be careful. Mountain biking can be a little treacherous, so wear your protective gear and be safe.

...

Debbie Rice is a veteran racer and member of the Bont North America racing team. She won this year's Texas Road Rash and finished second in the inaugural San Francisco Inline Marathon. A Houston native, she trained on the same team as Chad Hedrick and Cheryl Ezzell and won 15 indoor national championships. In addition to her day job, she is a Bont sales representative and team manager for Bont North America. She lives in Denham Springs, LA.

• Debbie's MySpace page
 

Related reading:

• Skate Tip of the Week Archive
• Beginners Guide to Outdoor Racing
• Beginners Guide to Inline Skating