Summer program : how to keep up when rinks are closed ?

[Mauve]

Hello everyone,

Like many, my rink is closing at the end of May until the end of September (unless there are water restrictions this year again, which may mean re-opening as late as November ). Since I started skating again this year after a 15 year break, I'm not super confident on how I'll be able to avoid starting from scratch again this autumn...

So my question is what do you recommend to do this summer to try and safeguard a bit of muscle memory ? A friend of mine is doing crossfit, which I'm considering to keep and develop muscle strength. What do you think ?
Also, I follow several instagram accounts that offer off-ice classes, what are your opinions on them ? Would they be a good solution ?

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Since it's quite pricey, I'd like to know if it's really worth it.

Thanks a lot for your help !

 

[2sk8]

You could also take a look at this one for off ice training:

https://bsp-skaters.com/

and possibly a pair of off ice skates, like Pic Skates or GRAF One or Off Ice Skates, etc. Not exactly the same but better than nothing.

 

[Mauve]

You could also take a look at this one for off ice training:

https://bsp-skaters.com/

and possibly a pair of off ice skates, like Pic Skates or GRAF One or Off Ice Skates, etc. Not exactly the same but better than nothing.

Thank you for the suggestion!
Have you tried this off-ice training? What do you think about it?

 

[Diana Delafield]

About twenty years ago I had that dilemma. Normally my rink stayed open all summer apart from two weeks for maintenance, but they were remodelling. I noticed an ad in the local newspaper for a ballroom dance school and thought, "I've done just about every other kind of dance there is, but never ballroom. I'll sign up for private lessons and do that for the six weeks the rink will be closed." Ha. After the first lesson I was hooked -- it was so much more difficult than I'd imagined. And the polished floor on which the dancers slide in suede-soled shoes was very much like the ice. It wasn't long before I had a partner and was spending as much on ballroom, for practice clothes, costumes, shoes, competition expenses, etc etc as I was on skating. It's good for off-ice training (no jumps, but if you have a partner and compete in Dansport, there are lifts), but it's also addictive!

 

[2sk8]

Thank you for the suggestion!
Have you tried this off-ice training? What do you think about it?

I know some of the people involved in Balanced Skaters. It is a very good program - thoughtful, sequenced development designed with adult skaters in mind.

 

[Mauve]

I know some of the people involved in Balanced Skaters. It is a very good program - thoughtful, sequenced development designed with adult skaters in mind.

Oh great, I'll check it out then. Thank you!

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I know Paul Crocker and can highly recommend him and his training programs. Yebin Mok is also very good.

I have artistic inline skates and they are great for keeping the muscle memory and strength, although I freely admit to being a lot less proficient in them than I am on ice! Roll Line Linea are my frame of choice and it's best to have the same boots as you use on ice.

 

[emilinkaa]

About twenty years ago I had that dilemma. Normally my rink stayed open all summer apart from two weeks for maintenance, but they were remodelling. I noticed an ad in the local newspaper for a ballroom dance school and thought, "I've done just about every other kind of dance there is, but never ballroom. I'll sign up for private lessons and do that for the six weeks the rink will be closed." Ha. After the first lesson I was hooked -- it was so much more difficult than I'd imagined. And the polished floor on which the dancers slide in suede-soled shoes was very much like the ice. It wasn't long before I had a partner and was spending as much on ballroom, for practice clothes, costumes, shoes, competition expenses, etc etc as I was on skating. It's good for off-ice training (no jumps, but if you have a partner and compete in Dansport, there are lifts), but it's also addictive!

When my knee and hip injuries (and toxic rink culture) made me leave skating, I started ballroom and Latin dancing. Did it for 5 years, and even taught for a bit. Ballroom and social dance is so much fun.

 

[emilinkaa]

I am probably picking up a ballet class, working a lot on my flexibility training, doing some jump rope and off ice jumping work, and most like going back to physical therapy for a non-skating related shoulder injury. If no PT, I might have to pick up running.

That said, I am an addict and the ice is my drug (after an equally long time away), and I am going to travel to my closest rink 2-3x a month too (it’s 6+ hours round trip). For me, it’s only a 4 month gap, and next year we should have year round ice.

 

[Mauve]

I know Paul Crocker and can highly recommend him and his training programs. Yebin Mok is also very good.

From what I can see on their IG, it does seem so! Problem is I will need to pick one, I can't do all courses... How to chose then?

Thanks for the in-line skates recommandation, I'll think about it!

 

[Mauve]

I am probably picking up a ballet class, working a lot on my flexibility training, doing some jump rope and off ice jumping work, and most like going back to physical therapy for a non-skating related shoulder injury. If no PT, I might have to pick up running.

That said, I am an addict and the ice is my drug (after an equally long time away), and I am going to travel to my closest rink 2-3x a month too (it’s 6+ hours round trip). For me, it’s only a 4 month gap, and next year we should have year round ice.

I'm considering the same, but I have no idea if I can find a summer ballet class in my area...
Hopefully, I can add in some off-ice program from the accounts recommended before.

 

[tstop4me]

I'm considering the same, but I have no idea if I can find a summer ballet class in my area...
Hopefully, I can add in some off-ice program from the accounts recommended before.

For your sake, I hope the ballet instructors in France don't go on strike.

 

[Mauve]

For your sake, I hope the ballet instructors in France don't go on strike.

Life in France is perilous indeed

 

[emilinkaa]

Life in France is perilous indeed

You've been giving the Germans ideas. We somehow narrowly avoided a huge train strike this week.

 

[NanaPat]

Life in France is perilous indeed

In Canada too. We just had a gov't workers strike (no passport renewals!) and are going into a pilot's strike (Westjet only; Air Canada will keep flying, but tickets are not usually interchangable on the two airlines, nor do they always fly the same routes or even to the same airports).

 

[WednesdayMarch]

We've had train drivers/staff, doctors, nurses, barristers, postal workers...

 

[sk8dreamzzzz]

I took Paul Crocker's class during the COVID lockdown and enjoyed it. It wasn't too expensive back then either.

Our rink also closes for the Summer. I find what makes me happiest is roller skating. When the weather doesn't allow for that, I do ballet, which is great for all those skating positions, flexibility and turn out. I also do an off ice strength class with my coach during the closure, but wheels are the most similar to ice skating and therefore the thing I enjoy most.

Maybe you can try one of each and see which you prefer? Let us know how it works out!

 

[Mauve]

I took Paul Crocker's class during the COVID lockdown and enjoyed it. It wasn't too expensive back then either.

Our rink also closes for the Summer. I find what makes me happiest is roller skating. When the weather doesn't allow for that, I do ballet, which is great for all those skating positions, flexibility and turn out. I also do an off ice strength class with my coach during the closure, but wheels are the most similar to ice skating and therefore the thing I enjoy most.

Maybe you can try one of each and see which you prefer? Let us know how it works out!

Hi and sorry for the late reply!
I still haven't decided what to do but I am leaning towards something similar to you (minus the wheels part because I can't afford another pair of skates at the moment).
Sadly, I can't find a ballet class for summer so I think I'll look towards YouTube classes.

I' ll make sure to keep you guys updated, thank you for all your inputs!

 

[kinari]

Hello everyone,

Like many, my rink is closing at the end of May until the end of September (unless there are water restrictions this year again, which may mean re-opening as late as November ). Since I started skating again this year after a 15 year break, I'm not super confident on how I'll be able to avoid starting from scratch again this autumn...

So my question is what do you recommend to do this summer to try and safeguard a bit of muscle memory ? A friend of mine is doing crossfit, which I'm considering to keep and develop muscle strength. What do you think ?
Also, I follow several instagram accounts that offer off-ice classes, what are your opinions on them ? Would they be a good solution ?

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Since it's quite pricey, I'd like to know if it's really worth it.

Thanks a lot for your help !

Yes, off-ice training sounds great! Off ice is equally as important as on ice, and when you're not attending those classes (and others as well), I think that going for a daily run/jog outside will help a ton as well. I've been going for daily runs ever since the beginning of spring and it helped my on-ice performance a ton, and with it being summer, the weather will be great as well!
These sound expensive and I don't know a ton about it, but I heard some people on this forum talk about inline figure skates, so maybe those are something that you could invest in/research when you're not at the rink

 

[nomi darling]

I know Paul Crocker and can highly recommend him and his training programs. Yebin Mok is also very good.

I have artistic inline skates and they are great for keeping the muscle memory and strength, although I freely admit to being a lot less proficient in them than I am on ice! Roll Line Linea are my frame of choice and it's best to have the same boots as you use on ice.

Dang it! I already have boots that I was planning to put wheels on; I hadn't considered how having different boots in the different disciplines might affect things