Congratulations to all Upper Great Lakes Figure Skaters for a great 2010 regional competition.  For those who have made it through, a double congratulations to you.  Keep up the hard work of your in season off – ice training.

For those of you who didn’t make it through you will begin your active rest season.  This is the four-week time period during which you take 1-3 weeks off from skating and you also significantly decrease the intensity of any off – ice activity.  The primary objective of this active rest period of time is rest and recovery.  This an excellent time to have any injuries, however mild they seem, evaluated and treated.  Any off – ice activity or exercising should be mild and very different from what you normally do.  A few examples of different activities might be swimming and rock climbing.

You also need to be planning the next year of off – ice training.  I recommend having an off – ice coach/trainer who will change and progress your programs based on the timing of the season and the results of your assessments.  Always discuss your plans with your on ice head coach!

Again, congratulations to all UGL competitors and good luck next season!!

The leaves are about to start to change and most of us will put away the clubs for a while and dream of better shots next season.  Instead of dreaming of better shots why don’t you do something about it.  What can you do this winter to potentially golf better next year?  Improve club head speed, improve control, or improve consistency are a couple of ideas? 

Strength and conditioning for golfers is not a new idea, most of the pros do it as well as nearly all collegiate players, so why don’t you?  Consider this, chest strength and total body rotational power were found to be significantly correlated with improved club head speed in experienced male golfers. (1)  An off season strength and conditioning routine can improve chest strength and total body rotation power. 

There are plenty of resources on the web, in the bookstore, and at many fitness centers that can guide you in your training.  Your success is dependant on deciding which approach is right for you.  If you are a self learner and very self motivated you may find you will succeed on your own using a book or website as your guide.  You may prefer to have an expert progress your routine in which case you will benefit from working at a fitness center with a strength and conditioning specialist who specializes in golf fitness.

However you intend to improve your strength and conditioning you have to remain consistent with your participation.  You must also progress your exercises throughout the off season.  This will keep you from getting bored and will allow your body to adapt to training as it prepares for next year’s golf season.

 So how well will you golf next season?

Bryan

1.  Gordan BS, Moir GL, Davis SE, Witmer CA, Cummings DM.  An investigation into the relationship of flexibility, power, and strength to club head speed in male golfers.  J Stength Cond Res. 2009;23:1606-1610.

With summer off-ice training ( ie preseason) entering it’s final stages, skaters should be getting pretty strong and pretty tired.  For the UGL region there is about 6 weeks left of preseason and 8 weeks left until UGLR in Hoffman Estates.  Training has been dynamic with high intensity and low volume and therefore very taxing on the skater’s body.  It is very important to remember these three bits of advice:

1.  get plenty of sleep even with school starting 9-11 hours is typical

2.  make sure you stick with proper nutrition: fuel your workouts

3.  make sure you begin to taper your workouts 2-3 weeks prior to regionals

Remember the idea is to peak at your qualifying competition, not to be burned out!

Presented by:

Skating Council of Illinois

Chicago-area members of US Figure Skating National Sports Science and Medicine Network

 Date

July 18, 2009

Time

9:30am-2:00pm (1/2 hr. lunch break)

 Location

Park Ridge – Olympic Room

 Registration fee: $50

Limited to: First 100 registrants

 Event Agenda

 9:15-9:30- check in

 9:30-9:45- Get the Edge: Benefits of Sports Science and Medicine for Figure Skating Athletes    

Dr. Christine Lawless

Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network,

Team Physician for US Figure Skating World Team Tokyo 2007, and Chair Sports Science and Medicine Committee 2007-2008

 9:45-10:15-      Essentials of Strength & Conditioning for the Figure Skating Athlete

                        Bryan Ryndak PT, MHS, OCS, CSCS

                        Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

 10:15-10:45-    Practical Nutrition for the Figure Skating Athlete

                        Pat Sutor MS, RD, LDN

                        Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

10:45-10:50-    Break

 10:50-11:20-    Figure Fours and Six Packs: Lower abdominal strengthening and hip joint stretching                    

Linda Tremain PT, ATC

Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

 11:20-11:50-    Functional Stretching and Movement for Figure Skaters

Heidi Barnett PT, DPT

Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

 11:50-12:20-    Lunch

 12:20-12:50-    Injuries and Medical Issues in Figure Skaters:          

Injuries: Shortening the Time from Injury to Recovery                     

Dr. Craig Westin 

Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Team Physician US Figure Skating   

                                    Non- musculoskeletal medical issues

Dr Lawless

 12:50-1:20-      The Mental Edge- off – ice training methods and on ice correlations

                        Debbie Stoery B.A. Psychology, Northwestern Univ

                        Member- US Figure Skating National SSM Network

                        Former Chair, PSA Sports Science

 1:20-1:25-        Panel discussion: Handling Injury

FOR A REGISTRATION FORM PLEASE EMAIL ME AT PTMHS@COMCAST.NET OR CALL ME AT 630-295-9990

Injuries to golfers generally involve the back, the elbow, and lead shoulder.  Pro golfers generally have more overuse injuries than amateur golfers.  Amateur golfers also have overuse injuries but are often related to slight flaws in their swing as well as differences in their mechanics.

The performance of low back muscles and abdominal muscles is different in injured players than non injured players.  Having a regular routine of abdominal strengthening is important even for the amateur golfer.  The velocity of trunk motion during the swing is very high and has to be controlled by the muscles of the back and abdomen.  Controlling acceleration and deceleration is imperative in preventing injury to the golfer much like in the arm of a baseball pitcher.  Working on straight abdominal crunches, diagnol crunches, and side to side crunches are a great start.  However, progression must also be made otherwise your body gets used to the same exercises over time. 

Flexibility is often less in amateur golfers.  Shoulder, trunk and leg flexibility are important areas to stretch. There are several types of stretching: static stretch, dynamic stretch, and hold-relax stretching are a few.  A sports medicine professional can teach you the best way to stretch your body.  Having an assessment can help you identify the areas that need the most work and how to work on those areas safely.

Players who engage in an dynamic warm up of at least ten minutes are less likely to be injured.  The purpose of a warm up is to prepare your body for activity and that is done by raising your body temperature and moving your muscles, tendons, and joints through their full available motion.  A warm up is not the time to be working on increasing your flexibility.  A dynamic warm up generally means that you are moving around to stretch and raise your body temperature rather than standing in place doing static stretches.  Working with a sports medicine professional can also help you develop a dynamic warm up that is specific to your needs as far as flexibility issues and movement patterns.  Generally, jumping jacks, lunge walks with trunk twists, hip swings in all four directions, arm circles, and horizontal arm flaps are dynamic motions that when done in a controlled manner can be used as part of your warm up.  Hold-relax stretches for the forearm, shoulder, trunk, and legs can be added in as well to aid in your warm up.

Reducing the risk of injury and improving your performance on the golf course are the goals of your golf fitness program.  Consistency, instruction, and progression are important components to your fitness program.  Nothing beats that feeling you have when you step up to the first tee just as the sun is coming up, smell the damp grass, and knowing you’ve been working on your golf fitness program and your partner hasn’t.

Who woulda thought?

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Generally speaking, if you’ve made it to Junior National’s this year you are in the middle of your early off – season period of the year.   As we know off – season doesn’t mean off the ice or off from training.  If you are returning from Nationals last month you will have started your active rest period.

During this period Junior National competitors should be focusing on fundamental or basic strength work for large and small muscle groups with body weight or light weight.  Your body needs a break from the high intensity complex training it was doing during the season and pre-season.  Now is also the time to push your flexibility, work on non plyometric jump work, improve your cardiac conditioning, and have physical therapy.  New training techniques can also be introduced in this early off – season of training.  The Vertimax and the Off – Ice Edge are two excellent pieces of equipment that are great to start during this period of training.  It is absolutely imperative that you make sure you work with a qualified off – ice trainer so you can correctly periodize your training for this next season.

For information on off – ice training options visit www.ryndakphysicaltherapy.com/Figure_Skaters.html

Using the Vertimax in a figure skater’s off – ice training can be fun, challenging, and effective.  Here are five tips when working with figure skaters on the Vertimax:

1. Visualize.  The figure skater should always visualize her on ice movement when performing an exercise on the Vertimax.  She should visualize her on ice motion leading up to the exercise movement, her on ice motion during the exercise movement, and the on ice motion after the exercise movement.

2.  Effort.  The figure skater should try to perform each repetition faster than the one before it so that maximum effort is being given for every repetition.

3.  Technique.  It is extremely important that the movement being trained on the Vertimax is replicating the technique the on ice coach has been teaching the skater.  There are subtle variations in technique for various jumps being taught to the skaters.  The off – ice coach has to be aware of the exact technique expected of the skater by her on ice coach so that the technique can be reinforced during Vertimax exercise.

4.  Goals.  Knowing what is to be accomplished with the Vertimax is important and may seem obvious.  However, knowing whether the skater needs help with vertical jump, rotation speed, take-off positions, or check outs should guide training on the Vertimax.

5.  Role.  Always know that any training technique is often another tool in the tool box.  There are no magic machines and any tool is only as effective as the effort of the coach and athlete.  Plyometrics, strength training, speed drills, etc are effectively used along with the Vertimax in a skater’s year long training cycle.  The Vertimax has an very important role but it is not the only technique that should be used to train figure skaters.

For more information about using the Vertimax to train figure skaters visit www.ryndakphysicaltherapy.com

It is no secret that athletes, especially elite athletes, practice and compete with aches and pains.  They also can practice and compete with injuries.  The question that a parent and the athlete are interested in knowing the answer to is when should the athlete practice, not practice, or adjust practice?  Should they compete or not compete?  There are times that the physical therapist is directly involved in the decision process.  This decision process in and of itself is emotionally taxing on the athlete.   As is the mental strength that it takes, once the decision has been made, to carry out the decision.  A large part of this decision making stress can be attributable to where in the season the athlete is.  The stress is greater if the decision process is occurring going into qualifying competitions versus just after the qualifying season.  The physical therapy management is also different.  An elite athlete about to compete in an important competition is receiving treatment that is geared towards symptom relief as opposed to rest, problem solving, and gentle exercise.  The question for the athlete wants to know is will I damage myself if I compete or practice?

There are no easy answers as you may guess.  It is absolutely imperative that the athlete’s doctor and physical therapist are involved and understand your specific needs and goals.  Consult a sports medicine physician and a physical therapist who regularly treats sports injuries.  It is a good idea to be familiar with these professionals even prior to injury so you can build trust in them before a significant decision to compete has to be made.

Elasto-Gel hot/cold packs

When I choose an item to sell to clients or anybody who wants it, I first use the product in the clinic.  I currently sell Elasto-Gel hot/cold packs, Tiger Tail rolling muscle massager, and the Stretch Out Strap.  In the case of the Elasto-Gel hot/cold packs, I have been using them in my clinic for 4 years and used them where I was employed for 2 years prior.  These cold pack sell themselves.  I use them on patients and they will ask, “can I get one of these?”  The 9×24 all purpose wrap is the best seller because it can be used for knees, thighs, and any other place you want.  The ankle/foot wrap is a great product for those who ice or heat their ankles quite a bit.  The shoulder wrap is my personal favorite because I have found no better way to secure an ice pack to the shoulder.  These hot/cold packs come with attached velcro straps and are leak proof. 

My most recent addition is the Tiger Tail rolling muscle massager.  This is a relatively new product that is used by an individual  for rolling out their own sore muscles.  Athletes are most familiar with the phrase “rolling out your muscles.”  This is an 18in long firm roller with a soft coating.  I prefer this roller to others because it is a hard roller and doesn’t bend when applying pressure to the muscles.

I would encourage anyone interested in these products to go to http://www.ryndakphysicaltherapy.com/find_physical_therapist.php to receive a free product announcement from Ryndak Physical Therapy.