Figure skating strength and conditioning expert Matthew Blair Davis continues his presentation on the fundamentals of creating an off-ice training program for skaters. In Part 1, Matthew shared his background and talked at length about strengthening a skater’s core to improve stability and power. In Part 2, he discussed balance and strength, and the need for both before working on power. In this video, he focuses on power and stamina.
Matthew acknowledges that improved power is typically the most common request he receives from coaches, skaters and parents. Power training typically consists of jumping, throwing, and slamming. The desire/need for skaters to jump higher is a common driver of off-ice training, particularly for double axel development and triples. But as Matthew notes, most skaters simply don’t need much off-ice power training. They get power training from their on-ice practices, and time spent in off-ice training should focus mostly on core development, balance, and strength rather than power. One factor that many overlook is this: most injuries occur during power training.
Next up, Matthew discusses stamina, which is obviously an important characteristic for figure skaters. But somewhat surprisingly, Matthew implies that stamina training is simply not appropriate for most figure skaters. He recommends it mainly for those very serious athletes who have the skill set to be competitive at major competitions. Additionally, Matthew notes that classic aerobic cardio training (training for long periods at elevated but not extreme heart rates) is not an effective way for figure skaters to train stamina. Instead, he recommends high intensity interval training to engage the anaerobic/lactic acid system in the body. He also notes that “calmness training” (breathing techniques, meditation, stress control, etc) can be one of the best ways for figure skaters to improve their stamina, as many skaters suffer from anxiety and nervousness during competition that can take a huge toll on stamina.
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