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Knee and ankle bend for skaters
There are two very important angles in inline skating.
One is the angle of the foot to the calf, which depends on how much you bend your ankles.
The other is the angle of your lower leg to your upper leg, which depends on how much you bend your knees.
Bending your ankle pushes your knee forward. Bending your knee brings your thigh closer to the ground.
So What?
Together, deep knee bend and deep ankle bend will turbo-charge your skating. They do this by, in effect, putting your legs into a compressed position, ready to pounce like a coiled snake.
Think about it: With legs straight — in other words, without knee bend — you cannot push. (In fact, you can't move, except maybe to fall.) The reason for this is that the power of a push comes from the energy stored in the bent knee and ankle.
Aside from lengthening your stride, knee and ankle bend puts you in a more balanced and streamlined skating position and takes some of the load off your back.
But ...
The reason skaters don't spend more time in a low position is that it's tiring. It's a test of a strength and endurance.
But here's the good news: you don't have to stay in a low position all the time. You can save it for when you need all your power, such as at the end of a race.
In fact, it's not a good idea to stay in a low position too much of the time. If you do, you could end up without enough gas in the tank for the final sprint, where most races are decided.
Becoming a Low Rider
You can learn to skate low by taking a "quality over quantity" approach to training. To do this, focus on technique rather than distance skated and keep thinking about being low.
Some skaters make the mistake of only bending the knees. To make sure you also bend your ankles, notice where your knees are in relation to your toes. (The more you bend your ankles, the more your knees will move forward.) You should feel your lower calves pushing into the tongues of your boots.
Focus
To learn to skate low, use short, concentrated training sessions that focus on technique.
Here's a good 20-minute interval workout that will help get you lower:
Skate for one minute with a deep knee and ankle bend, followed by one minute of rest. Repeat 10 times.
Don't push yourself past the point where your "good" technique starts to crumble. It takes strength and balance to maintain the low position. And once you get tired, you are likely to lose it.
Off Skates
Dry land exercises can help develop the strength needed to stay low.
Squats are great for developing strength. (See squat tip.) Use a mirror or camcorder to make sure your knees are forward and your hamstrings (back of upper legs) are parallel to the ground.
Dry land skating is also helpful. Just make sure you don't "pop" your hips up as you are stepping from one leg to the other. Instead, keep them low.
Well, that's the ... uh ... lowdown. ... Now get out there and skate!
Copyright © 2009 Indianskater. All rights reserved.U.Vittala
Unauthorized copying/duplicating/usage of any content from this website in any form will result in prosecution of the offender(s) to the fullest extent allowed by law.
One is the angle of the foot to the calf, which depends on how much you bend your ankles.
The other is the angle of your lower leg to your upper leg, which depends on how much you bend your knees.
Bending your ankle pushes your knee forward. Bending your knee brings your thigh closer to the ground.
So What?
Together, deep knee bend and deep ankle bend will turbo-charge your skating. They do this by, in effect, putting your legs into a compressed position, ready to pounce like a coiled snake.
Think about it: With legs straight — in other words, without knee bend — you cannot push. (In fact, you can't move, except maybe to fall.) The reason for this is that the power of a push comes from the energy stored in the bent knee and ankle.
Aside from lengthening your stride, knee and ankle bend puts you in a more balanced and streamlined skating position and takes some of the load off your back.
But ...
The reason skaters don't spend more time in a low position is that it's tiring. It's a test of a strength and endurance.
But here's the good news: you don't have to stay in a low position all the time. You can save it for when you need all your power, such as at the end of a race.
In fact, it's not a good idea to stay in a low position too much of the time. If you do, you could end up without enough gas in the tank for the final sprint, where most races are decided.
Becoming a Low Rider
You can learn to skate low by taking a "quality over quantity" approach to training. To do this, focus on technique rather than distance skated and keep thinking about being low.
Some skaters make the mistake of only bending the knees. To make sure you also bend your ankles, notice where your knees are in relation to your toes. (The more you bend your ankles, the more your knees will move forward.) You should feel your lower calves pushing into the tongues of your boots.
Focus
To learn to skate low, use short, concentrated training sessions that focus on technique.
Here's a good 20-minute interval workout that will help get you lower:
Skate for one minute with a deep knee and ankle bend, followed by one minute of rest. Repeat 10 times.
Don't push yourself past the point where your "good" technique starts to crumble. It takes strength and balance to maintain the low position. And once you get tired, you are likely to lose it.
Off Skates
Dry land exercises can help develop the strength needed to stay low.
Squats are great for developing strength. (See squat tip.) Use a mirror or camcorder to make sure your knees are forward and your hamstrings (back of upper legs) are parallel to the ground.
Dry land skating is also helpful. Just make sure you don't "pop" your hips up as you are stepping from one leg to the other. Instead, keep them low.
Well, that's the ... uh ... lowdown. ... Now get out there and skate!
Copyright © 2009 Indianskater. All rights reserved.U.Vittala
Unauthorized copying/duplicating/usage of any content from this website in any form will result in prosecution of the offender(s) to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| Anonymous | Training Express (mANSA.rIDHAMDEEP) | 0 | Sep 18 2009, 1:34 PM EDT by Anonymous | ||
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Thread started: Sep 18 2009, 1:34 PM EDT
Watch
1. Push yourself.
If you are in your comfort zone, you are not pushing hard enough. Always strive to achieve a pace that is fast, yet at a level that you can maintain. If you feel like you are about to bonk, slow up and concentrate on your form. Proper technique is a must and is a powerful tool for saving energy in a race. Once you have caught your breath, accelerate back to the speed that is uncomfortable — but also remember to skate efficiently and think about your technique: Push through with your heel, stay low, and set your skates down tilted inward (double push). 2. Go It Alone If you are skating with a group and you are in the back of a paceline feeling fresh, pull out of the draft and work yourself by pulling into the headwind. Or better yet, do some breakaways. That way, when you are in an actual race sitting in the draft, it will feel effortless. ... Don’t try to save energy and win the practice, get out there and make the most of each workout! 3. Do Your Intervals Pick a day to skate intervals. This will really raise your heart rate and maximize your fitness level. Skate steady for a minute. Then go all out for 20-30 seconds. Repeat this throughout your workout. This will help build power for acceleration and improve your sprint technique, as well as give you agility and maneuverability. 4. Be a Couch Athlete, Not a Coach Potato If you are not able to get out on your skates due to weather or other issues, don’t turn into a couch potato. Before you get too comfortable, stand up, bend a knee and perch one foot on the couch behind you. Then do one-legged squats, slow and steady. Go all the way up and all the way down. You will really feel the burn. Try three sets of 15 on each leg. Later, you can do them while holding dumbbells. ... Dry-land exercises are a great way to strengthen your skate muscles. YOU CAN CHECK SOME EXERCISES ON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ_ETSek2uw -mANSA.rIDHAMDEEP- |
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