Post 4

Lately my skating coach's have been telling me that I am not bending enough when I am doing stroking and other basic moves. I have had this problem a lot before but I thought that I would start becoming more flexible the more I skated. It helped a little bit but not enough. I also take ice dance lessons which are supposed to help this problem. My coach has given me a stretching and workout routine to help me become more flexible.
Strength - core strength:
*crunches
*Russian twists (with medicine ball)
*Reverse crunches
*Push-ups
*Leg lifts

Leg strength:
*Biking
*Stroking on-ice
*Spiral lifts
*Jogging
*Lunges
*Squats

I am going to do each of these exercises 3 times a week. I will jog twice a week in the morning around my neighborhood for 1/2 hour. The days that I don't jog I will ride my bike through my neighborhood.

I have tried to stick to these exercising routines before but I have never been motivated enough to do it. This time I think that I will keep up with it because today my coach told me that she wanted me to compete my freestyle program. She wants me to do this because it will get me ready for testing. Testing and competitions are very similar in the way that you skate them. When you are testing you are out on the ice alone while 1 to 3 judges are watching you deciding if you pass the level. At a competition you are out on the ice alone and usually 3 judges are watching you to see what place you get but placement doesn't really matter. Some people that compete are doing it as practice for their actual test. My coach wants me to do this so that I know what it is going to be like for the test, this way I will not be as nervous for the test.