Strength

What are some good strength & mobility exercises to help with skating?

Skate stronger with these key strength and mobility exercises!

So I'm not a skater but I know lots of strength coaches and athletes that play hockey and skating and do things and work with people that do that. So, some good strength and Mobility exercises to help with that, you got to think about what you're doing and what you can do to kind of counteract, what you're doing to make your body feel better, and then also to help what you're doing. So when you're skating using lots of hips, you'd probably getting into anterior pelvic tilt so exercises, That can help you find a more neutral pelvis, doing some bridging doing some hamstring doing some hip stability, things to kind of stabilize and strengthen, your pelvis posteriorly, things to strengthen, your adductors, your abductors, all the muscles that you're going to be lengthening and shortening quickly in skating. I like to do. Lots of bunkies with my athletes funky hip stabilizing exercises. You can do a many different ways, but if you just have a little bench, you can basically work some n range hip stability. Lots of lower abs, just to kind of keep the pelvis pulling in the right direction. Belly button down, strength training, getting your lower abs to fire, getting your glutes, to fire. I said Bridges, I said, bunkies, basically anything you can do to get your glutes on, open up your hip flexors. So if we can do the couch trip, Which do some hip flexor stretches do some active and range adductor stretching things to kind of train you to get in the end ranges that you're going to be exposed to in the act of skating, being strong in those short, and ranges, and those lengthened and ranges, and also having them ability to hit those motions, but also the strength in those and ranges. So that, when you're doing it, you're not going to get hurt. Hope that helps

To help with skating, good strength and mobility exercises include bridging, hip stability exercises, lower ab exercises, glute activation exercises, hip flexor stretches, and adductor stretches. These will help strengthen and activate the muscles used in skating, as well as give the body the range of motion and flexibility needed to perform the movements without getting injured.

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As someone who isn't a skater, I've gathered insights from strength coaches and athletes who specialize in hockey and skating. Here are some recommended strength and mobility exercises to improve skating performance:

1. Focus on addressing anterior pelvic tilt, which is common during skating. Perform exercises like bridging, hamstring exercises, and hip stability exercises to help find a more neutral pelvis and strengthen the posterior pelvic region.

2. Strengthen the adductors and abductors, as these muscles are involved in the quick lengthening and shortening movements during skating. Incorporate exercises that target these muscle groups.

3. Include funky hip stabilizing exercises, which can be done in various ways, such as using a bench to work on hip stability in different ranges of motion.

4. Prioritize lower abdominal strength to maintain proper pelvic alignment. Engage the lower abs by focusing on exercises that activate them, along with glute activation exercises like bridges.

5. Stretch and open up the hip flexors with exercises like the couch stretch. Additionally, incorporate active and range adductor stretching to train your body for the end ranges of motion experienced during skating.

The goal is to develop strength in both the shortened and lengthened positions, as well as the ability to safely and effectively perform these movements. By incorporating these exercises, you can enhance your skating abilities and reduce the risk of injury.

Some really good athletes are really bad at doing pull-ups. Can you recommend some exercises to improve pull-up performance?

Boost Pull-Up Performance: Exercises & Techniques for Success!

Some exercises to improve, Pull Up Performance. When I think about the pillow performance, I think about the ranges of motion, you're going to hit when you do it, getting your chin up over the bar and then getting fully extended at the bottom. So you can start with isometric, holds holding your chin up over the bar, you could drop to 90 degrees holding your body halfway down to pull up. You can go to 120 degrees where your arms are almost straight. You can even do dead, Hanks, just building endurance in the different positions that you're going to do during a pull-up. It's a good place to start and then you could do e Centrex where you start standing on a box with your chin up over the bar, you lower 45 seconds to start, maybe do a couple reps of that then you lower for 10 seconds see if you can do a couple reps of that. Once you've done isometrics any Centrex, then you could do some assisted, you could use a band to help you get more reps of the pull up with concentric and eccentric. And then if you can't do many, but you can do a couple pull-ups, you could do accumulating pull ups where I say, you do three or four pull ups in a row for range of motion. You're getting good quality pull-ups and then you can't do anymore. So you take a 10 or 15 second break and then maybe you do two or three pull-ups, take another 10 or 15 second break and maybe you do one or two. So you can start to accumulate the Reps on top of each other for a set. So this is some basic ways. You can improve your pull-up performance. I hope that helps

To improve pull up performance, start with isometric holds, eccentric and concentric exercises, assisted reps with a band, and accumulating pull-up reps with a set amount of rest in between.

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To improve pull-up performance, there are several exercises you can try. Start with isometric holds, where you hold your chin above the bar, at 90 degrees, or at 120 degrees to build endurance in different positions. Dead hangs are also beneficial for building strength and endurance.

Next, incorporate eccentric exercises. Use eccentric pull-ups by starting with your chin above the bar and lowering yourself down slowly for 45 seconds or 10 seconds per rep. This helps build strength during the lowering phase of the pull-up.

Assisted pull-ups can be done using a band to provide support and help you perform more reps with both the concentric and eccentric phases.

If you can do a few pull-ups, try accumulating pull-ups. Perform three or four pull-ups in a row with good range of motion, take a short 10-15 second break, then do two or three more, and repeat. This allows you to accumulate reps while maintaining quality form.

These exercises provide a solid foundation for improving pull-up performance. Give them a try and see how they work for you!

What are some recommendations for exercises to strengthen connective tissue?

Maximize your connective tissue strength with these exercise tips!

If you're trying to strengthen connective tissue before you exercise, or work out, have some collagen protein and have it with some vitamin C, so it helps absorb better. And if you can take it within 30 to 45 minutes before your workout, it should help get into your tendons and connective tissues more. So than if you just drink it in the morning and work out in the afternoon, so start with that. And then when you exercise, no matter what exercise it is, just try to increase the time. Your attention. So if you can do isometric, pauses if you can hold different positions. If you can have partial reps when you exercise, if you can pause at the bottom. If you can do, if you can do a little quarter rips at the bottom or quarter rips at the top or pause numerous times as you lower and then explode up. So start with increasing time under tension, add isometric, pause ozs go slow on the way down. Go slow on the way up. All of those will Target connective tissues strength. Then once you have good strength, built you have good eccentric strength, you can pause anywhere. You have good con Centric strength, then you can start adding some depth drops. You can start adding some things where you have to stick certain positions, come in from a fast speed and then you can do more plyometric work. So increase your time under tension, add in partial reps, adding Is isometrics to increase your time under tension and strengthen your connective tissue. And then once it's stronger, then you can do more explosive work. More kind of depth drop quick stabilizing work and then do those into explosive plyometric movements and all of those should be a very good recipe for strengthening connective tissue.

To strengthen connective tissue before exercise, have some collagen protein with vitamin C 30-45 minutes beforehand. Increase time under tension by doing isometric pauses, partial reps, and going slow on the way down and up. Once you have built strength, start adding depth drops and plyometric work.

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To strengthen connective tissue, there are several recommendations. Before exercising, consume collagen protein along with vitamin C to enhance absorption. Ideally, take it within 30 to 45 minutes before your workout to allow it to reach your tendons and connective tissues more effectively.

During your exercise routine, focus on increasing time under tension. Incorporate isometric pauses and hold different positions. Implement partial reps, pausing at the bottom or top of the movement. Slow down the tempo during both the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases. These techniques specifically target connective tissue strength.

Once you have built good strength and eccentric control, you can progress to more advanced exercises. This includes adding depth drops and movements that require sticking certain positions. Gradually introduce plyometric work, which involves explosive movements.

By increasing time under tension, incorporating isometrics, and gradually progressing to more explosive exercises, you can effectively strengthen your connective tissue.

What are your favorite movements to improve thoracic spine mobility?

Unlock Thoracic Mobility with These Proven Movements

Thoracic spine Mobility is a big player for rotational athletes, but also just Everyday People, you want to make sure that you have a mobile rib cage. I heard once that mobile ribcage, figgins forgives a lot of sins, and I really like that quote because it does play true. So when thinking about thoracic Mobility, it depends what you're trying to do. Are you trying to get the recipe rotation, you trying to get the recipe, extension to get more laid back if you're a pitcher or get more. Overhead range of motion. Are you trying to get more thoracic flexion, because you're stuck in extension, where your ribs are flowering. So, there's lots of different movements to improve through a sixth spine Mobility. Just depends what we're trying to improve. Would you agree? So I really like, open books for thoracic rotation. I'll try to post some videos too but I'll just rattle them off while I can open books, where you lay on your side, your knees on a foam roll. When you open one way, And then close house, I like circles when you do that, circle around your head for your open book and I also like opening up and then kind of punching my other arm up to the ceiling, getting a little crunch. So I'm getting rotation and a little bit of flexion, just to get further into that rotation. So, through a open books are really good for thoracic rotation, I like doing adductor kind of rocking and rotating where you rock back and forth and then you open up and do like an open book while you're doing a groin stretch, Because those tied directly into your ribcage and obliques, which can help with threats. Fine, Mobility, fourth, Rasik, extension, I like playing over a foam roller and putting it on different segments of Mighty spine. So I start higher and then I lay back over top of the foam roller and breathe out and get thoracic extension range of motion. And I work that way down my rib cage, as I continue to breathe in and crunching and exhaling, and, and lay back. And then for thoracic flexion, I like getting on all fours and just kind of pushing my spine away pushing my spine into my rib cage, trying to promote the Rasik, flexion with my breath and really get into a cat pose. So that there's some basics for rotation extension and flexion, you can make those more advanced based on whatever it is, you're trying to achieve. But I hope those help.

Thoracic spine mobility can be improved through a variety of exercises, including open books, adductor rocking and rotating, and foam rolling. Additionally, thoracic extension can be achieved by laying back over a foam roller, and thoracic flexion can be achieved by pushing the spine into the rib cage while on all fours.

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When it comes to improving thoracic spine mobility, there are several movements that I find effective. It depends on what you're trying to achieve with your mobility goals. Are you aiming for more rotation, extension, or flexion? Let's explore some of my favorite movements for each.

For thoracic rotation, I really like open books. To do this, lie on your side with your knees on a foam roll. Open your top arm and then close it, creating a rotational movement. You can also add circles by circling your arm around your head during the open book movement. Another variation is to open up and punch your other arm up to the ceiling, combining rotation with a bit of flexion.

To improve thoracic extension, I recommend using a foam roller. Start higher on your spine and gradually lay back over the foam roller while breathing out. Move the foam roller down your rib cage as you continue to breathe in, crunching and exhaling, and allowing for thoracic extension range of motion.

For thoracic flexion, get on all fours and push your spine away, promoting flexion with your breath. Aim to create a cat pose by pushing your spine into your rib cage.

These are some basic movements for rotation, extension, and flexion. You can modify and advance them based on your specific goals. I hope these suggestions help you improve your thoracic spine mobility.

What’s the most effective way to strengthen the glutes?

Unlock Glute Strength: Hip Thrusts, Step-ups & More!

Recent Studies have shown that hip thrusts are the most effective way to Target your glute muscles in your shoulders on a bench and you're a barbell on your waist. Squatting and deadlifting are very good too but hippocras give more Lube recruitment than those especially if you throw a band around your knees as you have pressed. Gets more glute Recruitment and build more glute strength than squatting and deadlifting. Those are both very good exercises as well. Especially if you take your squad a little deeper, you get more out of your boots. Other variations are step-ups the probably the best single leg exercise to Target your glutes, especially at the slightly higher variation and then also 45-degree back extensions where your body is at a 45 degree angle. You're lifting your torso up and down if you keep your torso, Crunch slightly flexed, you get way more out of your glutes when your spine and lower back. Also, reverse hyper reverse hip extensions, where you're lying over machine the table and you have a strap around your ankles with weights and you lift your legs up and down targeting your glutes. Kind of from the bottom up is a very good effective way to strengthen your glutes. So those are all good ways to hip thrusting and step-ups the best. And then 45-degree back extensions and reversed if extensions are very good as well.

Hip thrusts are the most effective way to target your glute muscles on a bench with a barbell on your waist. Squatting and deadlifting are also good, but hip thrusts give more glute recruitment. Step-ups are the best single-leg exercise, and 45-degree back extensions and reverse hyper extensions are also very effective in targeting the glutes.

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Recent studies have shown that hip thrusts are the most effective exercise for strengthening the glutes. To perform hip thrusts, you can sit on a bench with a barbell placed on your waist and thrust your hips upward. This exercise recruits more glute muscles compared to squats and deadlifts, especially if you add a resistance band around your knees for extra glute activation.

Squatting and deadlifting are also effective exercises for targeting the glutes, especially if you perform squats with a deeper range of motion. This allows for greater glute engagement.

Other variations that can help strengthen the glutes include step-ups, particularly the slightly higher variation, which is a great single-leg exercise for glute targeting. Additionally, 45-degree back extensions, where your body is at a 45-degree angle and you lift your torso up and down, can effectively engage the glutes. Reverse hyperextensions, where you lie over a machine table with a strap around your ankles and lift your legs up and down, can also target the glutes from the bottom up.

In summary, hip thrusts and step-ups are particularly effective for strengthening the glutes. Additionally, 45-degree back extensions and reverse hyperextensions can be beneficial exercises to target and strengthen the glutes.

How do you gain muscle without losing speed?

Gaining Muscle: Maintaining Speed & Explosiveness

If you put on appropriate muscle in your lower half in your core and your chest and back, it should help you maintain, if not gain speed, as you gain more strength and muscle, mass to put more Force into the ground, a few more explosive. So, just make sure you're doing appropriate workouts to focus on those areas. Another way you can do it, as make sure you keep getting your speed workouts in as you do your strength, workouts, to gain muscle. So you keep running at full speed you keep doing Agility. Explosive sprinting workouts, to maintain if not gain speed, as you try to put on muscle mass. And then when you're doing your workouts, you can do some speed strength. Exercises are some speed strength workouts, where you're lifting weight, but you're making sure Jammu fast. You're not just lifting heavy weight, moving slow. If you can kind of do all those, if you can focus on appropriate areas that you're gaining muscle, it should help with your speed. Your speed workouts. Make sure you're getting the street, working your agility work. It should help you maintain speed while gaining muscle and if you do faster movements in the gym, Plyometrics resisted weight movements quickly, making sure you're moving fast under load, you shouldn't lose speed when you gain muscle.

To maintain or gain speed while gaining muscle, make sure to focus on appropriate workouts for the lower body, core, chest, and back. Also, keep up with your speed workouts, as well as agility and explosive sprinting workouts. Doing faster movements in the gym such as plyometrics and resisted weight movements quickly can help you maintain speed when gaining muscle.

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To gain muscle without losing speed, there are a few strategies you can follow. First, focus on appropriate workouts that target your lower half, core, chest, and back. By building strength and muscle in these areas, you can generate more force and explosiveness, potentially maintaining or even improving your speed.

Additionally, it's important to continue incorporating speed workouts alongside your strength training. This means consistently engaging in full-speed running, agility exercises, and explosive sprinting workouts. By combining these with your muscle-building routines, you can work on gaining muscle mass while still prioritizing speed.

During your workouts, consider incorporating speed-strength exercises or workouts. This involves lifting weights but ensuring that you perform the movements quickly rather than moving slowly with heavy weights. By focusing on fast movements, you can train your muscles for speed and power.

Lastly, incorporating faster movements in the gym, such as plyometrics or resisted weight movements performed quickly, can help you maintain speed while gaining muscle. The key is to prioritize speed and explosiveness even as you work on building muscle.

By following these strategies, focusing on appropriate muscle areas, and balancing speed and strength training, you can aim to gain muscle without sacrificing speed.

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Matt Eiden answers your Strength questions. See all the advice Matt Eiden has and get answers to your own Strength questions.

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Matt Eiden is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) with 14 years of experience. He was a strength coach for the Washington Nationals from 2009 to 2022. He is also Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) certified. After graduating from St. Mary's with a BS degree in Sports Management in 2008, he played two professional seasons of independent baseball before joining the Nationals as an intern in 2009. In 2016, he was promoted to Head MLB Strength and Conditioning Coach. During the off-season, he resides in Hilton Head, SC with his wife, Ashley. His hobbies include golf, basketball, reading, and spending time with his wife and family. Matt believes that moving well is essential and coaches must be able to connect with athletes to help them work toward the greater goals of the player and team.