Is Speed Skating Good Cross-Training?

[limestonemiler]

Cause I don't think so.

[oldbones]

Depends on your definition of cross-training and how you use it to supplement your overall training plan. If you are replacing running with skating I would say no. If you are using this as a winter low period activity I would say yes as I am not a big advocate of heavy indoor track seasons.

I find that when runners use other modes of exercise (i.e. instead of the runners gait ... ) they improve overall injury resistance, flexability and are mentally more fresh (just my unscientific opinion ...).

Speed skaters have massive muscle development for the legs and this may not be complimentary for distance runners. However this mode of exercise may work those muscles and supporting structures that we as runners may not focus on during the year.

From the looks of it my back just aches when I see these athletes doing their thing!

[spaff]

Dec 14, 2009 22:44:01 GMT -5 limestonemiler said:

Cause I don't think so.

Snowshoe running is much better

[STIkS]

As a former short track speed skater myself, I would say that there are definitely other sports that are more complimentary if your focus is running. Water running, elliptical and spin bike are all probably better than skating. Cross-country skiing probably pretty good as well.
Speed skating is a pretty good winter alternative for cycling and vice-versa in the summer. I participated in speed skating from when I was 8yrs old up until I was 15yrs. At the age of 14 was when I started to notice that my frame wasn't really suited to the sport. It you run distance it is very difficult to be any good at both sports due to the muscular power required to be good at speed skating. Skating also puts a fairly heavy demand on the groin muscles...its a lot easier to tear a groin muscle skating than running. During grade 9 I was able to run XC and indoor track while speed skating. Since I was only able to get on the ice 3 times a week, I still had to run 3-4 times a week.

However, it terms of enjoyment...whoa...it is super fun. Well...short track is anyway. When you develop the skills to skate well, you can really fly. A terrific feeling...like running downhill with a tailwind.

I would view speed skating as good winter sport for youth physical development. (ie. Keeping your kids in aerobically demanding sports before the age where specialization is encouraged.)

[johnnyoldschool]

Our experience with speed skating was a very positive and the cross training effects were impressive - especially for youth. Lindsay C. was involved in speed skating (both short track and long track) for a number of years and was extremely fortunate to be coached here in Cambridge by one of Canada's best short track coaches and all round great guy, Ernie Overland. A side note here... all three of Ernie's children have made it to the Olympics. Lindsay skated with the Cambridge Speed Skating Club from Grade 5 to grade 11 and owes much of her racing tactics in running to the sport of speed skating. As her favourite speed skating shirt indicates... skate like hell, turn left! We highly recommend the sport to anyone looking to build some great frienships, strength, and a few racing skills! If any of you coaches want to see some magic drop by the Hespeler Arena (Townline exit @401) at 6:30pm on a Tuesday or Thursday and watch Ernie in action... a remarkable, humble, and inspiring coach and mentor. BTW, Ernie has also run a 2:4? Boston Marathon.

[limestonemiler]

I dunno. I just wanted to have a go at it somewhere down the road. For most of my youth I, like many Canadians, was confined to short skate blades and wondered if there was perhaps something more.

Surely the kinetics of either sport are very different, but are there any mutual muscle groups at work between to the two activities? Does it matter? Cause once you get down to the bare bones of it all, any strength training you do within reasonable means is going to help you out if not physiologically than psychologically.

[jo14]

I think that it can be good, but have no real experience of it. One case where it has worked out amazingly is with Connor McConvey. He won Gb's junior boys this year and last year as well as getting 12'Th at OFSAA; and this year he absolutely crushed Matt Druken on the hills of Duntroon. He actually skipped OFSAA this year for a skating competition (he is trying to get carded), as he is currently (or was at least) ranked #1 in the WORLD for his age group in some distances.

[Angus Macaulay]

Limestonemiler,

not sure where you are located, but i had an opportunity to try a few weekends of speedskating with the seratoma club in KW (RIM Park Ice Pads) it was 50 bucks for four hours of instruction and skate rental. 1hour for four saturday mornings in a row. It is a lot of fun and a pretty good workout. different muscles for sure, but you can hit a lof of cardio assuming you can get over the mechanics of the sport. I know this club does another learn to skate session starting in January. Certainly the clubs I looked at to go and try this out were all really positive about getting me out to give this a try. I would imagine where ever you are located there is some group not too far away with some form of introductory/trial program.

[STIkS]

Dec 15, 2009 20:26:24 GMT -5 johnnyoldschool said:

Our experience with speed skating was a very positive and the cross training effects were impressive - especially for youth. Lindsay C. was involved in speed skating (both short track and long track) for a number of years and was extremely fortunate to be coached here in Cambridge by one of Canada's best short track coaches and all round great guy, Ernie Overland. A side note here... all three of Ernie's children have made it to the Olympics. Lindsay skated with the Cambridge Speed Skating Club from Grade 5 to grade 11 and owes much of her racing tactics in running to the sport of speed skating. As her favourite speed skating shirt indicates... skate like hell, turn left! We highly recommend the sport to anyone looking to build some great frienships, strength, and a few racing skills! If any of you coaches want to see some magic drop by the Hespeler Arena (Townline exit @401) at 6:30pm on a Tuesday or Thursday and watch Ernie in action... a remarkable, humble, and inspiring coach and mentor. BTW, Ernie has also run a 2:4? Boston Marathon.

Wow! I had no idea Lindsay C speed skated, she must have started skating around the year that I finished. I would have never guessed that she was still skating in gr.11 given how fast she was already running at that time.
Ernie Overland is an awesome guy/coach; can't say enough about him. I skated in Brampton and our best guys would make the 90min trip to Cambridge once a week just to get some extra ice time under Ernie's watchful eye. I remember Ernie just running a bunch of us down during a dry-land training session in the summer.
Like you mentioned...tactics are huge in short track. You develop some pretty good instincts skating in packs and trying to make moves...they have served me well in numerous 600m and 800m races.
Like any sport, you have to dedicate time to the activity before you see any results. I would say that deciding to do anything based on an arbitrary hunch that it might be your "calling" usually ends in disappointment. 400m hurdles were that hunch for me. I didn't even make it to my first race.
Speed skating is 75% technique...if you don't dedicate the time to skating low and slow, you will NEVER be any good. Hockey players find that out very fast when they try speed skating. They have to unlearn so many hockey habits that hurt your ability to skate fast. I would say that going to the Olympics in Speed Skating is as hard if not harder than going in track. The Canadian team skating trials for skating typically ends in disappointment for a number of guys who could compete for a medal. I actually skated with a guy who couldn't crack the Canadian National Team but was right on the cusp...he took his mother's german citizenship and went to the olympics for Germany.
Speed skating is a great sport, and lots of fun. But it takes time to see results (if that is what you are looking for) and one winter won't do it.

[sd]

I know Richard Mclennan from Sault. Ste. Marie was a speedskater before a track runner and I beilive (correct me if I'm wrong) that he had 2 OFSAA Gold Medlas in the 400m as a Midjet Boy and Junior Boy by the time he hite senior people got more serious about training and started to beat him but he still finaled in his senior years.