Skating To Better Health
Where To Skate
(Trails, Rinks & More)
Skating for fitness adds a unique benefit to your fitness program, whether you skate for the great aerobic benefits, or focus in on the anaerobic and strength training. Much of the information can apply to many different skating disciplines, and is meant to give you a knowledge
base which can be used for life.
We have all heard of how important it is to train the "core", but how many of us know what that really means? When you hear the word "core", you kind of get a feeling that it has something to do with the central part of your body. The core is
actually where the center of gravity is for the body, where movement starts and power comes from. Many people think of training their abs when they think of training their core. As you can guess, it is really a lot more than just doing abdominal crunches. Core musculature involves those muscles of
the hips, abdomen, and back (mostly low back, but upper back is often included).
Losing weight is one of the great benifits of inline skating - it is great exercise, and it is not boring. Other easy ways to lose weight can be found on this handy article.
In a nutshell, properly training the core trains proper muscle recruitment and stability in the entire body. Core strength comes from postural awareness and an integrated training of those muscles that support good posture, no matter what sport we are doing. Why is it so important for inline skaters to have good core strength and awareness? We are often in positions that could jeopardize our low backs, if not properly protected by a stong core. Fitness/speed skaters also need to generate a lot of power, which, as we discussed above, stems from the central core.
If you are a smoker, it is time to quit! A fitness program will help you kick the habit. Not matter how difficult it is, remember how much your life will improve if you stop smoking.