The Work Of Art
Physical Training Prepares Athletes For The Sport Of Roller Figure Skating.
When most people think of roller skating, they envision a fun pastime with friends and family at the local rink. And rightly so. But lesser known to many is the serious, challenging sport that is roller figure skating.
Currently recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a Class-B Olympic sport, roller figure skating is showcased throughout the year at local, regional, and national competitions hosted by U.S.A. Roller Sports. Similar competitions throughout the world culminate annually on an exciting global stage with the International Federation of Roller Sports (FIRS). With such an ever-growing participation and following, roller figure skating and other roller sports are reviewed periodically by the Olympic Committee for inclusion in future games.
But behind the beauty of flawless programs are countless hours of physical work. As with any activity, what distinguishes roller skating athletes from hobbyists is a desire and commitment to train their bodies for the physicality of their chosen sport.
For roller figure skaters, that means extensive work both on and off skates. Off-skates training can be especially critical to strengthen and stretch one isolated muscle group at a time. As a result, each exercise off skates maximizes training time on skates.
“We want to work on strength and flexibility at the same time,” says Skating School founder Anthony Berger. “All the exercises are geared toward creating a skater’s body, head to toe.”
Skating School of Orlando offers rigorous off-skates training for its student athletes on Sundays.
Berger and other Skating School coaches apply their own extensive experiences to their curriculum. They also incorporate many techniques learned at the U.S. Olympic Complex, the unparalleled training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, Berger and the team benefited from the best figure skating practices and state-of-the-art exercises, which apply equally well in training roller and ice athletes.
“Off-skate training dramatically impacted my career,” says Skating School Orlando coach, Eric Hadley, who is a former National Champion in all disciplines of Artistic Roller Skating. “I get so excited when I see our students improving because of the conditioning. It really does make a huge difference.”
Hadley now shares his commitment to off-skates exercises with those attending weekly training sessions at Semoran Skateway, complimentary to Skating School students.