Ankle/Back/Abs All Athlete Workout /Roller Derby Preventing Injuries

 Ankle/Back/Abs  All Athlete/Roller Derby Workout- Preventing Injuries

These workouts should take no longer than 10-15 minutes. I recommend doing these workouts on your off skating (training) days, however they will not hinder your skating at all if done before or after your skating sessions.

Day 1:
Ankles: Draw your ABC’s with each foot. Capitals or lower case are fine. Whatever mood you are in. One foot at a time or both at the same time is fine too. Once you feel comfortable, this exercise is better done with your skates on to get your ankles even stronger.
Calves: Calf raises. Hold on to a wall or chair, lift your heels off the ground to its highest point and hold for 3 seconds. Lower back down. Perform this exercise 20 times and progress each week by 10. Holding dumbbells on each side if available and balancing calf raises are a more advanced move and would be another option. Example. Week 1: 10 calf raises,  Week 2: 20 calf raises, Week 3: 30 calf raises  and so on…By starting at 10 you will know how many weeks you have been doing your workouts and will see how much stronger you are.

Abs: 1. Crunches: With your knees up, and your hands behind your head, perform 20 crunches up and down.  2. Bicycles: With one leg extended out and the other bent toward your chest (off the ground), twist your opposite shoulder (not elbow) toward your knee. Alternate twists and legs back and forth slowly 20x. Work your way up to 3 sets of each exercise. Crunches and bicycles could be performed with your skates on after you do your ABC’s.

Back: Stand in derby low, with or without your skates on for as long as you can. Keep your chest up, abs in, and arms in front of you. Count your seconds. Each week increase your time by at least 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 5x.

Day 2

Ankles: Repeat Day 1: Draw your ABC’s with your feet.

Shins: Toe taps. Toe tap 20x one foot at a time. Repeat 3 sets of 20. Performing these with skates on will make your shins and ankles even stronger and prevent shin splints as well.

Abs: 1. Leg Raises: Lying on the ground, raise both legs up to a 90 degree angle. Place your hands by your side or underneath your lower back. Raise your legs straight up without swinging or using momentum. Repeat 20x.  2. Russian Twists: Sit up and then lean slightly back placing your weight just above your tailbone (not on your tailbone). Hold this position and twist back and forth 20x. Work your way up to 3 sets of each exercise. These exercises could be performed with your skates on after you do your ABC’s and toe taps.

Back: Supermans: Lie on your stomach. Raise your arms and legs up and hold for 3 seconds. Release down. Repeat 20x. Slowly stretch this one out into child’s pose before doing the next set. Repeat 3 sets. This exercise can be with skates on as well.

Day 3:

Ankles: Repeat Day 1: Draw your ABC’s with your feet.

Ankles/Core/Balance: These exercises could be done with or without skates, on your carpet or on the floor at home. Wearing your skates during these exercises will challenge you with your skills as well as your balance and strength. Work up to 3 sets of this routine. 

1.       Balance on one foot as long as you can with your knees slightly bent and abs tights. Repeat other leg.

2.       Hop side to side holding on one foot for 3 seconds before switching. Repeat 20x

3.       Balance on one foot, slowly bring your other leg behind you keeping it off the ground and bring it back to the front again. Repeat one side 10x. Switch sides.

4.       Toe Stop Walks  (If you aren't wearing skates you can do this in a calf raise position):  Walk on your toe stops 10 steps forward and 10 steps back. If you don’t have your skates on, you should do these in calf raise position.

5.       Toe Stop Box Step (If you aren't wearing skates you can do this in a calf raise position) :On your toe stops, step in a box to the right then to the left. Example Step R side-Step L in-Step L forward-Step R forward-Step L side- Step R in- Step R Back-Step L back.

Written by: Michelle Rotell

owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga
www.sweatcardio.com

Certified Personal Trainer

Training Coordinator Wine Town Rollers

 

 

 

Prevent Knee Injury in Repetitive Motion Sports-Rolling/Stretching/Training

 We need to train specifically for strength and power in our legs. We can prevent injury by cross training which is working your opposing muscles we work all the time. For example, strengthen  your lower back as well as your abdominal muscles. Twisting and leaning are integral movements in roller derby. Incorporate side lunges and curtsy lunges to strengthen the areas needed.  

Repetitive motion puts high stress on one area and can cause imbalance in your muscular structure as well as your skeletal structure. Tight muscles can pull bones and ligaments in one direction and loosen muscles not being used as frequently. We need to lengthen specific muscles and strengthen others. 

Lengthening your IT band and strengthening your Vastus Medialis and inner thighs are key to knee injury prevention.

First, rolling or lengthening your IT (iliotibial) Band  is key. Here is a great stretch for your IT band as well as how to roll it.

Roll Slow. Make sure to hold it in the areas that you feel pain till the pain lessens. You then move on as you roll the entire side. You should not be rolling consistently up and down your leg.

With your legs crossed and folding forward, lean slightly to the outside of the base foot to create a better stretch on the outside of your hip and down to the back of the knee. 

If your IT band is tight which is caused by repetitive forward motion, there is tension on your knee. The IT Band connects from the hip to the knee, therefore pulling your knee outward and putting unwanted and uneven pressure on your knees and lower extremities.

With a tighter IT Band comes pulling of the inner thighs; primarily your Vastus medialus muscles (inner muscle of your quadriceps) and Gracilis muscles (inner thigh). 

We need to make sure to strengthen all areas of our quadriceps but this muscles is not only neglected but really hard to trigger on its own. 

To strengthen the Vastus medialus and gracilis muscles, here are a few exercises.

Perform a wall squat with or without a ball on your back making sure your legs are at a 90 degree angle. Then take another small ball and place it between your legs and squeeze it slowly. Repeat multiple times till you feel a strong burn. Stand, recover, then repeat set 2 to 3 more times.

Curtsy Lunges. Alternate curtsy lunges from leg to leg. If you can push off with inside of your front foot you will feel more work being done to your medialis. Repeat 10 to 15 repetitions on each side. Rest and repeat 2 to 3 sets.

Side Lunges. Make sure your knees are over your heals when stepping out. When pushing back to center, it is imperative that you place most of your weight on the inside of your power foot in order to get the proper stengthening in your vastus medialus. This will also fire up your glutes, hamstrings and obliques. 

Tradition is to train as we play, but it is important in order to keep balance in our bodies to work out bodies at least once a week in the opposite manner. For example in roller derby, we need to make sure to work our right side as much as our left side. Skate non-derby direction when possible. If  you are a cyclist, make sure to do lateral movements such as skaters and back lunges for your hamstrings. 

Make sure to work at your own pace, but you will see your performance increase in your specific sport or just in your daily lives by making sure your body is aligned properly. 

You may even notice your lower back or neck have less stress as you become more balanced. Your whole body will become more balanced and will reflect on other areas of your body and life. 

Written by: 

Michelle "Michbehavin" Rotell

Owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga

www.sweatcardio.com 

Plyometrics Leg Workout Athletics Cardio

Ab Core Workout Fitness

Roller Derby How to do Power foot Steering foot

Stretches for runners and other athletes!

Everyone needs to stretch!! Young, old, athletes, sedentary and everyone between!!
Our bodies conform to the movements we repeat. Our muscles tighten up in areas we over work or loosen to compensate for other tight areas. As we sit at a desk all day long, our hamstrings (back of the thigh) and our hip flexors (front of the hip) become tight. These are the areas that are contracted all day long as we sit. We need to stretch those areas to ensure that we are not over compensating with our backs. They will start to round and put pressure on your upper and lower back. These areas need to be strengthen.
Runners and cyclist are moving in a repetitive forward motion sometimes for over an hour to 2 hours at a time. Some even more. Our IT Band or Iliotibia band becomes tight and inflamed as the

Gracilis and Sartorius (inner thigh muscles) become lose. This Runner's or Cyclist Knee is caused by over use and not strengthening the opposing muscles.

As we age, our hips and glutes become tight as well. In this case, our bodies need to stretch them to prevent other injuries.
Other benefits of stretching:
Relieves pain
Increases  energy levels
Increases flexibility
Give you better range of motion of the joints
Increased circulation of blood to various parts of the body
Relieves stress and increases relaxation
Can enhance coordination
Improves structural and muscular posture
Makes you feel better!

Here are a few of the basic stretches you can start with.

IT Band and Back

Groin, Inner thigh, Glutes

Quads, Hip Flexors

Hamstrings, Lower Back

Glutes, Piriformis  Hip Flexors

Sweat Cardio offers Morning Stretch classes Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:15a. They are all stretches with out the yoga involved. It is for all levels and focuses on all body parts including the smaller joints and muscles such as wrists and ankles. If you do not live in Temecula, Ca search for your local Yoga studio. You can ask if they offer stretch classes or Yin Yoga as another form of stretching.

Written by Michelle Rotell
owner: Sweat Cardio and Yoga
Check out our full class schedule at www.sweatcardio.com

Foam Roller Workshop

 Glutes/Piriformis

 

 Quadriceps

 Hamstrings

 Back of Knee/ Hamstrings

Stretches Hamstrings Piriformis IT Band Shins Calves Low Back

Stretches for your Hamstrings, IT Band, Low Back, Shins, Calves

By: Michelle Rotell

Make sure to warm up your muscles before stretches. Move your joints around or take a warm shower before stretching. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds to get the most benefit. Release gently out of each stretch to prevent injury. Only stretch as far as you are comfortable. You should feel the stretch, but not pain. Breath slowly and controlled during each stretch. Holding your breath prevents you from stretching to your full potential.

 

Hamstrings, Lower Back: Forward fold:  Feet hip distance apart. Bend over and reach to your toes.

IT Band, Low Back, Hamstrings: Cross your right leg over your left. Your right foot may not be flat to the ground. That is ok. Bend over trying to reach to your toes. Keep your knees slightly bent. 

Slightly push your left hip to the side. The stretch will be on your left side. Repeat on the other side.

Shins: Great to prevent shin splints: In a standing position, place your right foot over your left foot with the top of your foot toward the ground and toes curled under. Your left shin should be resting on your right calf. Gently bend your left knee to place pressure on the front of your right foot stretching out your shin and the top of your right foot. Repeat on the other side.

  

Calves: Place your right leg behind you, and bend your left knee. Step 1: Try to press your right heel down with your right  leg straight stretching out your gastrocnemius and the back of the knee. Step 2: Slightly bend the back  knee and you will feel a different stretch lower in your calves called the soleus.

 

                      

 

 

 

Hamstrings: Hold one leg up and reach to your toes, repeat on other side.

IT band, glutes, low back inner thigh and hip stretch, Piriformis: (best stretch ever!) Place one leg on the other in a 4 position. Knees bent. Pull your legs into your chest. Repeat on other side.

Low Back, IT Band: Cross right leg over the left. Place arms directly out beside you. Twist body to the left dropping knees to the floor if you are comfortable. Keep legs crossed and twist body to the right keeping your arms directly out. Come back to the center. Repeat by crossing left leg over right. Twist to right, then to left.

Michelle Rotell

Sweat Cardio and Yoga

www.sweatcardio.com

951-302-0088

 

Appreciate Everyday-Daily Motivation

That proud feeling you get when you realize that you are getting stronger because of all the hard work you are putting in is the best feeling. Whether that means you can now run that whole mile or walk up 2 flights of stairs or do more weight on your dead lift! Work Hard and BE Proud of what you achieve! — at Sweat Cardio.
Written by Summer Gamboa

Yoga Can Clear Your Mind

"Yoga is a way to clear your mind and soul" as many people may say. It is a way to release stress and tension from your daily lives. It is a way to stretch your muscles and your mind outside of its daily routine to help release toxins built up in your body and mind. This may all sound so unreal, that a few positions you put your body in can do so much for you, but it is a fact. Yoga is an age old remedy for healing your body and mind. 

A beginner or an advanced yoga person can feel the same or different affects of their experience. A beginner may feel the exterior affects of their movements. Meaning, they will feel the stretching, the relaxation or the invigoration of the practice.  As you become more advanced in your yoga practice, you may feel a more overwhelming power of healing as you become more in tune with your body. Your breath will become more heated as you learn to breath deeper and engage more internal organs and feelings. 

Yoga is a great way to clear your mind of all the daily hustle and bustle that is so saturated into our lives. Make your Yoga time, your time. Give that time to yourself and allow the experience of Yoga to heal you.

There are so many forms of yoga that one should be able to enjoy it. If you want a more relaxing, gentle yoga class try a Yin or Stretch Yoga. If you want a more invigorating and harder class, try a Power Yoga or Flow Yoga class. Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga is another way to release more toxins and get deeper into the muscle. Hot Yoga comes in many forms as well. It is usually done in a room that is from 90 -105 degrees. Read the class descriptions before taking class. A good yoga instructor will teach at all levels so a beginner and an advanced Yogi could take the same class and still feel successful and come out feeling wonderful. 

Check out our website for all the Yoga classes offered at Sweat Cardio and Yoga.

www.sweatcardio.com

951-302-0088