THE IMPORTANCE OF POSTURE

Everyone knows when they are watching the best of the best on ice. We are mesmerized by how their bodies move to tell a story. We sit awestruck when they perform spins so fast and centered that they turn into a blur before our eyes. Above all, we admire the supreme execution of triple and quad jumps-- the speed, lightning-fast rotation, and outpouring of flow on the landing. But what we don't consider amongst all the glitz and glam of these tricks is how the posture of such athletes enhances their ability to accomplish such difficult tasks. When was the last time you saw a skater with the posture of Quasimodo on the podium?

Poor posture contributes to lack of balance. Therefore, more accidents and falls which can result in torn muscles, ligaments or tendons-- or even worse, broken bones. Poor posture also affects one’s self-esteem and a decrease in overall health.

Strong posture is the correct alignment of the body in which your bones and muscles can hold you upright, against gravity, with the least amount of energy. This starts with self-awareness of your body. Think of a string attached to the top of your head, being pulled up to the ceiling. Feel your spine elongate. Stand tall and strong.

To be a great figure skater, we must have functional movement in addition to strength and flexibility. In order to perform what is demanded of us on ice, we must develop strong posture. Two aspects that will help us with this task are 1) balance and 2) core stability.

Balance. Every skater trains their balance once they step on the ice. However, such training should be supplemented off the ice as well. Proprioception, or how your brain knows where your body is in space, is an important skill to develop for skating. Think of your brain as a computer center, constantly sending and receiving sensory information to and from every part of your body. Over time, we can train our brain and body to communicate better with each other. This improves our posture and therefore our balance, allowing us to execute the most difficult tasks on ice. APPLICATION: Make sure you include 1-2 balance exercises as part of your warm up. Vary these exercises from day to day by balancing in different poses, closing your eyes, or standing on an unstable surface. Make sure to pay attention to the smallest adjustments you make to remain stacked and upright.

Core stability. Strong and stable core muscles contribute to a strong posture and results in a body that is centered, tall, straight, easily balanced and graceful with motion. The core muscles of your body wrap around your mid section like a corset, but also include a top and bottom component as well that makes it more of a closed cylinder. These muscle groups all contribute to supporting strong posture. APPLICATION: Engage your core on a regular basis, not just in conditioning class. Be aware of these muscles at all times while walking, standing, sitting, and most importantly, while skating! It's plain truth that every trick you perform in figure skating involves the use of your core.

Strive for Strong Posture!
With strong posture you can obtain optimal performance, reduce your risk for injury and maximize function. Remember, practice makes perfect. It takes time to develop a strong posture, but the benefits will last a lifetime.

Can you see how Javier Fernandez used his strong posture to earn 109.05 points in his short program at the 2017 World Championships?