And I’m back! Sorry for the long delay but trying to figure out my next article took a long time and a lot more research that I thought. BACKS! After knee pain it’s the next most popular pain in derby. One major effect of our modern lifestyle is how much time we spend in front of computers and sitting down in general. Many people have the tendency to slouch, or otherwise sit poorly. While it is important to have a good quality chair, adjusted to the correct height for desk and computer work, the amount of time we spend at work often means we forget about good habits. This bad posture also creeps onto the track. Derby Stance, speed skating stance, stance, stance, stance. However if you are doing them wrong or are too tense when you are in these various stances, you are putting added strain on your back and setting yourself up for injury. There are many different schools of thought out there for derby stances, so I’ll just share my personal stance thought. I am a gumbified skater, meaning I’m double jointed and I bend in unnatural ways. My preferred stance is what I call the toilet seat. I find as a jammer it’s easy to go from a toilet seat to a out of pack speed skating stance with minimal strain. The toilet seat is your knees at between 90-120 degrees kinda like you’re hovering over a WalMart toilet seat. Your back is straight with a slight bend forward, shoulders back and square. Getting into this stance, you’ll feel it more in your legs than your back. This also allows you to spring up and down and move your upper body in a variety of Matrix like ways to avoid hits. If your skating and I can put a drink on your back, you’re backs going to hurt later guaranteed.
Poor posture often results in back pain, particularly in the lower back, caused by either muscle weakness or stiff muscles. Increasing both the strength and flexibility of the back can often reduce or eliminate such back pain. Also learning to relax on the track helps. I know it sounds crazy, but if you’re holding yourself tense when you get hit it’s going to hurt ten times worse and you could be injured more than if your body was relaxed. One way of helping to train ourselves into retaining a good posture is to practice back strengthening exercises, as well as other exercises related to our core muscles. These are the muscles in our midsection that help determine a person’s posture though alignment of the spine, ribs and pelvis whether static or moving. If you read my last article on Core strengthening then some of these exercises will seem VERY FAMILIAR. Strong cores= controlled hits and strong backs.
Here are some exercises you can do at home right now with items you have at home to start your new back/core strengthening routine:
The Russian Twist
Lie down on the floor with knees bent. The feet should be either slightly above the ground or under a stable surface.
Hold the torso straight at a 45 degree angle to the ground.
Hold the arm out front with your hands together, or alternatively hold a weight or ball.
Slowly move your arms to one side by twisting the torso.
When you have twisted as far as you can twist all the way to the other side.
Make sure you don’t hold your breath through the exercise, and aim for up to three sets of 8-12 reps.
Knee to chest exercise
The knee to chest exercise helps stretch the lower back muscles and useful for both preventing back pain as well as recovery, although you should avoid it if it causes back or leg pain.
To perform it lie on a mat with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring one of your knees to your chest and without pulling it toward you hold the knee with both hands and ensure that your lower back remains in contact with the mat.
Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds and release and repeat on the other leg. Repeat 5-10 reps each day.
You can vary this exercise slightly if you wish. One variation is to bring both knees to the chest at the same time. The other way, which will increase the stretch, is to hold your other leg flat against the floor while pulling your knee to your chest
Lying Back Extension
Lie face down on a mat and raise both your torso and legs at the same time. Hold for a moment and release.
You should aim to do 8-10 repetitions of and work up to three sets.
You may find it helps if you squeeze your shoulder blades together on the way up and ensure to keep your head and neck in a straight line while both lifting your body and releasing again.
You can also do this exercise while face down on an exercise ball. The extra stability required to do it this way helps strengthen the core muscles, but done on a mat as shown above will help to strengthen your spinal erectors and improve posture.
The Plank
The Plank is also known as The Bridge and is one of the best back strengthening exercises as it helps the lower back, hips and abs.
To start with you should hold it for up to 10 seconds, but as your core muscles grow in strength you should be able to hold the position for longer – up to 30 seconds is good – then relax, recover for 15-30 seconds and repeat once or twice more.
While you are holding The Plank it can be useful to focus on holding your stomach in and if you find yourself struggling to hold the pose then release it and relax. Your body should be held in a straight line, so it helps if you have a mirror to check whether you are sagging while performing the Plank.
Pelvic tilt
The Pelvic tilt is a simple exercise that helps to counter lower back pain caused by poor posture. It helps to realign the body by extending the spine and pulling in the abs. The easiest way to perform the pelvic tilt is to lie on your back with knees bent, although it can be performed against a wall or on all fours.
To perform this exercise, lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and arms bent at your side. Push the base of your spine towards the floor, while pulling in your stomach, and then tighten the hip and thigh muscles to pull the public bone forward slightly – hold the position for few seconds, relax and repeat 10-20 times.
Hip Bridge
Lie on your back, feet flat and hip-width apart, arms relaxed, and knees bent.
Squeeze your buttocks as you lift your hips, creating a straight line from the knees to the shoulders.
Hold for a slow count of two, and then lower slowly. Build up to 10 to 12 repetitions.
This exercise stretches the hip flexors and strengthens the muscles that stabilize the spine, including those of the lower back, the gluteals, and the large, stabilizing abdominal muscles. To make it harder you can lift one foot off the floor and hold it straight up toward the ceiling, foot flexed, keeping the hips even. This is much more challenging, so start by holding this pose for just a few seconds. Repeat five to eight times, and then switch legs.
Bird Dog
Begin on all fours, knees hip-width apart and under the hips, hands flat and shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your abs by pulling belly toward spine.
Keep the spine neutral, without arching the back or rotating the hips, and extend your right leg back and your left arm straight ahead.
Hold for two to three seconds or as long as you can maintain form.
Repeat five to six times on each side.
This exercise improves muscle balance and coordination, making it easier to keep the spine stable for everyday moves, such as walking, running, dancing, and carrying a child. It also tones your glutes, upper back, lower spine, and hamstrings. To make it harder you can gradually increase the holding time for 10 to 12 counts. For an additional challenge, add movement to the mix by slowly lifting and lowering the extended arm and leg a few inches, maintaining proper form throughout.
Side Plank
Lie on your right side, in a straight line from head to feet, resting on your forearm.
Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder.
With your abdominals gently contracted, lift your hips off the floor, maintaining the line.
Keep your hips square and your neck in line with your spine.
Hold 20 to 40 seconds and lower.
Repeat two to three times, alternating sides.
This exercise builds strength and endurance in the core. This will help keep your lower back protected and stable during activities that require movement in the hips or back. To make it harder you can lift and lower your top leg. Gradually work toward holding the upper leg for 5 to 10 counts. Another option: Instead of resting on your forearm, support your body with your hand, palm on the floor and under the shoulder, elbow straight.
Lunge
With your abs gently contracted and hands on hips, take a big step forward with your right foot.
Sink down so your right knee is at a 90-degree angle, then push back to the starting position without pausing.
Repeat 8 to 12 times, then switch legs and repeat.
This exercise improves whole-body control, which is key to protecting the spine during walking, running, or stair-climbing. Recruits both surface and deeper stabilizing muscles along the sides, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. To make it harder you can set up to do a basic lunge, but this time step your right foot out on a diagonal, not straight ahead, as if the foot is pointing to 2 o’clock on a clock face. (When you lunge with the left foot, step it out to 10 o’clock.) The change in foot placement makes it harder to balance. As you get stronger, try it with your hands interlaced behind your head or hold a dumbbell in each hand to increase resistance.
Doing these exercises regularly and by correcting your derby/skating stance will greatly improve your Back strength and prevent you from coming home with back pain or dropping out of drills because of back pain.
Comments