How frustrating can it be for a skater to spend years of hard work and training, and suffer an injury right before an important competition? Even worse, a skater may be forced to quit the sport altogether and face a lifetime of problems due to injury.   We all know that skaters need to train year round to be consistent, and injuries can be nagging interruptions to that training. Strength and conditioning cannot guarantee a skater will be injury free, yet it can significantly reduce the risk and chance of injury. With off-ice training, a skater’s body learns to adapt to the forces caused by skating elements by strengthening joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.   Weakness and lack of flexibility invite an injury to happen. A stronger, healthier body can take a skater a long way, and allow much safer training!

What's more, strength and conditioning can help promote the correct alignment of your body.  The most prominent causes of anterior knee pain are a valgus alignment of the knee (turning in), weakness of the hip stabilizers, and a tight ITB, which is very common in skaters.  The correct strength and conditioning program can help prevent such injury, as well as many other diagnoses that affect a skater's training routine.