Roller Skating Excercises

Question
Hi Pat
I'm 22 and I roller blade since I can recall but only as a hobby. I haven't skated in a long time, but last month I finally got rollerblades again and I'm going to a hockey skating rink at night to practice. I should say I'm doing this mainly because I had a meniscus surgery 6 years ago on my left knee and the doctors have told me to excercise to gain muscle on my legs and to strenghten my joints. And skating is a passion for me and I'm pretty good at it (I was way underweight before starting skating, and I got back to my regular weight and my legs are much more built and stronger already). I can go really fast because I bend my knees right, I do it with my back pretty straight (so I don't get back pains), so since you've been a coach for so long I was wondering what kind of excercises you could recommend me, something that adds more challenge to my routine of one hour speeding on the rink and between cones. If you could recommend me some excercises you can consider would fit my intermidate level I would say (I never got any formal skating education, so I don't know for sure), I'd really apreacite your input.
Thank you so much for your interest in answering these kind of questions from amateurs like us.
Hope to hear from you soon. Jenny.

Answer
Hi Jenny,
   It seems to me that skating hard for 1 hour is quite a bit of good exercise.  You can always add variety to your routine if the rink allows it.  Try skating the other direction.  That will give your left leg the workout that your right legs been getting when you go around the corners.

   Also practice skating backward.  That uses a different set of muscles.  Other than that, you just have to make up your own routine.  Cross overs on the corners and if the rink allows it...try skating in a figure 8 instead of just going around in a circle.  Practice stopping quickly or hockey stops,  try a small jump or a spin.  Anything you do will build muscles. Make your routine effective and interesting.  Skate to your favorite music and keep up a good pace.

Perhaps one of your local rinks has a speed team that you'd be interested in joining.  If you want a good workout that's the thing to try.

Good Luck........if I can help any further, just let me know
Pat

Just try to give your workout a variety of maneuvers and it will build the muscles.