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Regular readers know I am big on stretching. The benefits of regularly taking each of your joints and muscles through their respective ranges of motion are well understood, and yet most people don’t even take the few minutes a day to stretch their large muscle groups, let alone all of them. Jen Kimbrough is both a talented skater and an up and coming author (I will post a link to her book as soon as it becomes available.) Today, she shares her experiences with how regular stretching made her more comfortable and competitive. You don’t have to be a competitive athlete to reap the benefits of stretching- just set aside a few minutes each day do it. In just a few weeks you will notice improved mobility, less soreness, and an overall improvement in your sense of well being. For those of you unsure what stretches to do, I have asked stretching expert Jorden Gold of the Stretch Zone to put together his top 5 stretches for day to day activities. Look for that post Monday.

Jen Kimbrough performing part of her regular stretching routine.

“It is said that figure skating requires the elegance of a royal court, the grace of a ballerina, the speed of a sprinter, the balance of a tightrope walker, the agility of a high diver, the endurance of a marathon runner, the coordination of a juggler, strength of a high jumper, the rhythm of a dancer, and the performance of a mime.” –Unknown

I began figure skating as a hyperactive nine year old; I would throw myself around and hope for the best. It did not matter if I fell; I just got right back up without any consequences. However, after two years of skating, this was not proving to be the best method. I had not stretched a day in my life and I found myself with an aching back, knees, and ankles. I was jumping higher, attempting more difficult jumps, and therefore falling harder. I was also required to do progressively more difficult spin and spiral positions. I found myself waking up every morning feeling stiff. My ankles, knees, and back would crack as I walked around.  I finally realized that stretching was essential to both my success as a figure skater and my well-being.

I began with simple stretches and I realized for the first time how tight, and inflexible I was. I started stretching for just ten minutes before I skated each day and within a few days, I felt a drastic improvement. My back no longer hurt when I would fall in an awkward position. My spirals were improving and I knew that if I continued I would be able to attempt those spins that always seemed so daunting. With the motivation of earning more points in competition, I also began to stretch after skating. It definitely helped that I was only eleven years old, but in a relatively short period of time my flexibility drastically improved. In particular, I found that back-bends helped me the most to gain flexibility in my back. I would walk my hands down the wall and my back quickly became more and more flexible. This helped my layback spin and even the worst falls were no longer an issue.

I now find myself seven years later, after hundreds of falls from double and triple jumps, and I feel good. I have much stronger jumps, much more flexibility, and I am a much better skater. I stretch for just ten to fifteen minutes everyday before I skate and I am ready for anything. I can pull my leg over my head into a Beilman position with ease and I earn high levels in competitions. Stretching is essential for everyone whether a recreational walker or a marathon runner. Stretching increases your range of motion so if you trip or end up in an awkward position there will be no consequences. It is sometimes hard to find the time to incorporate stretching into your daily routine, but the benefits are worth making the effort.

Thanks for your submission Jen, and thank you readers for stopping by.

Be well!

-Andy