Building a strong core and adding agility exercises can improve your balance. Speed skaters do all that by activating your lower body and core and challenging your balance at the same time.
Equipment Needs
- Bodyweight
Joints Targeted
- Ankles, Knees, Hips
Muscle Groups Targeted
- Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and core
Starting Position
- Bring your body into proper alignment, make a strong connection to the floor and root your weight into your feet, bring shoulders back and down, and engage your core.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Movement
- In one explosive movement, leap to the right with your right leg, landing on your right foot. As you do, sweep your left leg behind you.
- Repeat to the left.
Recommended sets and repetitions
- Complete three sets of 30 seconds followed by a 30-second rest.
Progressions
- Add time in 10-second increments, increase the speed of your movements or leap in different directions using an imaginary clock at your guide.
Check out the third video of this series- Pendulum Lunges
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By Anita DeBoer
Anita De Boer is a Certified Exercise Physiologist at MacEwan University Sport and Wellness. She specializes in working with people with specific health conditions, recovering from injury, and beginners just starting out.
