Have an Ice Day!
Posted on: February 19, 2022
What evokes Canadiana more than maple syrup, the letter zed, or toques? Ice skating! Cloverdale is welcoming novice and well-seasoned skaters to our north parking lot for Eats and Beats at the Rink. Layer up, bring your skates, and stretch! Let Health for Life’s Dr. Sly provide you with some simple ways to get limber before you glide along the ice.
Toronto’s winter can be harsh but one of the best ways to embrace the refreshing cold and beautiful sunshine is a couple of laps around a skating rink. To prepare for your outdoor fun ensure you layer your clothes, slip on some thick socks, sharpen your skates, and stretch your muscles. Many of us haven’t been as active over the past two years and aren’t skating year-round so it’s a good idea to warm up to prevent injury and to maximize the fun!
Dr. Sly recommends the following:
- Back lying spinal twist stretch.
- While keeping your back on the floor, pull one knee up and cross it over the opposite thigh.
- Kneeling lunge stretch
- Lunge forward until the knee is at 90 degrees and the rear knee is on the floor.
- Gently lean forward until a stretch is felt on the thigh of the rear leg.Standing Achilles and Calf Stretch.
- Place the ball of one foot on a step and gently lower the heel to stretch the back of the ankle (achilles tendon).
- Standing Hamstring stretch.
- While keeping the front knee straight, Step back with the other leg and bend that knee until a gentle stretch is felt in the hamstring.
Dr. Sly says, “Create balance by doing these movements on both sides for 10-20 seconds each and only until a gentle stretch is felt (3-4 out of 5 on a discomfort scale). If you have a history of chronic muscle or joint pain and/or sharp pain is felt while doing these movements, cease the movements completely and consult with your M.D., P.T. or Chiropractor before performing any of the following stretches.”
So, if you want to have fresh moves on the ice like the folks in this clip, dress for the weather – maybe something more modern than those two are wearing, and follow Dr. Chrys Sly’s easy advice and you’ll have all the winter fun you can imagine! Cloverdale is #allyouneed for outdoor fun!
~ Holly, Guest Services Coordinator