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| Paul with National Champion Dawn Feest |
The U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championship Week was full of amazing skating performances, S.T.A.R.S.
Off-Ice Testing, a Dick Button book signing, and award ceremonies crowning
National Champions.
A highlight of the weekend
was a presentation by American figure skater and 1992 Olympic silver medalist
Paul Wylie.
Paul used to train at the
Tony Kent Arena in South Dennis under Olympic and World Skating coaches Evy and
Mary Scotvold and has also worked with the famous Dr. Igor Burdenko, developer
of the Burdenko Method. Paul made a
quick visit to the Hyannis Youth and Community Center in Hyannis , MA
“The Burdenko Method is a
natural part of what I do. I incorporate
his exercises into my warm up routine backstage before I go on the ice,” said
Paul. Burdenko exercises are dynamic and
very sport-specific.
“Working the
whole body in different directions and at different speeds are principles of
the Burdenko Method that translate exceptionally well for figure skaters who
work slowly and gracefully and move into fast dynamic movements while changing
directions,” said Joe Carroll PT DPT, owner of Cape Cod Rehab Physical Therapy
and Master Burdenko Method Instructor.
When Paul first began
skating, training was about trial and error and driven by urgency. Paul admitted to overtraining and little to
no recovery time.
His quote of the day was,
“Stress without recovery is the enemy!”
Training “in the olden
days” was like cramming for a test. If
there was a competition coming up, skaters went through their routines time
after time, jump after jumps. They knew
they had to incorporate weight lifting and ballet but no one knew how much or
how often. He was on rollercoaster
battling body weight and body image. Too
much weight lifting would bulk up a skater and too much ballet would also harm
skating aesthetics. It was about trial and
error and seeing what didn’t work.
Now training figure
skaters has taken a more integrated approach driven by goals and personal
plans. Everything is sport-specific and
individualized. Skaters work with a team
of professionals working toward a common goal.
A plan is developed for the season, off-season, career, and a plan for
WHEN they get injured – because it’s going to happen at some point!
Paul credited Dr.
Burdenko’s 6 Essential Qualities of Life and Sport:
- Balance
- Coordination
- Flexibility
- Endurance
- Speed/Quickness
- Strength
“Build on the basics to
become extraordinary from the ground up,” said Paul.
A lot of figure skating
and sport is mental. Motivation requires
3 things: competence, autonomy (“it’s my choice”), and relatedness. There are certain questions you need to ask
yourself every time you walk into the gym or ice rink.
“What can I accomplish today?”
“What excuses do I make on a daily basis?”
“Who do I admire?
What qualities do I admire about them?”
“How can I continuously improve?”
Paul’s talk was very
motivational and encouraging. If you
ever have a chance to hear him speak, you won’t want to miss it.
Final thoughts from Paul:
Ballet was the Russian Secret Weapon.
Blog post by Jen Skiba.
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