When I was diagnosed with asthma as a kid, I remember someone saying that it wouldn’t go away unless I stopped skating because of the air quality in rinks. I was wondering what the research on this is. Rundell (2004) found that the pulmonary function, basically how well a person breaths, of a group of … Continue reading
I grew up figure skating, but I am also very comfortable on a pair of hockey skates. (Please don’t call them women’s vs men’s as this perpetuates stereotypes that just aren’t true.) When I taught learn-to skate lessons I was often asked about the differences between the two types of skates and when this question … Continue reading
As a figure skater I was pretty aware of how unreasonable societal and sport pressures can have pretty significant negative effects on the health of female athletes. Amenorrhoea, low bone mineral density, and low energy availability are all concerns due to high energy expenditure and low energy intake due to pressures to be thin and … Continue reading
When I did my PhD research, I worked with outdoor educators on how they connect to climate change in their local environment. One of the things that came out of it was the dilemma of getting outside to be active and connect with natural spaces versus the environmental (and arguably potential social and economic) costs. … Continue reading
I’ve been noticing this trend when I run. If I try to follow the main recommendations right now that to run faster I need to increase my steps per minute I get uncomfortable (fair enough, I’m not used to running like that), my knee hurts more (that’s a little more troublesome), and now that I’m … Continue reading
I started coaching figure skating when I was about 11. Since then I’ve picked up a number of coaching certifications and worked for several years leading outdoor sports. I always knew that in these roles I had responsibility for others. I had control over the environment that was created, opting for positive and supportive, but … Continue reading
The more I learn, the more I’ve realized how inappropriate generalizable research is in many situations. Fortunately, this is starting to change but it is slow going which makes knowing what to do challenging. I came across an article that studied the muscle activation of highly resistance trained athletes on different instability devices such as … Continue reading
I am not biologically suited to being a figure skater but figure skating is the sport I most love to do. I may have cursed those individuals who were smaller and could rotate quicker than me, but I did so privately knowing full well it came down to biology. This seems to be similar to … Continue reading
I am running more than I have in the past but I’m training for relatively short distances and I have too many other sports and activities to run everyday. As I looked around for training plans I noticed that most of them recommend a heck of a lot of running. This got me wondering if … Continue reading
In my PhD research my participants, who were all connected to outdoor education, expressed some of the conflict they feel when trying to do the outdoor activities they enjoy. I understand this challenge personally. As an outdoor person I’m inclined to run, bike, canoe, ski, etc. This is awesome. I enjoy the activities and they … Continue reading
