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Skate into better health By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune Mention ice skating to seniors and their first thought might be "broken hip!" Ironically, the opposite is closer to the truth. Seniors who venture onto the ice say they�re discovering that skating tones muscles, strengthens bones and improves balance, helping them stay healthier and avoid falls. "It�s given me this tremendous sense of being in tune with my balance," said 75-year-old Talent resident Bryce Whitmore, a former river guide. "I skate three times a week and my body has gotten so I can sense a fall coming. My hair stands up on my arms and I immediately correct. I fall only about once a year." To ensure that fall doesn�t break a bone for Whitmore or other seniors, The RRRink in Medford hands out free knee, elbow and hip pads and helmets to the over-55 set on its senior skate mornings. Held from 9 to 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, the session costs $5 and includes skate rentals. Beginners can learn with the aid of walkers that have been affixed with toed-in, flat blades. Hockey director Mike Meeker of The RRRink helps seniors get a proper fit in rental skates (vital to balance) and find their "ice legs" with balance drills. "They�re a little apprehensive and afraid of falling at first," Meeker said, "but we almost never have any (bone) breaks. It�s far more dangerous to board and in-line skate because you can�t push your foot sideways like you can on ice." Ice skating is aerobic without the aerobic grind, provides a great heart-lung workout and strengthens bone density � a major senior concern, said rink coordinator Lisa Hayward. Not wanting to risk any pulled muscles, Whitmore warms up with 20 minutes of stretching and augments skating with alternate days on the aerobic ski exerciser. He started with in-line skates five years ago and expanded to ice when the rink opened two years ago. "I�m convinced it�s adding at least 20 years to my life," said Whitmore, after demonstrating several laps of forward and backward skating, sprinkled with arabesques, pivots, spins and some careful jumps. "The program keeps my body trim, flexible and sharpens side vision, because you have to keep looking out for other skaters. Above all, it keeps my balance keen. Too many seniors die from falls, but people who learn skating skills in their 50s or 60s almost never fall," he said. Other keys to developing confidence are to take lessons (available at the rink) and skate to music, Whitmore said. Seniors are invited to bring their own music to play on Wednesday mornings. And be prepared to invest some time learning, said Meeker. "We don�t throw the skates at them and abandon them. We help. It�s great when it takes hold. If you have the balance to walk, you can skate. We have 80-year-olds in here. We had one fellow who couldn�t stand up not long ago. Now he�s skating backwards. But, it�s not instant gratification by a long shot." The RRRink also invites seniors to play on their coed hockey teams every Friday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m., with practice Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Team play is $10 a time and practices are free. For those seeking a risk-free ice experience with plenty of socializing, The RRRink is looking to bring the sport of curling to the Rogue Valley, said Meeker. A staple of seniors in Canada and Northern Europe, it asks only that you push a 23- or 40-pound granite stone (with handle) down the ice and guide it with your broom, much like shuffleboard on ice. The RRRink is at 1349 Center Drive and can be reached at 770-1177. Darex Family Ice Rink, open during the winter months in Ashland�s Lithia Park, holds an adult recreational skate from 11 a.m. to noon for $2 plus a $2 rental. It can be reached at 488-9189. John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.