| A good hockey player hinges upon a good skating | | | | not point your toe straight down at the completion of |
| technique to support his game. Let's observe the three | | | | the stride, for this upsets balance and decreases |
| main phases of the skating process in hockey, and | | | | speed. |
| point out a few common mistakes that can be made | | | | Once the stride phase is complete, the next phase is |
| in each phase. The first phase is the stride, or where | | | | when you glide on the forward foot. Weight should be |
| the power derives from to glide forward. This begins in | | | | over the ball of the foot, and the leg bent nearly 90 |
| the hip of the back leg, flows through the knee, and | | | | degrees. The remainder of your body should have |
| finishes in a full extension of the ankle. The leg and | | | | shoulders over hips and eyes forward, not down. This |
| foot should be at about 45 degrees from the direction | | | | phase takes strong muscles, and it takes time to |
| that you will do skate, and the weight should be on the | | | | prepare it well. The big problem here's balance, where |
| ball of the foot, and more to the inside edge of the | | | | your leg should be directly under the center of your |
| blade. | | | | body, your weight should be centered on the blade |
| When the leg is fully extended, you could be in a | | | | and not internally edge, and your head is up and over |
| position to visualize a straight line from the foot, through | | | | your support leg. |
| the leg and hip, all the way up to the shoulders. Do not | | | | The final phase is to have the back, or stride, leg |
| do a good number of arm flailing, and keep just one | | | | underneath your body again. Slightly raise the hockey |
| single hand on your stick if you do not have the puck. | | | | skate off the ice, and return the leg so that the skate |
| Common troubles with the stride phase are that your | | | | points in the direction you want to go next. This gets |
| stride skate comes off the ice before the leg is fully | | | | you prepared to use the other leg to commence the |
| extended. Skate slowly around the rink to check to | | | | next stride phase. The greatest problem here's to |
| make certain that the leg is fully extended before you | | | | avoid moving your body side to side, as that will disrupt |
| start to bring it forward, to make sure you get the full | | | | your balance and slow you down. During the |
| power and speed from each stride. Also ensure your | | | | recuperation phase, also ensure that the gliding skate |
| ankles are essentially straight, and not leaning strongly | | | | stays flat and your weight does not move to the inside |
| in or out. If so, you may wish to find an assorted pair | | | | or outside edge of the hockey skate. |
| of hockey skates that provide the quantity of ankle | | | | These pointers should help increase your hockey |
| support that you require. Make sure that your weight is | | | | skating technique. The're a number of good books that |
| more to the inside edge of the blade, and don't feel | | | | include drills to practice personal parts of the skating |
| embarrassed about falling down when trying this. Do | | | | technique, and drills to tone your muscles. |