Amazing Hockey Skating Skill Training and Defensive Drills

Video: SCORING WITH PROVEN SCIENCE

PROPER TECHNIQUE
• Start with your skates forming a ”V”, knees turned outwards.
• Bend your knees (you should not be able to see your toes).
• Push one foot at a time and transfer all your body weight into each stride.
• Reach a full extension on each stride with your driving leg and with your ankle.
• When you fully extend one leg, rapidly return the leg back to the ”V” position and extend the other leg.
• As you get more comfortable, work on extending faster (you will gain more speed).

TIPS
• When skating forward, your feet should always be hip width apart.
• Your body is always square to the direction of travel.
• Your back should be straight, your head in the centre of your shoulders with eyes focusing forward.
• Don’t lean your body to far forward (use the body lean that gives you maximum balance and lets you to take fully extended strides).
• Make sure to always bend your knees (beyond level of comfort) A good knee bend equals more power and more balance.
• Skate one foot at a time.
• Fully extend on each stride with a quick recovery.
• As you become a better skater, focus on taking wider strides for more speed.
• Skate with a proper arm swinging movement (arm and leg movements work in rhythm with their opposites).
• Always keep your stick on the ice, except when you are looking to gain top speed.

BACKWARD SKATING
Backward skating is one of the most difficult skating technique to master. To become a fluent backward skater, lots of effort and patience is needed. In a game, a player spends nearly half the time skating backwards, and it is especially important to play a solid defensive game. By learning the proper technique and following these simple tips, you will be on your way to becoming a solid backward skater.

PROPER TECHNIQUE
• Begin by bending your knees (they should be covering your toes).
• Keep your back straight and eyes looking forward.
• Start each push from directly under your body (from the hips down).
• The pushing foot drives to the side to full extension (forming a half moon ”C”) while the other foot glides back.
• Push one leg at a time and use all your body weight on each stride.
• Pivot the heel of the pushing foot up and outward so it is perpendicular to your glide foot (Form and upside down letter ”L”).
• Try to maintain a straight line as possible (do not swivel your hips).
• Focus on one stride at a time.

TIPS
• Always keep your eyes looking forward and shoulders back.
• As you improve, angle your upper body slightly forward from the hips (your stance remains almost vertical).
• Always keep your hips low to the ice.
• Remember to have a strong knee and ankle bend.
• Push your leg to a full extension and make sure your gliding leg goes back in a straight line on the flat of the blade.
• Skate one foot at a time.
• Always keep both feet on the ice (not like forward skating).
• Use sprinter type arm movement while skating with one hand on stick.

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