ankle weights

[oggy_3 0]

i am wondering if wearing ankle weights during practice would throw off my balance or would it jsut help?

thank you..............

[KYHockey3 0]

if they throw off ur stride u may want to try skate weights.

a couple kids on my team use them and it has helped.

[Bauer_freAK 0]

what about skate weights and tblades?

will they fit? :/

[cause4alarm 7]

If you don't mind spending a little more money, weight vests might be better for you. I think that if you keep additional weight closer to your center of gravity, as opposed to on your extremities, it might cause less adverse stress on your body. And if you have even more money, then try a weighted belt over the vest (assuming they fit with your gear on). Supposedly they're even better because you won't cause more undue stress on your back and shoulders if the extra weight is loaded at your waist.

edit: When I said "try a weighted belt over the vest", I meant "over" as in "in lieu of", not "in addition to".

[Larry54 243]

I remember reading in Laura Stamm's "Power Skating" book that one of the disadvantages for an ice hockey player of using roller hockey skates to practise skating in the summer months was the extra weight on your feet. In ice hockey, it's impotant to have "quick feet" and putting extra weight on them will slow them down, and they will get "used to" moving slowly. Even if your legs have the strength to do it, for some reason, your feet will not move quickly. It's either a muscle memory or a mental thing.

I think what cause4alarm wrote above makes more sense than ankle weights.

[t-bone 1]

Weighted belt is the way to go. If you already have akle/wrist weights, then just wrap them around any old belt. Work just fine an won't cost you anything.

P.S. don't go overboard with the weight. 10-15lb should do. You'll feel the weight, and you'll really feel it when you take it off

[Meathead 0]

I don't know how much it would help. Maybe a little bit on foot speed but that's about it.

[Meathead 0]

If you want to work on footspeed trying doing a dot drill. I'd give you a link but I don't have time. Try "BFS Dotdrill" or 'dotdrill"

[Bamzi 0]

There is something better out there to put around your ankles, its called Pro skating harness. This can really help, check out the site.

http://www.perfectskater.com/

[ultraman7k 0]

If you want to work on footspeed trying doing a dot drill.  I'd give you a link but I don't have time.  Try "BFS Dotdrill" or 'dotdrill"

bfs dot drill

scroll near the bottom of the page...sounds pretty tough.

[kovalchuk71 212]

I did that in my weight training and conditioning class. It is tough, but it works wonders

[ultraman7k 0]

I did that in my weight training and conditioning class. It is tough, but it works wonders

did you notice a noticible improvement in quickness and all that?

[LoXish 0]

I did it in my strength and conditioning class in high school as well -- it did work wonders for my agility and speed, but then, I hadn't played hockey in 3 and a half years at that point and didn't partake in any strenuous physical activity either...

[toroytorero 0]

that dot drill kicked my ass. I didn't realize how high my heart rate was until I stopped moving. As far as ankle weights go I've tried them before and didn't feel natural skating with them at all so they get a thumbs down from me.