Light on my feet

[rmorrow 0]

Does anyone have any tips for trying to learn to be lighter on your feet, in your stride etc... I feel really heavy on my skates. When I am turning I really dig into the ice and I see other guys literally seem like they are floating. I also notice that I do not carry any speed coasting... for example, if I am in stide then turn and coast I really slow down fast compared to other skaters out there, so as soon as I need to stride again I really have to dig in to get going. Could this be a ROH problem, or just a skating technique probelm? my skates are a .5 ROH right now, I really did not know what to ask for until I found this site, I am considering asking for a 5/8 or something higher next time I get them sharpened to see the differnce. In the mean time I really want to work on proper skating techniques and beign lighter on my feet will really go a long way with my style of play.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

Plyometrics.

[N!! 0]

Jump rope, which is basically plyometric except it has a point.

[tips09 0]

One thing that i feel has really helped me get lighter on my feet was boxing. My coach a couple years ago sugessted i go as it would help with footwork and is also a excellent cardio workout.Definately look into finding a local boxing club if possible

[-brady2 0]

Jump rope, which is basically plyometric except it has a point.

How do plyometrics not have a point?

[mack 44]

Great, you just bought this thread a lot of needless fisking.

[N!! 0]

Jump rope, which is basically plyometric except it has a point.

How do plyometrics not have a point?

The idea of plyometrics is to develop a certain amount of explosive strength throughout assorted ranges of motion (if we're talking the dot pads) or explosive strength throughout a short range of motion (if we're talking about jump boxes or something similar).

Neither one has any benefit without there first being a solid base of strength. Jumping rope, being that it mostly takes place in a single very small area from a foot standpoint, will assist in developing the long muscles of the lower leg, the gastroc/soleus, and eccentric/isometric control of the muscles of the thigh and hip. In addition, the necessity of jumping literally as soon as the toes touch the ground in order to not get tripped by the rope develops that same explosive strength.

What passes for "plyometrics" tends to ignore certain basic fundamentals that can make it beneficial. The idea of "jumping up to the top of the box is more important than how quickly you do it", for example, is simply not true. Yes, hitting the top of the box is a good measure of explosive leg strength from a stop. But the actual benefit comes from being able to rebound back up basically as the foot touches the ground. The actual elapsed time before said explosive benefit is lost is somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.3 to 0.5 seconds. If you reset your feet after a jump, there is no building of explosive strength. If you slip, the same thing.

By using a jump rope, you get the best of both.

Great, you just bought this thread a lot of needless fisking.

This is the second time to happen to me tonight alone. Must be something in the water, or is it a full moon?

[mack 44]

No, it's your need to get the last word in that will keep you doing this I fear.

[Neo5370 132]

I'm a big fan of soccer for foot speed.

I've never played organized soccer so to me, the act of using ONLY my feet to run, dribble, pass/recieve, shoot, etc. is a huge help for my skating even if you dribble on your own. Add to that hackeysack.

And to a lesser degree I'd say play a lot of basketball, football, anything that requires a mix of sprinting, stopping, changing direction in a transitional pace is helpful.

[N!! 0]

I'm a big fan of soccer for foot speed.

I've never played organized soccer so to me, the act of using ONLY my feet to run, dribble, pass/recieve, shoot, etc. is a huge help for my skating even if you dribble on your own. Add to that hackeysack.

And to a lesser degree I'd say play a lot of basketball, football, anything that requires a mix of sprinting, stopping, changing direction in a transitional pace is helpful.

I agree completely. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not great fan of soccer, but the big advantage it has over plyometrics is that it's a series of short movements in which proper balance is maintained. This gives the assorted muscles of the lower leg their workout without putting the body (and therefore, unconditioned muscles) in a position of do-or-die.

Basketball is very good for footwork as well. The best players I've ever had in football all played basketball, and that includes one mammoth (6'4" and about 280) that could run a 4.7 with tremendous agility.

[Zamboni 6]

Jump rope, which is basically plyometric except it has a point.

Read Peter Twist's latest book if you get a chance, skating/hockey specific plyo routines explained well. Nothing wrong with jump rope for conditioning but it will not build explosive strength.

[Penguinsfanatic 0]

are you flat footed when you run? or even walk?

[rmorrow 0]

are you flat footed when you run? or even walk?

Yes, I am. I use Superfeet in my skates to help with this. Although when I run I not too flat footed... I was thinking ploymetrics would help. and I actually just bought a heavy weight bag to use for some boxing cardio. I have a good friend who is training for kick boxing and other martial arts, he now comes over to train me on what he has learned, I think this will help.

I used to have the light on my feet skating style but have lost it by not playing competetivly in 8-10yrs. I think these ideas will help get it back.

[usahockey22 0]

Working out on a heavy bag is probably one of the best workouts you can do. However, it won't help your leg quickness unless you actually move your feet the way a boxer does (i.e. dont just stand there and pound the bag). Watch how a good boxer circles and moves (or "dances" like muhammad ali), and do that. It will help your quickness. You could add ankle weights when you get it down.

Walter Payton attributed his speed to running hills in boots (or you could use ankle weights). With hockey you also need to have the technique of skating down, and just skate a lot, but hill sprints and other resistance running exercises will noticeably help you.

[D aka speck 0]

One footed edge drills!!!!!!!

180 degree turns around a cone, while on one foot.

Work the outsides (edges) harder than the insides.

Secondly, have you ever noticed that the fastest skaters turn thier stick blade over and back?

A good power stride is very similar to a boxers (or Muay Thai) "uppercut".

You have to plant your leverage foot while you roll your hips (core), shoulders and arms.

Another great drill is the 'ol step over drill.

[Law Goalie 147]

Ballet.

I'm not kidding.

[johnpace2 0]

I think your hollow is also too deep. Going shallower will help at least some.

[N!! 0]

Ballet.

I'm not kidding.

Another good one. Most figure skaters do ballet as a crossover, and there's no such thing as a slow figure skater (unless you count Chris Farley on SNL back a few years, which still isn't as funny as Sergei Akmudov at the All Drug Olympics)

[Zamboni 6]

Ballet.

I'm not kidding.

:o Guy wants to be "Light on his feet", was waiting for a ghey joke.

[TBLfan 25]

ballet or martial arts translates great for hockey.

[Law Goalie 147]

Yeah, and it scored big points with the wife too. :)

[biff44 0]

I agree with the boxing comment. Boxers are all light on their feet.

Get one of the videos from the Tile website and do some shadow boxing. You just move back and forth along a line until you get your footwork right.

You could get some running instruction too. Poor runners pound their feet into the ground, while better ones do it without slapping the feet.

A good indication of if you have a footwork problem: when you walk around the house is it pound-pound-pound with the feet so loud that you can hear it? If so, you simply have to retrain your body.