For all of us that started playing at 18 or later

[Xuno 14]

I'm just getting into my 3rd year of skating/playing hockey (started right after I graduated high school in 2009), and I've always had trouble with crossovers. I don't know if it was a confidence thing or what, but I could only do them going extremely slowly, or not at all.

Today, I went to a family open hockey to escape the heat, and I pretty much had the ice to myself. A friend of mine who's a pretty strong skater came out with me, and after watching him effortlessly crossover, I said to myself that I'm finally gonna learn this. Five minutes after he explained it to me, I had it. I don't know what about that moment made it click, but I was absolutely overjoyed. I was going around the ice like a little kid that had just learned it, doing it over and over again for an hour and a half.

Anyone else have something like that happen?

[jds 20]

Backwards crossovers. Front crossovers made sense to me since they are a fairly natural movement but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was going on when doing a backwards crossovers. Just couldn't get it. One day I went to an open skate and it was just me and an older woman figure skating. She watched me struggle and came over and gave me some pointers as I practised and all of a sudden I was doing them (not great but still had the movement understood). It was funny trying to explain to her though that when I would be skating backwards (in a game situation) that I would actually not want to have both my arms extended straight from my shoulders while looking over one shoulder

[ibeck 38]

Backwards crossovers. Front crossovers made sense to me since they are a fairly natural movement but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was going on when doing a backwards crossovers. Just couldn't get it. One day I went to an open skate and it was just me and an older woman figure skating. She watched me struggle and came over and gave me some pointers as I practised and all of a sudden I was doing them (not great but still had the movement understood). It was funny trying to explain to her though that when I would be skating backwards (in a game situation) that I would actually not want to have both my arms extended straight from my shoulders while looking over one shoulder

You say she watched you "struggle?" Did you at least get her number?

[Xuno 14]

You say she watched you "struggle?" Did you at least get her number?

haaaaaaaaaaaaa

[metalwinger13 1]

mine was finally being able to do the "hockey stop". i still cant on the left side very well. but knowing i can do it now makes playing hockey so much more enjoyable.

[Quasitd 1]

mine was finally being able to do the "hockey stop". i still cant on the left side very well. but knowing i can do it now makes playing hockey so much more enjoyable.

My friend and I both started this past spring, and have had the same observations. Once we get into a scrimmage type thing, or really anything where we are concentrating on people and not your particular movements everything becomes easier. The brain just doesn't figure out what the feet need to do in time! The feet know though... oh yes they know.

I still have issues doing hockey stops sorta. Being able to go to public skates with my friend helped though. I was able to watch him and see how he did it. It worked both ways and he learned how to power skate from me. We both had our separate epiphanies the same night for the most part and both perceive an increase in our normal hockey playing.

One other odd thing that helped me too, I could hockey stop skating backwards just fine. Not sure why that clicked so easily, but once I realized this and could look at my footwork it helped make the forward stop a bit more consistent. Not that I don't still do little circles or eat ice trying to on occasion.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I had a hard time doing a hockey stop on my left side forever... but it's funny that I have no problem doing it in a game situation. I guess it's mostly mental.

Though, I still haven't figured out two foot hockey stops, mine are mostly just on my front foot.

Also can't do forwards or backwards crossovers. I'm just having a hard time also understanding how they would be useful besides sharp cornering. Like for example, backwards crossovers are supposed to generate power for skating backwards, but I just don't see it. Maybe eventually I'll be able to do them and it will become obvious.

[Chadd 916]

backwards crossovers were big for me, but the biggest one was shooting. My shot wasn't that great, but I took a lesson with the hockey director at the time and suddenly my shot got really good. Both of those advances came from lessons with him, not that I think about it.

[ScruffyTheJanitor 1]

For me, I consider it to be the first time I made a "good play":

I was turning around with the puck in my team's defensive zone, and as I look up the ice, I see an opposing player coming at me (pick up, non-contact game, but still made me nervous as I'd only been playing for a couple months). And instead of just dumping the puck out of the zone like I normally would have done, I looked around the guy, looked for my teammates and found one to pass to before the guy got to me, all because I kept my head up and didn't panic. I remember thinking, "Hey, that's not so hard!"

[jds 20]

I had a hard time doing a hockey stop on my left side forever... but it's funny that I have no problem doing it in a game situation. I guess it's mostly mental.

Though, I still haven't figured out two foot hockey stops, mine are mostly just on my front foot.

Also can't do forwards or backwards crossovers. I'm just having a hard time also understanding how they would be useful besides sharp cornering. Like for example, backwards crossovers are supposed to generate power for skating backwards, but I just don't see it. Maybe eventually I'll be able to do them and it will become obvious.

If you do them correctly you can generate power and increase speed while turning as opposed to just turning. It's all about the "x-push" to quote Laura Stamm.

You say she watched you "struggle?" Did you at least get her number?

She was about ten years older than me and I'm old. Fifteen years ago, perhaps.

[Lee-Bro 1]

mine was finally being able to do the "hockey stop". i still cant on the left side very well. but knowing i can do it now makes playing hockey so much more enjoyable.

Me too, except that the right side is the weaker.

The first time I did it I thought, "Holy Sh*t! I just hockey stopped!" When I 'tried' to do it again, I fell.

Lesson learned: stop thinking about it.

[Chadd 916]

Lesson learned: stop thinking about it.

When your skating improves to the point where you don't have to think about it, your entire game gets better.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I started playing right before I graduated in '07, and I still can barely do forward crossovers. Backwards, not even close. I've been hoping to take a class forever but havent had time/money.

One of the most thrilling times for me was about 6 months ago, when we had a beginner drop in and they needed an extra skater so my boss told me to gear up. I was the best player out there, and it was awesome to see how far I'd come since I'd started, to be the guy that people are dishing off too constantly, and getting a chance to be the playmaker and be giving advice to the new guys.

[ibeck 38]

Have you guys thought about taking a figure skating lesson? I know it sounds stupid but those classes really teach you how to balance and use outside/inside edges.

[biff44 0]

Most likely 1 of 2 problems:

1) your skates are too loose. People often get them too loose because they feel comfortable, but proper fitting skates let you use your edges. Unless your skate size is a couple sizes smaller than your shoe size, I would suspect this

2) you never learned how to use your edges. Figure skaters have inside/outside edge drills for forward and reverse, try those.

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1481-ice-hockey-skate-backwards-inside-and-outside-edge-drills

[Xuno 14]

Most likely 1 of 2 problems:

1) your skates are too loose. People often get them too loose because they feel comfortable, but proper fitting skates let you use your edges. Unless your skate size is a couple sizes smaller than your shoe size, I would suspect this

2) you never learned how to use your edges. Figure skaters have inside/outside edge drills for forward and reverse, try those.

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1481-ice-hockey-skate-backwards-inside-and-outside-edge-drills

It was #2 for me, I went a long time with skates that were way too big and didn't fit right, and it's taken me awhile to build up confidence in my new ones.

[regularjoe 1]

Also can't do forwards or backwards crossovers. I'm just having a hard time also understanding how they would be useful besides sharp cornering. Like for example, backwards crossovers are supposed to generate power for skating backwards, but I just don't see it. Maybe eventually I'll be able to do them and it will become obvious.

One poster touched on it - you will actually be able to -build- speed coming out of turns which is huge as you advance.

Additionally (building on the ephiphanies theme), being able to add a crossover while performing a single deke move allows you to get more separation from a would be defender than just making the deke and turning in that direction (more time and space).

[pittu 15]

... backwards crossovers are supposed to generate power for skating backwards, but I just don't see it. Maybe eventually I'll be able to do them and it will become obvious.

Once you learn how to do crossovers while skating backwards, you will immediately understand how they generate power and speed...and especially maneuverability. I can't explain it, but once you feel it in your legs you will understand.

EDIT TO ADD:

Opps! I should have read the rest of the thread before posting!!

[Xuno 14]

What do you think the best way to learn them is? I got excited enough learning forwards, I'd be ready to throw myself a party when I get backwards haha

[lib310 0]

What do you think the best way to learn them is? I got excited enough learning forwards, I'd be ready to throw myself a party when I get backwards haha

Circles, there are a few youtube videos on the subject. Once you figure it out it makes playing so much more fun

[jds 20]

What do you think the best way to learn them is? I got excited enough learning forwards, I'd be ready to throw myself a party when I get backwards haha

Backwards scissor skate. Really hard to do at first but gets you in the habit of pointing your heel in the direction of travel and forces you to work on outside edges.

or if you want to see it done a tad faster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKDbnm_IdYY

[Chadd 916]

What do you think the best way to learn them is? I got excited enough learning forwards, I'd be ready to throw myself a party when I get backwards haha

Private lessons are the best way to learn any skating skill.

[regularjoe 1]

Private lessons are the best way to learn any skating skill.

This. Having someone watch you and make on the spot corrections will beat anything you can read here.

Also, don't be afraid to try different instructors if you don't feel like you're making the progress you should be.

[DField56 0]

mine was finally being able to do the "hockey stop". i still cant on the left side very well. but knowing i can do it now makes playing hockey so much more enjoyable.

agree'd when I first started I was running people over but now it just works I can stop on a dime in-game but still if i was to go full speed by myself and try to stop I don't think I could do it. haha

[Beflar 53]

When your skating improves to the point where you don't have to think about it, your entire game gets better.

Bingo. The last piece of the puzzle was backward crossovers for me. The big thing I was told about backward crossovers was that the main reason you use it is to maintain speed while switching to skate backward after that you just get down low and do the "C" pushouts.