Getting up after falling on ice

[CigarScott 132]

I still can't figure out how pro players can fall and stand up seemlessly as if they fell and were getting up off the ground. I am having trouble getting back up on my skates after falling. Before my arm injury, I could after some struggling push up on my thigh with both arms to get up on my blades but now I can't get up without clinging to the boards or having someone give me a hand. I feel like I'm not stable enough and sliding around too much when trying to get up.

I currently have a 5/8" radius on my blades. Would going with a 1/2" or 3/4" radius help me dig into the ice better to keep me more stable so I can get up without a ton of difficulty? I weigh about 300 lbs, if that makes any difference. Any other advice on how to get up after taking a spill?

[puckpilot 312]

IMHO there isn't really a trick to getting up. You just have to have the, strength, balance, and agility to get a leg underneath yourself to push yourself up. Most of that comes along with becoming a better skater and just generally being comfortable on the ice.

Though, I may have a skewed perspective on this. I've been on skates since I was a kid. 

Here's a video with a couple of drills you can try. I remember doing these during minor hockey practice.

 

[gosinger 122]

So what we teach for standing up from a kneeling position:

1. Grab your stick with both hands (you will use it for balance)
2. Lift the leg on the opposite side of your stick blade off the ice and place it on the ice with the flat of the skate blade (neither inside nor outside edge)
3. Lean on your stick blade and push straight up with your leg

A variation of this technique is to place the skate on the inside edge and go directly for a stride-like motion to get up, however we like our players to first learn this basic variation.

An example of this technique: https://i.imgur.com/gRnBxjd.gifv you can see how they don't have to get onto their edges and how much they flex their stick when standing up.

[CigarScott 132]

10 hours ago, gosinger said:

So what we teach for standing up from a kneeling position:

1. Grab your stick with both hands (you will use it for balance)
2. Lift the leg on the opposite side of your stick blade off the ice and place it on the ice with the flat of the skate blade (neither inside nor outside edge)
3. Lean on your stick blade and push straight up with your leg

A variation of this technique is to place the skate on the inside edge and go directly for a stride-like motion to get up, however we like our players to first learn this basic variation.

An example of this technique: https://i.imgur.com/gRnBxjd.gifv you can see how they don't have to get onto their edges and how much they flex their stick when standing up.

Danke!

[DRR 112]

It's edge control, not how much you dig into the ice, so changing your hollow won't help at all. gosinger's technique is a good one, remember you pretty much have to start from a kneeling position every time and most importantly, keep your weight over your skates. It sounds obvious but it will be damn near impossible to get back up if you're not conscious of this.

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

22 hours ago, CigarScott said:

I still can't figure out how pro players can fall and stand up seemlessly as if they fell and were getting up off the ground. I am having trouble getting back up on my skates after falling. Before my arm injury, I could after some struggling push up on my thigh with both arms to get up on my blades but now I can't get up without clinging to the boards or having someone give me a hand. I feel like I'm not stable enough and sliding around too much when trying to get up.

I currently have a 5/8" radius on my blades. Would going with a 1/2" or 3/4" radius help me dig into the ice better to keep me more stable so I can get up without a ton of difficulty? I weigh about 300 lbs, if that makes any difference. Any other advice on how to get up after taking a spill?

Not to be snarky, but they're pros.  They've fallen on the ice and gotten back up their entire lives, day in day out.  It's second hand nature to them.

And seriously not trying to offend in any way, but guarantee you that dropping some pounds would make a huge difference in helping you get up off the ice.  Much more than changing your blade hollow.

[chippa13 1844]

I've seen guys all shapes and sizes over the years. They all can get back up easily because they all practiced it back when they started. Work at it and you'll get it.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I don't disagree with any of this advice - to some extent or another all is true and makes sense.  I also started playing later in life - I was 34.  Now I have no trouble getting up but at first of course I did.  The secret - at first - , I believe, is getting your weight centered over your skate and pushing up with your edges on the ice.  It's a flexibility and strength thing.  You want to create as close to a 90 degree angle as you can between your leg and the one - perpendicular. Later, as you get more comfortable you will be able to push off sideways on more of angle and get up as you are pushing out but for now you just need to get up.

 

[chk hrd 164]

If you play long enough it just becomes second nature. When I coached we always included drills like superman slides, butt slides and the like so the kids could learn and figure out how to get back up. Best way to learn is practice. Sometimes it's easier to get up while your sliding because you can dig an edge in and use momentum. Sometimes it's hard because you are just to tired and need to come to a stop to get everything underneath you. The worst is when you are sliding into the boards and you know you can't stop. If you're lucky you may have a split second to decide how you want hit, if not you just hope for the best. 

[CigarScott 132]

I was finally able to do it a couple times at this past week's learn to play and skate classes. I guess I had to build up more strength in my legs and I figured out that I needed to really tighten up my skates around the ankles for additional support and that seems to help with that along with minimizing my pronation in my right foot. It still takes a few seconds for me to get up but it's better than where I was at a couple months ago.

[caveman27 208]

On 5/4/2018 at 12:42 AM, CigarScott said:

I still can't figure out how pro players can fall and stand up seemlessly as if they fell and were getting up off the ground. I am having trouble getting back up on my skates after falling. Before my arm injury, I could after some struggling push up on my thigh with both arms to get up on my blades but now I can't get up without clinging to the boards or having someone give me a hand. I feel like I'm not stable enough and sliding around too much when trying to get up.

I currently have a 5/8" radius on my blades. Would going with a 1/2" or 3/4" radius help me dig into the ice better to keep me more stable so I can get up without a ton of difficulty? I weigh about 300 lbs, if that makes any difference. Any other advice on how to get up after taking a spill?

Well, getting up after a fall doesn't really require use of the arms and/or stick. I think most of your problem is due to your weight. When I am down, I get back up by getting in a position where both knees are on the ice, then one knee is on the ice and the other skate is on the ice. From there, I push up with my leg to get my other skate up to the ice. It's sort of a one-leg squat. To be doing a one-leg squat with 300 lbs. is pretty difficult.

 

Watch 81 on Team USA at 21:07.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmS-pztANow

[CigarScott 132]

I am getting better at it and can do it on my left leg without much problem. My right ankle is too messed up to use my right foot to get up on that foot which contributes to my pronation issues. I also was able to do it better when wearing my True skates since they were much stiffer and offered better ankle support than my N7000's. Leg strength is an issue as I can do it on solid ground with both legs like it's nothing and I can leg press 600+ pounds but don't anymore due to my janky knees. Yes, it would be easier if I weighed less but I can only lose weight so fast. I think switching to Step steel helped me dig into the ice a little better and  I figured out how to distribute my weight more evenly on my foot which helped with stability.

[Playmakersedge 58]

Scott ,  what's happening slow but sure is you are getting what we call hockey legs ....  The getting up from the one knee on the ice one blade on the ice : don't forget you can use the  muscle on the knee down leg by pushing your toe cap into the ice to assist the quads on the blade on the ice leg .   

Grab the dinning room chairs or kitchen chairs and use the to assist you doing squats.  Do ten or twenty twice a day . Use your arms as much as you have to . Two months you won't need the chairs .