Iceskating

[micke 0]

Hi there,

i wanna start playing icehockey but well... i cannot skate that good. <_<

are there any advices you can give me ?

in like 1 or 1 1/2 months the icerinks will be closed until august..

i would appreciate it B)

thanks !

[biff44 0]

Around here, ice rinks are open all year 'round. The best way is to get better in a hurry is to find a figure skating instructor and get some one on one lessons. They can usually squeeze a hockey player onto the ice during their "open ice" times, so you are only going to be paying something like $55 per hour. You go once per week to the lesson, and as many times as you can fit in per week on your own at public skating sessions. The things you practice are pretty slow and mundane in appearance, like doing a short half turn on one edge, then doing another half turn back on the other skate, etc. After 4 months of that stuff, you will be able to fly around the ice. Along the way, she will also teach you how to skate with balance, so that you will not go flying if someone checks you. By next season, all you have to do is learn how to skate around without looking at the puck, and you are on your way!

[biff44 0]

In the meantime, learn how to do one-legged bodyweight squats. This will build up your ankles and muscles.

[seanmccann 3]

Practice makes perfect, if you don't want to pay a ton for personal 1on1.

[biff44 0]

Practice is good, but only if you practice with good form. If you are skating hunched over, no knee bend....it is better to NOT practice. Get some training first.

[CaseyJones_86 0]

here are a couple advices: Buy some rollerblades. Practice skating. Take skating lessons. Jump rope. Do exercises that strengthen the lower body in unison. Squats, lunges. jump rope.

[CaseyJones_86 0]

In the meantime, learn how to do one-legged bodyweight squats. This will build up your ankles and muscles.

heck yeah, I do those they are great. I can do them holding 50 pounds.

[micke 0]

Well,

i have another problem with the hockey stop.

i can do it with the right foot, but with the left.. no chance.

how can i improve that ?

i really dont have any "feelings" in the left foot for stopping :(

thansk

[awall 0]

Otheres have suggested that you look into skating lessons, and I hightly agree. I roller-skated a lot when I was younger (before roller-blades) and hadn't had much ice time. I started lessons in January of this year, and have made a point of getting on the ice between lessons. All my practice and hard work is slowly paying off. My goal is to try to get into an I-League some time in the fall and at this rate it looks promising. After 2 months I am working on cross-overs and able to skate backwards for the first time in my life. This might not sound like much to you guys who were skating out of the womb, but I'm pretty happy.

My advice is that if you really want to learn to skate you should take lessons and practice. I really think it will pay off.

awall

[Crazy Otto 0]

Don't be self-conscious about taking an intro to hockey or a learn to skate class with the youngsters.

And don't be afraid to fall down when you're learning to skate. If you never fall, you never learn to skate on your edges, and that's what hockey skating is all about.

[Choppy 0]

In the meantime, learn how to do one-legged bodyweight squats.  This will build up your ankles and muscles.

heck yeah, I do those they are great. I can do them holding 50 pounds.

What kind of technique do you use for the one legged squats? I've seen some pictures and diagrams of pistol squats but those look like they can really mess up your knees.