How to Power Skate in Ice Hockey

Proper power skating can save you energy and give you speed in a hockey game.

Hockey players at every level constantly work to improve their skating skills. Power skating in particular helps to develop more explosive acceleration, powerful strides, agility and balance on the ice. The quicker and more mobile a hockey player is on his skates, the easier and less exhausting it is to play the game.

Things You'll Need

• Ice skates
• Hockey shin guards
• Hockey pants
• Hockey gloves
• Helmet
• Open ice

Instructions

1. Assume the hockey stance on your skates. Make sure your weight is going through the middle of your feet, slightly more toward your toes than toward your heels. Your knees should be bent, and your bottom should be dropped lower, as if going to sit back into a chair.

2. Roll your right skate so the blade makes a 45 degree angle with the ice. Keep at least 60 percent of your weight on your left skate to keep your balance. If you are new to skating, it may help to hold onto the wall while you are figuring out how much of an angle you need the right blade to lay down toward the ice.

3. Apply as much downward pressure as you can into the right blade. To do this, you need to have as much of the blade touching the ice as you can. Think about running your weight down through the arch of your foot and pushing that weight into the ice. This will help you avoid putting too much weight toward either the toe or the heel--either of which will cause you to lose your balance when you push off.

4. Center your left foot underneath your body so you can transfer the majority of your weight through your right foot and into the skate blade to give you an effective push. Essentially, you want to be able to use all your body weight in each stride, so after you push with one foot, you need to recover that foot directly underneath your body before pushing off with the other foot to maximize the power you can take with each stride.

5. Extend the right leg fully at a 45 degree angle from your body, making sure the toe of your blade is the last part to leave the ice. This will ensure you are getting a full push with each stride. It's best to fully extend the leg and glide on one foot for a second before bringing the push foot back around and recovering it under your body when you are learning. By exaggerating the motion, you can fully feel and understand the movement, then speed it up as you become more comfortable.

6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 alternating legs. You can increase the speed at which you skate as you feel more comfortable.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your body low to the ice for stability and to maximize the amount of weight you are able to push through each leg.

• Always recover the push leg directly under your body before starting another push with the other leg.

• Take some time to become comfortable with the edges of your skates, especially if you are just learning. Since power skating requires you to be at a 45 degree angle to the ice, you need to make sure your skates are tightened properly so you don't have a risk of twisting your ankle when you push off.

Resources

• Laura Stamm Power Skating