Quote:
Originally Posted by Buff
Turning around (going from skating forward to skating backwards). I can turn counter clockwise. Last summer I thought I'd try to force myself to turn clockwise. I bruised my tailbone twice and my hip three times. Never got the hang of it.
Stopping both ways. I can stop alright when I pivot on my left foot (I'm moving counter clockwise), but I can't stop when I pivot on my right foot. At all.
First three strides, like epworth said. Once I get going I can skate as fast as most of the guys I play with, but the first three strides dictate that I'll always be a step behind.
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This is the one skill that drives me nuts when I watch hockey players! In hockey lingo they call it a 'pivot,' but what the step should be is a proper 'mohawk.' When hockey players turn from forwards to backwards, they always end up doing a skid, or stopping action to slow them down. Opponents know when they turn that they are going to slow down, so they don't expect anything different. It's essential (and I know many hockey players don't do this a lot) to open your hips. Standing with your feet facing forwards, putting your heels together and turning your toes out as far as you can will help open up the hips.
Lets say your using the two faceoff circles (the red dots, not the big circle) at the end of the ice, going around in a figure 8 pattern. If you approach the circle and it is on your right hand side, you should step on your right forward outside edge, open your hips, bring your heels together, and step backwards on a left back outside edge, and then continue with the crossovers. Same thing the other way, approach the circle with it on your left hand side, step on a left forwards outside edge, turn your hips, put your heels together, and step on a right back outside edge, therefore eliminating any sort of stop or skid motion.
I've watched so many videos of pivots on youtube and I have yet to see one person do it correctly. If you eliminate the skid/stopping motion, it is easier to turn and step forwards and gain speed because you carry momentum through the turn, rather then slowing down and having to use that much more effort to step forwards and get those 3 steps going again!