Hockey

Tools of Good Technique

EXCERPT FROM THE PSA HOCKEY 3 MANUAL

This section is a quick summary of many technical skills that were introduced in the three hockey skating manuals. These skills apply to almost every situation you may encounter in teaching hockey skating. If you have to teach a skill that you are unfamiliar with, the list below can be used to improve the skill.

General

• Stance – The stance should feature the feet shoulder width apart with the skater using their core, gluts, and thigh muscles for stability.

• Square position – The human body works best when it is not twisted. A square body position is where the shoulders, hips, and knees face in the same direction.

• Posture – Core muscles are the mainstay of good posture. The body centered over the legs with the head up, arms to the side or forward, and strong core muscles define good posture. Good posture allows the arms and legs to work at maximum efficiency.

• Head up – A skater who skates with their head up will be safer, have a better view of the game, and have better posture for the best skating, stick handling and shooting.

• Proper arm motions – Given that the game of hockey is played with a stick, the arms become a more important factor. Think of the stick as an extension of the arm and it becomes twice as long as a leg.

Power

• Pushing – According to Newtonʻs Third Law of Motion, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push backward to glide forward, and push forward to glide backward.

• Falling – Falling is used in any rapid accelerating move, such as quickstarts and the cross of a crossover.

• Toe snaps – Toe snaps are even more powerful for hockey skaters since the toe is rocked and has no toepicks.

• Heel pushes – Since the heel is rocked, heel pushes are valuable in quick direction change pushes.

• Weight transfer – Weight transfer is a key element in producing power in hockey, and is made even more powerful by the use of a wider base.

• Sequencing – A long push with a toe snap will produce more distance than a long push plus a toe snap. In other words, combining these two tools will produce power that has a synergistic (1 +1= 3) effect. The toe snap should not occur until the very end of the long push; these two skills must be performed in a sequence.

Turning

• Upper body rotation – Rotation of the upper body will create a turn and may be enhanced by leading the turn with the stick.

• Hips – Hips are excellent for turning since the back does not twist.

• Knees – Knees are the best for turning in hockey because they act like a power pull and the short rocked blade reacts perfectly to the knees.

• Skater needs to lean the body, foot, ankle, and blade as one unit to create effective turning.

• Leaning – Leaning the whole body to create the edge can be used to push against a player who is checking you.

• Rocking – Rocking from the front to the back or from the back to the front of the blade can enhance all of the turns above.

• Combinations – In a power turn, all of the above turning tools are used to produce a strong, evasive turn.

Gliding

• Pressure – Pressure through the foot lengthens a glide by increasing the cushion of water under the blade.

• Square position – Glide length will increase by using a square position since it keeps the blade straighter and allows maximum pressure through the foot.

• Posture – Good posture allows the skater to move forward or backward on the rock of the blade.

• Feet – Keeping the feet relaxed inside the skate will allow the blade to have little resistance against the ice.