Here are some time-tested individual and team exercises
and drills that should be incorporated into every practice. If you work on
these on your own whenever you go skating, you will find your own game improving
very rapidly.
Keep your eyes up and your
feet together as close as possible. Hold your stick out in front of you with
both hands. Only go down as far as you can while keeping your back straight.
Keeping your eyes up and holding your stick out in front
of you with one hand. Lunge forward easily onto one leg as you roll up onto
the front wheel of your rear skate. Concentrate on your hips and front leg
for balance. Feel the stretch in your legs.
Knee Hug: Hold your stick out in front
of you with both hands. While gliding on one skate, lift your other leg up
and press your knee towards your chest with your stick. Keep some knee bend
in your support leg, and don't lean back.
Toe Kicks: While holding your stick well
up in front of you with both hands, kick up one leg as high as you can. Don't
lean too far back and NEVER straighten your standing leg! Start slowly with
this one.
Hold your stick behind you with both hands, while gliding
or doing "C" cuts. Twist your upper body easily and slowly to the right and
to the left. This will help with both your balance and your turning skills.
- Train Engine Pushes and Pulls
Pushes: Find someone about your size.
The front skater holds a knee bend down the length of the rink as the rear
skater bends his knees, digs in with his inside edges, and pushes on the
lower back of his partner. Both skaters should keep their eyes up and look
ahead the whole way down the rink.
Pulls: Find a partner about your size
and use both of your sticks. The front skater must hold on to the sticks
very tightly, bend his knees, and turn his toes out in order to generate
enough power to the inside edges of the skates to pull his partner down the
length of the rink. The rear skater just goes along for the ride. Switch
partners at the other end of the rink.
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