An exercise to push off on the ice for maximum efficiency of each stride.
What You’ll Need: A flat wall or supporting structure, running shoes, athletic clothing.
Body Position: Place your hands against the wall with straight arms in front of your shoulders. Your body will be on a bit of a lean forwards, using the wall as support.
The Movement:
- Push through the front half of the foot of the bottom leg and drive the opposite knee to 90 degrees in front of the hip. The bottom leg remains on the ground with the heel of the foot slightly lifted so that the back of the head through the spine and back of the heel is almost a straight line.
- Master the Hold staying rigid or "stiff" - Keep a straight back throughout – if the knee is lifted too high the back will tuck under.
- Switch and repeat using the other leg.
- For those looking for a more challenging version of the exercise, rapidly switching legs like a piston (while finding stability before pushing off again) mimics the pressure of pushing off on a skate stride.
The Breakdown: This drill increases the leg strength through a full range of motion for skaters and is a great tool to use when training off the ice. It can help players increase their speed and get the most out of each move they make while skating, a valuable tool for a sport as physically demanding as hockey.