Sunday, December 8, 2013

Things I Hate About Skating. 5

I was on light skating this week due to an injection in my knee, so Miss Bianca was having to think deep thoughts about what I could do that wouldn't stress my knee too much. It's always a bad sign when a coach thinks about what she wants you to do. You never know what will come up.

Then Miss Bianca gets some inspiration.
"I want to see your Hockey Stops,
 right here, right now!"
Yes, we all know adult learner figure skaters all hate hockey stops. Keep your chest forward, twist your hips, do this thing with your feet really suddenly and don't fall on your ass. 

But as much as I hate them, hockey stops are important. Having the skill to stop when you're going fast, is critical to safety, and it allows you to skate on crowded sessions with more speed but without danger to slamming into anyone.

There's some really good tips out on the web. I like the hockey stop page at Robby Gantz Power Skating. Really an excellent write up, and a nice bit of animation to go along with it. 

Anyway, Miss Bianca has me skate to the hockey circle and do the stop on the circle line. I sort of sneak up on the blue circle, then gently do a one foot snowplow.

"That's a rolling stop! You need to come to a complete stop!"  Miss Bianca is firm, "And you need to do a hockey stop too!" 

What Miss Bianca wants:


Sadly, when I start to do them, this is what she gets:


But by the end of the lesson, I'm doing better! More like this!
Maybe, next week I'll be doing them as well as the 9 year old hockey boys!
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6 comments:

  1. RachaelDecember 8, 2013 at 8:19 PM

    I feel ya! I've yet to get brave enough to do a "real" hockey stop. I sorta fake a 1 foot sideways snowplow… maybe someday I'll find the courage… *sigh*

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  2. NancyDecember 8, 2013 at 11:10 PM

    Hate hockey stops! I did them in order to pass and compete at Gamma level, but once I moved up from that I've said "never again." Of course, my coach may have other ideas.........

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 9, 2013 at 10:47 AM

    Hi! I'm an adult skater too and as I just started blogging I've come across some of these blogs and I'm so excited to find out I'm not alone, lol! Anyway, reading this post made me realize that I've never really practiced stops, I've been so focused on the other things that I've definitely neglected some of the basics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Babbette DuboiseDecember 9, 2013 at 4:22 PM

      Welcome, and good luck with your blog and competitions!

      Delete
  4. QDecember 9, 2013 at 11:22 AM

    I cannot do them. I've been skating 20+ years. I cannot do them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousDecember 12, 2013 at 12:39 PM

    I can't even do them anymore. I used to about 10 years ago. As a coach is it SO hard to teach them, when the kids want to see HOW to do them. I can explain it, but I have to get one of the older girls to come over and show them. Sad, but true.

    ReplyDelete

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