Checking (EDITED)

I took a lesson checking---because my checking is non-existant. I'm not sure if I have good checking now, but let's just say, if I don't---I've suffered enough for it.

Let's look at a photo of the great Irving Brokaw whose dynamic pose demonstrates the technique I learned.

 There's more going on here than can you see

 The skating leg is leading So here it is the left leg is leading. The shoulders should be back (no hunching) and rolled down...way down. Don't let the shoulders pop up.

The red arrow indicates the carriage of the leading arm. My coach told me to carry it so the hand was over the belly button. It's seems a little close to the body in this picture, but it can be carried from belly button level to shoulder level and away from the body. It just needs to cross the midline of the body.

The shoulders need to be  rotated in opposition. If as in this picture, the left arm is leading, the right shoulder need to counter rotate. The hard part here, is in not letting either shoulder roll forward, up, or forward.

I know when I'm in the right position

OMG the Pain!!

And when I get a little bit out of alignment the coach gently presses my scapula to get me in the right position

 So, I've been doing it wrong for years. It's not easy.

Note: The next day my 'core' hurt so much I could barely do a sit up. I mentioned this to the coach and she nodded sagely."When I was young enough to wear a bikini, I had a six-pack. The guys couldn't keep their eyes off me."

 Another reason to do compulsory figures!!!