Hockey stops - I need help!

[JessicaLynn]

What are some tips for doing hockey stops? Thanks!

[backspin]

Start out doing them very very slowly, & bend your knees a LOT!

[TashaKat]

Think of your body twisting the opposite way to your hips otherwise you'll just go round in a circle (think of it a bit like wringing a wet cloth out!!) ..... and bend your knees ;)

[dbny]

I just learned how to do them from ISK8NYC. Draw (or imagine) a line (about 5 or 6' long) on the ice perpendicular to one of the blue or red lines. Do a nice two foot glide on your line, bend your knees deeply as you approach the blue/red line. At the intersection of the lines, turn onto the blue/red line. Do this until you feel comfortable with the turn. It should be smooth, and keep those knees bent through it. When you have that down pat, make the turn and rise up immediately. That will stop you, but dip again immediately to stay on your feet! Down, up, down in rapid succession. You don't need to go fast to learn it. Wait till you feel secure to add speed.

[Isk8NYC]

You also have to use your arms/shoulders. Before you reach the blue or red line, turn your arms to point in the direction you want to turn/stop. Then make a sharp 2-foot turn in that direction. Keep your weight on the "inside" foot.

After you're comfortable with that movement, stopping is a matter of making the turn and pushing out the free hip and foot to scrape up some snow.

The weight shift is the toughest part - make sure you keep your weight off the free foot.

[garyc254]

Draw (or imagine) a line (about 5 or 6' long) on the ice perpendicular to one of the blue or red lines. Do a nice two foot glide on your line, bend your knees deeply as you approach the blue/red line. At the intersection of the lines, turn onto the blue/red line.

I was petrified of doing a hockey stop. I would always visualize my edges hanging up in the ice and me flying through the air. Using the same scenario as dbny explained, I used a small plastic cone on the ice to skate at. I'd work at stopping before I hit it. Over and over and over. I'd back up 6 feet and skate at that cone again.

After a half hour of constant repetition, I finally had the "feel" of hockey stops and my fear was gone. :D

[Isk8NYC]

After a half hour of constant repetition, I finally had the "feel" of hockey stops and my fear was gone. :D

I've found that most skaters are stronger on one side so they never try the other out of fear. Now, everyone's homework is to practice the other side.

[flippet]

If I ever manage to skate again, I'll have to try these tips. I've never been able to hockey stop worth a darn. I can do a lovely one-foot hockey stop though! :lol: My problem is that I can use the inside edge of the leading foot just fine, but the outside edge of the back foot gets all hung up. I can't get the weight and bend right for that one, I guess.

[garyc254]

I've found that most skaters are stronger on one side so they never try the other out of fear. Now, everyone's homework is to practice the other side.

SAY WHAT!?!?!?!? 8O 8O 8O

I guess I'd better make sure my medical insurance is paid up.

[MQSeries]

When I skated I could only twist to the left for my hocky stop. Couldn't twist the other way at all. T-stop and hockey stops were the only two stops that I could do well. Well of course there was always the snow-plow stop and the grap-anything-in-your-way-to-stop stop. I wish I could have learned the one-foot break stop, ie similar to a T-stop but the breaking foot is in front and the back foot is up on the toe-pick like in a pivot, but I always felt like I was going to plant my face onto the ice whenever I attempted one.

I would say for learning hockey stop, take it easy with the speed, bend your knees and put slight pressure on the skate that will be facing front when you twist your lower body to be 90 degree to your line of travel.

[Isk8NYC]

... Well of course there was always the snow-plow stop and the grap-anything-in-your-way-to-stop stop.

After I teach students to do a simple snow-plow I always tell them:

"Now you know how to stop. Don't use your face on the wall anymore."

Usually gets a laugh from the students, and it really cracks up the adults around us.

[JessicaLynn]

Thank you so much, everyone! These are great tips and I can't wait to get on the ice and try one (slowly :) )

[singerskates]

What are some tips for doing hockey stops? Thanks!

Before you go into a hockey stop, make sure you're guiding with your feet not more than hip distant apart from each other, then bend your knees. Let's say you want to do the hockey stop in a CCW direction. Think of your arms and head as the top(lid) of a peanut butter jar and the rest of your body as the base (glass/plastic that holds the peanut butter). Now what you want to do is open the jar while bending your knees quickly twist the base of the jar to the left and the lid of the jar to the right. This will cause you to skid to a stop. Timing is everything. After this try it in the CW direction making the base of the jar twist to the right and the lid to the right.

Now you'll be able to snow your coach!!!!!

ROTFLOL

singerskates