Isk8NYC
10-24-2006, 02:45 PM
Leaning Learning Drills
Beginners:
Set up a few cones in a straight line.
Have the skaters skate between them in a slalom pattern.
Ask them to put both hands over each cone as they go around it.
Make it hard by telling them to “hug” each cone. (In the air, of course)
Make it REALLY hard by telling them to look down the cone’s center!
Teaches: Turns on (a) deep edge(s), shoulder rotation, and body lean into the circle.
Moving Skaters:
Skate around a hockey circle, practicing edges on alternating feet.
Make it hard by having the skater rotate their shoulders so their arms are inside the circle.
Make it harder by having them “reach” for the center of the circle with both arms.
Make it REALLY hard by having them stretch their upper body into the circle.
Teaches: Edges, shoulder rotation, body lean
Turning / Leaning:
Set up two cones on separate hockey lines. (Blue line and Red line, for example)
Have skater skate around the cones in a figure-eight pattern.
As the skater rounds a cone, they should:
Glide on one foot. (Start with outside edges, then do another round with insides)
Rotate arms/shoulders to the cone side and “steer” around the cone.
Lean into the curve like they’re riding a bicycle.
Stay on one foot until they’ve gotten to the other side of the cone.
Make it harder by moving the cones closer together.
Make it REALLY hard by skating with arms/shoulders rotated to the OUTSIDE of the curve.
Teaches: Turning, shoulder control, body lean.
Forward Crossovers:
Have the skater do one-foot pushes with the outside foot. (Inside foot “rides” the circle)
Keep head turned towards CENTER of circle, both hands on/inside the circle.
Challenge skater to glide on one foot and LEAN to cross the circle.
Make it harder by making them alternate the feet (inside and outside edges) before gliding.
Teaches: Edges, upper body position, body lean
Backward Crossovers:
Swizzle pushes around a circle with the outside foot. (Inside foot “rides” the circle)
Keep head turned to the back, looking down the inside arm, both hands on/inside the circle.
Swizzle, then glide on two feet with the swizzle foot in front of the other foot’s toe.
(The skaters’ feet are uneven and NOT next to one another.)
Once the skater can hold the glide, have them SIT on the back leg and LIFT the front foot.
Make it harder by having them hold the glide and lean into the circle.
Make it REALLY hard by having them hold the glide in a squat position.
Teaches: Weight shift, balance, body lean.
Beginners:
Set up a few cones in a straight line.
Have the skaters skate between them in a slalom pattern.
Ask them to put both hands over each cone as they go around it.
Make it hard by telling them to “hug” each cone. (In the air, of course)
Make it REALLY hard by telling them to look down the cone’s center!
Teaches: Turns on (a) deep edge(s), shoulder rotation, and body lean into the circle.
Moving Skaters:
Skate around a hockey circle, practicing edges on alternating feet.
Make it hard by having the skater rotate their shoulders so their arms are inside the circle.
Make it harder by having them “reach” for the center of the circle with both arms.
Make it REALLY hard by having them stretch their upper body into the circle.
Teaches: Edges, shoulder rotation, body lean
Turning / Leaning:
Set up two cones on separate hockey lines. (Blue line and Red line, for example)
Have skater skate around the cones in a figure-eight pattern.
As the skater rounds a cone, they should:
Glide on one foot. (Start with outside edges, then do another round with insides)
Rotate arms/shoulders to the cone side and “steer” around the cone.
Lean into the curve like they’re riding a bicycle.
Stay on one foot until they’ve gotten to the other side of the cone.
Make it harder by moving the cones closer together.
Make it REALLY hard by skating with arms/shoulders rotated to the OUTSIDE of the curve.
Teaches: Turning, shoulder control, body lean.
Forward Crossovers:
Have the skater do one-foot pushes with the outside foot. (Inside foot “rides” the circle)
Keep head turned towards CENTER of circle, both hands on/inside the circle.
Challenge skater to glide on one foot and LEAN to cross the circle.
Make it harder by making them alternate the feet (inside and outside edges) before gliding.
Teaches: Edges, upper body position, body lean
Backward Crossovers:
Swizzle pushes around a circle with the outside foot. (Inside foot “rides” the circle)
Keep head turned to the back, looking down the inside arm, both hands on/inside the circle.
Swizzle, then glide on two feet with the swizzle foot in front of the other foot’s toe.
(The skaters’ feet are uneven and NOT next to one another.)
Once the skater can hold the glide, have them SIT on the back leg and LIFT the front foot.
Make it harder by having them hold the glide and lean into the circle.
Make it REALLY hard by having them hold the glide in a squat position.
Teaches: Weight shift, balance, body lean.