FORWARD STRIDE
- Knee Bend – Knees should be bent to the point where your knee is directly over your toe.
- Foot Position – Your feet should be directly underneath your shoulders.
- Recovery – As you skate your feet should come all the way underneath your body. The less your feet come underneath you the less extension you will get off of your next stride.
- Extension – When you stride your leg should fully extend to roughly a 45 degree angle back from your body and finish with a toe snap. Lower back slightly arched to keep your chest up.
- Hand Position – Your stick should lead you wherever you go on the ice. It should not ever be to the side of your body. If your hands are in front of your body it keeps your shoulders square and in line with the rest of your body.
BACKWARD STRIDE
- Knee Bend – Knees should be bent to the point where your knee is directly over your toe.
- Foot Position – Your feet should be directly underneath your shoulders, leaning toward your heels. When you go backwards you are sitting on your mid-heels and when you skate forward you are up on your toes.
- Recovery – As you skate your feet should come all the way underneath your body. The less your feet come underneath, the less extension you will get off of your next stride.
- Extension – When skating backwards your leg should extend completely and directly to the side and finish with a toe snap. Lower back slightly arched to keep your chest up.
- Hand Position – When skating backwards without the puck you should only have your top hand on the stick tucked near the side of your hip. This allows you to keep your chest up. Top hand palm should be turned towards the ice to allow for your heel of the blade to be on the ice.
EDGES
- Knee Bend – Maintain a constant level of knee bend so you are able to push and snap off your edges. Do not bobble up and down as it will shorten your push and/or snap with an up-right posture. You should not straighten your legs at all.
- Foot Position – Your feet should be directly underneath your shoulders. When balancing on one foot you should have your chin, knee and foot all lined up for proper body control.
- Edges – There are (3) three specific edges (inside edge, outside edge and flat edge).
- Hand Position – Your stick leads your body. It should not ever be to the side of your body. Your upper body needs to be in the lead so your lower body can follow. If your hands are in front of your body it keeps your shoulders square and in line with the rest of your body.
POWER-TURNS
- Knee Bend – Entering and exiting a power turn your knees should have the same bend. You should not straighten your legs as you exit a turn.
- Foot Position – While turning your inside foot should be on the outside edge directly underneath your body. Your outside foot should be on the inside edge slightly outside of your shoulder.
- Cross-Over – At the peak of any power-turn you must cross-over. This allows for you to gain explosiveness and power out of your turn.
- Hand Position – Your stick leads your body around every turn. Your stick should lead you wherever you go on the ice. It should not ever be to the side of your body. If your hands are in front of your body it keeps your shoulders square and in line with the rest of your body.
CROSS-OVERS
- Knee Bend – As your outside leg extends during a crossover your inside leg should be bent. As your outside leg comes back underneath your body it should bend and your inside leg should extend straight.
- Foot Position – While crossing over one leg must always be underneath your body for support and balance. While one leg is extending the other is bending and visa-versa.
- Hand Position – Your stick should lead you wherever you go one the ice. It should not ever be to the side of your body. If your hands are in front of your body it keeps your shoulders square and in line with the rest of your body.
