What is Hockey Power Skating? 5 Tips To Become A Stronger Skater
As athletes evolve in their sport of choice, they begin to display specific attributes that differentiate them from others.
These attributes are often a combination of their innate abilities, genetics, strengths, and what they enjoy doing most while competing.
No matter the skill, you can often classify athletes into 3 skills:
- Power
- Speed
- Finesse
Here's a few examples:
The power player overwhelms the opponent with sheer force, using their superior muscles, strength, or mentality to win.
(Tennis great Serena Williams is a common example of a power player.)
TAKE YOUR POWER SKATING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH POLYGLIDE SYNTHETIC ICE
Their fast-twitch muscles are next level. While they might not have powerful moves, their reaction time allows them to get one over on the opponent.
(Hockey player Nathan McKinnon is a great example.)
The finesse player is so good at the technical level they seem effortless in executing specific moves.
They aren’t the fastest or the strongest, but their knowledge of the mechanics and technical acumen allows them to manipulate the game to their advantage.
(Think of Tom Brady in football.)
Understanding Power Skating As a Skill
Ice hockey is no exception.
You can use speed, power, or technique to your advantage.
However, more and more hockey players are hoping to become power skaters.
Hockey power skating helps you to become a stronger skater, allowing you to go further, generate more force, and improve your performance.
It is a specialized form of training focused on enhancing a player's skating abilities, which are crucial for overall performance in today’s game.
You can find fast hockey players everywhere.
The innate ability to move allows them to cover ground quickly.
A power skater, however, covers the same ground with less effort, allowing them to execute the point of attack with force...
... go further distances, and have more energy in the tank for devastating slap shots or checking the opponent.
With the right training, any hockey player can improve their power skating.
We recommend finding a coach that can help you fine-tune the skills needed on the ice.
Until you decide to take that route, here are 5 tips to add the power you’re looking for.
1. Make Strength and Conditioning Your Foundation
Power skaters are strong skaters. To achieve the consistent explosiveness typical of power skaters, spend time strengthening your core and lower body.
Hockey skaters aiming to become better power skaters must have an off-ice training regimen.
Target the lower body two days weekly.
Once a week, perform plyometric exercises like box jumps, one-legged jumps, and skater hops, to improve fast twitch muscles and explosiveness.
Along with your lower body, your core will allow you to maintain power strides on the ice for longer.
A strong core is crucial for maintaining balance and control.
Exercises like planks, Russian twists, and leg raises can help strengthen your core muscles. Perform core exercises at least 2 days weekly.
While becoming stronger is important, you’ll need to build your endurance through conditioning exercises.
Running, cycling, or interval training to ensure you can sustain high-intensity skating for longer periods.
You can do this on your own, but it helps to find a coach – either online or in-person – that focuses on strength and conditioning for hockey players.
2. Build Your Stride Mechanics
To become a better power skater, combine your newfound strength with improved skating mechanics.
Your stride plays a major role in power skating.
It must be longer and more efficient, allowing you to cover more ground with less effort.
As you take off in a burst of speed to reach the puck or the end of the rink, you should allow for a deeper knee bend, which helps achieve a more powerful push-off while maintaining balance.
During your forward strides, lean forward slightly with the chest over the knees and the shoulders over the toes.
This helps with balance and provides optimal force with each stride.
Each stride should also involve fully extending the leg from the hip through the knee to the ankle.
Drive those knees for maximum power and a more efficient push-off.
For the best results, have your coach assess your stride mechanics or have a video done of you on the ice so you can work on eliminating wasted movement.
3. Polish Your Edges
Learning to leverage your inside and outside edges can turn you into a competent power skater.
Better edge control allows you to maintain balance in various positions and during quick movements.
When you have control over your inner or outer edges, you can push off more efficiently, generating more power with each stride.
Start with improving your edges by gliding on each foot.
Becoming proficient at snowplow stops, especially with one foot.
Figure eights and mohawk turns are also effective drills to improve your edges.
Consistent edge work will naturally translate into power skating.
4. Acceleration and Deceleration Matters
Your ability to speed up and slow down can turn you into a more competent power skater.
Like a sprinter out the block, acceleration is necessary at crucial times of your skating, allowing you to out-maneuver your opponent for loose pucks or breakaways.
Slowing down is equally important for power players.
The ability to decelerate quickly can help players evade checks, create space for themselves, or transition smoothly into defensive positioning.
Training on ice can help you boost your acceleration. For instance, perform explosive starts from a stationary position, focusing on a powerful first three strides.
Working on your crossovers and timing their performance can help you build acceleration over time.
Sprinting on a track also translates to the ice.
Hill sprints, for instance, build strength and acceleration for flatter surfaces like ice.
If you want to slow down better, become a master at hockey stops and transition drills, where you switch from forward to backward skating.
Use cones and ladders on the ice with different patterns.
You can practice weaving through the cones, changing direction, slowing down then speeding up at the right times.
Power skaters have full control over their speed and can conserve energy as a result.
Consistent application of these drills builds a well-rounded power skater.
5. Work On Drills Off The Ice
We mentioned strength and conditioning exercises, but these aren’t the only things that improve power skating.
Off-ice drills are essential to becoming a better power skater.
During training sessions, you can work on the mechanics, balance, and stability necessary for power skating.
For instance, balance boards or wobble boards improve ankle strength and stability.
Slip slide boards can help you master the side-to-side movements and speed in power skating while strengthening the lower body.
Plyometric exercises, like box jumps, single-leg hops, broad jumps, and jump squats are just some of the exercises that can help.
Working with a strength and conditioning or skating coach can help you prepare an appropriate training plan.
At least one day per week should be dedicated to plyometric work centered around becoming a more powerful skater.
Conclusion
Hockey power skating is about building explosive, forceful movement while minimizing stamina.
Power skaters are strong yet efficient in their movements.
Your goal is to build these qualities with consistent on-ice and off-ice training.
Off-ice will make up the genesis of power skating as strength, conditioning, and plyometrics all play a critical role in improving skating abilities.
From there, build your striding technique, acceleration on the ice, crossovers, and transitions with weekly on-ice work.
As your hockey journey continues, power skating may differentiate you from the pack of other eager hockey players.
Use these tips to develop into an amazing power player today.
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