If you're a hockey player, or the parent of a hockey player, you know the importance of power skating.

And if you're looking for a way to improve your power skating skills, synthetic ice may be just what you need.

Practicing these drills on synthteic ice can quickly seperate you from your peers and elevate your overall game.

Synthetic ice is made from a polymer that is designed to mimic the properties of real ice.

This makes it the perfect "ice simulator" for practicing power skating drills.

 

The "Next Level"

Excelling at skating is so important in the development of young hockey players.

It not only helps them to move faster on the ice, but it also teaches them how to be more agile and balance themselves better.

To excel at the game of ice hockey is no different then any other sport in that you need to build on the fundementals to become an accomplished player.

The main difference that does in fact seperate the game from all others is that you need to compete on a sheet of ice at top speeds in a confined space.

But any power skating program can be a difficult skill to master, espeically if you're trying to do it on traditional ice.

 

 

The Synthetic Ice Option

Even the most experienced hockey players and figure skaters can benefit from practicing on synthetic ice.

Synthetic ice allows you to work on your power skating drills and edge control at a high rate of speed.

This makes it the perfect place to practice your turns, crossovers, and other tricky moves. .

Synthetic ice is a surface that can be used indoors or outdoors, and it provides a much greater level of stability and control than traditional ice.

This makes it the perfect surface for power skating drills that will help improve your overall performance.

 

Benefits Of Synthetic Ice Training

Recent studies have shown that practicing on synthetic ice offers a number of benefits when compared to skating on traditional ice.

For one, synthetic ice is much more forgiving than traditional ice it also provides "positive friction" much the same way resistance training is implemented into off-ice training programs.

This makes it ideal for beginners and advanced skaters or those who are still working on improving their balance and agility.

Additionally, synthetic ice is a much less expensive option than traditional ice for homeowners interested in creating their own home training center.

This makes it a more affordable option for those who are looking to improve their skating skills.

Overall, practicing on synthetic ice offers a number of benefits that can help skaters improve their performance.

 

Proper Technique

Power skating is a technique that is used in order to improve skating speed and power.

There are a few key aspects of power skating that you need to focus on in order to improve your skating skills.

First, you need to make sure that you are using the correct skating technique.

Improper technique can waste energy and slow you down.

Second, you need to focus on power generation.

This means generating power through your stride and pushing off the ice with each step.

And finally, you need to use proper body positioning to create more power and speed.

By following these tips, you can improve your power skating skills and become a better skater.

 

Explosive Starts

There are a few different ways to generate power for explosive starts in hockey.

One of the most common is the forward toe start.

This approach starts with the skater's front foot pointed down the ice, and then they push off explosively with their back foot.

This generates power through the use of their leg muscles, which helps them get up to speed quickly.

Another popular way to generate power for explosive starts is the power stride.

In this approach, the skater takes a big step forward with their dominant leg, and then pushes off explosively with their back leg.

This creates power through movement and momentum, which can help players get up to speed very quick.

 

Forward Power Stride

There are many power skating drills that you can do on synthetic ice.

One of the most popular power skating drills is the forward power stride.

This drill helps you improve your speed, power, and agility.

To do the forward power stride, start by standing in a neutral stance with your skates parallel to each other and your weight evenly distributed on both skates.

Next, shift your weight to your back skate and push off the ice with that skate.

Keep your front skate tucked close to your body as you push off.

Once you've pushed off, extend your leg and arms forward and swing your back skate forward as well.

Land on the ball of your foot on your front skate and then quickly bring your back skate up to meet it.

Repeat this motion to continue skating forward.

To practice this stride, start by skating slowly on a synthetic ice surface that offers a little positive resistance.

As you get better at it, increase your speed.

Remember to keep good technique by staying tall and maintaining balance over both skates.

When doing power strides on the power line, make sure that you keep your knees bent and push off with both legs.

You should also stay low to the ground and keep your head up so that you can see what is happening around you.

 

Backward Stride

Once you've began to master your forward power stride it's time to move onto the backward stride.

To learn the backard power stride on synthetic ice you can implement the same backwards ice skating drills you've learned and practiced on any traditional surface.

After you have mastered all your forward and backwards power strides, add in backwards crossovers until you feel more confident throughout the drill.

Finally, once you have perfected the backward stride move on to Dekes and turns as your skills continue to develop improve.

Doing these drills will help you improve your backward power skating stride and make you a more explosive skater on the ice.

 

Crossovers

There are many power skating crossover techniques that you can use to improve your skating skills.

One crossover method is the forward crossover.

To do a forward crossover, start by skating forward with your dominant leg leading.

Then, quickly switch your leading leg and skate in the opposite direction.

Make sure to keep your balance as you switch legs.

Another power skating crossover technique is the backward crossover.

To do a backward crossover, start by skating backwards with your dominant leg leading.

Then, quickly switch your leading leg and skate in the opposite direction.

Again, make sure to keep your balance as you switch legs.

Continue to practice these power skating crossovers regularly to improve your skating skills and become a better hockey player or figure skater.

 

Edge Control

One of the most important aspects of power skating is edge control.

When you have good edge control, you can move more quickly and easily around the rink.

You can also make more precise turns and movements.

There are several things you can do to improve your edge control.

One is to make sure you keep your knees bent when you skate.

This will help you stay on your edges better.

You can also work on your balance and flexibility, which will help you stay in control when skating.

 

Lateral Mobility

One of the most important aspects of power skating is lateral mobility.

This means being able to move sideways easily and quickly, in order to get around or past opponents.

There are a few things that you can do to improve your lateral mobility.

First, make sure that you have good flexibility.

This means stretching regularly and working on your hip and ankle mobility.

Second, practice moving sideways in different directions.

This will help you become more comfortable and agile on the ice.

Finally, use resistance bands to help improve your power and speed.

The bands will help you increase your range of motion and strengthen the muscles needed for lateral movement.

If you want to be a successful power skater, you need to be able to move quickly.

 

Deep Knee Bend

When power skating, you want to bend your knees deeply to generate power for each skating stride..

This will help you generate more power and speed as you skate.

It will also help you stay in control of your skates and stay on balance.

Make sure to keep your back straight and your head up as you bend your knees.

This will allow you to stay focused on what's ahead of you and maintain good posture while skating.

Be sure to practice power skating with deep knee bends often, so that it becomes second nature when you're out on the ice.

With enough practice, you'll be power skating like a pro in no time!

 

Toe Flick

One of the most important power skating techniques is the toe flick.

The toe flick helps players generate more power and speed when they skate.

It is especially helpful for crossing over in front of the net or deking out defenders.

To perform the toe flick, you need to be in a power skating stance.

You should be leaning slightly forward with your weight on your toes.

When you want to execute the toe flick, you simply extend your foot out in front of you and flick your toes up.

This will give you an extra burst on every forward or backward stride.

 

 

Weight Distribution

In power skating, it is important to distribute your weight evenly.

This helps you to move more efficiently and effectively on the ice.

When your weight is distributed evenly, you can generate more power and speed.

There are a few things you can do to help distribute your weight evenly while power skating.

First, make sure that you keep your head up and maintain good posture.

This will help you stay balanced and centered.

Second, use your entire body to power your skating stride.

Don't just rely on your legs; use your arms and torso as well.

Third, stay low to the ice.

This will help you maintain balance and stability.

If you can practice power skating with proper weight distribution, you will be able to maximize your overall performance and conserve energy with each stride.

 

Results = Longer More Efficient Stride

One of the benefits of power skating is that it can help you develop a longer stride.

This is because power skating teaches you how to use your hips and legs more effectively, which allows you to generate more power and extend your stride.

As a result, you'll be able to skate faster and farther using less energy.

It's important to note that power skating is not just about extending your stride, it's also about improving your overall skating technique.

The longer your train you will continue to notice an improvement of both speed and endurance on the ice that will surely take you game to the next level.

 

Conclusion

Needless to say, having your own home synthetic ice rink can help you become a more explosive skater and better able to handle the demands of the sport.

Not only that, you will be able to do so in the comfort of your own home anytime you want without having to wait for open ice at the rink.

Practicing your power skaing drills on synthteic ice will improve your explosiveness and agility and help you stay in shape during the off-season.

Synthteic ice is also a great tool for players that don’t have easy access to ice which makes it the perfect solution in the form of unlimited ice time.

It allows you to work on your explosive skating moves without having to worry about the weather or if there is an open rink nearby.

While power skating on synthetic ice may seem like a new trend, it has actually been around for years.

This type of skating is beneficial because the synthetic surface creates friction and resistance, which helps skaters improve their power, speed, agility, and balance.

Allowing yourself unlimited access to ice coupled with a power skating program will quickly pay dividends once your season begins or tryouts roll around and it's time to make the team!