This is a common problem for skaters learning to stop on ice. What causes these problems?
- Turning while trying to stop can be caused by leaning to the side, when performing a hockey stop, you should lean back, not to the side. If your thinking that you’ll fall over if you do, you will not if carried out correctly, you only want to lean back enough to allow your skate blades to be place in the angle (and on the correct edges in order to shave the ice and not dig in resulting in you falling over). The moment creating by you stopping after being in motion brings your body back up to the upright position after stopping.
- You also need to have your knees bend (more balance to lean back when your knees are bent) to give you a lower centre of gravity (more overall balance and control when on the ice).
- The hockey stop requires both your skates/legs to be turned in sync (at the same time) as turning one at a time will cause you to turn.
- Don’t be scared of falling, it’s how we all learn
- The stop is done by first skating forward and quickly turning the blades to a 90 degree angle. Arms are held out horizontally; and the position of the arms helps to check the stop, preventing the hockey stop from curving into a circle.
Most important points
- Skates shoulder width apart
- Knees bent over toe caps of skates
- Shoulders parallel to the ice looking in the direction your going
- Lean back
- Turn skates at the same time
