Striding

• Wide strides are characteristic of fast skaters.
• A narrow stride, pushing straight back, is a characteristic of a slow or inexperienced skater.
• Quick recovery of propulsion skate after pushing off is a characteristic of a fast skater. Getting skate back on the ice after push-off can increase speed.
• Deep knee bend is important for power and wide strides.

1. Stride width is a key factor in performance skating. A wide stride is a characteristic of fast skaters (Page, 1975). The proper execution of the stride of a hockey player is to the side rather than backward.

   Observation of high performance hockey skaters clearly shows they are pushing to the side. Observe players like Paul Kariya, Sergie Federov, Petr Bondra, Mark Messier, and Mark Recchi.

   A narrow stride is characteristic of inexperienced skaters. A narrow stride decreases speed.

   Page (1975) studied bantam, university, recreational and professional hockey players and found that width of stride and recovery time after push-off were the most important discriminating factors between fast and slow skaters.

   Page (1975) found the faster skaters to have the following performance characteristics:

   • Wider Strides
   • Greater Width Between Strides
   • Greater flexion of the Knee
   • Quicker Knee Extension
   • Return Skate Blade to Ice Quicker
   • Greater Eversion of the Ankles (Ankles turned in more)

   For proper skating technique, it is essential that the propulsion skate continues to glide forward during the push off. The push off takes place while the point of force application on the ice is being continuously displaced (Van Ingen Schenau, et al, 1985).

   Since the propulsion skate is gliding forward, it is impossible for it to exert a force backward. An essential technical aspect of skating is the fact that the direction of the push off is perpendicular to the gliding direction of the skate (Van Ingen Schenau, et al, 1985).

   It is impossible for the propulsion skate to push straight backward during striding. This unique characteristic of the propulsion phase of skating results in the sinusoidal (wave-like) trajectory of the body when skating straight (De Boer, et al., 1988). The propulsion skate is moving, therefore, it cannot push straight backward rather, it pushes to the side causing a wide stride (in high performance players).

   To increase speed, players should be taught to push to the side. Pushing straight back is only possible during acceleration. After the 2nd or 3rd stride, the stride widens and the player pushes to the side.
   
   

2. Recovery foot should be brought forward close to the ice quickly (Marino & Weese, 1979).
   
   
3. Faster skaters return the recovery skate to the ice after push-off quicker than slow skaters (Page, 1975).

   Fast skaters do not bring their recovery skate back to touch the glide skate. This a characteristic of slow skating.
   
   

4. Full extension of knee during propulsion is not as important as a powerful stride. Power range of the knee is between 130 - 170 degrees.
   
   
5. A "full" stride is actually impossible at high speeds where the length of the stride is determined by the quickness of returning the "recovery" skate to the ice. Full extension of the knee is only possible in speed skating when using the "clap skate."

   The quadriceps develop the largest contractile forces when extending the knee during the propulsion phase of hockey skating (Halliwell, 1978).

   Electromyographic studies of speed skaters show that the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis have the most "activity" during the propulsion phase of skating (Kumamoto, et al. and Mashima, et al.).
   
   

6. Flexibility of hip external and internal rotators is important for forward and backward starting, respectively.
   
   
7. Leg abducted and extended from hip at approximately 45 during propulsion.
   
   
8. Low center of gravity by maintaining flexed position in knees and hips to enhance balance and propulsion.
   
   
9. Faster skaters have more forward lean of the trunk (Page, 1975).
   
   
10. Young players characteristically have vertical movements with their skates (Marino, 1984). High performance skaters have horizontal movements with their skates.
    
    
11. Minimize vertical movements with skates and practice fluid horizontal movements. Vertical movements are characteristic of novice skaters, and can be considered a performance decrement (Marino, 1984).