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One way
people judge how fast you are is by how
quickly you maneuver. Your speed
is based on how quick you are on the
puck, and how quickly you change
directions with sharp turns, quick stops
and explosive starts. Being quick
in these areas is the difference between
being a fast or a slow skater in the
coach's eyes. |
By far, the
fastest way to start from a dead stop is
with a Toe-Start. This is done by
taking the first two or three strides
with only the inside edge of the toes of
your skates. Your first two or
three strides come out extremely fast
which gives you the explosive
acceleration and quickness that is
inherent in fast skaters.
Think about all
the times in a game where two players
are in a race for the puck, or when the
puck suddenly pops out in front of the
net. If you can get a quicker
start than the other player, that can
lead to an easy goal scoring
opportunity.
Not only will
this make you faster, but it will make
you stand out as being faster than other
skaters. Coaches want to see
skaters who are quick on the puck.
They look for them when they are
selecting their teams and when choosing
short handed and power play lines.
When you master Toe-Starts, you'll see a
lot more ice time.
