It's been my
favorite drill for 28 years. I've
used it to improve the forward stride of
thousands of hockey players ranging from
novice to pro. Tried and true,
this is called one of Laura's
Signature drills.
It's been copied
and the name has been changed. The
fact is that other teachers recognize
how uniquely suited this drill is to
mastering the motions of the forward
stride. I have never discovered
another drill to be as perfectly suited
to teach players the fundamentals of the
forward stride. Many pros still
tell me this was the singular best drill
ever, that this drill helped their
forward skating more than any other.
I call
the drill "drag/touch" when I
want to abbreviate it. In
actuality I call it "drag your
toes, touch your heels".
Here it is. Learn it, practice it
properly and diligently, then try to
skate the same way - Always.
After pushing off,
fully extend your pushing (left) leg and
drag the first two or three inches of
the left inside edge (called "the toe")
on the ice for about two seconds.
In order to drag the inside edge of the
toe your left leg and skate must be
turned outward. If they are turned
straight downward you will be dragging
the "tippy toe" of the skate, with the
leg now in a walking-running position (a
"no-no" for skating).
After dragging
the toe, now drag the heel of the
returning skate back under your body
until that heel (left) touches the heel
of the gliding (right) skate. Your
feet should now be in a "V" position
(heels touching, toes apart). If
your knees are well bent, the shape
between your thighs, knees and ankles
will form a "diamond" shape. I call this
recovery position the "V - diamond"
position.
Repeat, now
pushing the right leg to full extension.
When the right leg reaches full
extension drag the toe of that skate (in
the turned out position) for two seconds
before dragging that heel back to touch
the heel of the gliding (left) skate.
Your heels and legs should once again be
in the V - diamond position.
The purpose
of dragging the toes and touching the
heels is to enable you to feel the
difference between correct and incorrect
execution. It's much
easier to feel the difference with your
skates on the ice than when your skates
are off the ice.
Repeat this drill
until you can feel each motion and can
distinguish between correct and
incorrect execution at every step along
the way. Now, try using the exact
same technique while skating at half
speed. The only differences are:
- Do not drag
the toe on the ice. At the
finish of the push lift the fully
extended skate about 1/2 inch off
the ice.
- When
bringing the skate back under your
body, keep it (the skate) close to
(about 1/2 inch) off the ice.
- When
bringing the recovering heel back to
the gliding heel, they should end up
being about 1/2 inch apart (but not
touching).
Now try skating
faster and faster, always employing and
practicing this same technique. At
first your technique will deteriorate as
you skate faster. Eventually, your
goal is to skate with perfect technique
regardless of how fast your legs are
moving. Watch Pavel Bure, Paul
Kariya and some of the other NHL
speedsters - they are examples of near
perfect technique.
