Skating Coaches Blog

I go back to the basic 2-footed slalom and really review the use of the knee and the blade (edges + pressure + balance point). We make a little rhyme for rhythm's sake so that the lobes are relatively even.

Once the knee rhythm is consistent, I do the following down the long axis:
a- have the skater start the slalom with most of their weight on the right foot and count "1,2,3,4",
b- then have him\her balance on the right foot (left foot touching right boot) and continue the slalom for another "1,2,3,4",
c- then have him\her go back to 2 feet with weight on left foot and slalom "1,2,3,4",
d- then have him\her balance on the left foot (right foot touching left boot) and continue the slalom for another "1,2,3,4".

By thinking of the power pulls as a slalom, it somehow seems less daunting and the power comes.... When the skater seems to have a handle on it, I have them start the power pull from a dead stop and have them "pull" their way 1/2 way down the ice....they get the point of "power" pretty quickly :-)