EXPLOSIVE FORWARD STARTS MADE EASY!
Barbara Aidelbaum

The term “power skating” is very passé. Many years ago NHL players would come to me and all they wanted to achieve was more power in their stride and maybe have me take a look at some crossovers. Getting a forward to work on backward skating was a big sell. The game is now so much faster, that players want to improve all those things plus what I refer to as their short game: starts, turns, transitional maneuvers, speed intervals, etc. Power is just part of an elite player’s agenda. So when you hear the labels, Power Skating Instructor, Technical Coach, Hockey Skating Coach, Technical Power Skating Teacher, etc., etc., you’ll now know what he or she is trying to accomplish.

I draw from many other sports when coaching hockey skating. Some of them include: track and field sprinting, snow skiing, speed skating, figure skating, tennis, golf, soccer, basketball and even scuba diving to name a few. The more diversified a player is in varied sporting activities, generally the faster he is going to grasp onto a skill because of a higher coordination level and muscle memory gained from the other activities.

Some players have not had skating-specific training for many years, but as the boots and blades have evolved, so has our technique. Each publication I am going to tackle a different hockey skating skill. If you think about it and work on it during in-season practices, eventually the memory will set in and you will automatically be able to execute the skill in games. However, it takes approximately 5000 repetitions to develop muscle memory for a new skill.

Whether I am coaching Pee Wee players or NHL stars, starting strength and quickness is the first skill that everyone wants me to cover. It is also the area of skating that is probably the least understood, in particular the forward “V” start. Similar to the 100-metre sprinter, or the downhill skier, hockey players are always trying to shave hundredths of a second off of the start from a static position. Both on-ice and off-ice practice is required to achieve an explosive start.

EQUIPMENT:

• The foot and skating boot should become one when on the ice. The heel of the foot should only be able to lift a miniscule amount in the skate.
• Sharpening must be perfect at the toe. It is part of the sharpening that is often neglected.
• Correct lacing is essential. Players who don’t lace to the top tend to be on their heels more and find it very difficult to execute an explosive start. If you must miss an eyelet, lace the top eyelet and miss the second one.
• Unless you are a defenseman blocking shots, shin pads should always be inside the tongue of the boot for maximum ankle flex.

CONDITIONING:

• Off-ice quickness, starting strength, and explosive strength is vital.
• Hip flexibility is required to rotate the hips and feet to a turned-out position of 80 degrees.
• Muscular strength especially in the calves, quads, thighs, abdominals, and lower back is a must to explode off of the toes.
• If you have a fitness trainer, please show him/her this article to make him/her aware of the necessary requirements for an explosive front start. There is nothing quite like it in any other sport.

THE SKATE BLADE:

I like to section the balance points of the blade into 4 parts.
Part 1: toe to the ball of the foot
Part 2: ball of the foot to the middle
Part 3: the middle to the back
Part 4: the heel (Your weight should very rarely be centered over part 4. I only ever utilize part 4 if I’m working with an excellent skater playing pro hockey.)

POSTURE FOR A FORWARD “V” START:

• Feet turned out sideways from the direction of travel or in a deep “V”, 80 degrees to the direction of travel
• The blades should be on a 45 degree edge angle to the ice
• The edge must roll forward onto the “front inside” edge, which is 8-10 cm. ( 3-4 in.) at the toe of the blade (less for players under 5 ft. 10 in.)
• Heels close together (heels touching for players under 5 ft. 10 in.) and elevated off of the ice when doing starting exercises from a stationary position
• Body weight must be centered over the gripping inside edge while the chest extends further forward
• The knee, ankle, and front inside edge must be aligned while in the turned-out position (no kneeing–in, or dropping the ankles)
• An extremely strong knee and ankle bend
• Please Note: A very low body angle must be maintained during the start. When starting from a static position, the chest must be much further forward than the normal forward skating posture. This position has to be strongly supported by the core stabilizers - the lower back and abs.

TECHNIQUE FOR THE FORWARD “V” START:

• Stick and head pointing to the direction of travel
• One hand on the stick as you take the first step so that the shoulders are square over the hips
• Steps #1, #2, and #3 are a running, chopping motion on the front inside edge (not a vertical jumping motion)
• Keep your weight centered over part 2 and 1 – if part 3 or 4 of the blade contacts the ice during the first three steps, the blade will glide instead of chopping or digging into the ice
• On steps #4 and #5, your body weight shift back and the entire blade should now contact the ice. As the momentum increases, so too will the distance of the steps
• Between steps #1 and 6, the foot turn-out will gradually decrease from 80 degrees to 40 degrees and the pushing leg is fully extending for the next thrust forward
• At step #6, extend the pushing leg back and to the side, for a full gliding stride
• As the degree of turn-out in the feet has decreased to 40 degrees, the chest has gradually returned to sports posture (also referred to as the ready position)
• The rhythm and tempo are key factors in perfecting quick feet and leg drive for an explosive start

When you are already gliding, and then require explosive starting strength and quickness, the first step is slightly different. Your body weight will be centered over part 3 of the blade, and as you fully extend the pushing foot, you will then rock thru to part 2 and then explode off of part 1 of the blade. When starting from a stand still, the faster you get onto part 1 of the blade, the quicker the start. This technique from a stand still takes years of practice for an amateur and months of practice for a Pro (keep in mind that it doesn't matter how good a Pro player is from a stand still, he always wants to be faster!)

I have a lot of data recorded on different level players. The quickest starters in the NHL have their body weight centered over the front halves (part 2 and 1) of the blade. Of all the players that I have coached, Pavel Bure has the best start. His feet move so fast that he accelerates off of the balls of his feet the same way he does when racing in a pair of running shoes. Of course, Pavel's off-ice quickness and conditioning plays a major role in this.

KEY POINTS:

• 80 degree turn-out of the hips and feet
• 45 degree edge angle
• heel elevation while on the front inside edge
• very low body angle to the ice
• quick rhythm

FORMULA:
Off-ice quickness, speed, and strength PLUS good equipment PLUS perfect posture and technique = explosive starting quickness.

OFF-ICE EXERCISES:

• Power squats
• Lateral lunges, pushing hard off the ball of the foot of the extended leg
• Calf raises in a turned-out position
• Running stairs on the toes

ON-ICE EXERCISES:

• Spread eagles – gliding on a curve, while both feet are on inside edges and turned out
• Feeling the toe bite at the finish of a forward stride will help you feel the right part of the blade to execute the forward start
• Heel raises at the boards while the feet are in the forward starting position, with hands on the boards for support (do sets)
• Small jumps at the boards landing on the front inside edge, with hands on the boards for support (do sets)
• After practice when the ice is well used, stand in front of the net. Place your hands on the crossbar and push it down the ice while running on your toes (front inside edges). This allows your chest to extend forward. Once this becomes easy, have a teammate apply some resistance to the net as you push it down the ice.