Reply To: Skating Treadmills

[Tim Taylor]

I have stopped doing the partner stick pull drill with my team, because I observed it promoted a push to the rear (to overcome the resistance of the partner) rather than a push to the side.

I have found teaching Gaston's falling to the side movement very effective. What I gather from Dr. Mike B. is that the skater doesn't need to recover the skate past where it would no longer be on an inside edge for the new push off. By having the upper body fall to the inside the skater can recover the skate further in and still have it be on an inside edge.

Coordination of upper body movements, proper arm swing and proper recovery are the ingredients to fast skating. All of which I need to work on myself.