What is Power Skating?

You see buzz words about power skating being used all the time by coaches. Power Skating clinics, classes and drills.

Why?

Well, because ‘skating lesson’ doesn’t sound as exciting when selling the services to the player or parent.

However, we are doing more harm than good by branding every ‘skill’ session as these power skating clinics.

Yes, the game is all about skating now and trending in that direction. It always has been.

But, ‘power’ is simply force * displacement over time.

In little words, 6yr old Johny isn’t going to benefit from ‘power skating’ when there is a) no force and b) there is lack of revolutions (time/speed/quickness)

A problem I am seeing is that the athletes are not spending adequate time away from the rink to work with an athletic trainer (a proper trainer who understands loading and the mechanics of movement). Instead they are basically going to camps to be looked after and not to enhance their hockey. This isn’t a jab at the coaches delivering these sessions. It’s catch 22.

But by working with an athletic trainer or within your program it is imperative that athletes understand how to recruit their loading muscles and can contract the correct groups. After fine tuning their off-ice movements, it is then ideal to work on edge work, posture and transitions.

So please stop calling it power skating.

It simply isn’t.