Can't snow plow on hockey ice skates?

Question

Hey everyone,

I have been taking lessons for a couple weeks now, and am doing really well and advancing with everything except... I can't stop! I bought my first pair of hockey skates and had them sharpened on my first skate. During lessons, I try with all my might, keep my balance centered on the middle of my foot, with my knees bent, and I just cannot get my skates to snow plow, even if I am holding onto the boards. I also try just pushing one foot outward enough to make snow-- nothing, my foot just WON'T budge. When I try to push both feet out I just do backward swizzles

I spoke to my instructor and she said this was because my blades were freshly sharpened, and once they become duller it will become much easier

Would you think this to be the reason? And anything I could do different? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm a figure skater, not a hockey skater, but definitely in the world of figure skating it's well-known that your stops will be more difficult with a fresh sharpening.  

A snowplow stop kind of skids on the ice. It's supposed to be an inside edge but it's really sort of a combo between the inside edge and the flat.  It just makes sense that it's going to be harder when it's freshly sharpened.

My guess is that when you're more experienced your feet will know how to adjust to sharp skates.  Keep up the good work!

Answer 2

No that's not the reason i played hockey all my life and it is much easier to skate and stop on newly sharpened skates. The whole thing with stoping is about ur edges on ur blades. The bottom of the blade is flat so if ur not leaning into it ur not goin ne where, u got to get comfortable with yur edges, ask ur coach to do some drills on workin ur edges so u get comfortable leaning into ur skates and that will help u stop

Answer 3

go to this site and read up! http://www.nhl.com/laceemup/clinic/stopp...

i hope it helped