Dip/Shoot the Duck help

Question

I'm in Delta now, so I have to do a shoot the duck. The problem is, the lowest I can go in a dip is so my thighs are about parallel with the ground. The only ways I can go lower (when I'm practicing off-ice) is to either hold on to something in front of me (I fall back when I let go) or if I'm wearing a shoe with a bit of heel to it. I guess my ankles aren't flexible enough to let me go down further. Any tips would be appreciated because I can't do a shoot the duck like that!

Answer 1

Well when you put your foot out, make sure to hold it on the back with both hands and lean fowards so you dont fall back.  

Answer 2

Don't worry about having to hold on to anything when you do dry-land practicing - just about everyone has to.  Once you are on the ice your momentum will hold you up, as will the structure of your boots.  Low ice work is my specialty and I can't do the sit position on dry-land without holding on either.

Spend extra time on stretching your ankles and quads in your pre-ice stretch routine.  As someone else said, strengthening your thighs (especially quads) will help you to keep your balance in the position and even more importantly to get back up.  The quads and knee are actually more important in the shoot the duck than ankle strength/flexibility.  If you are balanced properly on your foot then your ankle won't be very bent at all.

Answer 3

you just need to practice. I know because i was in the same position as you. What you need to do concentrate on is finding your balance. I know that that sounds weird but it worked for me when my coach told me that. And the thing about your ankles...you just gotta stretch everyday and you'll get better trust me!:)

just remember to find your balance

good luck!

Answer 4

once you go down, lean forward a bit to maintain your balance.

Answer 5

you need to practice! and i think its easier to do on the ice than on the floor. Also, its not so much about the ankle it is your thigh muscles! you need to strength them in order to hold your body weight! do a lot of squats and strength training with your legs! not only will you have a better shoot the duck, but also a better sit spin. good luck!

Answer 6

I actually think you have to stretch your CALVES, HAMSTRINGS, and your BACK more.  When those muscle groups are tight, it's hard to lean over any more forward while you're trying to put your bottom towards your ankles.  A sign of tightness is "falling back" when you're bending to do a dip (on or off ice!).  You need the flexibility first - then the strength to go down and up from it (which would need to come from your thigh/quads).    

Check out some of these stretches for the calfs and hamstrings:

http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/sportsci/st...

And upper/lower back stretches:

http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/sportsci/st...

These are just general stretches that can help.

If you do off ice work on this, make sure your feet are FLAT on the ground (don't lift up your heels).  Don't wear a shoe with a heel on it - you'll stretch those calves more with your feet flat on the ground.  It's ok to hold on to something in front of you for now for balance.  You can go to the benches and stretch first before you try doing dips on the ice.  

Each time you do dips on the ice - challenge yourself and go down as far as you can to the point where you're just barely about to fall - but DON'T fall.  Hold the position and glide as long as you can like that . . . that's "stretching" right there - and repeat.  If you go too low for what you can handle and keep falling back, you're just creating muscle memory and expectations to fall.    

After you get to the point where you're fairly low on your dips, here's a way to get shoot the duck "faster".  Do a deep dip, and then put one leg out to do a shoot the duck (as opposed going down on just one leg - you'll get to that eventually as you build the strength).  Keep your hips even (make sure one side is not dropping) and you'll have a better time balancing.  

Good luck - I know you'll get there!!