Left side is weaker...?

Question

I have always been a stronger skater on the "right side"---cross overs and stroking and edges, are fine but my 3 turns and mohawks are significantly better on the right than my left. I can't even do a lunge with the left leg down on the ice. Is there any way to remedy this? For my spirals, I am less confident skating on the left leg and hence I can't hold the position for more than a few seconds, while if I do my right spirals, I can pretty much go down the length of the rink. I am too freaked about bending my body lower when I'm on the left leg.

And for my 1 foot slaloms...i can BARELY do them on the left leg! I know it has something to do with your knee bends and control but i am frustrated that I can do them on the right but not on the left. Any tips to improve this is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

work on things off the ice then you'll be more confident when you're on the ice :)

Answer 2

We are ALL like that . . . we all are naturally stronger on one side than the other.  

I am a lefty skater . . . I am naturally stronger rotating on in a clockwise direction.  Not just in jumps and spins, but 3 turns, mohawks, or crossovers as well . . . anything that makes me go in a clockwise direction I generally feel more comfortable with. It's not necessarily my leg being weak . . . going one particular way is my natural direction.    

But with some of the things I am weak at, admittedly, I know I didn't practice enough on the weaker side.  It's much easier to practice the things we are good at rather than the side we "don't like", so a lot of times we just kinda put the weaker side "aside".  

This may sound "obvious", but the only way to really strengthen the "weak" side is to practice - with a lot of patience and effort!  Spirals, for instance . . . hold the weak side as long as you can.  Next time hold it longer, even if it's just a tad longer.  Challenge yourself so each time you are improving.  The more you practice, the less freaked out you'll be about it.  Same with the lunge.  

Same with the forward 1 foot slaloms (or pulls).  I remember when I learned them, the stronger leg wasn't so bad.  It's like I didn't have to "think" so much . . . but with the "weak" side I was clueless.  With lots of practice, it did come.  Yes, it does have to do with knee bends and pushing off of it.  I had to think of a rhythm, like bend and scoot up, bend and scoot up (I wasn't doing the scoot initially).  I had to think of it as doing short, sharp edges - inside, outside, inside outside - and the only way I was going to MOVE forward was to bend and push off whatever edge I was on.    

When we skate on our "good" side, we usually don't have to think about what we're doing because it feels so natural.  So when you do them, think about what you're feeling and translate it to the "weak" side.  It's good if you can practice these moves off the ice - compare your body positions from your good side to the weak side.  A lot of times you'll find that it's a shoulder or hip or one little body adjustment that makes all the difference to make the weaker side "stronger".  And then it's a matter of strengthening those muscles and building up the confidence to do them - just by practicing!  

Anyway, it will take more effort to get things down on our "weaker" side, but it's possible to make them fairly equal to your stronger side - as long as you keep practicing them!  

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Everyone has a weak side

Answer 4

well if ur a righty, ur right side would be way stronger!!

but if ur a lefty ur left side would be stronger!!

keep on skatin !!!