So my question is: if you can’t stand on one foot when you’re in bare feet, how do you expect to be able to do the same on that thin piece of metal?
It’s all about balance.
In biomechanics, balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity [remember that term?] of a body within the base of support with minimal postural
sway.
The human body requires several sensory inputs in order to maintain balance. Visually, a balanced person requires references to tell them what their body is doing. To demonstrate this, try balancing on one foot, then close your eyes and try. When your brain is missing the visual references it constantly tries to rebalance its self and it becomes very difficult to stay balanced.
The brain also requires input from the inner ear.
The inner ear is responsible for the sensations of balance and motion. It is made up of fluids and detection cells and sends information to the brain about the attitude, rotation, and linear motion of the head.
(When you spin in circles and get dizzy, it’s because the fluid in your inner ear is still moving even when your body is stopped. All of a sudden, the information that your eyes and your inner ear send to your brain don’t agree, causing the dizzy feeling.)
Skating is a series of one-foot glides. You stride with one foot and glide on the other. Then you recover; putting that stride foot back down. Switch feet and repeat. It’s a controlled movement. Without balance, that recovery step resembles stomping on a bug; the foot crashes back down to the ice, speed is lost and all your weight is now on that foot. You’re forced to transfer your weight again just to take a good stride with the other foot. This is tiring, inefficient, and it looks incredibly awkward. Throw in opposing players trying to knock you off the puck and falling will become a common occurrence.
Balance comes with repetition; the more you get used to balancing yourself on one foot, the easier it gets. Stand on one foot when you’re watching TV, playing Wii, in the kitchen cooking or standing in line at the grocery store. Try bending your knees more. Try hopping in place. Try twisting your body. Lean forward. Purposely unbalance yourself and regain that balance. Toss a ball from your left hand to your right hand or toss the ball back and forth to a friend, all the while maintaining your balance on one foot. Soon, you’ll find that doing things on that 1/8th inch piece of steel gets a little easier.
Work on your balance while stationary, gradually working towards balancing while in motion. Then work at placing your foot down in a controlled motion. Over time, your balance will come and so will your stride.
Power Skating!
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who have not gone to a good power skating instructor, DO IT NOW! I am a big guy, however I can easily keep up with alot of people who are about half my weight and size. WHY? because I learned how to make a powerful stride, how to skate correctly, how to be effecient, and lastly how mantain my balance while skating! Trust me, it will be one the best things you can do for your game. Staying balanced and making good strides while skating is the most important part of the game. Skating is the core of the game, everything else is a derivative.