M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M
11
HOCKEY SHOT TIP OF THE MONTH
"Stopping is more of a state
of mind than it is a physical
activity," says HockeyShot
Skating Sensei, Jim Vitale.
"Players who have trouble
stopping, panic when they feel
the ice pushing against them.
This can send you into a panic
with the brain not recognizing
what is occurring, but you
can learn to master the ice by
learning how to stop properly."
"Getting low as you stop is
the most important first step
because it allows you to gain
control of the natural forces
surrounding you. Dropping
your weight makes your
blades sink into the ice, it's
the pressure you need to
counter-balance the force of
the ice pushing against your
feet." When Vitale is coaching
youth how to properly stop, he
gets them to stop and then to
swivel to maintain proper bal-
ance. He says, "Pivoting is a
great way to train your balance
to know how to stop on the ice,
and the trick is to do both at
the same time." Vitale stress-
es the importance of not
getting discouraged, because
most skaters will not be good
at both ways, at least initially.
For more "Hockey Mind" articles,
visit HockeyShot.com.
Skating
Stops
A D V E R TO R I A L | by HockeyShot Skating Sensei Jim Vitale
