3 Key Things Every Skater Should Know About Hips - How To Skate Better Any Skill Level Or Discipline

Summary

Olympic and world champion speed skater Joey Mantea shares three essential tips for skaters of all types to improve their performance. He emphasizes the importance of keeping hips square to the direction of travel, maintaining hips parallel to the surface for efficient power transfer, and using the hips as a reference for consistent foot placement. These tips help skaters improve balance, control, and efficiency in both straightaways and turns. Whether you’re a speed skater, hockey player, or inline skater, these insights will help you refine your technique and get the most out of every movement on the ice or pavement.

Takeaways

• 😀 Keep your hips square to the line of travel. No matter what your feet are doing, your hips should always point straight to where you want to go.
• 😀 During turns, adjust your hips to point toward the center of the arc you're skating on. This helps maintain a smooth, effective turn.
• 😀 Avoid twisting your hips before reaching the turn. Wait until you are at the entry point, then line up your hips with the center of the arc.
• 😀 In turns, do not drop or twist your hip aggressively. Keep the motion quiet, smooth, and consistent throughout the turn.
• 😀 In straightaways, your hips should stay flat and parallel to the surface. This helps maximize power transfer and keeps you efficient.
• 😀 Avoid tilting your hips from side to side when skating. Tilting reduces the effectiveness of power transfer and makes you less stable.
• 😀 Use your hips as reference points for foot placement. This helps with balance and maintaining your proper lean during skating.
• 😀 When power skating or accelerating, position your foot slightly wider than your hip to reduce lag time and improve speed.
• 😀 Avoid crossing your foot too close to your hip, especially during turns, to maintain a stable lean and prevent wobbling.
• 😀 Using your hips as a reference helps keep your skating efficient and stable. Challenge yourself to keep your foot placement consistent to improve your technique.

Q & A

Why is it important to keep your hips square to the line of travel while skating?

Keeping your hips square to the line of travel ensures that your body remains balanced and aligned with your direction of movement. This helps maintain stability and efficiency, allowing for smoother skating and better power transfer from your legs to the surface.

How does the alignment of your hips impact your skating performance?

The alignment of your hips affects your ability to maintain proper posture and control during skating. Misalignment can cause unnecessary twisting, energy loss, and difficulty maintaining a consistent glide or powerful push, especially in turns.

What does it mean for your hips to stay 'parallel to the surface' while skating?

When your hips are parallel to the surface, it means that they are level and not tilting from side to side. Keeping the hips flat helps to maximize the power transfer to your skates, ensuring that you generate efficient, controlled movements.

What happens if your hips are not parallel to the surface while skating?

If your hips are not parallel to the surface, you may experience tilting, which compromises your weight transfer into your skate. This reduces the efficiency of your stroke and can make it harder to maintain speed and control.

How should your hips behave when making a turn while skating?

During a turn, your hips should remain aligned with the center of the arc. They should point toward the center of the turn to maintain balance and consistency throughout the curve. This prevents twisting and helps to stay aligned with the desired path.

Why is it important to avoid twisting your hips before entering a turn?

Twisting your hips before entering a turn can throw off your alignment, causing your path to deviate from the intended arc. This can create imbalance and inefficiency, forcing you to fight against the turn rather than smoothly executing it.

What role do your hips play in foot placement during skating?

Your hips act as a reference point for foot placement, helping ensure that your feet are placed consistently underneath your body. Proper foot placement ensures better balance, more efficient strokes, and helps maintain proper body lean during turns.

How does foot placement affect your lean and balance during skating?

Placing your foot too close or too far from your hip can disrupt your balance and lean angle. For a stable lean and effective push, it's important to place your foot slightly wider than your hip to maintain control, especially when turning or accelerating.

What is the difference in foot placement for power skating and maintaining top speed?

For power skating or aggressive acceleration, your foot should be placed wider than your hip to provide immediate leverage for the next push. For maintaining top speed, you should aim to place your foot directly underneath your hip for balance and glide efficiency.

What should skaters avoid when crossing over during turns?

Skaters should avoid excessively twisting or pulling their hips as they cross over during turns. This can lead to an uneven stroke, disrupting balance and flow. Instead, skaters should maintain a smooth, quiet movement without over-exaggerating the crossing motion.