National medalist Ryan Jahnke and World and Olympic medalist Ben Agosto team teach an on-ice warm up class at a summer camp. Ryan is wearing the microphone. Ryan begins the class with side lunges on lobes and specific arms with a core twist. He mentions head position to improve posture, and as a drill for head anchoring on jumps. He then has the class do backward side lunges, again with a core twist outside the circle while anchoring the head and keeping the head back. The class really struggles with head position on this drill, mainly because they are used to looking where they are going.
Ben shares the next exercise which has the skaters skating forward from one skate to the other on inside edges. He has them learn the basic movement in place, which has a rocking motion. When done correctly, the skater finishes the push from each skate at the back of the blade and lifts the toe. Notice the very slight hop when done correctly. Ben and Ryan both want more ankle bend and less overall stiffness. For overall alignment Ben says, “Keep your head above your hips, and then your hips over your ankles.” Next Ben has the class do this same pushing movement pattern on alternating forward crossovers down the ice. Notice every push has a push from the heal with the toe lift. When done correctly this has a very lilting movement. Ryan says, “Let’s really get those edges to carve. It’s not about how fast you go down there. It’s about how well you do this. How tight you take it.”
To help the skaters create stronger edges and more power Ryan tells them, “What great skaters do is articulate their ankle and their edge before it touches the ice.” He wants them to tip their ankles to accentuate the step, not only on the forward inside edge on the lobe change but on the other steps as well.
Sorry, this content is for members only.Click here to get access.
Already a member? Login below… |
Add to "My Favorites" (Beta testing)
