Advice on skating and playing hockey

[Ogre]

Try barefeet! till leather gets crusty its awesome.

I always played barefooted, but I grew up with a bunch of old hippies.

[ubkev]

I just finished my USA Hockey registration. I took my bag and gear out of storage (very little mold....yaaay!) I've got a game on Sunday, my first in over 2 years. I cannot friggin wait to play hockey! My jerseys have been washed, my bag is all packed up. I feel like a little kid. I can't wait to walk into that dressing room, get all taped up and hit the ice. Lets see if i remember how to skate!

[darksabre]

I just finished my USA Hockey registration. I took my bag and gear out of storage (very little mold....yaaay!) I've got a game on Sunday, my first in over 2 years. I cannot friggin wait to play hockey! My jerseys have been washed, my bag is all packed up. I feel like a little kid. I can't wait to walk into that dressing room, get all taped up and hit the ice. Lets see if i remember how to skate!

Pants still fit? :p

[ubkev]

Pants still fit? :P

 

My pants still fit from 11th grade! Suck it!

 

 

Oh, and I tried everything on yesterday. Not because I didn't think it would fit, but because I'm a grown child and i was very excited about wearing it all again.

[bob_sauve28]

I just finished my USA Hockey registration. I took my bag and gear out of storage (very little mold....yaaay!) I've got a game on Sunday, my first in over 2 years. I cannot friggin wait to play hockey! My jerseys have been washed, my bag is all packed up. I feel like a little kid. I can't wait to walk into that dressing room, get all taped up and hit the ice. Lets see if i remember how to skate!

Good for you! Have fun!

[LTS]

My pants still fit from 11th grade! Suck it!

 

 

Oh, and I tried everything on yesterday. Not because I didn't think it would fit, but because I'm a grown child and i was very excited about wearing it all again.

:thumbsup:

[PASabreFan]

This might seem like a dumb question, but think of it from a total nooby's perspective. Where do you go to practice? I've been to several rinks for skate and shoot and it almost immediately turns into pickup hockey. Conventional wisdom is you get better by actually playing, but it does nothing for the true beginner, except maybe your skating with equipment on gets a little better. Everyone learns differently, but for me pickup hockey has been a generally bad experience.

 

There is literally no ice for the beginner. But there are rinks around Buffalo I haven't hit up for skate and shoot, so maybe some of them don't allow games during those sessions.

 

This doesn't even touch the bigger issue. How do you learn the basic skills? Am I supposed to teach myself?

[skaught]

Several of the rinks by me do adult hockey clinics, I did some of them when I was first learning, there was lots of beginners. Those were good because there was a coach that would have us do drills and teach us stuff. You could see if any rinks in your area do  this.

 

After that I joined a beginner league at one of the rinks, they keep it so its mostly people that are very new to hockey, and there's just 2 teams. This is in San Diego, where most people don't grow up skating, so it might be more beginner friendly here.

Edited January 7, 2017 by skaught

[PromoTheRobot]

After not playing since Thanksgiving, I finally had a game Wednesday. I was so out of the habit of packing my bag I forgot me chest protector. A youth team plays at that rink so someone got in their locker and found a set. It fit like a short-sleeve halter top but it covered my heart area and upper arms, enough that I felt safe playing. Luckily didn't get hot too hard lower.

This might seem like a dumb question, but think of it from a total nooby's perspective. Where do you go to practice? I've been to several rinks for skate and shoot and it almost immediately turns into pickup hockey. Conventional wisdom is you get better by actually playing, but it does nothing for the true beginner, except maybe your skating with equipment on gets a little better. Everyone learns differently, but for me pickup hockey has been a generally bad experience.

 

There is literally no ice for the beginner. But there are rinks around Buffalo I haven't hit up for skate and shoot, so maybe some of them don't allow games during those sessions.

 

This doesn't even touch the bigger issue. How do you learn the basic skills? Am I supposed to teach myself?

Practice??

 

Most rinks have stick-n-puck sessions.

Edited January 7, 2017 by PromoTheRobot

[Taro T]

This might seem like a dumb question, but think of it from a total nooby's perspective. Where do you go to practice? I've been to several rinks for skate and shoot and it almost immediately turns into pickup hockey. Conventional wisdom is you get better by actually playing, but it does nothing for the true beginner, except maybe your skating with equipment on gets a little better. Everyone learns differently, but for me pickup hockey has been a generally bad experience.

 

There is literally no ice for the beginner. But there are rinks around Buffalo I haven't hit up for skate and shoot, so maybe some of them don't allow games during those sessions.

 

This doesn't even touch the bigger issue. How do you learn the basic skills? Am I supposed to teach myself?

In Ra-cha-cha there are beginner leagues that spend a lot of time doing drills & then some game play at the end of the session. Those are what you should be looking for. Would expect Buffalo to have them & possibly your neck of Pennsyltucky. Edited January 7, 2017 by Taro T

[darksabre]

In Ra-cha-cha there are beginner leagues that spend a lot of time doing drills & then some game play at the end of the session. Those are what you should be looking for. Would expect Buffalo to have them & possibly your neck of Pennsyltucky.

Yup, this.

 

I would try to suggest something but I have no idea what Buffalo has for this.

[PASabreFan]

Several of the rinks by me do adult hockey clinics, I did some of them when I was first learning, there was lots of beginners. Those were good because there was a coach that would have us do drills and teach us stuff. You could see if any rinks in your area do  this.

 

After that I joined a beginner league at one of the rinks, they keep it so its mostly people that are very new to hockey, and there's just 2 teams. This is in San Diego, where most people don't grow up skating, so it might be more beginner friendly here.

I think you've hit on something. Maybe in Buffalo you come out wearing skates. There are so few actual beginners that there may be no market for a true beginner clinic.

In Ra-cha-cha there are beginner leagues that spend a lot of time doing drills & then some game play at the end of the session. Those are what you should be looking for. Would expect Buffalo to have them & possibly your neck of Pennsyltucky.

There's a so-called beginner league in Olean. I saw some of the beginners in pickup hockey, and they are good. Beginner is a relative term, I am learning.

 

I'm doing a beginner clinic right now. Hardly anyone is a beginner like me and the drills, right from the first session, assume you can pass, stickhandle, skate with the puck etc.

 

I'm pretty sure what I'm looking for is only going to be available in a non-hockey market. Maybe skaught will rent a room to me for a couple of weeks!

Practice??

 

Most rinks have stick-n-puck sessions.

Not sure why the question marks. The issue is that they advertise skate and shoot or stick-n-puck and 15 guys show up who want to play. I'm not going to make a stink.

[bob_sauve28]

This might seem like a dumb question, but think of it from a total nooby's perspective. Where do you go to practice? I've been to several rinks for skate and shoot and it almost immediately turns into pickup hockey. Conventional wisdom is you get better by actually playing, but it does nothing for the true beginner, except maybe your skating with equipment on gets a little better. Everyone learns differently, but for me pickup hockey has been a generally bad experience.

 

There is literally no ice for the beginner. But there are rinks around Buffalo I haven't hit up for skate and shoot, so maybe some of them don't allow games during those sessions.

 

This doesn't even touch the bigger issue. How do you learn the basic skills? Am I supposed to teach myself?

Everyone is different, but here is how I basically learned to play.

 

Off ice I had a ball and stick and practiced basic stick handling, turning with puck and some shooting. That helps with puck control.

 

Using a soccer ball is good for learning to use your feet. Very important!

 

I watch a lot of quick agility skating videos that are always on YouTube. Someone is always making them, and then I just practice those moves at the rink if I find ice time. I'd suggest getting to rink early before pick up starts and get right to it doing some skating drills. Most pick up games don't begin for twenty minutes or so, so you can get some good stuff in and then play pick up

 

Hope that helps

[ubkev]

Game 1 in the books! My legs are dead and I weigh 4lbs less then when I left the house.

 

We got smoked, 5-2. G & A

[Randall Flagg]

There are so many things that I can do roller skating that I can't do on ice skates and it's very frustrating. I don't have any good ponds near me, and the only rinks within 30 minutes don't allow sticks/shooting or anything like that, which would help a lot. I have no idea how to really get good at hockey-stops (both ways) and other techniques. Ugh

[WildCard]

I haven't read this thread, but here's a simple one I bet

 

How do I learn to stop staring at the puck and look up ice instead?

[North Buffalo]

There are so many things that I can do roller skating that I can't do on ice skates and it's very frustrating. I don't have any good ponds near me, and the only rinks within 30 minutes don't allow sticks/shooting or anything like that, which would help a lot. I have no idea how to really get good at hockey-stops (both ways) and other techniques. Ugh

If there is an open skate go. Hockey stops jump over a stick while trying to stop. Cross overs both back and forward start slow and use a faceoff circle.

[Randall Flagg]

If there is an open skate go. Hockey stops jump over a stick while trying to stop. Cross overs both back and forward start slow and use a faceoff circle.

This is a result of just figuring things out as I go and no formal learning structure:

 

Rollerblades: I can do forward crossovers both directions, and backwards crossovers really well one way and not at all the other way.

 

Ice skates: can do forward crossovers both ways, can't do backwards in either direction, can shave ice trying to stop with my left skate a little bit but not reliably and very hesitantly, and am not close to being able to even try with my right foot. I need pads or something but I have no money.

 

I just wish I had a feel for my edges like I do with roller blades.

[darksabre]

I haven't read this thread, but here's a simple one I bet

 

How do I learn to stop staring at the puck and look up ice instead?

Do what I did, play with people who are better than you so that you never get the puck anyway.

[qwksndmonster]

I haven't read this thread, but here's a simple one I bet

 

How do I learn to stop staring at the puck and look up ice instead?

Skate with the puck A LOT. There's no real way to learn than to practice a ton.

 

And Flagg, learning how to hockey stop is so so so much easier with pads on. That way you don't have to worry about hurting yourself and you can just go hard and try.

[pi2000]

I haven't read this thread, but here's a simple one I bet

 

How do I learn to stop staring at the puck and look up ice instead?

 

 

- split-vision.   get low and keep the puck out in front such that you can still see the puck on your stick while looking up ice.    A lot of youth players I've coached suffer from skating too upright... this is not only inefficient for skating purporses, it also forces you to tilt your head down to look at the puck as it's closer to your body.    The more you bend your knees and at your hips, the lower you get and the puck will be more out in front of you so you don't really need to tilt your head (or even your eyes) down to see where the puck is on your stick.

 

- practice off ice with a golf/tennis/stickhandling ball... increase knee/hip bend and gradually pick up speed stick-handling while keeping your eyes up using split-vision.  

[PASabreFan]

If there is an open skate go. Hockey stops jump over a stick while trying to stop. Cross overs both back and forward start slow and use a faceoff circle.

It's not likely they're going to allow someone to bring a stick on the ice during an open skate. Practicing crossovers can also be tough if it's crowded. Jumping over a stick? That has to be a saner way. I don't think people who have developed these skills remember how scary it was. I have a friend who says just skate as fast as you can toward the boards and try to hockey stop. Yankee bean, yankee bean, I like my yankee bean. Drool cup etc.

[ubkev]

It's not likely they're going to allow someone to bring a stick on the ice during an open skate. Practicing crossovers can also be tough if it's crowded. Jumping over a stick? That has to be a saner way. I don't think people who have developed these skills remember how scary it was. I have a friend who says just skate as fast as you can toward the boards and try to hockey stop. Yankee bean, yankee bean, I like my yankee bean. Drool cup etc.

It's been a little while since I learned to stop. I remember shaving ice one foot at a time while standing still, hands on the boards at the player benches. That's to get a feel for the friction you need to stop. Then I remember doing essentially what would be a snowplow stop, just like on skis. Eventually I could do it with just my right foot, then just my left foot, then I could hockey stop. Once you do it for the first time, you can just do it. The science of skating escapes me, but the complexity and beauty of it does not.

 

Hockey is fun.

[PASabreFan]

This is a result of just figuring things out as I go and no formal learning structure:

 

Rollerblades: I can do forward crossovers both directions, and backwards crossovers really well one way and not at all the other way.

 

Ice skates: can do forward crossovers both ways, can't do backwards in either direction, can shave ice trying to stop with my left skate a little bit but not reliably and very hesitantly, and am not close to being able to even try with my right foot. I need pads or something but I have no money.

 

I just wish I had a feel for my edges like I do with roller blades.

Doing crossovers both ways is a great accomplishment! You must have more feel for your edges than you give yourself credit for, because you're using both edges in crossovers. The stopping will come. Don't psych yourself out (says the guy who still can't do a proper hockey stop). I wouldn't worry too much about not having pads when trying the one-foot stop. You're young. lol

[Randall Flagg]

Doing crossovers both ways is a great accomplishment! You must have more feel for your edges than you give yourself credit for, because you're using both edges in crossovers. The stopping will come. Don't psych yourself out (says the guy who still can't do a proper hockey stop). I wouldn't worry too much about not having pads when trying the one-foot stop. You're young. lol

It all comes from blading. I swear, if you saw me play roller hockey you'd laugh when I told you my ice skating is pitiful. It's so irritating. The crossover skill transferred instantly and everything else is completely foreign, and since i only get on ice 3-5 times a year there has been no progress at all