Stick Length

Question
QUESTION: Martial
Although I am only 5'7" I have always used a long stick. I have felt that the length gives me a better shot and more reach. Players on all the rec. teams I have played on have always said I need to cut it down-I am one of the shorter guys but always the longest stick!
I recently had a friend that coaches at a high level critique my skating, and he said I need to lower my centre of gravity and take a wider stance. I have done the opposite thinking that with my short legs I need to have a closer side push to get more speed.
I skated around a bit the way he suggested and now I do get the feeling my stick is too long. Its an expensive compo so I dont want to cut it.
Can you give me some advice on my stick length in my situation?
Thanks.

ANSWER: hi there bud!

I would have to say that your friend's coach is right!  The wider stance - about shoulder width apart - is the ideal stride spacing...

Below are some other tips for an ideal skating stride.  --  As for the stick 靌eally - you`ll want it to about your nose while you are on skates.   That is typically the higher end for most players...  Gretzky had his 3 inches below his chin.  So it`s going to be a personal preference thing.  But start at the high end, squat your stride a bit and adjust from there...

THE PERFECT SKATING STRIDE...

1. Knees AND ankles must be bent - (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT - and LACKING in many U.S. players - so say Canadian Scouts!!)

2. In forward skating only, feet must cut ice off inside edge at 45 degree angle and as close to center line of body position as possible. When gliding or doing cross overs or cross unders - use of outside edge becomes extremely important.

3. Must encourage a FULL LENGTH stride with toe snap at extension end AND, after leg is freed from ice, then add foot 'back kick' towards butt with a quick recovery to next stride... (Watch for shortening of strides - must keep them 'longer' --- Also, even though stride is 'FULL' - the feet must still MOVE IN QUICK AND CHANGING RHYTHM OR TEMPOS.... 1,2,3, - 1,2,3 - 1,2,3 - 1,2 - 1,2 - 1,2,3   'FAST CHANGING FEET' is a general deficiency in youth hockey)  --  This part is for evasive agility...  which most times is more important then straight line speed...  

4. Arms are to swing in a 'front to back motion' with elbows bent creating an 'almost?across the body finish... i.e. keeping hands with stick in 'ON ICE' ready position.  Adding hands-snapping-at-wrist will also increase thrust. (Here again fast hands in rhythm with feet will create a faster skater --- i.e. fast hands - fast feet.)   (Being natural with the above foot speed technique will keep upper and lower body separate and cause the player to RELAX his hands which in turn will lighten the grip on the stick and thus make the hands 'faster'... hence 'fast feet - fast hands'... though it is not the connection that causes the speed - it is the DISCONNECTION!!!)

5. Adding a shoulders' rising motion with the forward stride will increase thrust and speed even more.

6. As one advances in natural stride perfection adding a slight head turning motion will add even more 'weight' to the forward thrust.

7. Finally, though not necessarily completely, the upper body should have a comfortable forward lean. - This will vary with the size and 'nature' of the body... but a trend towards a lower and forward leaning body position will help the overall acceleration, speed and power of the stride.

REMEMBER: FOCUS ON ACCURACY OF ALL OF THE ABOVE FIRST... THE SPEED/POWER WILL FOLLOW!...

Read these carefully, visualize and understand what is written...  ask for any clarification(s)...

Hope this helps!

Keep working Bud...

Cheers,

Martial





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the answers! Can I ask you one more about skates? I have noticed, and again I think its my body shape-short legs ,tall upper body, belly, long arms, that I tend to pitch forward on ice skates.
I once tried figure skats and I felt more balanced and steady. I think its because the blades are longer and flatter? Why arent hockey skates more like that?
I noticed the local skate shop does profiling and rockering? Since the skates I have are very comfortable on my feet (took a while to find) should I have the blade flattened to be more like figure skates if possible?

Answer
Hi again Bud!

Getting your skates properly rockered can surely help yes!!

What they do is make the blade curved or rockered to help give you a little less or more blade on the ice which can do two things...

1. Less blade = less friction = more speed
2. More rocker = less blade on ice = smaller turning radius!

So with MORE rocker you can be able to do sharper & quicker turns.

Now there is a down side:  less potential balance or stability.  You have less to stand on - so you will have to compensate for that with quick agile feet and body positioning.  So that is maybe what you are experiencing!

So -- if you are a defenseman you will want a little less rocker - as turning speed is a little less important than having good balance.

As a forward you can take advantage of the quicker turns and more speed... and hopefully have enough agility not to fall too much.  So more rocker is better there.  (Remember if you keep your knees and ankle bent as much as you can - you will have more balance!)

If you are a very quick and agile skater you may want the most rocker you can handle...

i.e. a 9' radius is usually a pretty good radius for a quick forward type of player...

Hope this helps!  If you have any other questions just let me know!

Thanks

Martial