hockey stop. plz help!

Question
Dear Martial,
i started playing hockey about two years ago, and coaches say my skating and stance is outstanding, but my hockey stop really needs improvement. i do the twists and turns, but i always end up swooshing my foot in a c shape rather then just shaving the ice. what am i doing wrong? the first time my skates were a little loose i admit, but others they were just fine. i also just learned the snowplow stop, so im substituting that for my two foot hockey stop, but it doesnt do any good when your mooving with the puck and of course have to stop. can you please help me?  THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!

Answer
Hi David...

Do you play roller hockey?  This turning stop style could come from that!!

Regardless...  here are some tips.  Start from beginning even if you know the snowplow stop already...  each step builds on to the other!!

The first thing you need to do is RELAX and work on your CONFIDENCE.  The big key here (as with anything NEW) -- is be patient and don't rush yourself.   You want to learn to do things "RIGHT" and safe first.

So to start I would recommend you work on the "shave slide" ...  that is face a board (on the ice) and put your two hands against the edge...  and then slowly begin "shaving" the ice as you move your legs/skates as if you were skating ...  but instead of cutting into the ice apply lighter pressure so that you SHAVE the ice...  in a swishing motion...  get used to the FEEL of this as you will need to "shift your weight" to this same point so that you can then shave your way to a hockey stop...

Once you feel comfortable with this --  you can start skating to try this in motion.  Now before you jump into a full 2 skate (side) hockey stop ... work your way up (safely) towards that.  You can do this by practicing the "snow plow" stop -- like in downhill (snowplow) skiing.

Have you ever done that ?  i.e. where you point the two toes of your feet in towards the middle and "snow plow" your way to a stop ...  again start slowly.  Go at slow speeds and slide your way to stop(s).   You can slowly pick up the speed as you FEEL CONFIDENT.  AGAIN TAKE YOUR TIME --  if you rush you may fall and so will your confidence!

If you are in a hurry -- wear some pads -- by falling you can improve quicker as you will "risk" more and this will speed up the process...

Then, once you feel good about a two foot snow plow (applying the light pressure you practiced against the boards)...  you can then try to do the same type of "move" (toes in) while emphasizing the pressure on ONE skate ...  and thereby stopping (in snow plow motion) but on ONE skate --- if not sure at first it's ok to use both - but work your way to using just one foot...  (You can alternate at first too --  getting both sides working and shifting your weight from one to the other...)

As this improves you will find yourself beginning to use one (dominant) leg over the other -- while your goal will be to be balanced, for now you can focus on the dominant side.

Then as you feel more and more confident -- you can then start shifting your body (and weight) so that you can get both feet "together" to form what is known as the hockey stop...  (note: you will have to be going a little faster to accomplish this --- ) as your confidence builds you will develop a more "natural" tendency to doing this.  (If you don't - let me know and I can maybe offer another "transitional exercise" that can help with whatever may be preventing you from making the full shift!) -- But with practice you will see yourself naturally working your body into a proper hockey stop position...

Make sense?

If not - you can always follow up with another question and I can maybe elaborate or explain in a different way...

Start with stopping first -- then come back and we can go over doing turns and crossovers...

HOPE THIS HELPS!

ENJOY THE PROCESS and good luck with the puck