LTP Drills: Do the Meatball and Flamingo!

The Drill: Line skating with Meatball

  1. Line up on a line (blue line, red line, goal line - whatever works)

  2. Start with three good strides to get some momentum

  3. Then glide on two feet and sink your hips as low as possible.

    • Ideally, your butt should be touching your skates

  4. Your hands should be in front of you to maintain balance

    • If you have your hands behind you, you will most likely fall backwards

    • Try this so you can see for yourself

  5. After gliding in the meatball for 2 seconds, get up and keep skating

    • Rising out of the meatball is also important as it will help you learn to push through your feet into the ice

    • It is also a strength building exercise

The Drill: Line skating with Flamingo

  1. Line up on a line (blue line, red line, goal line - whatever works)

  2. Start with three good forward strides to get some momentum - this will help with balance

  3. Then glide on two feet and raise one leg up so that it's a few inches off the ice

    • Ideally, it should be lifted straight up and not backwards

    • It should only clear the ice, and it should not take away from your balance on the planted leg

  4. Try to stay gliding on one foot as long as possible and in a straight line

    • If you are veering to the left or the right, then you are not balanced on both edges (i.e. a neutral edge)

    You are most likely leaning on either your inside or outside edge (probably the inside edge) - Staying balanced on both edges will allow you to skate in a straight line - The raised foot can also change the direction that you are skating. If the raised foot is pointing to the left, it will open your hip and pull your body weight to that side. Keep both toes pointing in the same direction to stay balanced

  5. Glide in the flamingo for as long as possible

  6. Repeat on the other leg