There are just three ingredients in speed: technique, quickness, and power.  So one sure way to become a faster skater is to increase your power.   Increasing power has other benefits to your game as well, including improved stability and more forceful checks.  But be careful… when it comes to on-ice power training you can get too much of a good thing. Many athletes use time in the gym to increase their strength and believe that those workouts will transfer directly to the ice.

Skaters using race car tires to increase pushing power.

But power isn’t strength, at least not exactly.  It’s true that to be powerful you must be strong but it is possible to be strong and not powerful.  That is because power isn’t strength alone, it’s the ability to transfer strength into movement.  To turn physical strength into skating speed players need to take their training to the ice. On-ice resistance training gives players the opportunity to strengthen the exact muscles in the order that they are used while skating.  On-ice resistance training is a kinetic learning experience.

When no equipment is available, pushing another player of  equal weight will do the trick.

The body is forced to “learn” how to push harder and retains this extra force after the resistance is removed.  On-ice power training is achieved by adding weight or resistance to skating skills, the heavier the resistance, the more the power the players attain.  

There are any things players can bring to the ice to add power to a skating workout.  Weight vests work by simply increasing the player’s weight, making the skating more strenuous.  If adding weight is your preferred method of power training, stick with weights that are worn close to the core and avoid the ankle, wrist, and skate weights that have the potential to damage growing joints.  Force Cords are a device worn around the waist with heavy bungee cords that attach to the ball of each foot.  This device increases skating power by forcing the player to work against the bungee bands with each extension.

Force Cords offer heavy resistance with each extension.

Racecar tires are bigger and a bit lighter than street tires, making them outstanding on-ice power training equipment.   The little guys may not have enough upper body strength to push the tires with their sticks but they will still gain skating power by using their hands to push the tires down the ice.  Even if no equipment is available, something as simple as pushing or pulling another player of equal weight is an excellent way to increase skating power. 

WARNING…. Any resistance over 7 percent can alter technique, and technique is the foundational speed ingredient, so players must be careful not to over train power on the ice!  Bottom line…. to increase on ice power hockey players should strength train off the ice, rehearse excellent technique on the ice, and supplement the on ice workouts with a small increments of on ice resistance training to achieve additional skating power.
 
With hundreds of students from mini-mites to the NHL, Wendy Marco is considered one of North America’s top hockey skating coaches.  Her DVD is loaded with original skating drills and on-ice games and can be found at www.ColdRushHockey.com.   Look for the caveman in this publication.