- 1). Make sure your skates are baked to fit your feet and the blades are sharpened to your liking. Your speed on the ice will be greatly hampered if you are skating on dull blades. Baking the skates helps to make the skate mold to your feet, therefore reducing the risk of injury to your foot or ankle when skating.
- 2). Build up your leg strength off the ice using resistance bands and weights. You should especially target your thighs and calf muscles, as these are the main muscles you use when skating. The more leg strength you have, the easier it is to gain speed on the ice.
- 3). Keep your knees and ankles bent at all times when you are skating. This will help you lower your center of gravity, and allow your legs to maximize your muscle strength when pushing against the ice. Keep your stick in front of you to help with balance.
- 4). Skate using a forward start or a crossover to get going quickly from a stopped position. Think about running on the ice to get your legs and feet moving quickly, and simultaneously keep your body low to the ice to conserve energy and maximize your stride.
- 5). Create a rhythm in your legs to ensure both legs are pushing equally hard, and to ensure you are recovering each leg before starting another push with the opposing leg. This will help you to be able to accelerate faster and concentrate on your balance and stride.