In Summer’s first video, she begins with the topic of edges. The key for the inside edge is to make a C-cut with bent knees and ankles flexed. Practicing leaning and taking low and slow c-cuts will help the skater gain and maintain control.
Outside edges take longer to master, so the key is to trust the lean and bend the knees. Hold an outside c-cut as long as possible with a crossover right at the end. Summer does a great job exaggerating this movement to emphasize the key points.
During the crossovers, shoulders and hips need to stay leveled to maintain a nice balance. Summer reminds skaters not to lean on their stick at all but to “trust your lower body strength.” It’s better to think of “guiding” the stick without leaning on it.
The main element in this warm up is to hear “big, loud carve in the ice with your blade” which stems from knee bends, leaning in and a level torso. Hockey players can fall into the common problem of not trusting themselves and staying in the “hollow” of their blade without establishing an edge. Summer suggest a lot of practice and not being afraid to fall.
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