MYTH #1: “Skating faster comes from pushing harder.”
A lot of players grow up hearing that the key to skating faster is simply pushing harder, and it sounds reasonable enough on the surface. But the truth is, the fastest skaters aren’t the ones muscling their way down the ice — they’re the ones moving efficiently. When players try to “dig in” and force power into every stride, they usually end up leaning too far forward, losing balance, and wasting energy on big, dramatic pushes that don’t translate into real speed. What actually creates speed is a combination of clean edges, quick recovery, proper posture, controlled glide, and a sense of rhythm. A skater with a smooth, efficient stride will beat a skater who’s trying harder every time, because the ice rewards efficiency, not effort.
I’ve coached plenty of kids who believed they needed to push harder to get faster. One player in particular kept trying to power his way down the rink, legs flying everywhere. The moment we shifted his focus to balance and recovery instead of force, he gained more speed in one practice than he had in the previous month. His parents thought he suddenly got stronger, but the real change was that he stopped fighting the ice and started working with it.
A simple cue that helps many players is “recover quicker, glide longer.” Keeping the chest up, staying centered, shortening the push, and speeding up the recovery all make a noticeable difference. When players stop trying to overpower the ice and start trusting their mechanics, their speed improves naturally. If you’ve seen this myth show up in your own experience — in games, practices, or advice you’ve heard — feel free to share your story in the comments.
