Ellis Edge: for Maximum Power and Speed on the Ice.
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        • Press In to Push
        • Presscoopinchpushpinish
        • Gather the Power
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        • Accelerating Your Weight In to Your Push
        • Japanese Four Eyes Technique
        • Delaying the Push – Straightaways
        • The Straightaway Shuffle
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      • ⛸ ASSORTED TECHNICAL >
        • Relay Racing – Part 1 – Skater Roles and Laps
        • Relay Racing – Part 2 – The Exchange, Training Ideas
        • Skating with Your Core
        • Why Are The Koreans So Good?
        • Technical Opinions Can Be Confusing
        • The Outside Edge – Is It Overrated?
        • Diagonal Hill Steps
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        • Dynamic Flexibility Training
        • Flexibility Training a Must for Speed Skaters
        • Maximize Your Results with TECHNI-CORDS
        • Improving Your Power with Jumps
        • ​Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 1 – Straightaway
        • Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 2 – Straightaway Jumps
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        • Relay Racing – Part 2 – The Exchange, Training Ideas
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        • General Core Strength, by Brandon Aldan
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      • Strategy and Tactics – Part 3 – The Moves and Counter Moves
      • Start Strategy
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      • The Slingshot Pass
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      • The Inside Pass
      • Punching Through Centrifugal Force – Position and Alignments
      • Using Strategy and Tactics Under the New Rules
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      • How 5'5" Brandon Todd Learned to Dunk a Basketball
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      • Safety! Is Your Child Truly Protected? – Part 2
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      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2014-2015
      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2012
      • Using Strategy and Tactics under the New Rules
      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2010
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      • Ankle Pronation: Effects in Skating
      • Fair Play in Sports
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      • Sharpening Tips and Tricks
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      • 75 Great Reasons to Train
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      • Setting Up Blade Offset
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The Outside Edge – Is It Overrated?

By Susan Ellis, February 2004

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One of the most commonly held beliefs in skating is that in order to be efficient, especially in Long Track, you need to land the blade on the outside edge before rolling it to the inside edge to push. While it is true that catching a slight outside edge helps in producing a longer glide on the flat of the blade, as well as helping with an efficient weight transfer, the methods used to “catch the outside edge” are often not efficient.

I have seen everything from turning the ankle inward, to putting the thrusting foot down right beside the pushing foot. Outside edges, yep, but cheatin’ edges, and not very effective.

The goal in landing the blade on the ice is to land with the weight as close to the center of gravity as possible, but very, very slightly to the outside. This means landing the skate under you between the belly button and the outside of the shoulder, or right under the nipple. The alignment on landing should be skate knee, hip bone, nipple. To have maximum power in the push, you need to get to as close to the end of the extension as possible with the pushing leg before landing the thrusting (driving) skate. In other words, there must be separation of the legs on landing of the skate. The separation is pace dependant. For a slower pace the legs will be closer on the landing as well as having a higher body position. The faster the pace, the more separation of the legs and the center of gravity will land a little bit away from the belly button (under the nipple) (sorry, can’t come up with a better reference point than that), and you will have a lower position. The separation of the legs is in a lateral plane as a result of the push to the side.

If the legs do not separate before the push occurs, even though you may feel you are on the outside edge, the result will be either to push upwards, or push backwards as the pushing leg has nowhere else to go.

When you land the skate on the ice you should feel that your thigh is right under your chest, and that there is still some pressure towards the middle line of the foot. The blade must be pointed straight ahead throughout the entire recovery right through to the landing. If you only feel pressure on the very outside of your foot, you have either landed too early, or have turned your ankle in to land.

Honestly, I feel it is more important to stress proper push / landing technique than to stress the outside edge.
  • Home
  • Skating Tips
    • ⛸ TECHNICAL >
      • ⛸ CORNERS >
        • The Corner Lay In
        • Corners – Working the Right Hip on the Lay In
        • Bringing Right Hip Forward in Corner
        • Chest In to Corner
        • Moving Hips in the Corner
        • Moving Hips In to Push
        • Off Ice Training with Straps – Part 1 of a 2 Part Series
        • On Ice Training with Straps – Part 2 of a 2 Part Series
        • Bucket Drills
        • Partner Pull / Chair Push
        • The Corner Arm Swing
      • ⛸ POSITION >
        • Starting the Season Off Right
        • Taking Care of the Small Things
        • The 3 Keys Checklist – Find the Key in the Basics First!
        • Skating with Your Core
        • The Basic Position – The Arch
        • A Time to Get High, A Time to Get Low
        • Upper Body / Chest Position
        • Check Your Butt!
        • Butt Power
        • The Butt Tuck
        • Hip Dip
        • Bend the Ankle
      • ⛸ STARTS >
        • The Tip Over Toe Start
        • Start Technique
        • Start Position
      • ⛸ STRAIGHTAWAYS >
        • Press In to Push
        • Presscoopinchpushpinish
        • Gather the Power
        • Transferring Power from Ball of Foot to Ice – The Ankle Snap​
        • Transferring Power from Hip to Ball of Foot
        • Transferring Power Hip to Hip
        • Accelerating Your Weight In to Your Push
        • Japanese Four Eyes Technique
        • Delaying the Push – Straightaways
        • The Straightaway Shuffle
      • ⛸ TRACKS >
        • Tracks
        • Entry and Exit Width
        • Entry and Exit Trajectory
        • The Extra Crossover
        • Punching Through Centrifugal Force – Position and Alignments
        • Converting from 4 to 2 Strides on Straight
      • ⛸ ASSORTED TECHNICAL >
        • Relay Racing – Part 1 – Skater Roles and Laps
        • Relay Racing – Part 2 – The Exchange, Training Ideas
        • Skating with Your Core
        • Why Are The Koreans So Good?
        • Technical Opinions Can Be Confusing
        • The Outside Edge – Is It Overrated?
        • Diagonal Hill Steps
    • 🏃 TRAINING >
      • 🏃 PLANNING >
        • Off Season Rest and Recovery
        • Building Endurance
        • Summer Training
        • Train Fast to Skate Fast
        • Tapering
        • Time Trialing
      • 🏃 SPECIFIC >
        • Specificity in Training
        • Specific Skating Training – Is Your Plan Specific Enough?
        • Warm Ups and Warm Downs
        • Off Ice Balance, Agility, and Co-ordination Training
        • Dynamic Flexibility Training
        • Flexibility Training a Must for Speed Skaters
        • Maximize Your Results with TECHNI-CORDS
        • Improving Your Power with Jumps
        • ​Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 1 – Straightaway
        • Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 2 – Straightaway Jumps
        • Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 3 – Corners
        • Specific Strength, Power, Endurance – Part 4 – Starts
        • Training for Starts
        • Relay Racing – Part 1 – Skater Roles and Laps
        • Relay Racing – Part 2 – The Exchange, Training Ideas
        • Bucket Drills
        • Partner Pull / Chair Push
        • Core Strength for Speed Skating
        • General Core Strength, by Brandon Aldan
      • 🏃 YOUTH >
        • Training Young Athletes 16 and Up
        • Training Young Athletes 12-15 Year Olds
        • Training Young Athletes Under 12
        • Youth Strength Training
    • 🏆 STRATEGY AND TACTICS >
      • Strategy and Tactics – Part 1 – Overview
      • Strategy and Tactics – Part 2 – Controlling the Pace and Track
      • Strategy and Tactics – Part 3 – The Moves and Counter Moves
      • Start Strategy
      • Time Trialing
      • The Slingshot Pass
      • The Outside Pass
      • The Inside Pass
      • Punching Through Centrifugal Force – Position and Alignments
      • Using Strategy and Tactics Under the New Rules
    • 🧠 PSYCHOLOGY >
      • How 5'5" Brandon Todd Learned to Dunk a Basketball
      • Strategy for Success
      • John Wooden on Success
      • What Do You Have to Brag About?
      • FOCUS!
      • IT – The Success Factor
      • To Try Is to Fail
      • It's All About Winning
      • How to Parent an Athlete: Lessons from a Swim Meet
      • Children in Athletics
      • Early Star vs Late Bloomer
      • Time Trialing
      • The Competition Plan
      • Start Technique
      • Post Season Evaluation
    • 🚑 SAFETY >
      • Concussions in Speed Skating
      • Safety! Is Your Child Truly Protected? – Part 1
      • Safety! Is Your Child Truly Protected? – Part 2
      • Dyneema Undersuits
    • 🚦 RULES >
      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2014-2015
      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2012
      • Using Strategy and Tactics under the New Rules
      • Important Short Track Rule Changes for 2010
    • 🧰 OTHER >
      • Ankle Pronation: Effects in Skating
      • Fair Play in Sports
      • Celebrating 100 Skating Tips of the Month!!
      • Sharpening Tips and Tricks
      • Cashing in on Olympimania to Promote Your Club
      • 75 Great Reasons to Train
      • Summer Games
      • Games
      • Masters Skating
      • Setting Up Blade Offset
  • Sue Ellis Bio
    • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Camps
Copyright © 2002 – Ellis Edge
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