Can I Practice Hockey on BAD LAKE ICE ?
from How To Inline Skate on 31 Jan 2017
https://www.facebook.com/how2inline
First thing first, check how much the puck bounces. Here it does bounce a bit but not too bad.
Anyway, always look for a smooth spot. Like here.
But even on rough ice, it is possible to control the puck. Ehmm…
The ice is grippy. All those impurities, especially when it’s quite mild, equate to a good grip.
Here my toes dig into the ice a little bit too much. And yeah…
Controlling the puck is difficult. It bounces a lot and it’s unpredictable.
This forces me to react fast and every move is improvised. I like it. Learning to control the puck on bad ice, I believe really prepares you for real game situations.
And don’t forget. Kick the puck as needed.
Friction slows down the puck a lot, which further makes it more difficult to control. Again, I think it’s a good thing. If you can handle the puck on bad ice you handle it any game sitation as well.
Skating
Skating reminds me of rollerblading in the sense that I always have to watch the surface. Never get the blade stuck in a pressure crack, jump over frozen snow and so on.
Even frozen debris must be looked out for.
Backward skating is … painful.
Ice covered in snow … same story … you cannot see what’s hiding under the snow.
Tips
Lake ice can be very dark. Spray paint the puck to make it more visible.
When the temperature is mild, stay away from the prepared ice. Don’t ruin it for when it’s colder again.
As always, thanks for watching! Be safe, have fun!