Slideboard Use

Q: The mom of a student I’ve had regularly in The MOTION Lab, Sue, wonders about the merits of having a slideboard around her house.

A: Hmmmmm…  A great question, a great tool, and an even better subject for discussion.  In particular, that “having a slideboard around her house” part gives me an opportunity to offer some thoughts — and a little bit of scientific advice — when it comes to using such a tool…

First, should Sue or her husband (or any other non-skater in the household) seek some effective exercise, I’d say, “Go to it!”  Work on a slideboard can surely challenge a user’s legs, buns and more.  I’ll also suggest that a moderately paced, extended “skate” would provide a great low-impact aerobic workout.

That said, serious skaters have to be a whole lot more mindful of their aims when on a slideboard.  The primary purposes of this tool are to 1) commit proper striding technique to muscle-memory, and to 2) strengthen and condition those muscles associated with forward striding.

FYI…  I want my players to be explosive in their skating, and I also think that an athlete’s concentration dwindles as he or she spends more and more time at any given exercise.  So, I prefer that skaters get their aerobic conditioning in other ways.

Which means that Coach Chic highly recommends short, relatively intense bouts on the board, these performed with very careful attention to proper full-body mechanics.

Also, know that I use different boards for different age groups.  For, while younger — or weaker — kids often revert to terrible techniques in order to propel themselves across a board that is too long, a stronger skater can’t get full leg-extension if the board is too short.