The supporting foot pushes: the keys to pushing with Christophe Audoire

Kick the old (bad) reflexes and replace them by new (good) ones.

Deconstructing a learning

For a very long time, skating schools have taught their skaters to push sideways as if you were on a scooter. That is to say: the supporting foot carried the bodyweight while the other foot pushed to the side. Christophe Audoire explains that in order to be efficient, it is the supporting foot that has to exert the push.
His demonstration is illustrated with this easy concept: ‘The supporting foot pushes’.

Let’s try to get rid of that old scooting reflex…

• Get rid of the ‘scooting’ side-push reflex
• Use the bodyweight of the supporting foot for the push

Pushing on a straight line

Let’s now apply these principles on a straight line. You have to get rid of the ‘scooter move’ to stop pushing idle. Your bodyweight has to be on your supporting foot.

• Push with both feet on the ground
• Push with the foot supporting your bodyweight
• You can use a partner to tow
• Keep your knees bent for an efficient push

Transform the push in speed

• Put your bodyweight on one foot
• Push sideways
• Your partner counters your power
• The drill can be done while rolling

Variation: The partner is towed by the skater doing the drill

Mobilize and control your ankle for an efficient push

You may put a lot of power in your push, but if your ankles are not toned, the energy transmitted will get lost in the way. It is important that your ankle remains toned to efficiently transmit the power of the push towards the ground (action/reaction principle).

What about taking bends?

For a maximum efficiency, the supporting foot should exert the push. The aim of the drill is to use the inside foot to propel yourself: crossing over does not consist in putting the outside foot over the inside foot, it is the other way around. The inside foot pushes under the outside foot. The latter naturally places itself in the right position.

• Push with the inside foot
• The outside foot naturally places itself

Optimizing your cross-over technique

Drills with your feet on the ground

This second series of drills keeping your feet on the ground aims at improving your technique to get a more efficient cross-over in speed skating…

About Christophe Audoise

Christophe Audoise has been running many workshops in France for 20 years, from challenging fitness skating to speed skating, from juniors to adult Speediness…

Visit his website for more information on his career at www.christophe-audoire-coach.com

Interested by a technical workshop? Contact Christophe and learn all his technical tips.

Useful links

Learning section on OLS