Power skating aims to do just what its name suggests--add power to your skating stride. Added power means more explosive skating, stronger skating, and most importantly, faster skating. Rent a block of ice time at an ice rink, or stop by when there is some open skating time. You can perform these drills on your own, or bring a training partner along with you. Unless you have the ice all to yourself, be aware of other skaters on the ice surface. Make sure you have enough room to skate in a straight line down the entire length of the ice.
The Stride
A proper stride is essential during power skating training. Think low. The lower your backside is to the ice, the more extension there will be in your legs when you stride.
Start by exaggerating your stride as you slowly and methodically alternate your right and left legs. Focus on your knee bend. Your knees should be bent just above 90 degrees, according to the Laura Stamm International Power Skating website. Make sure your knee does not extend over the tip of your skate. Sit back and lower your backside to keep from arching forward.
Perform six repetitions from one end of the ice to the other. This will warm your body up and prepare you for more drills.
Sprints
After you feel comfortable in your skating stance and skating stride, skate the length of the ice, this time moving your feet as fast as you can. Push into the ice to get as much explosion as you can with each stride. Do not jeopardize good form for speed. Your stride mechanics should remain the same, only at a much faster pace.
Sprint the length of the ice six times, resting to catch your breath between each repetition. This will improve your foot speed and get you used to moving at a fast pace on the ice.
Edge Work
Working your edges is critical when training to be a skilled power skater. The figure eight drill will help you by working both your inside and outside edges. When your inside and outside edges are working together in harmony, you will be a more fluid skater.
Start the drill at an easy pace, focusing on your form with each cross over. A cross over is a two-part movement. If you are crossing over to your left, the right leg crosses over you left leg and reaches as far as it can to the left. As soon as your right skate is comfortably on the ice, move the left leg out horizontally from the your body and reach it out as far as you can to the left. At the same time, your right leg should stride to the right. This pulling and pushing is where speed and power are generated. The Laura Stamm website says that keeping your legs bent and under your body will balance you by lowering your center of gravity.
Start in one corner of the rink, and perform a series of figure eights, focusing on continual crossovers. Work the inside and outside edges. Perform the figure eights in sets of threes, increasing and decreasing the size of the figure eight each time. Perform six sets of three figure eights.
Resistance Training
Do resistance drills focusing on over speed training with a partner and a large rubber resistance band. Perform all the drills you've already done, but with a partner gliding behind you as you skate and holding the resistance band, making your legs work harder. When you remove the bands after significant over speed training, your legs will move faster--and faster legs mean faster skating.
With over speed training, you will be able to move your body at faster speeds than normal, according to the OverSpeed Training website, and this results in the muscles learning and conditioning themselves to move faster.
Go back and repeat six sprints and six figure eights, with a partner providing resistance behind you with a band. Remember to cool down and stretch after a workout.
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