Hydroblading Tips | Golden Skate

Hydroblading Tips

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Does anyone have any tips for hydroblading?

I've already asked my coach, but I figured it couldn't hurt to get more advice.

I finally got to see a recording of myself, and it turns out that my hydroblade is more of an aerobutt. :laugh: :palmf:
 

silver.blades

Medalist
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Country
Canada
Work on your quad and hamstring strength. It takes a lot to get down low into a nice hydroblading position. Practicing deep edges can't hurt either.
 

emcnes

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Just keep practicing! Work on lots of leg strength, and don’t be afraid to fall- I think I must have set a record for most falls in a session when I was learning my hydro. I promise- once you get it you’ll have it for life, just like riding a bike (as long as you practice regularly, that is). Good luck!
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Work on your quad and hamstring strength. It takes a lot to get down low into a nice hydroblading position. Practicing deep edges can't hurt either.

Just keep practicing! Work on lots of leg strength, and don’t be afraid to fall- I think I must have set a record for most falls in a session when I was learning my hydro. I promise- once you get it you’ll have it for life, just like riding a bike (as long as you practice regularly, that is). Good luck!

Thank you! Do you have any recommendations for quad/hamstring/leg strength exercises that are particularly good for hydroblading?

Haha, I wouldn't be so sure about that record. (Sadly, I almost get more speed and ice coverage flying across the ice on my bum on the fall afterwards than on the actual hydroblading. :laugh:)
 

jersey1302

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Country
Canada
Hold squats down low in “chair” position until you can’t anymore lol. Repeat. Also leg press at the gym will do a lot too. You have to have enough power to get down as low as you can with your free leg sticking out. This won’t be a few day fix. But it will work with consistent strengthening and practise.
 

Nimyue

On the Ice
Joined
May 15, 2018
I like pistol squats and Bulgarian split squats. My two favorite exercises for getting low :)
 

jf12

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
One tip I haven't seen yet is to work on your back crossover holding the back inside edge after the stroke under for as long as you can - I can't easily get into a hydroblade on land but the deep edge on the ice actually makes it much easier to balance.
 

sillyant

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 10, 2015
Hydroblade takes pure strength. And a bit of spine alignment. I am very impatient with squats... the other tip is that just keep going low to the point beyond where you are comfortable. You might have very sore legs the next few days. But after two to three weeks, you will have enough strength to go as low as you want :p

Also, try to look under your arm inside the circle. It aligns the spine with the direction of travel and makes the hydroblade a lot smoother.
 

vlaurend

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
One tip I haven't seen yet is to work on your back crossover holding the back inside edge after the stroke under for as long as you can - I can't easily get into a hydroblade on land but the deep edge on the ice actually makes it much easier to balance.

^ THIS. I learned to do a right back inside hydroblade by doing nice deep clockwise back crossovers and then holding the last one with the knee very deeply bent and the free leg crossed way under and extending forward instead of behind.
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Thank you so much, everyone! These all sound like great tips.

Hopefully it won't take too long to see some improvement. I'll definitely be doing all of the exercises recommended, but I think a huge chunk of the problem was my utterly abysmal body awareness. I tried it out in front of a mirror, and when I actually got into the right position, I couldn't believe how different it felt. :palmf: I can't believe I ever thought that aerobutt was anywhere near the ice!

Edit: Wow, having tried it out today the right way, now I know why I've never seen anyone else at my rink hydroblading. It's hard! But I'm already sort of getting the hang of it... sort of...
 
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