Blade Misalignment

[sk8great]

Can a blade misalignment affect my skating? I think my right skate's blade is misaligned. Im having troubles with L over R crossovers. Could the blade misalignment relate to that?

[sk8great]

anybody?

[Skittl1321]

A blade misalignment can affect your skating.  It is unlikely to affect only one part of your skating.

I was taught to check forward one foot glides to identify blade alignment issues.

Chances are, you just have a weak side on xovers.

[sk8great]

A blade misalignment can affect your skating.  It is unlikely to affect only one part of your skating.

I was taught to check forward one foot glides to identify blade alignment issues.

Chances are, you just have a weak side on xovers.

How do I check for that?

[Willowway]

Have a professional - either a coach or a good skate tech - at your rink look at your blades. We are not (at least the people without OGMs here) perfectly symmetrical and each of us naturally has a strong side. For me, balance and strength on my left skating leg is far better than on my right. I also found that my center of balance on the right is slightly to the inside as compared to the left which is pretty well centered. So I had my blade moved toward the inside edge of the boot and after a little tweaking it's great and really helps. So yes, you should make sure your blades are aligned properly in general (to start) and perhaps even go the extra step to make sure they're aligned properly for you.

[Skittl1321]

How do I check for that?

Glide straight lines on flats- if you veer you may have an issue (or you may have poor body control and are shifting your position). 

This isn't effective for new skaters who can't hold a one-foot glide, but if you are doing crossovers, it is a decent test.

[treesprite]

I agree with the gliding on one foot on a straight line. If you hear scraping or see snow building up from one side, it might be from misalignment (I had that problem and it stopped after mounting was adjusted).