Skating is the most important skill for hockey players at all levels. When high-level amateurs and professionals play hockey, the skating appears to be so natural that players don't even have to think about that aspect of the game. However, they do have to work on it in practice. In addition to drills that help with skating speed, quickness and agility, players have to do plenty of conditioning to maintain skating speed throughout a long game and an even longer season.
Step 1
Execute skating interval drills to build speed and endurance. Start off at the near end line and sprint to the near blue line and back, the center red line and back, the far blue line and back, and the end line and back. Take a two-minute break and repeat the drill. Skate with your teammates and try to be the fastest one back to the finish line.
Step 2
Perform the circle drill to work on your skating speed and ability to handle the puck to get off a quick shot. Start off at the center red line and sprint to the face-off circle in the offensive zone. When you get to the circle, skate around it completely and then take a pass from your teammate who is just inside the blue line. Take two strides and fire a shot on goal.
Step 3
Skate the transition drill to work on your forward and backward skating speed. Start off at the near end line and sprint to the near blue line. Turn around and skate backward to the center ice red line. Don't stop as you execute your turn. Turn and skate forward when you hit the red line. Turn again when you hit the far blue line and skate backward to the far end line. Skate in the same manner as you get back to the starting point.
Step 4
Start off with a teammate at the near goal line. With one of you handling the puck, the object is to skate to the other end of the ice as quickly as possible while making at least four passes. You must skate with your head up, and then the player who receives the puck at the far blue line and takes the shot. Perform the same drill going back to the original end of the ice. Have the coach time the drill, and compare your time with your teammates.
Member Comments