BlogSkating
5 Drills to Instantly Improve Your Crossovers
Crossovers are one of the most underrated skills in hockey. They generate speed, create angles, and separate elite skaters from the rest. Here are 5 drills our coaches use every day.
1
Figure-8 Cone Drill: Set up 4 cones in a square. Skate figure-8 patterns focusing on deep knee bend and full crossover extension. Start slow. Speed comes from proper mechanics, not effort. Do 3 sets of 5 laps.
2
One-Foot Glide Holds: On each crossover, hold the glide on your outside edge for 2 full seconds before completing the cross. This builds balance and forces proper weight transfer.
3
Resistance Band Crossovers: Attach a resistance band around your waist with a partner anchoring behind you. Perform crossovers against resistance to build the hip abductor strength that powers explosive lateral acceleration.
4
Tight Circle Speed Challenge: Using the face-off circle, see how many crossovers you can complete in 30 seconds while maintaining full extension. Track your count weekly. Aim for 15% improvement over 4 weeks.
5
Game-Speed Transition Drill: Skate the full width of the ice using crossovers only, transitioning from forward to backward at center ice. This mimics real defensive transitions and builds the neural pathways for game situations.
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