Skating Circuit – Crossovers, Stops and Backwards

How to run it

A full-ice skating circuit that covers the key skating skills: crossovers both ways, sprints and hard stops, backward skating and tight turns. Good as a warm-up and for skating technique.

Set-up

Full ice. Three (or more) players in a line at the boards near one face-off circle. Discs at the far blue line (stop) and the red line (turn). Skaters go one at a time.

Instructions

1. 1Three skaters lined up at the boards. The route: round the face-off circle, sprint, stop, backwards, round the centre circle and round the far circle.
2. 2The first skater goes round the face-off circle with crossovers, down and round the left side.
3. 3Over the top of the circle with more crossovers. The next skater starts.
4. 4Sprint to the far blue line and a hard stop. The third skater starts.
5. 5Backwards to the red line, knees bent and skates under the body.
6. 6Pivot to forwards and skate round the centre circle with crossovers.
7. 7Up to the far face-off circle.
8. 8Tight turn round the circle, on the inside edges and close to the marking.
9. 9Carry on round the circle and out of the turn with speed.
10. 10The first skater sprints back along the far boards to the new line. The others follow the route one leg behind.
11. 11The second skater sprints back and joins the line.
12. 12The last skater is done. The next round starts from the new line, going the other way.

Coaching points

• Crossovers: push with both skates – including the inside one that goes under.
• Hard stop: lean your shoulders back, scrape with both blades and be ready to go again at once.
• Backwards: sit low, weight on the front of the blades, straight back.
• Tight turn: bend the inside knee, shoulders into the turn and stick on the ice.

Variations

Equipment

• 1 × Cone
• 2 × Markers