LATERAL SPEED / COD – CROSSOVER EMPHASIS

Lateral Speed or Change oof Direction (COD) drills are also commonly described as quickness or agility. Occasionally you’ll get that rare opportunity to showcase Linear Speed. We focus half your speed training program on linear speed because of the huge crossover and benefits in improving skating mechanics. But more often than not, and this is true for a lot of sports, speed is defined as your ability to get one step ahead of your opponent on a 10 yd distance. Positioning and combative strength are also relative, but the ability of an athlete to efficiently stop, change direction, and explode in another direction, is critical to athletic success.

Because skating is specific in nature requiring an athlete’s ability to utilize either inside or outside part of the foot (inside or outside edge of their skate) to generate power, we separate our Lateral Speed training into two separate categories based on two specific ways to start. An Open Hip Start, or a Crossover Start. How to apply force and footwork for each of these starts is very important.

INTEGRATION

During the integration phase, we typically have the athlete perform the training discipline with some form of resistance to help maintain proper sprinting posture and develop musculature specific for that movement pattern.

Crossover Sled Pulls: Waist Harness / Quick Crossovers Runs   

• You will need a push or tow sled, an 8’ tow strap and waist harness
• Add a slight amount of weight to the sled, depending on the training surface and size and age of athlete. The amount of weight should provide enough resistance to maintain a Lateral posture throughout the movement. ½ Body weight is a good place to start
• Always start from a proper 2 pt. lateral stance. Hand position opposite foot position. Feet hip width apart.
• Start with the strap taught and attached laterally to your waist.
• Focus on pushing through the ground with both the crossover leg utilizing the inside part of the foot, as well as the underside leg and use of the outside part of the foot.
• Use proper Crossover Speed Mechanics with full extension of both legs for 20 yds
• Speed should be quick but under control
• Perform 2-4 reps