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.

CROSSOVER MECHANICS

The important components of Crossover Mechanics are the knee drive and foot placement of the Trail Leg, as well as the powerful push off the underside leg, subsequent weight shift, and transference of power in another direction. Crossover Runs teach athletes how to utilize both inside and outside edges of their feet/skates when changing direction. During a proper Crossover, the lead knee should always be in front of the lead ankle upon impact to the ground. This teaches use the inside part of the foot/skate for push off. The Crossover Runs also teaches utilization the outside edge of the trail foot/skate to begin declaration in preparation to changing direction. Both Lateral and Diagonal Crossover Runs are an excellent way to focus on those two learning components.

Diagonal 4 Travel Crossover: Pause

The Diagonal 4 Travel Crossover Run Progression teaches the athlete to how to Diagonally stop and then quickly push off in the opposite direction.

• We typically travel only 4-5 yds per direction
• Begin in an Athletic Position, lateral to path of intent
• With a Crossover Start, Quickly Crossover Run 5 yds, pause for 2 sec and repeat in the other direction.
• The lead knee should always be in front of the lead ankle upon impact to the ground with full extension of the underside leg
• When stopping laterally, start to work on a more hockey specific stop. Feet shoulder width apart, trail foot in line with the lead heel.
• Utilize the outside edge of the trail foot/skate to begin declaration in preparation to changing direction.
• The Pause Progression has the athlete pause every 5 yds
• Repeat this same sequence but starting in the opposite direction