LATERAL SPEED / COD – OPEN HIP 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.

OPEN HIP MECHANICS

An important component of Open Hip Mechanics in the Lateral Load Phase, subsequent weight shift, and transference of power in another direction. Lateral and Diagonal shuffles are an excellent way to focus on those two learning components.

Diagonal 4 Bag Shuffle Progression

• The Diagonal 4 Bag Shuffle 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 shuffle
• Begin in an Athletic Position, lateral to path of intent
• Quickly shuffle 5 yds, pause for 2 sec and repeat in the other direction.
• When stopping diagonally, try to relate more to a hockey specific stop. Feet shoulder width apart, trail foot in line with the lead heel.
• The Pause Progression has the athlete learn how to stop with a pause every 5 yds
• The Touch / Pause Progression has the athlete learn how to quickly change direction starting with a diagonal shuffle 5 yds, followed by a punch cut, and then quick diagonal shuffle 5 yds back to starting position.
• The Continuous Progression has the athlete diagonal shuffle 5yds in each direction x2 using lateral jumps to change direction. Pause after the fourth shuffle.