Cross-Ice Speed and Power Ladder
Athleticism
Legend
- player
- cones
- movement path
How it works
Develop multi-plane athletic power and skating efficiency through a cross-ice drill combining sprints, pivots, and puck skill.
What you need
- hockey stick
- puck
- cones
- ice
Your focus
Elite hockey players execute powerful movements in all directions within a single shift. Training cross-ice patterns builds both the strength and coordination to change planes without losing speed. Pairing these movements with puck control ensures athleticism translates directly to game situations.
Set up a cross-ice course with 4 cone gates positioned at each corner of a half-ice zone.
Player starts at gate 1, sprints to gate 2 (diagonal), pivots backward to gate 3, executes tight forward crossovers to gate 4, then drives full speed back to gate 1.
Player carries a puck throughout the course.
Run 5 reps, rest 45 seconds between reps.
Goal
You're doing it right when transitions between sprinting, pivoting, and puck control feel seamless, no wasted motion between elements.
Helpful cues
- Every pivot must be explosive, no drifting through the turn
- Drive through the full length of the blade on power strides
- The puck is secondary to your power, establish the move first, then control it
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Walk through the course without a puck to memorize movement patterns
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Assign a specific shot type (wrist, snap, backhand) after the final gate of each repNo account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.