Blue Line Acceleration Intervals
Speed & Acceleration
Legend
- player
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Build on-ice acceleration and top-end speed through repeated blue-line-to-blue-line sprint intervals.
What you need
- hockey stick
- puck
- ice
Your focus
Acceleration to top speed in the neutral zone is one of the most important speed qualities in hockey , it determines whether a player wins a race to a loose puck and whether a rush is dangerous or contained. Training this specific distance builds the anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular speed quality that generates visible game-speed advantages. Blue-to-blue intervals directly transfer to neutral zone speed.
Start at one blue line.
Sprint at maximum effort to the opposite blue line and stop.
Rest 30 seconds; repeat in the opposite direction.
Complete 10 total intervals; carry a puck on the final 4 to add specificity.
Goal
You're there when each interval looks the same on video, same crouch, same push angle, same speed, not fading on rep 5.
Helpful cues
- Maximum from the whistle, not 90% to save something
- Every stride is longer than the one before it
- When you stop, you have given everything, there is nothing left
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Extend rest to 60 seconds between intervals to ensure full recovery.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Reduce rest to 20 seconds, forcing intervals into partial recovery to build repeated-effort speed.No 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.