Guide: Master Your Forward Crossovers
From: Brandon Rubeo of the Hockey Players Club and Quest Hockey.
Why Develop Forward Crossovers:
Crossovers are a crucial skating skill in hockey!
A properly timed crossover accelerates you out of a tight turn or pivot.
Consecutive crossovers help us build speed during wider turns.
Linear crossovers are particularly effective on the rush. Properly timed, they create deception, time, and space.
With practice, our progressive 13 Forward Crossover Drills will help you take your game to the next level. đ
Common Shortcomings to Effective Forward Crossovers:
Underdeveloped outside edge competence.
Poor knee bend, sometimes due to lack of flexibility.
Unengaged upper body, i.e. not engaging your upper body in the direction of your crossover.
Not embracing the work outside of your current comfort zone.
How to Use This Guide:
This list of 13 forward crossovers drills isnât intended to be performed consecutively â although youâre welcome too. Instead, pick out 2-5 drills to work on each time youâre on the ice with the most benefit coming from practicing the drills you currently execute poorly.
If youâre just starting out, get confident performing drills 1-3 before moving on.
If youâre a more seasoned skater, use one or multiple drills from 1-3 to warm up before performing 2-5 of the other crossover drills listed.
*Full drill descriptions and tips below the video.
VIDEO: 13 Forward Crossover Drills
13 Drills to Master Forward Crossovers
1. Isolated Crossover Steps
Begin in a low hockey position, both knees bent and all toes facing forward.
In a slow and controlled manner, step/cross one skate over the other and hold the crossed position for a brief moment, before stepping in the same direction with the skate that has been crossed over in order to return to your low hockey position with skates uncrossed.
Repeat.
You can take these steps consecutively in the same direction, as demonstrated in the video above, or alternate each way.
Drill Tips:
Aim to initially land on the outside edge of the skate that is stepping/crossing over the other.
Maintain a knee bend.
Keep your toes facing forward.
2. Toe Extension With Puck
Stand alongside the boards, preferably in front of a bench for more open dasher to hold, with your nearest hand holding the boards.
While stepping on a puck, drive your inside skate away from the boards at a slight backward angle in order to slide the puck behind and beyond your stationary outside skate and pause.
Specifically:
If your right hand is on the boards: keep your left skate stationary while your right skate drives outward.
If your left hand is on the boards: keep your right skate stationary while your left skate drives outward.
Return the puck to its starting position and repeat.
Drill Tips:
Begin with and maintain a deep bend in your stationary outside knee.
Begin with a deep knee bend with your inside skate before fully extending it behind your outside skate.
Isolate the extension and recovery movement, staying as still as possible otherwise.
3. Outside Edge Crossover Steps
Starting in a low hockey position with your toes pointed forward, begin alternating crossover steps repeatedly down the ice without allowing your skates to recover to an uncrossed position.
*You donât need to hold your arms out like a robot, like my demonstration in the video above. đ¤Śââď¸
Drill Tips:
Land on your outside edge.
Keep your toes faced forward.
Maintain a knee bend.
Keep your stick on the ice.
4. Outside Edge Half Circles
While in a low hockey position, stride forward to create momentum, lift your outside skate, lean on the outside edge of your inside skate, and turn towards your inside skate, initiating the turn with your upper body including your head, shoulders, and core.
Specifically:
If turning right first: lift your left skate, lean on the outside edge of your right skate, and turn towards the right.
If turning left first: lift your right skate, lean on the outside edge of your left skate, and turn towards the left.
Complete a half-circle with your isolated outside edge before crossing your lifted skate over and onto its outside edge in order to perform a turn the other way.
Repeat down the ice.
Drill Tips:
Point your lifted toe down and across the skate on the ice.
Challenge yourself to keep your outside skate lifted and controlled in order to complete the entire half-circle on the isolated outside edge.
Maintain a deep knee bend.
Keep your stick on the ice.
5. Crosby Pushes Around Circle Using Inside Edge of Outside Skate
Line up next to a face-off circle (not to be confused with a face-off dot) in a low hockey position and stride outward with the inside edge of your outside skate.
Specifically:
If going clockwise: keep your right skate stationary while the inside edge of your left skate drives outward.
If going counterclockwise: keep your left skate stationary while the inside edge of your right skate drives outward.
Repeat around the circle.
Drill Tips:
Maintain a deep bend of the inside knee.
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending the outside knee.
Rotate your upper body in towards the face-off dot.
Keep your stick on the ice.
6. C-Cuts Around Circle Using Inside Edge of Outside Skate
Line up next to a face-off circle in a low hockey position and begin doing forward c-cuts with the inside edge of your outside skate.
Specifically:
If going clockwise: keep your right skate stationary while the inside edge of your left skate performs forward c-cuts.
If going counterclockwise: keep your left skate stationary while the inside edge of your right skate performs forward c-cuts.
Repeat around the circle.
Drill Tips:
Maintain a deep bend of the inside knee.
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending the outside knee.
Rotate your upper body in towards the face-off dot.
Keep your stick on the ice.
7. Inside Skate Toe Flicks Around Circle While Outside Skate Stays on the Ice
Line up next to a face-off circle in a low hockey position and drive the outside edge of your inside skate outward, beyond and behind your stationary outside skate.
Specifically:
If going clockwise: keep your left skate stationary while the outside edge of your right skate pushes outward.
If going counterclockwise: keep your right skate stationary while the outside edge of your left skate pushes outward.
Repeat around the circle.
Drill Tips:
Maintain a deep bend of the outside knee.
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending the inside knee.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Keep your stick on the ice.
8. Crossovers Without Picking Up Your Skates (Inside Edge C-Cut + Outside Edge Push)
Line up next to a face-off circle in a low hockey position and simultaneously do a forward c-cut with the inside edge of your outside skate while driving the outside edge of your inside skate outward.
Specifically:
If going clockwise: do forward c-cuts with your left skate while driving the outside edge of your right skate outward.
If going counterclockwise: do forward c-cuts with your right skate while driving the outside edge of your left skate outward.
Repeat around the circle.
Drill Tips:
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending both accordingly.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Keep your stick on the ice.
9. Smooth Crossover With Stick Across Shoulders
Place your hockey stick across your shoulders behind your head.
Line up next to a face-off circle in a low hockey position and begin doing traditional crossovers around the circle.
Drill Tips:
Rotate your upper body in towards the face-off dot.
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending both accordingly.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Point the toe of your outside skate down and across your inside skate as you crossover.
Establish and maintain a consistent crossover rhythm.
10. Linear Crossovers â 1 Crossover Each Way
Starting in a low hockey position with your toes pointed forward, begin alternating crossovers repeatedly down the ice, allowing your skates to fully recover to their uncrossed starting position between crossovers.
Drill Tips:
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending both accordingly.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Point the toe of your outside skate down and across your inside skate as you crossover.
Establish and maintain a consistent crossover rhythm.
Keep your stick on the ice.
11. Linear Crossovers â 2 Crossovers Each Way
Starting in a low hockey position with your toes pointed forward, perform two crossovers in the same direction, allowing your skates to fully recover to their uncrossed starting position between crossovers, before crossing over twice consecutively in the opposite direction.
Repeat this pattern down the ice.
Drill Tips:
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending both accordingly.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Point the toe of your outside skate down and across your inside skate as you crossover.
Establish and maintain a consistent crossover rhythm.
Keep your stick on the ice.
12. JRM / Swedish Running Crossovers
Unlike traditional crossovers, this drill is designed to challenge you to perform very quick and shallow crossovers in one direction before transitioning to the other side with no forward strides in between.
Establish an area of ice where you can skate in a large figure-eight pattern.
Begin performing quick, shallow crossovers in the same direction around one âcircleâ before quickly transitioning to crossovers in the opposite direction around the other âcircleâ in order to complete the figure-eight pattern.
Drill Tips:
Donât aim for perfect crossover technique, instead focus on quick feet while maintaining balance, particularly on your outside edge.
Establish and maintain a consistent crossover rhythm.
Keep your stick on the ice.
13. Overspeed Crossovers
Establish a large area of ice to perform consecutive crossovers in the same direction â the demonstration in the video above uses the entire neutral zone.
Starting in a low hockey position begin crossing over repeatedly in the same direction in a wide circle pattern, challenging your footspeed and comfort zone.
Drill Tips:
Begin with a deep bend before fully extending both accordingly.
âFlickâ the toes of your inside skate upon full extension.
Point the toe of your outside skate down and across your inside skate as you crossover.
Establish and maintain a consistent crossover rhythm.
Keep your stick on the ice.
Donât worry if you fall while finding the edge of your current zone of competence.