Ice hockey · Skating

Edge work and tight turns

Skaters carve tight turns round the end-zone dots, switching from one edge to the other in a figure of eight, to build the balance and edge control behind quick changes of direction.

P1P2P3
Start / 5
Time
12 min
Players
6–20
Age
U10+
Area
One zone
Equipment
full hockey equipment per player10 pucks4 cones

Setup

  1. Full equipment for everyone: helmet with full cage, mouthguard, neck guard, gloves, pads and skates.
  2. One line of skaters just outside the blue line, near the middle of the ice. The two faceoff circles in the zone are the turning marks.
  3. With a big group, run the same pattern in the other end at the same time.

How it runs

  1. The first skater drives in and turns clockwise round the top faceoff dot, staying as close to it as they can.
  2. Out of the turn they cut across the slot and turn the other way round the bottom dot, so both edges get worked.
  3. They exit hard back to the blue line and join the end of the line. The next skater goes when the one in front crosses the slot.
  4. Two rounds without pucks, then two rounds carrying a puck. Rest and water between rounds.

Coaching points

  • Knees bent and hips low; a tall skater can't hold an edge.
  • Head, stick and inside shoulder lead the turn; the body follows.
  • Outside skate drives on its inside edge, inside skate rides its outside edge.
  • Push out of every turn with crossovers instead of gliding.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging wide round the dot instead of turning tight.
  • Leaning the upper body in while the knees stay straight, which washes the skates out.
  • Looking down at the feet or the puck through the turn.

Say it: “Sit low, lean the skates, not the shoulders.”

Make it harder

  • Carry a puck and keep it on the forehand through one turn and the backhand through the other.
  • Add a third turn round a cone at the blue line before the exit.

Make it easier

  • Glide the turns on two feet first, then add the push.
  • Turn round a cone with a wider circle before using the dot.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.