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Forward stride recovery track

Return each pushing skate beneath the body before the next forward stride, keeping recovery low and repeatable.

8U · 10UBeginner6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Forward stride recovery track: player positions and movement 1
1 travels right through the four-cone lane. The segmented arrows mark successive push-and-recovery cycles; they do not represent stopping between strides. Stop beyond the far cones. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Cones

  1. Mark a 30-foot-long, 6-foot-wide lane with four corner cones. Leave 15 feet beyond the finish for a familiar stop. Begin without a puck; forward balance and stopping should already be comfortable.
  2. Take two easy starting pushes. Then use a steady forward stride, extending one skate to the side and returning it close beneath the hips before the opposite push.
  3. Keep the recovering blade near the ice. Complete four deliberate recovery cycles, then coast through the remaining lane instead of adding rushed steps.
  4. Stop beyond the finish and return outside. Make four trips with a short pause to discuss one correction after each trip, within six minutes.
  5. Count recoveries that return under the body without a high heel kick or a progressively wider stance. The purpose is a repeatable cycle, not maximum speed or exaggerated reach.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Push out, bring it home.” Finish the return before sending the next push away.
  • Let the gliding leg support the body while the other skate recovers.
  • Keep the recovery compact enough that the next stride begins from a useful position.

Common mistakes

  • Recovery foot stays wide. Try: shorten the push and emphasize returning under the hip.
  • Heel lifts high behind the body. Try: slow the rhythm and skim the recovering skate closer to the surface.
  • Player rocks sharply side to side. Try: reduce stride width and maintain a quieter upper body.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: do one push-and-return on each side, then coast and reset.
  • Harder: link six controlled cycles at the same pace without widening the lane.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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