A little more confidence. A little more fun. Free to use.
PRACTICE BARNHOCKEY DRILLS & PRACTICE PLANSBuild a practice
Home / Drill library / Age-appropriate off-ice coordination
Age-appropriate off-ice coordination / Off ice

Opposite-limb crawl steps

Coordinate opposite hand-and-foot movements during a short crawl while keeping the torso steady.

10U · 12UIntermediate6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Opposite-limb crawl steps: player positions and movement 1StartEnd
Floor view: 1 crawls from Start to End in short opposite hand-foot steps. The single arrow shows travel only; it does not depict body posture or limb sequence. Stand and walk back outside the route after each trip. The orange Start and End symbols represent flat tape marks, not raised 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: Floor tape

  1. Mark Start and End 4 feet apart in a clear 6-by-8-foot floor area. One player wears athletic shoes; an adult observes from the side. Use a dry surface comfortable for the hands and begin with a brief walk and gentle joint movement.
  2. At Start, place hands and feet on the floor with knees clear of it and the body supported comfortably. Rehearse lifting the right hand and left foot a small amount together, replacing them, then switching pairs.
  3. Move the right hand and left foot forward a short distance together. Place them down before advancing the left hand and right foot. Use small steps and keep the head in line with the torso.
  4. Continue only to End, then lower the knees, stand, and walk back outside the lane. If the limb order is lost, pause and restart the opposite pair rather than rushing through.
  5. Take three short trips with at least 30 seconds between them. Count trips with alternating opposite pairs and a steady body; end earlier if the supporting position deteriorates.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Opposite hand, opposite foot.”
  • Take short steps so the body does not rock from side to side.
  • Keep breathing while the supporting hand and foot hold the body.

Common mistakes

  • Same-side hand and foot move together. Try: rehearse one opposite pair without traveling.
  • Hips swing with every step. Try: halve the step length and pause after placement.
  • Player rushes or holds the breath. Try: speak the pair names at an easy pace and shorten the trip.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: stay in place and briefly unweight one opposite hand-foot pair at a time.
  • Harder: keep the same short route and add a one-count balanced pause after each pair lands.
Research context & source notes

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

Keep building

More age-appropriate off-ice coordination drills · Development guides