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Edge control / On ice

Outside-edge arc holds

Support a shallow turn on the outside edge of the skate on the turning side, then return to two feet.

10U · 12U · 14U+Intermediate6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Outside-edge arc holds: player positions and movement 1StartFinish
Use one shallow arc per trip. The upper left-turn arc uses the left skate’s outside edge; the lower right-turn arc uses the right skate’s outside edge. Travel stays left to right. 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. Use two cones to mark a 20-foot course in a 12-foot-wide space. Begin beside Start without a puck. Use this station only after stable one-foot glides and shallow two-foot turns.
  2. Take two slow strides. Begin a broad left curve on two feet, then briefly lift the right skate so the left skate supports the curve on its outside edge.
  3. Hold for one count and lower the right skate before balance fades. Continue on two feet and stop beyond the finish rather than trying to tighten the turn.
  4. Return outside the course. On the next trip curve right on the right skate. Alternate for six attempts with short pauses during six minutes.
  5. Count attempts with a brief clean outside-edge hold and a planned two-foot recovery. A smaller arc with a calm recovery is the success measure.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Left turn, left foot; right turn, right foot.” The supporting foot is different from an inside-edge arc.
  • Keep the free skate low and close so it can return promptly.
  • Let the whole stance follow the shallow curve; avoid twisting only the ankle.

Common mistakes

  • Player balances on the opposite skate. Try: name the turning-side foot before entering the curve.
  • Free foot lands abruptly. Try: shorten the hold to a brief lift and replace.
  • Player leans inward at the waist. Try: start more upright over a bent supporting knee and reduce the curve.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: travel on two feet and reduce pressure on the outside-of-turn skate without lifting it.
  • Harder: extend a stable hold to two counts while preserving the original wide curve.
Research context & source notes

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

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