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

Single-leg reach and reset

Maintain balance on one leg while hinging a short distance forward, then return upright without stepping.

10U · 12UBeginner5 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Single-leg reach and reset: player positions and movement 1
Overhead cue map: 1 stays over the lower tape position while both hands reach toward the upper target and return. The arrow indicates reach direction, not a walking route. No cones or ball are needed. 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. Put one short strip of tape under the standing foot and another about 12 inches in front as a visual reach target. Use shoes on a flat floor, with no skates, weights, stick, or ball.
  2. Stand on the left leg with a soft knee. Lift the right foot slightly behind, then tip forward gently from the hips while both hands reach toward the front tape.
  3. Stop the reach well above the floor if needed. Return upright over the same foot and hold for one count before putting the other foot down.
  4. Make three controlled reaches, rest, and change legs. Complete two sets per side within five minutes, with a pause whenever balance becomes rushed.
  5. Count reaches that return to the starting footprint without a hop. The tape gives direction, not a requirement to touch the floor or reach a fixed depth.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Small hinge, steady foot, stand tall.” Keep the reach short enough to reverse smoothly.
  • Let the lifted leg move behind as the torso tips forward rather than curling the back to reach lower.
  • Keep the standing knee gently bent throughout the movement.

Common mistakes

  • Player hops to recover. Try: shorten the reach and lower the lifted toes between repetitions.
  • Player bends only through the upper back. Try: place hands at the hips to rehearse where the hinge begins.
  • Standing knee locks. Try: begin with a small knee bend and keep it through the return.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: keep the free toes lightly touching behind throughout each reach.
  • Harder: complete three shallow reaches before setting the free foot down; do not add weight.
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