Encouraging players to not focus on pushing when they're skating is uncommon, right? Those first three strides are crucial. So it feels counter-intuitive, but that's exactly what Calgary Flames skating coach Danielle Fujita wants us to do. Fujita wants players to understand force production. In this exercise she uses an effective tactic - imagine you're skating on water. And don't drown! Players don't want to sink, they want to get across the water as quickly as they can.

“Skate on the ice, not in it.”

This is a simple exercise to have your players demonstrate to themselves what quick and efficient skating feels like.

Drill Description

• Start players on the blue line and skate to the far blue line
• Stay on top of the water
• Test the players by switching to hard pushes and ask them about the difference

Skills Required

• Quick, fast, light are your keys
• Top end speed is not an explosive movement, there are glides and pushes working together

“Force can accelerate you. But more force can deplete explosiveness.””