How Hockey Players Can Skate Faster With These Two At Home Drills

https://x7hockey.com/ https://www.instagram.com/x7hockey/ https://www.tiktok.com/@x7hockey Welcome to another episode of Hockey Talk with John Swanson! In this video, we cover two powerful drills that you can do right at home to improve your skating stride and mechanics. These drills are designed to help hockey players get extra reps off the ice, focusing on key areas that directly translate to better on-ice performance. Struggling with proper shin angle while skating? Be sure to watch this related video for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXrGBKL04y4&t=1s Want to elevate your game even further? Check out our FREE 8-week Speed & Scoring program: https://x7hockey.com/stlp Why the Mat? The mat shown is primarily there to soften the slippery surface of the tiles, but it also serves a purpose in terms of stability. It's a 1/2 inch foam mat, and the softer the surface, the more your foot and ankle muscles have to work to stabilize, which can help with balance and strength development. Mat: https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-individual-mat Here's how different surfaces can impact the effectiveness of the drill: Concrete/Wood Flooring: This provides a very stable surface with little to no give, making it ideal for focusing on pure stride mechanics and balance without much foot stabilization required. Hard Carpet: Adds a slight level of instability, which forces your foot to engage more, particularly through the ankle joint. Soft Carpet: Further increases the need for stabilization, working both the foot and ankle more intensely. Foam Matting: This offers the most instability, making the foot and ankle work even harder, which can benefit balance and proprioception, but may detract from focusing on pure stride mechanics. From a biomechanics perspective, if your skater is struggling with maintaining proper shin angle or balance on a softer surface, it could be beneficial to start on a harder surface to ensure they master the mechanics before progressing to something more challenging. Once they are confident in their stride on a stable surface, gradually moving to softer surfaces can improve foot and ankle strength, which translates to better stability on the ice. While the surface you use doesn’t make a huge difference for most players, starting on a more stable surface and progressing to softer ones can help develop the full range of stabilizer muscles, which is important for maintaining balance and control on the ice. A hard surface like wood or concrete should work just fine if you don’t have access to foam mats. Key Highlights: Stride & Balance Mechanics – Learn how to enhance your stride by focusing on balance and proper mechanics. I’ll walk you through the correct posture to maximize your stride efficiency. Shin Angle for Better Power – One of the most common issues for hockey players is achieving the right shin angle. I’ll show you how to correct this off the ice to ensure you’re using the full power of your legs during every stride. Arm Drive & Head Position – Good skating isn’t just about your legs. We’ll also break down how proper arm drive and head position can increase your skating speed and help you stay balanced on the ice. Recovery & Extension – Understand how to recover your stride properly and extend fully to make each movement as efficient as possible. Why This Matters: Getting extra reps at home allows players to fine-tune their skating mechanics without needing to rent ice or wait for practice. By mastering these key fundamentals—balance, stride, shin angle, and arm drive—you’ll see significant improvements in your overall skating ability. Learn and Improve: Whether you’re a player, parent, or coach, this video will provide you with the tools to take your skating to the next level. If you want even more detailed guidance, don’t forget to check out our free 8-week Speed & Scoring program designed to boost your performance on the ice. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you found this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your teammates, and subscribe for more valuable hockey tips! Thanks for watching! Coach John #HockeySkating #SkatingDrills #StrideTraining #ShinAngle #ArmDrive #SkatingRecovery #X7Hockey #JohnSwanson #HockeyCoach #HockeyPerformance