Agility Ladder — Crossover Step
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
Stand sideways to the ladder. Face one end. Lead foot steps inside the first box. Trail foot crosses OVER and lands inside the same box. Lead foot steps to the next box. Trail foot crosses over again. Move laterally down the ladder in this crossover pattern. Stay low — slight knee bend maintained throughout. Look ahead, not at the feet. Arms drive in opposition to the legs.
Why It Works
The agility ladder crossover step trains the lateral foot speed and crossover mechanics that directly transfer to on-ice crossovers in tight turns. The crossover is the fastest turn technique in skating, and the off-ice ladder version builds the foot coordination, hip rotation, and weight transfer pattern that makes on-ice crossovers faster and more automatic.
Hockey Transfer
Trains the crossover pattern at speed — directly applies to skating crossovers. Pair with carioca for full lateral-foot-speed warm-up. Both essential, neither sufficient alone.
Coaching Cues
- "Lateral movement"
- "Cross lead foot over each square"
- "Stay tall"
- "Drive off outside foot"
Common Mistakes
Looking at the feet — eyes forward once the pattern is learned. Standing upright — stay in the athletic crouch throughout. Sloppy crossing — the cross-step must be deliberate and complete, not a shuffle. Only going one direction — always practice both left-lead and right-lead.
Progression / Regression
Add a lateral bound after the last ladder box — transitions from ladder to real power.
Slow walk-through of the crossover pattern — learn the foot placement before adding speed.',
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
← Back to Exercise Library