Agility Ladder — Ickey Shuffle
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 to the side of the ladder. Begin with the near foot. Step IN with the near foot (inside the box). Step IN with the far foot (both feet inside the box). Step OUT with the near foot (outside the ladder, one box ahead). Now the far foot steps IN to the new box — cycle begins again. Build speed progressively: walk-through → jog → full speed.
Why It Works
The Ickey shuffle is a three-step lateral ladder pattern that trains the exact foot sequencing of an ice hockey crossover — in, in, out, shift, repeat. It demands simultaneous hip rotation, weight transfer, and foot speed in a lateral direction. Regular Ickey shuffle training has been shown to significantly improve lateral agility scores and correlates directly with edge-to-edge skating quickness.
Hockey Transfer
Complex foot pattern that trains neuromuscular quickness and coordination. Three trips per session as warm-up. Builds the foot-speed reflex without taxing the CNS.
Coaching Cues
- "In"
- "In"
- "Out pattern — step in with lead"
- "Then trail foot"
- "Exit with lead"
- "Keep moving"
Common Mistakes
Skipping the walk-through phase — this pattern requires deliberate learning before speed. Arms not driving — let the arms mirror the lateral body movement. Losing the rhythm after a mistake — stop, reset, restart the pattern. Only going one direction — always practice leading with both feet.
Progression / Regression
Ickey shuffle with acceleration sprint at the end of the ladder.
Lateral two-feet-in shuffle (basic lateral ladder) — simpler pattern to learn first.',
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.
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