Agility Ladder — Lateral In-Out
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. Both feet outside one end. Step both feet into the first box — in, in. Step both feet out the other side — out, out. Shuffle laterally to the next box. Repeat — in, in, out, out. Progress down the full ladder. Keep hips low throughout. Return going the opposite direction.
Why It Works
The lateral in-out ladder drill trains the rapid weight transfer and hip abductor/adductor coordination that drives lateral skating acceleration. Each step in and out of the ladder forces a quick hip shift — exactly what happens during an edge change. It is one of the simplest ladder patterns but one of the most direct transfers to on-ice lateral quickness.
Hockey Transfer
Improves lateral foot speed and coordination for edge work. Pair with sprint work earlier in the session. Ladder primes the feet; sprints test them.
Coaching Cues
- "Both feet in"
- "Both out each square"
- "Stay on balls of feet"
- "Increase speed"
Common Mistakes
Standing tall — maintain athletic crouch with hips loaded. Slow, deliberate steps at full speed — build to game-speed tempo. Touching ladder rungs — aim for the centre of each box. Only training one direction — both lateral directions equally.
Progression / Regression
Add a resistance band at the hips for lateral resistance during the drill.
Slow controlled lateral steps through the ladder — accuracy before 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.
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