Thanks Jason! I have been coaching my son and got my son to do linear cross overs....and he now uses them to burn defenseman on a regular basis. I taught him to do left then right cross overs using cones, rather than doing circles like we would normally do, then told him to use it during games when attacking defensemen. It worked with near instant results. Partly he needed to practice changing direction more quickly from left to right rather than the long full circles we typically did and then it was just a mental shift to weave and use cross overs to be more deceptive rather than attack the opposition in straight lines. He's fast and like many kids, he always thought the straight line was the fastest way to get up ice...but he has found out he can skate just as fast using crossovers while adding the ability to be elusive, evasive, deceptive and to find those pockets of open ice. Thanks for introducing this concept!
My power skating coach calls these crossovers in sets of "forward hockey patterns," like "forward single hockey pattern" or "forward double hockey pattern" etc. Everyone just has their own name for it i guess, but actually utilizing it in games is the most important part of it all, of course, and you explained that well so thank you.
Jason, I am a skeptic of your training method. That said, I agree with your adaptation of Paretos Law. Nailing the basics of hockey - skating, puck handling - is unglamorous but essential. Like you, I see folks who want to mimic more difficult skills without having the basics down. I have seen better results focusing on the fundamental basics, rather than trying to learn more complex movement patterns.
Gerhard Symons thank you! I’m extremely interested in what you’re a skeptic about because I’m interested in getting to truth rather than establish my own views. Please let me know what aspects I could clarify for you.
sasholsuma Hey Gerhard. You’ll be happy to hear that we’re on the exact same page. I use the words Magic Mechanics, but it is in jest. You see, most people look at NHLers and think “I can’t learn that.” This assumes that NHLers are fleshy bags of magic - instead of humans that are bound by the same physical laws as you and me. The Magic Mechanics are the movements that allow you to move with the least effort and tension. And I believe that this maximizes on ice awareness. When Magic Mechanics are felt, they cannot he unfelt. So then your learning occurs much faster (I have research to support this). Once Maguc Mechanics are felt, then repetition is required to myelinate and pattern the movement. But too many never find the magic mechanics and therefore spend too much time and effort on their reps. They could shorten it and make their hard work go longer. It is the opposite of magic. Then when you learn them, it feels like it. I hope this makes sense. You can read more about my ideas on this on the train 2.0 blog. Or let me know if there’s anything that is unclear.
i think the reason why most people are fascinated about the "linear crossover" is because most drone coaches teach the crossover in another way, than the crossovers done in the worlds top leagues. So i think there is no difference between a nhl-linear crossover and one normal nhl crossover. But there is a difference between nhl crossovers and drone coaches crossovers many drone Coaches i saw teach to reach the middle of the ice and take big steps NHL Crossovers are, in my opinion, just stamps, without much reach, just a fast and powerful up and down, like a car cylinder i hope this makes sense, let me know :)
Silas Ruffner It took me a while to understand what you meant, but I think you're exactly right; proper crossovers should be a simple extension motion without needing to "reach" your foot to the side. Many coaches don't teach this well.
Interesting and at times overthinking a new tactical skating skill. The ability to use a cross over to accelerate causing the Defender to often cross their feet. The best players apply this tactical attack and it gains space and time. The speed generated and the slight change of direction is tough to defend especially when many D cannot stride Backwards to maintain a good Horizontal or Vertical Gap.
While your first set of diagrams on Linear and Curvilinear crossovers have correct graphics, the explanation is incorrect or lacks clarity. First off, you can do many linear crossovers to pick up speed, which does not really make "one crossover" or "many crossovers" accurate. Secondly,, both crossovers you showed in the Kane video are Linear Crossovers. The linear crossover is essentially an acceleration technique while heading in a straight line which is not perpendicular or parallel to the direction of travel, but a diagonal "B Line" to an area of play. Perhaps consider, in your explanation,, the idea that Curvilinear crossovers are to change direction while maintaining or picking up speed, such as going around the net or fore-checking an opposing player. As you see from the diagram, were you to put arrows for direction of travel on the ends, they would be heading in different places. A linear crossover is meant to be an alternative to skating forward in the traditional manner.
Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you. The trick for me is getting precise instruction and information while having it look good (as you noted). If you look at some of my latest blog posts, does that satisfy the good information + presentable criteria? www.train2point0.com/blog Or do you have any other suggestions for formats to follow? I really want to make my content easy to consume and helpful so your feedback is appreciated.
I'm pretty sure you've got the idea - it's not anything "linear" in the first place; it's just not a tight curve. Speed skaters know that crossovers can give you more acceleration than straight strides; S-pattern crossovers give you the acceleration without changing direction too much. At the top level, the only difference is probably in how smoothly/quickly they can transition in and out of crossovers to take advantage of the burst of speed while staying under control.
Nikolai Hedler I’ve enjoyed watching the speed skaters at the olympics reverently. Much to learn. Kept an eye out for what you mentioned. Anything else we should watch for?
Train 2.0 - Jason Yee if you watch the speed skaters' acceleration vs. their stride at speed, you can probably see one key thing: at low speeds, the angle of your stride relative to the direction of travel is much higher. In other words, your skate is pointed outward more when you start accelerating, and points more toward the direction you're going when you get up to speed.
Nikolai Hedler Yes that’s a great way of explaining it. What about during short track: they seem to do a hip scissor/weight shift motion as a transition step. Do you know what that’s called?
Nikolai Hedler after the turns on the straight aways - they execute a weight shifting heel cut thing where they don’t lift their feet off the ground but keep their momentum going
Thanks Jason!
I have been coaching my son and got my son to do linear cross overs....and he now uses them to burn defenseman on a regular basis.
I taught him to do left then right cross overs using cones, rather than doing circles like we would normally do, then told him to use it during games when attacking defensemen. It worked with near instant results. Partly he needed to practice changing direction more quickly from left to right rather than the long full circles we typically did and then it was just a mental shift to weave and use cross overs to be more deceptive rather than attack the opposition in straight lines. He's fast and like many kids, he always thought the straight line was the fastest way to get up ice...but he has found out he can skate just as fast using crossovers while adding the ability to be elusive, evasive, deceptive and to find those pockets of open ice.
Thanks for introducing this concept!
My power skating coach calls these crossovers in sets of "forward hockey patterns," like "forward single hockey pattern" or "forward double hockey pattern" etc. Everyone just has their own name for it i guess, but actually utilizing it in games is the most important part of it all, of course, and you explained that well so thank you.
Jason, I am a skeptic of your training method. That said, I agree with your adaptation of Paretos Law. Nailing the basics of hockey - skating, puck handling - is unglamorous but essential. Like you, I see folks who want to mimic more difficult skills without having the basics down. I have seen better results focusing on the fundamental basics, rather than trying to learn more complex movement patterns.
Gerhard Symons thank you! I’m extremely interested in what you’re a skeptic about because I’m interested in getting to truth rather than establish my own views. Please let me know what aspects I could clarify for you.
sasholsuma Hey Gerhard. You’ll be happy to hear that we’re on the exact same page. I use the words Magic Mechanics, but it is in jest. You see, most people look at NHLers and think “I can’t learn that.” This assumes that NHLers are fleshy bags of magic - instead of humans that are bound by the same physical laws as you and me. The Magic Mechanics are the movements that allow you to move with the least effort and tension. And I believe that this maximizes on ice awareness. When Magic Mechanics are felt, they cannot he unfelt. So then your learning occurs much faster (I have research to support this). Once Maguc Mechanics are felt, then repetition is required to myelinate and pattern the movement. But too many never find the magic mechanics and therefore spend too much time and effort on their reps. They could shorten it and make their hard work go longer. It is the opposite of magic. Then when you learn them, it feels like it.
I hope this makes sense. You can read more about my ideas on this on the train 2.0 blog. Or let me know if there’s anything that is unclear.
sasholsuma here’s a good start: train2point0.com/category/magic-mechanics/
Can’t wait to enhance my game with this!!!
Very good videos especially about skating backwards
i think the reason why most people are fascinated about the "linear crossover" is because most drone coaches teach the crossover in another way, than the crossovers done in the worlds top leagues.
So i think there is no difference between a nhl-linear crossover and one normal nhl crossover.
But there is a difference between nhl crossovers and drone coaches crossovers
many drone Coaches i saw teach to reach the middle of the ice and take big steps
NHL Crossovers are, in my opinion, just stamps, without much reach, just a fast and powerful up and down, like a car cylinder
i hope this makes sense, let me know :)
Silas Ruffner It took me a while to understand what you meant, but I think you're exactly right; proper crossovers should be a simple extension motion without needing to "reach" your foot to the side. Many coaches don't teach this well.
how she going!! thanks Jason Yee! solid breakdown!
Interesting and at times overthinking a new tactical skating skill. The ability to use a cross over to accelerate causing the Defender to often cross their feet. The best players apply this tactical attack and it gains space and time. The speed generated and the slight change of direction is tough to defend especially when many D cannot stride Backwards to maintain a good Horizontal or Vertical Gap.
While your first set of diagrams on Linear and Curvilinear crossovers have correct graphics, the explanation is incorrect or lacks clarity. First off, you can do many linear crossovers to pick up speed, which does not really make "one crossover" or "many crossovers" accurate. Secondly,, both crossovers you showed in the Kane video are Linear Crossovers. The linear crossover is essentially an acceleration technique while heading in a straight line which is not perpendicular or parallel to the direction of travel, but a diagonal "B Line" to an area of play. Perhaps consider, in your explanation,, the idea that Curvilinear crossovers are to change direction while maintaining or picking up speed, such as going around the net or fore-checking an opposing player. As you see from the diagram, were you to put arrows for direction of travel on the ends, they would be heading in different places. A linear crossover is meant to be an alternative to skating forward in the traditional manner.
Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you. The trick for me is getting precise instruction and information while having it look good (as you noted). If you look at some of my latest blog posts, does that satisfy the good information + presentable criteria? www.train2point0.com/blog
Or do you have any other suggestions for formats to follow? I really want to make my content easy to consume and helpful so your feedback is appreciated.
I didint even realise i do this all the time!!!
I'm pretty sure you've got the idea - it's not anything "linear" in the first place; it's just not a tight curve. Speed skaters know that crossovers can give you more acceleration than straight strides; S-pattern crossovers give you the acceleration without changing direction too much. At the top level, the only difference is probably in how smoothly/quickly they can transition in and out of crossovers to take advantage of the burst of speed while staying under control.
Nikolai Hedler I’ve enjoyed watching the speed skaters at the olympics reverently. Much to learn. Kept an eye out for what you mentioned. Anything else we should watch for?
Train 2.0 - Jason Yee if you watch the speed skaters' acceleration vs. their stride at speed, you can probably see one key thing: at low speeds, the angle of your stride relative to the direction of travel is much higher. In other words, your skate is pointed outward more when you start accelerating, and points more toward the direction you're going when you get up to speed.
Nikolai Hedler Yes that’s a great way of explaining it. What about during short track: they seem to do a hip scissor/weight shift motion as a transition step. Do you know what that’s called?
I'm not sure I know what you're referring to; do you mean the weight shift between turns?
Nikolai Hedler after the turns on the straight aways - they execute a weight shifting heel cut thing where they don’t lift their feet off the ground but keep their momentum going
Cool
Not following your explanation. looks more like a crossover minus a cross under. Crosby uses more of an c cut on inside edges without a crossover.