Last Point... If you enjoy edge work drills and like them for the challenge, by all means, don't let some internet Joe schmo stop you! BUT, Also consider the points I mentioned in the video. If you really want to be a better hockey player.... you have to improve at the mechanics actually used in hockey!
This video is going to mislead a lot of young hockey players 6-16 years old. The main point of edge work drills is to build STRENGTH and to develop a strong inside and outside edge which will help in every aspect of hockey. Where I live, kids play hockey before they learn how to skate, and its horrible.
The old phrase “Train like you fight, fight like you train” applies here. If you’re not training hockey mechanics you won’t have hockey mechanics in game.
This is provocative. I think edge work is hugely beneficial but you are right that if you get lost in edge work at the expense of hockey, you won’t improve much as a player. That said some of the very game specific stuff you mention here improves a lot from edgework drills or are really out of reach without those edge drills.
It depends what define as "edge work drills". When I think of edge work drills, I think of movements that would never be used in a game but that are more complex than "feel based drills" or don't provide transferable feels. And in that sense, none of those in my opinion are necessary or helpful to being a better skater. For example, outside edge holds would fit into that category, but a slalom (with intention) would not.
I think edge holds, particularly on one foot expose balance inefficiencies and so to that end, those edge drills are critical to becoming a better skater. Edge drills are really not just for the foot but the whole body and development of balance and mastery of weight in the boot.
Another great video, Spencer! While not near as dynamic as hockey skating, as a golf pro, I see this exact same concept play out in golf practice as well. Players practice shots from perfect lies, to easy pins, and exactly the right yardages. In reality, the lie - even in the middle of the fairway, is almost never “perfect” and the proper angles and numbers are hard to come by. When a player that practices this way gets into a competitive round, they’re often out of sorts and they don’t know why because they’ve “practiced hard”. Like you, I recommend that players drill to work on feels and build movement patterns, then put them into various situations and see how the nuances play out.
There is indeed a point where pure edgework drills don't give any more significant improvements. BUT: Hockey is a special sport in the regard that you have to learn two aspects of the game from scratch: skating (Basic movement) and playing with a hockey stick (discipline-specialized technique). In most other sports you can do the basic movement as you are on feet and already know how to walk/run etc. The finesse always comes in combining both aspects in-game. In other sports, it is way easier as there are very few basic movement aspects students have to train to be able to learn a movement of the game. It is (in general, not just sports) not advised to learn both aspects simultaneously, i.e. for hockey going on skates AND stickhandle/shoot (compound movement) when you can neither skate nor stickhandle the part of the movement. It's at best wasted time, at worst you get bad habits by sloppy movement as you care more of not falling over or not losing the puck than smoothly connect both parts. You learn the basis in both separately, then combine them into a hockey motion. Just like a piano player learns both hands separately, then combines them once both (in isolation) know what to do. The problem you described by plateauing was most likely one of two phenomena: 1. (Basic movements) You did not convert the edgework drills into hockey movements once you learned them. If your upper body (hips/shoulders/hands) doesn't know what to do when your feet do X, you will not perform X in a game situation. In stress, the brain resorts to well-known patterns and won't experiment around. If you force it, your body is not accustomed,so your movement is sloppy, you may fall over, have wrong posture and be easily knocked off the puck, lose the puck by yourself and so on. 2. (More often with freezestyling motions you showed) The movement itself is not practical for hockey as many freezestyling/ice-dance-moves are only doable while standing and do not work when having full-speed. By the way, some still may improve other skating aspects adjacent to the movement, e.g. having a good hockey stance/posture and not getting knocked off your feet with body contact. You may not even attribute the skating drills with your improvements there.
Very insightful response! and I do agree with you of the uniqueness of hockey that you first have to learn to “walk” before you can even start playing the sport.
Not everyone who spends a lot of time practicing edge skills will turn out to be good hockey players; but all good hockey players have spent a substantial amount of time practicing edge skills. Don't kid yourself.
Great topic and well said! Is see game transfer as the only point of training - why Belfry was so impactful with his players. If not, you are trying to be good at mechanics (like a figure skater) not good at hockey. So important to learn proper drill selection and then learn progressions that take you to in game transfer.
I tend to agree. Edge work drills can get you started but eventually you need to master the mechanics that you would use in a game. Always look at edgework drills through the lens of a game situation. Either use them as building blocks to mastering a challenging mechanic or use them within the context of a specific mechanic. For example, the outside edge can be challenging to master. I have used outside edge c-cuts to help with learning tight turns and punch turns. Holding your outside edge in a c-cut is a good warm up, but being a master of the outside edge c-cut does not mean you can do punch turns. Other skills like the mohawk, or 10-2, can directly lead to in-game use, however just because you can do mohawks occasionally in a game does not mean you will be able to use them to do a mohawk pivot, protect the puck like Crosby, fake out an opponent like Makar or make strong backward to forward transitions.
Very good breakdown! It’s interesting that you mention outside edge mastery because I’m currently working on a video on mackinnons outside edge mastery!
2 different programs for outside edge and inside edge- light front blade initialization countering for straightforward and crossing over, you'll shoot better right away at start of practice as opposed to having to wait 20 to 30minute mark; 2nd 1lace down mid blade heel initialization for straightforward and crossing over, generally quieter noises on 5/8 or 3/4 hollow, faster straightaway, more wider circle faster crossovers to get to top speed,but frequency for both strides is slower, have to warmup on that mid blade flat fussy placement to start shooting good by 20 minute mark of ice session. So outside edge for those 2 programs, could be harder for the mid blade, I'd teach the front initialization for 30 minutes with the outside edge drills(use the 3 cuts and stops single leg for the punch turn for instance)...then second half mid blade outside edge, so separate those with half loops and straightaways mid blade, then use the 1 knee lean on stick and push flat to sides x 15 -20 pushes to really get skates on mid blade, check n test your straightaway and half loop crossovers to straight to really make sure it's mid blade...then do your mid blade initialization outside edge punch turns again, after your basic outside edges you were doing. Careful you don't fly back if you're doing single leg outside edge stop while warming up to rehash that punch turns fore mid
This sounds extremely interesting, are you suggesting loosening your skates by removing your laces from one eyelet bc it forces you to put pressure on the mid-blade more specifically?
This is what I needed to hear. My skill coach thinks I have to hold my outside edge going backwards to fix my backward crossovers. Although I do agree being able to hold your edge will provide a foundation to learn a mechanic, it’s not going to be the number 1 fix. Ironically my skill coach said my backward crossovers were good right after he made me do some backwards outside edge holds that he criticized and I struggled on.
Glad I could help. If you want to improve your backwards crossovers… work on your backwards crossovers! There’s likely a mechanical issue in that specific movement pattern that needs to be “fixed/ improved on”, that would not be addressed with an edge hold drill.
This is not what you needed to hear. Your coach is correct, he probably saw your outside edge is weak which was hindering your crossover. If you cant hold a turn on the outside edge going backwards that is a problem. A stronger oustide edge will 100% improve your backwards crossovers. Work hard, there are no shortcuts when it comes to skating.
I trained U13s and U11s, some of them can't even do those one leg outside edge drills that you have in your video. They end up crashing or skidding around. So i would say you better be good on your edges or you won't be touching the puck.
Personally, I wouldn’t go that far. There are benefits to working on “feel” drills, like the slalom. But ASAP you want to translate them to in game movements. I said in the video feel based drills should not be more than 10-15% max of your practice time, but I would even more like 0-10%
Last Point...
If you enjoy edge work drills and like them for the challenge, by all means, don't let some internet Joe schmo stop you!
BUT,
Also consider the points I mentioned in the video. If you really want to be a better hockey player.... you have to improve at the mechanics actually used in hockey!
This video is going to mislead a lot of young hockey players 6-16 years old. The main point of edge work drills is to build STRENGTH and to develop a strong inside and outside edge which will help in every aspect of hockey. Where I live, kids play hockey before they learn how to skate, and its horrible.
The old phrase “Train like you fight, fight like you train” applies here. If you’re not training hockey mechanics you won’t have hockey mechanics in game.
Very well said, thanks Brandon!
This is provocative. I think edge work is hugely beneficial but you are right that if you get lost in edge work at the expense of hockey, you won’t improve much as a player. That said some of the very game specific stuff you mention here improves a lot from edgework drills or are really out of reach without those edge drills.
It depends what define as "edge work drills". When I think of edge work drills, I think of movements that would never be used in a game but that are more complex than "feel based drills" or don't provide transferable feels. And in that sense, none of those in my opinion are necessary or helpful to being a better skater.
For example, outside edge holds would fit into that category, but a slalom (with intention) would not.
I think edge holds, particularly on one foot expose balance inefficiencies and so to that end, those edge drills are critical to becoming a better skater. Edge drills are really not just for the foot but the whole body and development of balance and mastery of weight in the boot.
Another great video, Spencer!
While not near as dynamic as hockey skating, as a golf pro, I see this exact same concept play out in golf practice as well. Players practice shots from perfect lies, to easy pins, and exactly the right yardages. In reality, the lie - even in the middle of the fairway, is almost never “perfect” and the proper angles and numbers are hard to come by. When a player that practices this way gets into a competitive round, they’re often out of sorts and they don’t know why because they’ve “practiced hard”. Like you, I recommend that players drill to work on feels and build movement patterns, then put them into various situations and see how the nuances play out.
Very insightful! I’ll definitely keep that mind when/if I practice my golf game. Thanks for sharing!
There is indeed a point where pure edgework drills don't give any more significant improvements. BUT:
Hockey is a special sport in the regard that you have to learn two aspects of the game from scratch: skating (Basic movement) and playing with a hockey stick (discipline-specialized technique). In most other sports you can do the basic movement as you are on feet and already know how to walk/run etc. The finesse always comes in combining both aspects in-game. In other sports, it is way easier as there are very few basic movement aspects students have to train to be able to learn a movement of the game.
It is (in general, not just sports) not advised to learn both aspects simultaneously, i.e. for hockey going on skates AND stickhandle/shoot (compound movement) when you can neither skate nor stickhandle the part of the movement. It's at best wasted time, at worst you get bad habits by sloppy movement as you care more of not falling over or not losing the puck than smoothly connect both parts. You learn the basis in both separately, then combine them into a hockey motion.
Just like a piano player learns both hands separately, then combines them once both (in isolation) know what to do.
The problem you described by plateauing was most likely one of two phenomena:
1. (Basic movements) You did not convert the edgework drills into hockey movements once you learned them. If your upper body (hips/shoulders/hands) doesn't know what to do when your feet do X, you will not perform X in a game situation. In stress, the brain resorts to well-known patterns and won't experiment around. If you force it, your body is not accustomed,so your movement is sloppy, you may fall over, have wrong posture and be easily knocked off the puck, lose the puck by yourself and so on.
2. (More often with freezestyling motions you showed) The movement itself is not practical for hockey as many freezestyling/ice-dance-moves are only doable while standing and do not work when having full-speed.
By the way, some still may improve other skating aspects adjacent to the movement, e.g. having a good hockey stance/posture and not getting knocked off your feet with body contact. You may not even attribute the skating drills with your improvements there.
Very insightful response! and I do agree with you of the uniqueness of hockey that you first have to learn to “walk” before you can even start playing the sport.
You put it in words what was in my mind. Thank you for confirming my thought, good one.
My pleasure!
Not everyone who spends a lot of time practicing edge skills will turn out to be good hockey players; but all good hockey players have spent a substantial amount of time practicing edge skills. Don't kid yourself.
Skating technique is only one aspect of skating. You need to hit the weights hard to generate the required force to leave people in the dust
Great topic and well said!
Is see game transfer as the only point of training - why Belfry was so impactful with his players.
If not, you are trying to be good at mechanics (like a figure skater) not good at hockey.
So important to learn proper drill selection and then learn progressions that take you to in game transfer.
Totally agree!
I tend to agree. Edge work drills can get you started but eventually you need to master the mechanics that you would use in a game. Always look at edgework drills through the lens of a game situation. Either use them as building blocks to mastering a challenging mechanic or use them within the context of a specific mechanic. For example, the outside edge can be challenging to master. I have used outside edge c-cuts to help with learning tight turns and punch turns. Holding your outside edge in a c-cut is a good warm up, but being a master of the outside edge c-cut does not mean you can do punch turns. Other skills like the mohawk, or 10-2, can directly lead to in-game use, however just because you can do mohawks occasionally in a game does not mean you will be able to use them to do a mohawk pivot, protect the puck like Crosby, fake out an opponent like Makar or make strong backward to forward transitions.
Very good breakdown!
It’s interesting that you mention outside edge mastery because I’m currently working on a video on mackinnons outside edge mastery!
2 different programs for outside edge and inside edge- light front blade initialization countering for straightforward and crossing over, you'll shoot better right away at start of practice as opposed to having to wait 20 to 30minute mark; 2nd 1lace down mid blade heel initialization for straightforward and crossing over, generally quieter noises on 5/8 or 3/4 hollow, faster straightaway, more wider circle faster crossovers to get to top speed,but frequency for both strides is slower, have to warmup on that mid blade flat fussy placement to start shooting good by 20 minute mark of ice session.
So outside edge for those 2 programs, could be harder for the mid blade, I'd teach the front initialization for 30 minutes with the outside edge drills(use the 3 cuts and stops single leg for the punch turn for instance)...then second half mid blade outside edge, so separate those with half loops and straightaways mid blade, then use the 1 knee lean on stick and push flat to sides x 15 -20 pushes to really get skates on mid blade, check n test your straightaway and half loop crossovers to straight to really make sure it's mid blade...then do your mid blade initialization outside edge punch turns again, after your basic outside edges you were doing.
Careful you don't fly back if you're doing single leg outside edge stop while warming up to rehash that punch turns fore mid
This sounds extremely interesting, are you suggesting loosening your skates by removing your laces from one eyelet bc it forces you to put pressure on the mid-blade more specifically?
This is what I needed to hear. My skill coach thinks I have to hold my outside edge going backwards to fix my backward crossovers. Although I do agree being able to hold your edge will provide a foundation to learn a mechanic, it’s not going to be the number 1 fix. Ironically my skill coach said my backward crossovers were good right after he made me do some backwards outside edge holds that he criticized and I struggled on.
Glad I could help. If you want to improve your backwards crossovers… work on your backwards crossovers! There’s likely a mechanical issue in that specific movement pattern that needs to be “fixed/ improved on”, that would not be addressed with an edge hold drill.
This is not what you needed to hear. Your coach is correct, he probably saw your outside edge is weak which was hindering your crossover. If you cant hold a turn on the outside edge going backwards that is a problem. A stronger oustide edge will 100% improve your backwards crossovers. Work hard, there are no shortcuts when it comes to skating.
I trained U13s and U11s, some of them can't even do those one leg outside edge drills that you have in your video. They end up crashing or skidding around. So i would say you better be good on your edges or you won't be touching the puck.
thank you
100% makes sense. If you'd never do it in a game, doesn't make sense to practice it.
Personally, I wouldn’t go that far. There are benefits to working on “feel” drills, like the slalom. But ASAP you want to translate them to in game movements. I said in the video feel based drills should not be more than 10-15% max of your practice time, but I would even more like 0-10%
Gold🔥🔥🔥
Great channel
Thank you!
100%
Watch Karlsson or Marner et al. What distinguishes skaters today is edge work.
What I would say distinguish the best skaters is there skating technique, if you define that as “edge work” than sure, personally I don’t.