Use videos of NHL (or elite females) players to watch how fast players skate (arm and leg movement and body position).

Focus on the 5 specific characteristics of fast skaters:

1. Arm movement side-to-side

2. Wide stride with a lot of space between skates.

3. Low recovery after push-off.

4. Quick recovery after push-off.

5. Recovery skate lands on ice in-line with shoulder-hip-knee to get skate on inside edge to start push-off quickly.

Videotape analysis of players skating to identify 1 or 2 things we can work on to improve skating.

Use drills to improve the performance decrements each player has.

Focus on “game-performance skating” — we get players to skate like they do in a game.

Work on the 27 Game-Performance Skating Characteristics

Use pucks on every drill.

Use rubber resistance and over-speed training for “quick feet” and acceleration.

We analyze, teach, give positive feedback, use game-performance drills, and motivate players to become better.