How to Increase Skating Endurance for Ice Hockey

Hockey is extremely tiring - it's the only sport in which even the best-conditioned athletes will play only about a third of the game. These drills will help prepare you for a game.

Things You'll Need

  • Hockey Bags
  • Hockey Elbow Pads
  • Hockey Gloves
  • Hockey Helmets
  • Hockey Jerseys
  • Hockey Pants
  • Hockey Protective Girdles
  • Hockey Pucks
  • Hockey Shin Guards
  • Hockey Shoulder Pads
  • Hockey Skates
  • Hockey Socks
  • Hockey Sticks
  • Hockey pucks
  • Hockey sticks
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Instructions

  1. Z Drills

    • 1

      Start at one goal line, near where the line touches the boards on the right side.

    • 2

      Skate hard toward the blue line. Stop at the line. Always stop facing the same direction.

    • 3

      Step to the left. Cross your feet over with each step. First step your right skate in front of your left skate, and then recover. Step your right skate behind your left skate, and then recover. Switch front and back with every step. Go as fast as you can.

    • 4

      Skate hard to the red line when you reach the boards on your left.

    • 5

      Cross your left skate in front and then in back of your right skate as you did with your right skate in step 3. Do this cross-step move until you reach the boards on your right.

    • 6

      Do the cross-step once again with your right skate leading, when you reach the second blue line.

    • 7

      Skate hard to the goal line.

    • 8

      Do the drill again, coming the other way.

    • 9

      Repeat twice.

    Lightning Drills and Crossovers

    • 10

      See "Perform Crossovers in Ice Hockey" and "Do a Lightning Drill in Ice Hockey," under Related eHows. Both of these are extremely effective conditioning drills when you go hard through the entire drill.

    • 11

      Repeat each at least three or four times, although you can do more if you still have energy left (most people won't).

    • 12

      See "Improve Balance on the Ice for Ice Hockey," under Related eHows. All drills in this eHow will cause you to use muscles that you don't normally use. In addition to teaching some skills, when repeated enough, the drills can significantly improve your physical condition.

    Resisted Push

    • 13

      Pair up with another player about your size.

    • 14

      Stand facing each other on a goal line. The player facing the boards is the one working. The other player will provide resistance. Both players should hold a stick chest high between them.

    • 15

      Try this to start - the player providing resistance should partially dig in his or her skates. The player who is working should then push the resisting player backward. Although this should be hard, the working player should be able to move forward.

    • 16

      Push the resisting player to the goal line. At the goal line, switch roles.

    • 17

      Repeat twice.