10 Dryland Tips to Increase Quickness

Skating fundamentals can also be developed off the ice. Adding dryland training to your routine can produce big results. View below for various drills you can perform to increase your speed.

Much quickness training can be done off the ice, leaving more ice time to spend on technique training. Drills that can be done off-ice to train for quickness on-ice are:

• Sprint and interval running
• Lunges
• Russian box jumps
• Speed Chutes
• Slide Boards

Many sporting activities help develop quickness, too. At the same time, kids can have fun and diversify their coordination skills.

• Basketball
• Soccer
• Lacrosse
• Sprint cycling
• Track

If you're not convinced that a combination of fitness and technique training are important, take a look at what Jack Blatherwick, a world-renowned expert in the field of off-ice training, says:

"The process of becoming a complete hockey player is a multi-edged sword. Without proper technique, no amount of off-ice training will help a player optimize his or her skating. On the other hand, without a good physiological base of strength, explosiveness and muscular endurance (in a good skating position) skating instruction will have less effect."

"If an athlete cannot get down on one leg to a good squat position, cannot explode from there, or cannot repeat it over and over without fatigue compromising the position—that athlete will never benefit (as much as possible) from skating instruction."

"Without good skating fundamentals, no amount of strength and power will allow players to reach their optimal skating speed."