Being strong turning both ways - help?

[tarmogoyf 2]

Right now, I struggle with turning sharply to the right/crossovers to the right. I am completely comfortable moving left. Does anyone have any suggestions/drills to help me feel more comfortable moving to the right? (crossovers/turning/etc)

Thanks guys!

[Levsauce 2]

only suggestion I have is to do a lot of reps to your right

[MThockeydad 469]

Probably because most rinks go counter-clockwise for open skating. ;)

X2...practice.

[moteef17 7]

Same issue here - only started skating about 3 years ago, and for some reason, I had (and still have) zero ability to cross over to the right side. I can cross over to the left OK, and I can throw my right leg forward and dig in my outside edge to turn sharply to the right, but i can't repeat that same action with my left leg. In addition, my left leg just doesn't want to go out in front on any motion...

I think i need to just gear up in full pads and get on the ice and just go for it, keep repeating, etc until i have it. But, typically it's a 2 minute warmup and the rec game starts....

good luck with your improvements!

[Chadd 916]

Probably because most rinks go counter-clockwise for open skating. ;)

X2...practice.

It's funny and true.

[Iggy Z 1]

For drills, the simple figure-8 will allow you to actively compare your crossovers turning both directions. If you are satisfied with your left turning, pay attention to your actions and motions during those turns, and apply that heading in to the right handed turn... I usually start with two face-off circles and tighten the 8 up from there.

Also, are you right-handed or left?

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I'm just like the OP, can cross over to my left and tight turn to my right, but can't xover right or tight turn left... I'm a mess, but I can still get to the open spots and shoot well enough for my skating not to be a complete hindrance. I would like to get better on both, is it just practice practice practice or could there be a physiological/psychological thing behind it. When I did ride bikes I could pedal turn left and tight turn right and not vice versa.

[Vulcan7905 88]

Practice practice practice. Took almost a year to learn how to do right over left cross overs.

[Iggy Z 1]

Practice practice practice. Took almost a year to learn how to do right over left cross overs.

For the benefit of the thread, was there a particular drill that pushed you over the crest?

I'm just like the OP, can cross over to my left and tight turn to my right, but can't xover right or tight turn left... I'm a mess, but I can still get to the open spots and shoot well enough for my skating not to be a complete hindrance. I would like to get better on both, is it just practice practice practice or could there be a physiological/psychological thing behind it. When I did ride bikes I could pedal turn left and tight turn right and not vice versa.

On a bicycle, a rider tends coast with the same foot forward on the cranks. Just like a skateboarder has his/her natural orientation on their board, and a hockey player their handedness. By your profile picture I am guessing you play hockey right-handed.

I would suggest that you pay attention to the direction of your upper-body (direction of chest & stick)

First, for the quick turns to the right your stick is already on that side... so balance and support are easily had by leaning hard into the stick. Sharp turns to the left you (ideally) want to bring your stick across your body by extending your right arm fully, angling it across your body, leading the blade into the turn. You can further exaggerate the angle of the stick into the turn by moving your left hand with the butt of the stick into the center of your chest or further toward your right armpit. You will find yourself more agile involving your whole body in the turn.

My advice for crossovers is nearly the same, commit to the turn with your whole body. For a right-handed player making a right turn while crossing over, try not to lead with your right shoulder so much. This puts your back to the center of the turning radius and your upper body will resist the change of direction. Instead, turn your upper body so your shoulders are perpendicular to direction of travel. The center of your chest should be facing the direction of your skating path. These types of turns aren't as tight so nearly none of the support from your stick is needed. Which means your can position it in front of you for a pass. Same idea as above applies; right arm fully extended and angled across the body, left hand high and tight to the chest or right armpit area.

A good drill for crossovers: put your gloves down on the ice about 12ft apart. Start at one glove and travel laterally to the other while crossing over, then back, crossing over with the other foot. The crossover motion will feel very exaggerated but that is the idea of the drill. Adjust distance as necessary.

If I made this response too lengthy or dumbed-down then my fault, didn't mean to offend anyone~

[Vulcan7905 88]

Well, when in NJ for vacation I just started trying to put one leg over the other. No real specific drills as I went to a skate and shoot with 10 people for three hours. I'd do backwards crossovers non stop till my ass was sore from failing. It took a long time but, it has made me really confident with my edges for my weight. Also, it is mental as well. I thought I'd never get it down honestly till I told my mind I just had to try.

[donkers 31]

Make sure your knees are bent and trust your edges.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Make sure your knees are bent and trust your edges.

The latter is the hardest part of the entire thing.

[donkers 31]

The latter is the hardest part of the entire thing.

Mind over matter.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Yep no question it's all in my head

[donkers 31]

When you skate your warm ups go clockwise instead of counter clockwise. That's what my peewee coach made us do and sure enough by the end of the season all the kids were better on all their edges than at the start of the season.

[farnarkler 3]

I'm 2.5 weeks into a broken shoulder because of right turn crossovers. The most embarrassing thing was that I had all my pads and helmet on. I got a good sequence of three or four then my feet got mixed up, over I went, put my (gloved) hands out instinctively and the second my right palm hit the ice, the pain began in the shoulder. Another 3.5 weeks in the sling then god knows how much physio until I'm 100%.

Must learn to fall over properly.

[bwhockey17 12]

It's also a trust thing - the movement feels new to you, so your body doesn't quite trust it yet. Try not to think about it too much and it should help a bit!

[Vet88 674]

If you can't cross over in one direction, the following may help as it's targeted at those who are learning it as opposed to someone who knows how but wants to cross over tighter and faster.

Concentrate on how the blade feels under your foot and that it is vertical (you don't flop inwards on it), practice balancing on one foot and glide along the ice, then balance on the other foot and repeat. Keep your knees bent.

Skate in the direction you are struggling on, balance on your inside leg and push the outside leg away from you and then bring it back in, like a C cut but straight out and then in. As your balance improves with this motion and you get better at it, use the push outward to generate some go forward whilst in the turn ie push off the outside leg. The next step is as the outside leg comes in from the push, shift your weight onto it then lift the inside leg off the ice. As you get comfortable with the weight transfer from one leg to another in a turn, a small step with the outside leg is next. C cut motion, lift the inside leg then lift the outside leg. Now with this motion in place, you can go to the last stage which is when you lift the outside leg, you move it forward of the inside leg before you put it back on the ice. You don't need to do a full cross over, just keep advancing the outside leg in front of the inside leg further and further during each step until you are into a full cross over. I can generally get learn to skate students doing step overs in two or three sessions using these techniques. From here you just practice. Ideally skate big figure 8's (around the face off circles) as much as you can, try to slow the cross over right down and exaggerate the stepping motion, this improves your balance during the weight transfer. An earlier poster gave some good suggestions for stick, torso and shoulder positions as you get better.

Work hard on your edge control, especially your outside edges.

And fyi, the general reason why you skate counter clockwise at rinks and step over easiest this way is because most of us are right handed therefore our left leg is the strongest and we balance the best on it ie kicking a ball.

[sjs0433 15]

Practice practice practice. I couldn't make hard turns or stops to my right for the longest time. I still can't at high speed but anything medium and slower and I think I finally have it. No one single thing helped me get it down other than trying over and over again.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

It's all in the mind.

[KILLERWHALE 6]

I don't know if this will help, but for some reason I always skate better after watching this crazy guy skate like a wildman

Maybe it help you.

In Russia Skate skate you.

[icewalker_bg 126]

Well, I have the same issue to a certain extend when going full speed in game. It is not working because of a few factors, started playing hockey late when moved in Canada(20's), early motor learning non existent, very stubborn brain that doesn't want to unlock one side as much as id like even with loads of practice + the left side of body is what the brain (or habit) always seems to favour in every single daily activity does not help either.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I don't know if this will help, but for some reason I always skate better after watching this crazy guy skate like a wildman

Maybe it help you.

In Russia Skate skate you.

That video is awesome.

Our hockey director was in the red army hockey program in the 80s. Dude skates around with no laces in his skates. Crazy bastard.

[flip12 715]

I don't know if this will help, but for some reason I always skate better after watching this crazy guy skate like a wildman

Maybe it help you.

In Russia Skate skate you.

Railroads a bit.

[z1ggy 81]

That video is epic. Love the music lol