Set-up: Divide the track into lanes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Drill: Skaters will first do a quick round of regular laterals.* Trainer calls out numbers of lanes in any order they want, and skaters move laterally to those lanes. Add a HIIT element by going 1min. "up", 15sec. "down".

Then, skaters will do "fast laterals" at their own pace, moving between lanes 1 and 4.

Last, skaters will do laterals while the trainer calls out lanes. They have to decide themselves whether they want to use a fast or a regular lateral: whichever gets them there the fastest. In general, long distances are faster with fast laterals, and short distances with regular laterals.

Explanation fast laterals For a fast lateral, skaters have two options.

The first option uses an edge stop to stop:

1. Push off very forcefully with first foot/do a small grapevine-toe-stop run
2. Glide towards the other side of the track laterally, with both feet on the ground
3. Do a small edge stop (somewhere between a sharp c-cut, a hockey stop, or a power slide) on the other side of the track
4. Be stable and ready for impact

The second option uses a forceful step to stop:

1. Push off very forcefully with first foot
2. Glide towards the other side of the track laterally, with only one foot on the ground. Change feet somewhere along the way, so that you're now gliding backwards on one foot.
3. Step down the other foot forcefully at the end, bending through the leg you just put down heavily. The force is transfered from a lateral movement into a downwards movement, bending the leg absorbs part of the energy.
4. Be stable and ready for impact

*If your skaters haven't mastered regular laterals yet, have them practice those more first.

Skaters will be able to move fast between lanes on command.