The Dot Drill is awesome because it can be done at home, away from the rink. So expensive ice time can be used to develop other skills.

• It takes less than 3 minutes a day (even less once you get good at it!). It's fast and easy to make time for it. If you have time to check your messages or social feed, you have time to improve your agility.
• No gear needed. You can set this up using sidewalk chalk, masking tape or spray paint.
• It's trackable. Trackability increases motivation. Players can see their scores improving, and their results translating to on-ice performance.

Develop Your Agility

In less than 3 minutes per day, you can develop the agility to make 'ankle-breaking' dekes like Pavel Datsyuk. Yes, the stick work is important... but take a look at his feet! That's what real agility does for you.

Setting Up the Dot Drill

The Dot Drill is simple to set up and simple to do. The first step is to draw out the dots. Sidewalk chalk or masking tape work really well. 

STEP 1: Measure out a 2' by 3' rectangle, as shown in the picture.

STEP 2: Draw a dot on each corner of the rectangle with a 5" diameter. 

STEP 3: With a straight stick, draw an 'X' through the rectangle, from corner to corner.

STEP 4: Draw the fifth dot where the 'X' crosses in the middle. 

That's it! It only takes about 5 minutes to draw it out, and now you're all set. This is a great option that will last a few days before you have to retrace the lines. Once you're ready to make your setup permanent, use spray paint instead of chalk.

How to Do the Dot Drill

Now that you're set up, here's how the routine works.

Remember to time yourself and record your score every day! 

There are 5 movements, and each movement is done 6 times:

• 1 - Hour Glass (x6): One foot on each of the bottom dots, jump both feet to the middle dot together, then jump to one foot on each of the top two dots. Jump both feet back to the middle dot together, then jump back to starting position. Facing forward the whole time.
• 2 - Right Foot (x6): On right foot only, athlete jumps into the middle dot, out to the top right dot, over to the top left dot, back to the middle dot, out to the bottom left dot, and over to the bottom right dot. Facing forward the whole time.
• 3 - Left Foot (x6): On left foot only, athlete jumps into the middle dot, out to the top left dot, over to the top right dot, back to the middle dot, out to the bottom right dot, and over to the bottom left dot. Facing forward the whole time.
• 4 - Slalom (x6): With both feet together, athlete jumps into the middle dot, out to the top right dot, over to the top left dot, back to the middle dot, out to the bottom left dot, and over to the bottom right dot. Facing forward the whole time.
• 5 - Hour Glass with Spin (x6): One foot on each of the bottom dots, jump both feet to the middle dot together, then jump to one foot on each of the top two dots. Jump and spin, landing both feet on the top two dots. Jump both feet back to the middle dot together, then jump back to starting position. Jump and spin again.

Just 3 Minutes (or less)!

You might be looking at the Dot Drill thinking... "It's almost too simple... they're just jumping around on a few small dots." But you'll be surprised at the improvement you'll see after just a few weeks!

You'll start to notice that you are quicker off the line. You can stop and start with more exactness and precision. You'll start to notice that you become quicker off the line. You’ll be more explosive changing directions. You can stop and start with Your crossovers become quicker and you'll to drive the net harder. Defensemen can hit the brakes and evade checkers... resulting in better breakouts. You'll start noticing more puck races being won, being stronger on your feet, playing with more confidence. And ultimately, you'll start realizing you're winning more games. Sound far fetched? TRY IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!