This week’s free video on YouTube breaks down the Corkscrew, which is the foundational mechanic of the Train 2.0 Downhill Skating System. The Corkscrew teaches players how to move efficiently without traditional pushing or long striding, while staying balanced, deceptive, and ready to move in any direction.

This is the base layer we build all Train 2.0 mechanics from. Instead of relying on toe push and overextension, the Corkscrew trains heel-driven c-cutting, proper shin angle and rotation allowing players to stay wide, protect the puck and have more options with the puck.

🔹 Movement Without Pushing The Corkscrew teaches you how to generate movement by cutting with the heels rather than pushing off the toes. This creates better balance and less wasted energy as it uses the entire kinetic chain with the rotation.

🔹 Puck Protection & Readiness By increasing width and maintaining rhythm, players are always prepared to move left or right. This is critical for decision making, deception, and in-game adaptability.

🔹 Key Technical Focus Points Shoulders stay level and relaxed, the hand stays in the crevice, movement remains equal weight shifts side to side, twisting the hips and letting the body rotate.

🔹 Mechanic Used By The Best Elite players like Mat Barzal, Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby use it instinctively to keep momentum with less effort.

🔹 Progressions & Regressions Inside the Downhill Skating System we have everything you need to start training this movement into your skating.

Check Out The Video Here →

Signup For Train 2.0+ Here →

One common piece of feedback about the Train 2.0 System is that it is "a lot". It's hard to find your starting point and know where to navigate to. We are working on a(i) solution for that - but in the meantime, I wanted to share a strategy that may help.

As much as I'd like the Train 2.0 System to be linear and step-by-step, the reality is that it is not that.

Learning does not happen in a straight line. In motor development, there's a an idea known as the Iceberg Theory. It works like this: Babies spend lots of time not making any sort of motor control progress...then all of a sudden make huge steps. It's hypothesized that during these periods of no progress, the nervous system is re-wiring itself under the surface.

One example of this is something called the "Step Reflex". Babies have this from birth, then this reflex disappears around 2-3 months.Then later emerges as walking.

Through clever experiment design, researchers were able to validate the idea that the reflex didn't fully disappear, it was just re-wiring. (By putting the baby in water to lighten their legs...the thinking being that the reflex disappeared because the strength to leg weight ratio dropped).

How does this relate to you and Train 2.0?

There may be times when you're doing reps and reps and reps...but there seems to be no visible progress. When in fact, your nervous system is re-wiring subconsciously. All of a sudden, something surprising emerges.

"How did I do that?" you think...

The truth is that when your nervous system was ready, the mechanic emerged.

If you've ever done an on-ice session with me, you'll basically never struggle with a mechanic for more than 10 seconds before I move you onto something else. I know through experience that hammering away at a movement that you're not ready for does not actually help you make progress. (For example, I won't have you do a movement that you cannot complete effectively, ever) I focus on the movements that you can execute...but maybe only 20-40% of the time. I work in this zone to make sure that you are getting feedback on what makes it a successful rep so that you can do it more consistently - say 80-90% of the time.

The trouble is that I don't yet know what that possible movement is for you until we get you testing different things. We find the movements that you're comfortable with, and then we move you to the adjacent possible.

For example, let's say you're great at corkscrew, then soft drags and anchors might be good adjacent possibilities. But getting you to punch might be out of the realm of possibility. So we regress you to ankle mobility auxiliary drills - because that's in the adjacent possible.

When coaching groups, you're not just finding the adjacent possible of one player - you're finding the adjacent possible of the entire group. You're constantly iterating to find the right mix of challenge.

When I built Train 2.0, it came from the frustration that I lived in a part of Canada without elite coaches...also with no outdoor rinks. I wished I could get instruction from the best coaches in the world without being in their city. So as I learned mechanics...but more importantly the skill of learning to learn...and teaching players to learn to learn....I wanted to create the resource that players around the world could use to use to absorb everything I'd learned throughout my degree and playing career.

So part of that is shifting your mindset from looking for specific formulas and step-by-step instructions - to realizing that Train 2.0 is system of learning, of constant refinement and iteration.

What you can accomplish in a corkscrew today might be different today, from what you can accomplish in 6 months, and again in 12 months.

You'll progress away from the Foundational Mechanics, and then you'll come back to them - having learned something new. You'll find a new level of understanding that you didn't realize you could find.

But not without the constant work, effort, and fine tuning that it takes to constantly find - and refine - the adjacent possible.

Signup For Train 2.0+ Here →

Also, do you want to make hockey mechanics content and get paid for it? We have three opportunities for creators and editors.

First, if you are a Train 2.0 Member and you’re growing your own social channels, you can monetize your content with your own Train 2.0+ Membership Sign-Up Link. This sign-up link pays you forever as long as your sign-ups remain 2.0+ Members. You must be a current Train 2.0+ Member to get your own Sign-Up Link. If you’re ready to start getting paid for your content, apply here for your own personal Sign-Up Link.

Second, if you love editing videos and learning from the best, we are looking for talented editors who truly “get it” when it comes to mechanics. If you think you’ve got the chops, apply now by filling in this application. 

Want your brand in front of 10,000+ viewers? 

We are now accepting sponsorship opportunities, reach out here.

Want more where that came from?

Check out our website.

Change your player development trajectory with instant access to every drill, breakdown, and 0-1 moment inside Train 2.0+ Membership. Click the button below to upgrade now.

Understand Mechanics, Unlock Performance.