6 Best Speed Skating Training Cones That Build Real Edge Control

You’ve seen it at the public skate session. Your child, determined and a little wobbly, is clinging to the wall or shuffling cautiously in the middle of the rink. You know they have the potential for more, but building the confidence to lift a foot, lean into a turn, and truly skate feels like a huge leap. A simple set of training cones can be the bridge between that uncertainty and the fluid, powerful glide you both envision.

Why Cones Are Essential for Edge Development

When we watch experienced skaters, we see speed and grace, but what we’re really witnessing is exceptional edge control. A skate blade isn’t a flat knife; it has two distinct edges—an inside edge and an outside edge. All power, turning, and stopping comes from the skater’s ability to use these edges deliberately.

Cones are the single most effective tool for teaching this. They create a physical, visual path that forces a young skater to shift their weight and roll their ankles, engaging one edge and then the other. It’s not just about steering around an object. It’s about building the fundamental muscle memory that translates into powerful crossovers, tight turns, and confident stops. This is where real skating begins.

SKLZ Agility Cones for Low-Profile Drills

Have a younger skater, maybe in the 5-to-8-year-old range, who is still building basic confidence? Taller cones can feel like intimidating obstacles, where a fall feels like a failure. This is where low-profile disc cones, like the popular SKLZ Agility Cones, are a perfect starting point.

Because they are barely an inch or two high, they don’t present a tripping hazard. A skater who loses their balance will simply glide right over them. This removes the fear factor, encouraging them to try weaving and turning without worrying about a big tumble. The goal at this stage is experimentation, not perfection, and these cones create the safest possible environment for that exploration. They are ideal for simple, straight-line slalom drills to introduce the concept of shifting from one foot to the other.

Pro-Tec Street Cones for Outdoor Durability

Once your child starts taking their skills from the smooth rink surface to the unpredictable pavement of a driveway or park, their equipment needs change. The lightweight disc cones that are perfect indoors will blow away with the first gust of wind outside. This is where classic, heavier-duty cones like the Pro-Tec Street Cones become a practical necessity.

These are the sturdy, vinyl cones you probably picture when you think of a practice drill. Their weight keeps them planted, and their durable construction means they can handle being skated over, kicked, and left out in the sun. For skaters aged 8-12 who are practicing on asphalt or concrete, these provide the visibility and stability needed for more aggressive drills. They are also fantastic for marking out a larger "rink" area in a parking lot, giving your child a defined space to work on longer glides and wider turns.

Bluedot Disc Cones for Complex Weave Patterns

As a skater progresses, the drills need to become more complex to continue challenging their development. For the intermediate or committed skater, often 10 years and up, a large set of multi-colored disc cones is one of the best investments you can make. The value here isn’t in a specific brand, but in the quantity and color variety.

With a pack of 40 or 50 cones, you can move beyond a simple straight line. You can set up intricate patterns that force quick transitions between inside and outside edges, or use the different colors to signal a change in direction or technique. For a speed skater, this is invaluable for developing the agility needed to navigate a crowded track. For a figure or hockey skater, it builds the nuanced footwork essential for their sport.

Franklin Sports Flexi-Cones for Rink Safety

Safety and confidence are inextricably linked. A skater who is afraid of getting hurt will never push their limits to learn a new skill. Soft, collapsible cones, like the Franklin Sports Flexi-Cones, are designed specifically to mitigate the risk of falling on a hard piece of plastic.

These cones are brilliant for practicing skills that carry a higher risk of falling, such as one-foot glides, tight mohawk turns, or early attempts at backwards crossovers. When a skater falls, the cone simply flattens, reducing the potential for a painful bruise or injury. This makes them a top choice for any on-ice training, where a fall is almost guaranteed. Knowing the landing will be a little softer gives a child the courage to lean deeper, push harder, and try again.

Proguard Pylons for High-Visibility Training

Not all cone drills are about weaving. Sometimes, the goal is to mark a destination. Tall, slender pylons serve a different but equally important purpose in training. Their height makes them highly visible from a distance, making them perfect for drills that cover more ground.

Think about teaching a skater to hold a strong, straight glide for 15 or 20 feet. A pylon gives them a clear target to aim for. They are also excellent for marking the start and finish points for sprints or for setting up the "box" for crossover drills. For speed skaters working on long straightaways or hockey players practicing breakaways, these high-visibility markers are more effective than small discs that can get lost in the visual noise of a large rink or field.

Using Cones to Teach Proper Crossover Form

The crossover is a milestone skill. It’s the moment a skater goes from just pushing to generating real, continuous power through a turn. Cones are the best teachers for this complex movement.

Start with two cones placed about 5-8 feet apart, creating an imaginary circle. Have your child skate around the outside of the cones. The physical barrier of the cone forces them to do two crucial things: lean into the circle and reach their outside skate under their body to push. It prevents the common beginner mistake of just stepping one foot over the other.

The drill is simple: push with the outside edge of the outer skate, then lift the inner skate and cross it over the outer skate, placing it down ahead and to the inside. The cones provide the structure and repetition needed to build that critical muscle memory until the movement becomes second nature.

Drills to Maximize Your Child’s Cone Practice

Having the right cones is only half the battle; using them effectively is what builds skill. The key is to start simple and add complexity as your child shows mastery. Focus on quality of movement over speed.

• The Simple Weave (Slalom): Set 6-8 cones in a straight line, about 3-4 feet apart. The goal is to make smooth, "S" shaped turns around them, focusing on bending the knees and using the skate’s edges to turn, not just twisting the hips.
• The Figure Eight: Use two cones. Have your child skate a figure eight around them. This is fantastic because it forces them to practice turning equally in both directions and transitioning smoothly from an inside edge to an outside edge.
• The Box Drill: Place four cones in a large square. This is for the more advanced skater. The drill can be: forward skate on one side, forward crossovers on the next, backward skate on the third, and backward crossovers on the last side. This builds all-around control and awareness.

Remember, the goal isn’t to buy professional-grade equipment for a child just starting out. It’s about providing the right tool for their specific stage of development. Whether it’s a soft cone that builds confidence or a durable one that withstands outdoor practice, this small investment is really about empowering your child to feel the thrill of controlling their own speed and movement. That feeling is what will keep them coming back to the rink again and again.