Quick answer
A mohawk turn is a heel-to-heel skating move where your feet open into a straight line — toes pointing in opposite directions, hips rotated open — so you can change direction or face a new way without crossing your feet or losing speed. It rides one inside edge and one outside edge at the same time, which is exactly why it builds elite edge control, protects the puck, and lets you escape pressure in tight spaces. Learn it in three stages: hold the open-hip position standing still, glide through it on two feet, then flow in and out of it while moving. Most of the work is hip mobility and balance, so start slow and keep your knees deeply bent.
Key takeaways
- The mohawk is a heel-to-heel, open-hip position: heels close together, toes pointing away from each other, in one line.
- It trains both edges at once — one foot on its inside edge, the other on its outside edge — which is the fastest way to sharpen edge control.
- Its real value in games is puck protection and escape moves: you can turn to shield the puck without ever crossing your feet.
- Open hips are the gatekeeper. If your hip external rotation is tight, the position will feel impossible until you mobilize it.
- Build it stationary first, then gliding, then moving — do not chase speed before the position feels stable.
- Add puck handling only once the footwork is automatic, so your eyes can come up off the puck.
What is a mohawk turn in hockey?
The mohawk is the position you get when you bring your heels close together and rotate your toes out until both feet sit on one line, pointing in opposite directions. From above it looks a little like a mohawk haircut — a narrow strip with everything flared to the sides — which is where the name comes from. The key detail is your edges: one skate rides its inside edge and the other its outside edge, both carving at once. That dual-edge load is unusual, and it is the whole reason the move is so good for you.
Players mix the mohawk up with two moves it sits next to. Here is how they differ.
| Move | Feet | Best for | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohawk turn | Heel-to-heel, open hips, never cross | Puck protection, escapes, transitions in tight space | High |
| Tight turn / pivot | Feet parallel, weight on inside foot | Sharp direction change at speed | Medium |
| Crossover | Outside foot crosses over the inside foot | Building speed through a curve | Medium |
When I played, the forwards who were a nightmare to defend in the corners all had a clean mohawk. They could catch a puck, open their hips, and turn their back to me before I got a stick on it. Nothing flashy — just a quiet turn that bought them half a second. In hockey, half a second is a lot.
Why the mohawk builds edge control and puck protection
Because the move loads an inside edge and an outside edge together, it forces balance you cannot fake. Weak-side edges — the outside edge especially — are where most players are shaky, and the mohawk drags that weakness into the light. Spend a few weeks holding and gliding through the position and your edge work on both feet gets noticeably steadier, which pays off on tight turns, transitions, and stops too.
The game payoff is protection and escape. When you open your hips into a mohawk, your body turns side-on or back-on to a defender while your feet stay under you and your stick stays out front. You can reach the puck to your far side and put your whole body between it and the check. From there you can peel off the wall, spin out of a corner, or reverse direction — all without the vulnerable moment of crossing your feet. Cue: "open the hips, hide the puck."
Coach Joel's tip: Do not learn this move standing tall. The mohawk lives or dies on knee bend. When I teach it, the first thing I fix is height — players stand up straight, lock their hips, and wonder why they feel like they are on stilts. Get your knees bent to roughly a 90-degree angle and sink your hips. Low is stable; tall is a fall.
How to learn the mohawk step by step
Rushing this move is the number-one reason players give up on it. Treat it as three separate skills and clear each stage before moving on.
- Stationary hold (off-ice first). On grippy shoes or off-skate, bring your heels together and rotate your toes out until your feet make one line. Bend your knees, sink your hips, and hold for 20–30 seconds. Feel where your balance sits.
- Gliding mohawk. On the ice or a smooth surface, get a little forward glide on two feet, then open into the mohawk and let yourself ride it in a straight line for 2–3 seconds before closing back to normal. Keep your chest up.
- Half-mohawk transition. Now use it to change which way you face — glide forward, open one foot into the mohawk, and let your hips carry you around to a new direction. This is the version you will actually use in a game.
- Moving, both directions. Flow in and out of the turn at a jog pace, then a skate pace, always training your weak side as much as your strong side.
Here is a simple progression you can hold yourself to.
| Stage | What you practice | Reps | Move on when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stationary open-hip hold | 5 × 20 sec each side | You can hold it calm, knees bent, no wobble |
| 2 | Two-foot gliding mohawk | 4 × 8 glides | You ride 2–3 seconds without opening a gap |
| 3 | Half-mohawk direction change | 4 × 10 each way | You turn smoothly without a hitch or a cross |
| 4 | Moving in and out at pace | 3 × 10 each way | It feels the same on your weak side |
You do not need ice to build stages 1 and 2. A set of multi-sport tiles or a panel of flooring tiles in the garage gives you a slick, forgiving surface to groove the footwork on off-skate, so you show up to the rink already owning the position.
The hip mobility the mohawk needs
The mohawk is a hip move first and a skating move second. To get your toes pointing in opposite directions on one line, your hips have to externally rotate freely. If they are tight — and for a lot of players who sit all day, they are — the position feels jammed no matter how hard you try. Do not force it; build the range.
Two minutes a day moves the needle. Deep bodyweight squats held at the bottom, seated butterfly stretches, and 90/90 hip rotations are the ones I lean on. Watch for: your lower back rounding to fake the range — that means the movement is coming from the wrong place. Keep the motion in the hips, breathe, and give it a few weeks. The mohawk that felt impossible in week one usually opens up by week three.
Combining the mohawk with puck handling
Footwork with no puck is a drill. Footwork with a puck is a skill. Once your feet know the mohawk without your brain babysitting them, add the puck and keep your eyes up. This is where the move becomes a weapon: opening your hips while stickhandling lets you protect the puck to your far side and scan the ice at the same time.
Start easy. Cradle the puck out in front, open into the mohawk, and keep it moving on the same soft rhythm you would use standing still. Then layer in the escape: open your hips to turn your back to imaginary pressure and pull the puck across to protect it. A Game Changer stickhandling trainer is ideal here because it forces soft, precise hands, so you cannot slap at the puck while your feet are busy. Constraint tip: hold the puck on your backhand only through the turn — it forces the cupped, protected hands the escape actually needs.
Coach Joel's tip: Count something. Have a partner hold up fingers, or stick a number on the wall, and read it every time you open into the turn. At game speed you will never get to stare at the puck through a mohawk — the whole point is that your head is up, hunting your next play, while your feet and the puck run on autopilot. If you can call the number, your eyes are in the right place.
Drills to build your mohawk
Work through these on ice or on a smooth off-ice surface. Keep sessions short and sharp — 15 focused minutes beats an hour of sloppy reps.
- Line hold. Stand on a rink line or a straight seam and hold the open-hip mohawk over it, 20 seconds each side, 5 rounds. Trains the position and your balance point.
- Cone weave with a turn. Set drill cones 3–4 feet apart and mohawk-turn around each one instead of using a tight turn. 4 laps each direction. The cones force a real, repeatable turning point.
- Figure-eight glide. Glide a big figure eight, opening into a half-mohawk at the top of each loop. 6 laps. Blends the turn into flowing movement.
- Corner escape. Start with your back to a boards or wall, catch or start a puck, open your hips into the mohawk, and escape out to open space. 10 each side. This is the game move.
- Lateral edge builder. An off-ice slide board trains the deep knee bend and side-to-side edge load the mohawk depends on, without needing ice. 3 × 30 seconds.
Common mistakes
- Standing too tall. The single most common fault. Fix: bend your knees toward 90 degrees and sink your hips before you open your feet — low is stable.
- Forcing tight hips. Trying to muscle into the position when the range isn't there yet. Fix: spend two minutes a day on hip external-rotation mobility and let the range come.
- Only training the strong side. Your weak side is where games are won. Fix: match every rep on your good side with a rep on your bad side.
- Chasing speed too early. Adding pace before the position is stable just builds a fast mistake. Fix: clear each stage — hold, glide, transition — before you speed up.
- Eyes glued to the puck. A mohawk with your head down is a turnover waiting to happen. Fix: add the puck only once the feet are automatic, then keep your eyes up and scan.
- Feet drifting apart. Letting a gap open between the heels kills your balance and control. Fix: keep the heels close and think "one line" through the whole turn.
FAQ
What is a mohawk turn in hockey?
It is a heel-to-heel skating move where your feet open onto one line with your toes pointing in opposite directions and your hips rotated open. It rides an inside edge and an outside edge at the same time, which lets you change direction or turn your body without crossing your feet. Players use it mostly for puck protection and escaping pressure in tight spaces.
Why is the mohawk turn good for edge control?
Because it loads both edges at once — one skate on its inside edge, the other on its outside edge. That dual-edge balance is hard to fake, so it quickly exposes and strengthens weak-side edges, especially the outside edge most players struggle with. Steadier edges then carry over to your tight turns, transitions, and stops.
How do I start learning the mohawk?
Start stationary, off-skate. Bring your heels together, rotate your toes out until your feet make one line, bend your knees, and hold for 20–30 seconds to find your balance. Once that feels calm, move to a gliding version on ice or a smooth surface, then use it to change direction. Do not add speed or a puck until the position is stable.
Do I need good hip mobility for a mohawk?
Yes — open hips are the biggest requirement. Getting your toes to point in opposite directions on one line needs free hip external rotation, and tight hips make the position feel jammed. A couple of minutes a day of deep squats, butterfly stretches, and 90/90 hip rotations builds the range over a few weeks.
Can I practice mohawk turns off the ice?
Absolutely. The stationary hold and the hip mobility work need no ice at all, and a slick surface like training tiles or a garage floor lets you groove the gliding footwork off-skate. A slide board is great for the deep knee bend and lateral edge load the move depends on. Then take the position to the rink to sharpen it on real edges.
When should I add the puck to my mohawk?
Only once your feet can do the turn without your full attention. If you add the puck too early, your head drops and both the footwork and the puck handling fall apart. When the move is automatic, add the puck, keep your eyes up, and practice protecting it to your far side as you open your hips.
Summary
The mohawk turn is a heel-to-heel, open-hip move that trains both edges at once and gives you a quiet, reliable way to protect the puck and escape pressure. Build it in order — mobilize the hips, hold the position, glide it, then move — and only add the puck when the footwork runs on its own. Keep your knees deeply bent, train your weak side as hard as your strong side, and keep your eyes up. For the moves that live right next to it, see our guides to power turns and tight turns and how to pivot, sharpen the edges behind it with our edge work drills, and browse the full Hockey Training hub for more. Then put in the reps — one honest, low, balanced turn at a time.
