The crossover does not differ much from a transition turn. As in the transition turn, the outside leg establishes the turn on the inside edge and the back third of the blade. The player's centre of gravity is shifted towards the centre of the turn. The weight on the inside leg comes over on the outside edge of the blade and the inside skate moves slightly in front of the outside skate.

The difference between the two turns is that the gliding is eliminated in the crossover. As the player's weight is established on the inside leg, the outside leg pushes to the toe, then comes to the inside of the turn around in front of the inside leg. It glides onto the ice on the inside edge and with weight on the back third of the blade. There is actually no direct crossing over of the legs as the name implies. The inside leg follows by pushing to the toe and moving from behind the outside leg. It glides back onto the ice in front and to the inside of the outside leg. The crossover is repeated and the player comes out of the crossovers in the same manner they move from a transition turn to a forward stride.