Hockey is a sport of 45-second shifts at full throttle. You skate, battle, shoot, change and repeat. The best players combine a powerful stride, a rock-solid core for board battles, and the ability to recover quickly on the bench.

Most of that can be built off the ice. These five exercises, taken from our Ice Foundations series, target the hips, legs and core in the same angles and rhythms the game demands.

Wake up the hips

Hockey players spend their lives in a bent-over skating posture, so open the hips first. Do 2 minutes on a bike, then 8 each of 90/90 hip switches, lateral lunges and groiners, and 10 band walks per side. Finish with 3 light lateral bounds per side to rehearse the skating pattern.

How these five work together

The skating stride is unusual: you push sideways and backward while balanced on a thin blade, with your hips flexed and your torso leaning forward. Lateral skater bounds copy that push. Front squats build deep knee and hip strength while forcing an upright, braced torso. The Pallof press trains the core to resist rotation when an opponent shoves you along the boards. Copenhagen planks target the adductors that pull your leg back under you after every stride, the same muscles behind many hockey groin strains. Bike intervals mirror a shift: an all-out burst, then recovery on the bench.

1. Lateral Skater Bound

How to do it: Leap side to side, landing on one leg with your knee bent, as if skating. 3 sets of 8 per side.

Why it matters: It copies the push-off angle of the skating stride.

2. Front Squat

How to do it: Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, keep your elbows high and squat deep. 4 sets of 5.

Why it matters: It builds quad and core strength for a deep, powerful knee bend.

3. Pallof Press

How to do it: Hold a band at your chest and press it straight out without letting it turn you. 3 sets of 10 per side.

Why it matters: Anti-rotation core strength keeps you balanced during board battles.

4. Copenhagen Plank

How to do it: Hold a side plank with your top leg on a bench. 3 sets of 20 seconds.

Why it matters: Groin strains are common in hockey, and strong adductors help prevent them.

5. Bike Sprint Intervals

How to do it: Do 30 seconds all-out followed by 90 seconds easy. 8 rounds.

Why it matters: It matches the work-to-rest pattern of a real shift.

Adjusting for your level and position

Defensemen benefit from extra upper body and core strength for net-front battles, while forwards lean into speed and lateral power. Goalies need a different emphasis on hip mobility and lateral pushes, but the core and adductor work here applies to them too. Youth players should start with bodyweight bounds and goblet squats before progressing to the barbell.

Sample Front squats should feel snappy. If you can't stay upright with your elbows high, lighten the bar. session

One Hockey session, in order: Lateral Skater Bound (3 sets of 8 per side); Front Squat (4 sets of 5); Pallof Press (3 sets of 10 per side); Copenhagen Plank (3 sets of 20 seconds); Bike Sprint Intervals (8 rounds).

Progressing safely

Front squats should feel snappy. If you can't stay upright with your elbows high, lighten the bar.

The mistake to avoid

The error we see most often is neglecting the hips and groin.

Your weekly schedule

Train strength 3 days a week in the offseason and 1-2 short sessions in-season.

Hockey recovery and fuel

Late-night games and early practices disrupt sleep, so protect it with consistent bedtimes and naps when possible. Refuel after games with carbs and protein, and use easy bike spins the day after to recover. Hip flexors and groins get tight from the skating stance, so 10 minutes of daily stretching pays off over a long season.

Quick answers

Can I train skating off-ice? Yes. Lateral bounds, slide boards and single-leg strength carry over directly to your stride.

How long should off-ice sessions be? Forty-five to sixty minutes in the offseason, and around thirty minutes in-season.

Be the hardest-working player on the ice

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Consult a physician before beginning a new exercise program.