Many hockey players work hard on the ice, train in the gym, and still wonder why they are not getting faster. The problem is usually not effort. The problem is that their training is incomplete.
Players often get locked into one training style. They lift heavy, do random jumps, or spend hours stretching, but they do not connect those pieces into a program that improves their skating. To get faster on the ice, a player needs to develop four qualities at the same time: maximal strength, explosive power, stride frequency, and hip mobility.
A complete hockey training program does not live in one silo. Each quality supports the others. Strength gives a player more force. Power teaches them to apply that force quickly. Stride frequency improves how fast they can cycle their legs. Mobility gives them the range of motion to use all of it.
Why This Matters for Hockey
A fast skating stride needs both force and efficiency. A player must be able to push hard into the ice, move the recovery leg quickly back underneath the body, and access enough hip range of motion to produce a long, fluid stride. If one piece is missing, speed is limited. A strong player who cannot produce force quickly will look slow. A quick player without strength will struggle to create separation. A powerful player with restricted hips will not be able to use their full stride length. The goal is not to chase one quality. The goal is to develop the complete athlete.
Pillar 1: Maximal Strength
Strength is the foundation of speed. The more force a player can put into the ice, the more potential they have to create a powerful stride. Strength work also gives players the ability to hold strong positions and avoid losing power through unstable hips, knees, or a weak trunk.
Exercise 1: Deadlift
Setup and Execution: Use a barbell or trap bar (hex bar). Hinge at the hips to grip the bar, keep the back flat, and drive through the floor to stand tall.
Coaching Points: Focus on a controlled full range of motion. Push through the floor, keep the bar or handles close, and finish by driving the hips through rather than leaning back through the lower back.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: The deadlift trains the posterior chain, including the glutes and hamstrings. These muscles are major contributors to producing force during the skating stride.
Exercise 2: Front Split Squat
Setup and Execution: Hold a barbell or dumbbells in the front-rack position across the shoulders and chest. Position the legs in a split squat and then lower down under control, keep the chest tall, then drive back to standing.
Coaching Points: Brace the core, keep the elbows high if using a barbell, and create tension through the quads while maintaining a tall torso.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: The front split squat builds quad strength at joint angles that carry over well to the low skating position. The front-loaded position also challenges the upper back, lats, and core, helping players maintain a strong posture on the ice.
Pillar 2: Explosive Power
Strength is how much force a player can produce. Power is how quickly they can produce it.
Hockey does not give players time to slowly build force. First-step acceleration, puck races, direction changes, and shooting all demand fast force production. Power training teaches the nervous system to turn strength into explosive movement.
Exercise 1: Concentric Box Jump with Arms
Setup and Execution: Stand in front of a box. Dip into a controlled athletic position, use the arms, and explode upward. Land softly on top of the box.
Coaching Points: The goal is to create as much force as possible in as little time as possible. Focus on getting the hips high off the ground. Do not chase a taller box by simply tucking the knees to the chest.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: This drill builds explosive lower-body power and teaches rapid force production.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Single-Arm Snatch to Split Stance
Setup and Execution: Start with a dumbbell between the legs. Explosively pull the dumbbell overhead while jumping the legs into a split stance to catch the weight.
Coaching Points: Drive hard through triple extension at the hips, knees, and ankles. Catch the dumbbell under control with a stable trunk and lower body.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: The explosive pull develops power, while the split-stance catch challenges the single-leg stability and body control players need throughout the skating stride.
Hockey players should develop power in all directions. Vertical jumping is valuable, but a complete power program should also include lateral and horizontal work.
Pillar 3: Stride Frequency
A long and powerful stride is not enough if the player's legs move too slowly. Stride frequency is the ability to quickly cycle the legs and transition from one stride to the next. This quality is especially important for acceleration, quick changes of direction, and winning races to loose pucks.
Exercise 1: Wall Exchange Drill
Setup and Execution: Lean forward against a wall in a strong angled position. Rapidly alternate driving the knees toward the chest.
Coaching Points: This is an overspeed drill. Do not overthink perfect positions. The priority is to move the legs faster than feels comfortable while staying athletic and controlled.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: The drill trains rapid leg turnover and helps the nervous system become more comfortable moving at high speed.
Exercise 2: Line Exchange Drill
Setup and Execution: Stand over a line on the floor and rapidly move the feet back and forth across the line.
Coaching Points: Use short timed intervals, such as 10 seconds, and count the number of exchanges. Create a clear target and try to beat it over time.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: This simple drill develops quick feet, coordination, and the intent to move fast.
Pillar 4: Hip Mobility
Mobility is one of the most neglected pieces of hockey development. Players love lifting and jumping, but restricted hips can quietly limit stride length, recovery, and overall skating efficiency. A player cannot use power they do not have the range of motion to access. Better hip mobility allows athletes to get into stronger positions, create a smoother stride, and recover the leg more effectively underneath the body.
Exercise 1: Internal Bench Rotation Drill
Setup and Execution: Sit on a bench with one leg planted in front of the body. Bend the trailing leg behind you and actively work on rotating that hip inward.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: Internal hip rotation is important during the recovery phase of the skating stride as the leg returns underneath the body.
Exercise 2: Seated 90/90 Drill
Setup and Execution: Sit on the floor with the lead leg bent at 90 degrees in front of the body and the trail leg bent at 90 degrees behind and to the side. Control the position and work through both sides.
Why It Helps Hockey Players: The 90/90 drill addresses both internal and external hip mobility. That combination supports a longer, more fluid stride and helps players move into a wider range of skating positions.
Programming and Application
Each of these four pillars should have a place in an off-ice hockey program. Strength work should progress over time. Power drills should be performed with high intent and full rest. Stride-frequency drills should be short, fast, and competitive. Mobility needs to be treated as a consistent practice, not something players do only when they feel tight.
Players do not need to perform every exercise in one session. The key is to make sure their weekly plan does not neglect any pillar.
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Pillar
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Primary Goal
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Example Exercises
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Maximal strength
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Create more force
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Deadlift, front squat, split squats
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Explosive power
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Apply force quickly
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Box jump, dumbbell snatch to split stance
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Stride frequency
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Improve rapid leg turnover
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Wall exchange, line exchange
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Hip mobility
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Access better stride positions
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Internal bench rotation, seated 90/90
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Final Thoughts
Speed is not built with one magic exercise. It is built by consistently improving the full system.
If you want to skate faster, build strength. Learn to express that strength quickly. Train your stride frequency. Give your hips the mobility to use the range you have earned. When all four pieces work together, the gym finally starts showing up on the ice.
About the Author
Travis Martell is the founder and head coach of Martell Elite Fitness, specializing in off-ice development for hockey players.
🌐 Website: MartellEliteFitness.com
📲 Follow on Instagram: @martell.elite.fitness
📺 YouTube: YouTube.com/MartellEliteFitness
