Are your players leaving speed on the table? Most hockey players are. When it comes to off-ice training, the hinge pattern (like a Romanian Deadlift or Trap Bar Deadlift) is one of the most effective ways to build the posterior chain. However, a common execution mistake is completely neutralizing the benefits of this movement, leaving players with weak glutes and a less powerful skating stride.
The mistake lies in weight distribution. When players lean forward onto their toes during a hinge, they disengage the hamstrings and glutes. To build true on-ice speed, athletes must learn to shift their weight into their heels by properly pushing their hips back.
Why This Matters for Hockey
The glutes and hamstrings are the engine of the skating stride. They are responsible for hip extension, which is the primary movement that generates power and propels a player forward on the ice.
If a player cannot properly engage these muscles in the gym during a controlled hinge movement, they certainly will not be able to engage them dynamically on the ice. Correcting this weight distribution error ensures that the posterior chain is actually doing the work, leading to stronger glutes, more powerful hamstrings, and a noticeably more powerful stride.
Exercise Breakdown: The Proper Hinge Pattern
This correction applies to any hinge movement, whether using dumbbells, a barbell, or a trap bar. For this breakdown, we will use the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL).
Setup
•Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand.
•Arms should hang straight down by your sides.
•Feet should be positioned comfortably at hip or shoulder-width apart.
Execution
•Initiate the movement by pushing your hips backward.
•Transfer your body weight into your heels while ensuring your big toes remain locked in contact with the ground.
•Lower the weights by hinging at the hips until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
•Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
•To return to the start, squeeze your glutes and drive all the way through your hips to stand up straight.
Key Coaching Points
•The Primary Mistake: Do not lean forward through your toes as you lower the weight. This shifts the load away from the posterior chain.
•Focus entirely on pushing back through the hips, almost as if trying to touch a wall behind you with your glutes.
•Keep your weight shifted into your heels throughout the entire downward phase.
•Maintain contact between your big toes and the ground for stability and balance.
•Actively squeeze your glutes as you stand back up, finishing with a strong, braced core at the top of the movement.
Programming and Application
The hinge pattern should be a staple in any hockey player's strength program.
•Teaching the Pattern: For younger or less experienced athletes, start with bodyweight hinges or light dumbbells to groove the pattern and ensure they feel the stretch in their hamstrings, not their lower back.
•Building Power: Once the pattern is mastered with the weight properly in the heels, load the movement (e.g., 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps) to build the raw posterior strength required for explosive skating.
Final Thoughts
Speed is built in the posterior chain. If players are performing their RDLs and deadlifts by leaning onto their toes, they are missing the entire point of the exercise. By coaching athletes to shift their weight into their heels and drive through their glutes, coaches can ensure their off-ice training directly translates to a faster, more powerful stride 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.
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