Last week I shared part 1, here is the same drill but with the next progression

Projected first round 2026 NHL draft pick Carson Carels working on his shot from the point. 

Getting his body around while the eyes are up and stick is loaded. 

Last week, I broke my leg while refereeing a game. The unfortunate injury has already altered my plans for this season, but it also brought me back to the last time I found myself challenged with a broken leg during the hockey season. 

Ten years ago, I hit a tree while skiing which broke my ankle, required surgery and a few screws, and left me coaching almost an entire season of peewee hockey from the bench. I was unable to skate or demo a single drill from December through playoffs. What felt like a massive setback at the time became one of the most important turning points in my coaching career. That season forced me to communicate differently, prepare more intentionally, empower players more often, and rethink what truly drives development. It became a catalyst for a leveling-up experience that shaped me into a more effective and thoughtful coach. Now, as I prepare to coach this season from the bench once again, I am reminded of how impactful and transformative that earlier challenge was.

What surprised me most is how much I grew because of it. Looking back, being forced to adapt became more of a gift than a setback. Having to coach differently forced me to approach practices from a new perspective, trust my players and assistant coaches more, prepare with greater intention, try new methods and drill variations, and sharpen my communication skills. Growth as a coach does not come from your comfort zone, it comes from disruption and embracing the uncomfortable moments that force you to adapt, evolve, and improve.

The following ten lessons came from my experience of coaching while injured, but they are not dependent on injury. My hope is that coaches from any level may be able to use some of these lessons to grow their coaching skills right now simply by choosing to adapt before the game forces it.

 

Lesson 1: Your Words Matter More Than Your Skates

When you can’t demo a drill, clarity becomes your most important tool. I had to explain drills in concise ways, speak with purpose, and remove extra detail that cluttered the message. I focused on one or two priorities per rep and saved corrections for the breaks.

Players responded by executing with more intent, because they actually understood the objective.

Master your message and eliminate the noise.

 

Lesson 2: Less Is More

Simplify and remove the clutter from practices whenever possible. Fewer cones, fewer training aids, fewer dividers, and less structure mirrors the open chaos of actual games. What started as a necessity became a new standard for me. Removing unnecessary equipment opened the ice, created natural spacing, gave players more touches, and created an environment that forced the players to make decisions on the ice and in the plays. By simplifying drills and practice setup, my team benefitted by what I refer to as “addition by subtraction”.

Do not confuse more equipment with more development.

 

Lesson 3: Coach the Game More and the Drills Less

Not being able to skate forced me to stay removed from the chaos of the drill and instead watch the whole picture. I was able to focus on and coach spacing, tempo, game patterns, choices, and game feel rather than micromanaging drill mechanics. Stepping back allowed the players to step forward.

Your view from a distance may be the most valuable one.

 

Lesson 4: Players Learn From Other Players, Not Just The Coach

Without the ability to demo, players stepped into leadership roles. Having them show the first rep made the drill more relatable and helped me see who truly understood the concept. It also strengthened the team culture, because players naturally engage more when one of their teammates leads.

Empower players to teach, they become better learners.

 

Lesson 5: Lean On Communication, Video, and Peer Demos

The broken leg made it so I could not rely on demoing a drill, so I relied on three things; clear explanation of the drill, consistently using players or assistant coaches/older players to demo, and video. Video clips from past practices, quick examples from NHL highlights, and Instagram drill posts helped players visualize exactly what success looked like right from my phone. So each drill was explained in three parts; verbally explained, drawn on the coaching board, and demonstrated visually either on the ice or through a video. This three part method (Explain, Draw, Demo) was so effective that I’ve kept using it ever since.

Players learn in different ways, so teach directly to those differences.

 

Lesson 6: Use Players From the Previous Station as Demo Leaders

In station based skill practices, the players who just completed a drill are the best ones to demonstrate it for the next group. They show the correct speed and pattern naturally because they just finished it. It also reinforces learning through teaching, which leads to deeper understanding. This is particularly successful if there are multiple levels of players on the ice and the older players can demo the drill for the next group of younger players.

Let players be a part of the learning process.

 

Lesson 7: Intentional Preparation Reduces On Ice Stress

When you can’t skate to fix issues in a drill, your practice must be built to run smoothly. I prepared in advance for extra drill details like puck locations, clear rotations, progressions, and teaching points/ corrections with greater detail than ever before. Practices became more efficient because the structure was designed with purpose and detail-oriented intention.

Preparation amplifies a coach’s impact.

 

Lesson 8: Ask For Help and Build Community

Asking for help is not one of my strengths. I naturally tend to fight through challenges on my own, but this is not always advantageous and becomes extra difficult when injured. I needed parents, siblings, assistant coaches, and even injured players to step in and support different areas of practice that season. Many discovered they enjoyed helping and became long term contributors to the team in new ways. Asking for help gave others an opportunity to grow and strengthen our program.

Inviting others in expands your impact on the team.

Lesson 9: Seek New Inspiration and Expand Your Coaching Network

Coaching from the bench pushed me to explore new resources for motivation and creativity. I could not rely on my usual habits or go-to drills, so I started searching for fresh ideas. I dug deeper into coaching podcasts, skill development videos, small area game books from USA Hockey, and webinars from coaches I had never listened to before. I reached out to other more experienced coaches, asked for practice setups, and compared how different coaches structured flow, tempo, and teaching cues.

What started as a necessity quickly turned into a door opening. I found new perspectives on development, connected with coaches I had only known in passing, and even discovered a few mentors who helped me rethink how I approach practices. That search for inspiration expanded my coaching network and gave me a broader toolbox of ideas and resources that I still use today.

Growth accelerates when you look beyond your normal circle and invite new perspectives into your development.

Lesson 10: Adaptation Fuels Growth

The biggest realization from this experience was that challenges are not something to avoid. They are something to seek out and learn from. When you are forced out of your comfort zone you must adjust and adapt. You discover new ways to see the game, new methods to communicate, and new opportunities to involve others in the coaching and player development process.

Adapting made me a better coach and it can do the same for anyone. You do not need to be injured to grow. You only need to be willing to stretch beyond your normal routines and get outside of your comfort zone.

Every season provides challenges and opportunities to evolve. Embrace them and learn from them.

You Do Not Need To Be Injured To Learn These Lessons

Although a broken leg ten years ago was the catalyst that forced me to change the way I coached, you do not need to be injured to grow in similar ways. Every coach has the opportunity to simplify, to communicate with more clarity, to empower players, to prepare with greater intention, and to bring more people into the process. Coaching on one leg taught me that my value is not tied to how fast I skate or perform the drills myself, but to how well I teach, connect, and create meaningful environments for the players to develop in. Adaptation is not something we must endure, it is something we should seek out. 

When the game challenges you to evolve, whether through injury or circumstance, embrace it and capitalize on the opportunity. Let adaptation to the challenges of the season expand your perspective, strengthen your impact, and develop additional strengths as a coach and teacher. The coach you become as a result of the challenge may be even better than the one you were before it.

 

If you’re a coach or director dealing with parent pushback on cross-ice or small-area games, this video is for you. When I first redesigned a youth program, the criticism was loud—mostly from people with limited hockey backgrounds. So I created this compilation to educate and point people toward real expertise.

Bet ya cant watch till the end.. 

 

KTP's - load puck on hip to pass, eyes on target, passing in stride with feet moving. Hands & stick blade in front of toes on reception. 

Part 1 - players pass and follow to the opposite line. Once comfortable, challenge groups in a race to 25 passes - any bobbles, missed passes, or fluttering pucks reset the pass count to 0

Part 2 - same start, pivot to receive pass back on the give and go with the opposite line. Return to own line for a give and go as well, pivoting to transition. Last pass is to the opposite line. Ensure stick is in front on the reception and toes are pointing up ice, so one pass reception is on forehand and one pass reception is on backhand. 

Agility is one of the most overused, and misunderstood, words in athlete development (on-ice and off-ice). Most players think agility means having “quick feet" or performing "tight turns". Many coaches think it can be improved by adding “edgework" drills. But agility is something far more complex and far more valuable than most people realize.

In hockey, understanding the difference between agility and a simple change of direction can completely change how us as coaches plan skill development sessions. It allows us to improve skill to transfer into real games.

Agility vs. Change of Direction: The Truth

Agility is: “The ability to change direction in response to a stimulus.”

That last part—response—is what almost everyone misses.

Agility is not just being fast and having efficient edges. It’s the combination of:

1. Perception – picking up cues (pressure, sticks, and open ice)

2. Decision-making – choosing the right skill solution

3. Execution – applying the skating skill to escape, attack, or create space

This means agility is actually a game-speed thinking skill, not just a skating skill.

Change of Direction (COD)

COD is different. COD is pre-planned movement. The athlete knows exactly where they’re going before they start. We have all seen, and propbably used these types of drills. 

Examples:

• Cone patterns

• Pre-set edgework drills

• Figure-8s

• Weaving through a known route

COD involves:

• Edge quality

• Acceleration and deceleration mechanics

• Strength, power, posture

• Mechanical efficiency

COD builds the physical tools, but not the game instincts and reads they use.

Agility

Agility only happens when a player must react to something.

Examples:

• A defender cutting off the lane

• A teammate suddenly becoming open

• Pressure arriving from a blind spot

• A stick entering a lane

Agility involves:

• Scanning and awareness

• Pattern recognition

• Anticipation

• Problem-solving under pressure

• Transfer of skating skills into game situations

This is why some players look amazing in skills sessions but disappear in games. They have great COD … but lack agility.

Why should we care?

Hockey is chaos. The best players aren’t the ones who simply have the best edges, they’re the ones who perceive and react the fastest.

If you only train pre-planned patterns, you’re improving movement but not game transferability.

To truly develop players, coaches need to include:

• COD work to build the mechanics

• Agility work to connect mechanics to decisions

This is where real development happens.

One of the biggest challenges in developing a powerful, efficient skating stride is teaching athletes how to produce force on one leg while maintaining posture, balance, and control. Hockey is a unilateral sport. Every stride is a single-leg push, followed by a single-leg glide.

The rear foot elevated split squat hold (RFESS Hold) is one of the most effective, accessible off-ice exercises for improving the single-leg strength and stability required for skating. When executed properly, it positions the athlete in the exact mechanics of a skating stride and teaches them how to create tension in the quadriceps and glutes, which are the primary muscles responsible for forward propulsion.

This article breaks down why this hold is so valuable for hockey development and how coaches can teach it in a way that transfers directly to the ice.

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Why This Exercise Matters for Hockey Players

1. Hockey Is a Unilateral Power Sport

Every stride depends on the athlete’s ability to produce force through one leg while the other reaches long into extension. Weakness, instability, or poor alignment during single-leg support shows up immediately as:

• Shorter strides

• Less blade contact

• Energy leaks

• Poor recovery positions

• Slower acceleration

The RFESS Hold trains the athlete to be strong, stable, and organized on one leg. This is exactly what skating demands.

2. It Places the Player in a True Skating Position

Unlike many gym movements that look athletic, although they don’t replicate sport mechanics, this position mirrors the lower-body angles of a stride:

• Front knee driven forward over the toes

• Thigh angle matching the skating position

• Back leg in hip extension

• Torso following the line of the shin

This reinforces position awareness, posture, and proper joint alignment.

3. It Develops Foundational Quad and Glute Strength

A strong stride doesn’t start at the foot, it starts at the hip and quad, which control knee drive and extension.
The RFESS Hold isolates the exact musculature used in the propulsive phase of the stride, helping players:

• Stay low

• Maintain power longer

• Generate force more efficiently

• Reduce compensations and energy leaks

This is strength that directly transfers to the ice.

Technical Breakdown: What Coaches Should Watch For

Setup

• Front foot planted firmly

• Back foot elevated on a bench, couch, pad, or stable surface

Lowering Into Position

• Athlete lowers straight down

• Front knee travels forward over the toes

• Knee remains stacked in line with the hip and foot

• Avoid “sitting back,” which overloads the rear leg and disrupts alignment

Upper Body Mechanics

• Slight forward torso lean

• Angle should match the front shin

• Avoid an upright torso or excessive low-back arching

This torso angle creates the quad and glute engagement we want in the skating stride.

Holding the Position

• Maintain full tension

• No back-knee sag, drifting, or wobbling

• The athlete should feel the front leg working and not the back leg

A static hold gives the player time to own the position, reinforcing technique before adding speed or load.

Why This Exercise Transfers to Skating

Improves Stride Length

Driving the knee forward and maintaining a strong front-leg angle develops the ability to get deeper into the skating position, thus creating a longer, more efficient push.

Enhances Stability and Alignment

The more stable the athlete is on one leg, the easier it is for them to transfer force through the blade.
This directly impacts:

• Acceleration

• Edge control

• Transition speed

Strengthens Key Stride Muscles

The exercise targets the quadriceps and glutes — the engines behind stride power.

Teaches Players to Stay Low Under Tension

A low posture is only useful if an athlete can maintain it.
The RFESS Hold trains exactly that:

• Postural control

• Core stability

• Hip alignment

• Static strength in the skating position

Common Errors Coaches Can Help Correct

• Sitting back instead of lowering straight down

• Front knee collapsing inward or drifting outward

• Upright torso, removing quad tension

• Weight shifting into the back leg

• Arching the lower back to compensate for poor hip mobility

These errors all diminish transfer to the ice and they’re easily corrected with good coaching cues.

How Coaches Can Integrate This Conceptually

The RFESS Hold works best when used to:

• Teach athletes what a proper skating position feels like

• Reinforce posture and alignment

• Build foundational unilateral strength

• Warm up movement patterns before dynamic work

• Complement other single-leg strength exercises (like walking lunges or step-downs)

Because it’s safe, low-impact, and requires minimal equipment, it’s ideal for:

• Team warm-ups

• Off-ice sessions

• Home programs

• Youth development settings

• In-season maintenance blocks

The goal isn’t to fatigue the player, it’s to reinforce the position that produces better skating.

Coaching Takeaway

The rear foot elevated split squat hold may look simple, but its value cannot be overstated.
When an athlete learns to:

• Stay low

• Maintain alignment

• Engage the right muscles

• Produce force on one leg

…their stride becomes immediately more efficient and powerful.

This is a foundational movement that teaches athletes how to support, control, and generate power, which is exactly what they need to skate with speed, stability, and confidence.

For coaches developing young players, the RFESS Hold is not just an “off-ice leg exercise.”
It is a direct path to better stride mechanics.

About the Author

Travis Martell is the founder and head coach of Martell Elite Fitness, specializing in off-ice development for hockey players.
📲 Follow on Instagram: @martell.elite.fitness

For young hockey players, core strength isn’t just about having a strong midsection. It’s about building the stability, posture, and control required for efficient skating. The core dictates how well an athlete maintains balance, transfers force, and controls their body through every stride, transition, and pivot.

In this article, we break down three foundational core exercises that directly support better skating mechanics. These movements are simple, accessible, and require no equipment, making them ideal for youth players training at home or during team off-ice sessions.

Each exercise reinforces essential movement patterns needed for skating: spinal control, lateral stability, and dynamic coordination.

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1. Dead Bug Hold — Teaching Spinal Control and True Core Stability

Young players often struggle with controlling their spine during movement. When the low back arches excessively, whether during a stride, shot, or change of direction, this leaks power and their balance suffers.

The Dead Bug Hold teaches athletes how to maintain a neutral spine while coordinating opposite arm and leg movements. This is a direct parallel to the cross-body coordination required in skating.

Key Coaching Points

• Knees positioned directly over hips

• Toes pulled toward shins (encourages proper hip position)

• Hands stacked over shoulders

• Lower back pressed firmly into the floor — no gaps

• Hold each extension for five seconds

A good cue for coaches: “If you can slide a hand under your low back, reset.”

Athletes should begin with 3 reps per side, progressing to 5 reps per side as control improves.

Why It Transfers to Skating

• Reinforces anti-extension strength

• Builds awareness of spinal position

• Improves stability during stride recovery

• Reduces unnecessary torso movement while skating

Players who master this exercise develop the foundation for better balance and cleaner transitions.

2. Side Plank (Bottom Knee Down) — Strengthening Lateral Core and Hip Stabilizers

Skating is lateral by nature. Every stride demands a strong Glute Medius to activate and stabilize the pelvis and keep the hips level. Weakness here often leads to knee collapse, short strides, and increased injury risk.

The Side Plank with the bottom knee down is a youth-friendly modification that still trains lateral stability safely and effectively.

Key Coaching Points

• Elbow directly under the shoulder

• Straight line from head through hips

• Bottom knee acts as the base

• Build up to a 30-second hold per side

Once the hold becomes easy, progress to controlled top-leg lifts — aiming for 10 reps per side, squeezing the Glute Medius on each lift.

Why It Transfers to Skating

• Enhances lateral stability needed for strong edge work

• Strengthens hip abductors for a more powerful stride

• Improves balance and torso alignment during crossovers and transitions

• Helps prevent knee valgus (inward collapse) during skating

This exercise develops the “side-to-side strength” that every young skater must master.

3. Bear Crawls — Training Dynamic Core Stability and Multi-Directional Control

Skating is rarely linear. Players change direction, accelerate, decelerate, pivot, and recover quickly, all of which require coordinated, full-body control.

The Bear Crawl builds exactly that: dynamic, multi-directional stability through controlled hand-and-foot movement. It teaches athletes how to brace effectively while the limbs move independently which is

a key skill for skaters who struggle to stay stable during quick transitions.

Key Coaching Points

• Hands under shoulders, knees under hips

• Knees lifted slightly off the floor without hips popping up

• Neutral spine — flat enough to balance a cup of water

• Move opposite hand and foot together

• Take two steps forward and two steps back, repeated five times

• Follow with controlled side-to-side steps

Why It Transfers to Skating

• Builds coordination across the upper and lower body

• Strengthens the core during movement (not just static holds)

• Mimics the multi-directional control needed for agility

• Helps players maintain posture during difficult skating tasks

Bear Crawls are one of the best ways to develop the athleticism required for reactive, game-speed skating.

How Often Should Youth Players Perform These Exercises?

These three exercises can be completed three times per week, and because they require no equipment, they can be done:

• At home

• During pre-practice off-ice sessions

• As part of a structured training plan

Progression should be gradual, focusing on:

• Increasing holds (Dead Bug & Side Plank)

• Adding leg lifts once alignment is consistent

• Completing more controlled sets of Bear Crawls

The priority is always quality over quantity.

Key Takeaways for Coaches

• Core stability is foundational for skating performance and injury prevention.

• Proper training ensures young players maintain control through every stride and transition.

• These exercises emphasize positions and muscles directly tied to better balance, posture, and power on the ice.

• Movement quality — not speed or volume — determines the effectiveness of each drill.

• Consistency develops the strength and control needed for long-term skating improvement.

By building strong, stable, and coordinated athletes off the ice, coaches can significantly enhance the skating ability of their players 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.
📲 Follow on Instagram: @martell.elite.fitness

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This is a great drill to work on receiving puck in high danger shooting areas and using the body to protect the puck in traffic.

 

Working on pulling pucks off the yellow - start with static puck, then progress to tight rims coming from both directions. On the third retrieval, we add in an 'air-mail' so D can get comfortable with skill of trying to throw the puck out into the NZ when under pressure with no options. 

KTP's - pre-scans, read level of pressure. Get feet over top of puck so left or right are both an option. On retrieval, get top elbow up, hard on the toe of stick and get on the board side of the puck so that blade makes contact with the yellow. "Knife it off the wall". Start with no pressure to get comfortable and avoid trying to pick the puck clean. 

Offensive D - build routes together so you're in motion on first touch or on shot, weakside D needs to stay connected with strong side D. In this clip weak side D gets a bit wide before receiving puck 1, and strong side D can time his skates better to avoid being flat footed.