Rotational Ballistics Progression for Ice Hockey

The ability to produce rotational power is critical in ice hockey. Shooting, taking faceoffs, changing skating direction, and managing body contact all incorporate this element. 

Here are 4 progressions of exercises we use to train this rotational component in the gym.

1) Side Toss 

Keep your feet stationary with limited hip rotation. The primary power generation initiates from the upper body and core musculature. 

2) Stepping Side Toss 

Initiate the movement with your lower body and step toward the target. Open your hips toward the target. This one requires coordination of the lower-body and upper-body for optimal power (just like hockey movements.)

3) Lateral Hop Side Toss 

Initiate the movement with a hop away from the target. Then plant the back leg to decelerate and explode off that leg to produce power and drive towards the target. Again, coordination is critical. You can adjust several variables in this drill for different goals (i.e. distance of hop,  contact time of back leg, time to change direction, etc.)

4) Split Side Toss

This movement sacrifices stability to place a greater demand on “core” musculature. The primary focus of this movement is the deceleration/acceleration component, and having the ability to change direction quickly with instability.

Set up in a split stance with the leg farther from the wall forward.

David Good is the head strength and conditioning coach of the Nashville Predators.

Jason Nordby is the assistant strength and conditioning coach and biometrics coordinator of the Nashville Predators.