Brought to you by retired pro hockey player and owner of Ript Hockey Training and partner of the Hockey Think Tank, Jeff LoVecchio.
We’ve worked our way from the ground up. First with balance drills before working on ankle mobility, strengthening the muscles around our knees, and improving the mobility and strength of our hip flexors.
And today we work on our hockey butts!
Today’s exercise, glute bridges, is to help you learn how to activate/work your glutes. I believe that our glutes are the key to EVERYTHING on the ice!
Our glutes play a major role in stability, mobility, strength, power, speed, our shot, our posture…the list could literally go on forever!
Today, we are going to activate your glutes, adductors (groins) and hamstrings.
This is one of my favorite pre-skating activation drills since it uses so many muscles working together to achieve this movement.
You will need a medicine ball or a foam roller for today’s exercise, glute bridges.
Step 1
Start by lying on your back. Place the ball/roller in between your knees and make sure that your feet are inside of your knees (not wider than your knees).
Step 2
Slam your back into the ground by activating your abs – try pulling your belly button through the ground and keep those abs engaged. Do not let your lower back arch!
Step 3
Squeeze the ball/roller between your knees – this will activate your adductors (groins).
Step 4
Turn your glutes on and make that mind-muscle connection with those butt cheeks and drive your hips up to the ceiling (watch the video above for the correct height).
Step 5
Pause at the top before slowly lowering your body back down to the ground (still squeezing your glutes and the ball/roller the entire time with those abs engaged)!
Step 6
Repeat for desired reps and constantly be focusing on the little details. The little details are what make this exercise amazing – throw the details out and there is no point!
Find more great hockey training tips and insights from Jeff LoVecchio at RIPT Hockey and the Hockey Think Tank website, Podcast, YouTube, and Facebook. And check out his Give More Be More (GMBM) apparel.