10m Acceleration Sprint
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
Set two cones 10m apart. Start in a 3-point or 2-point athletic stance. Lean forward aggressively — your body angle should feel like you're falling. Drive the first step BACK and DOWN into the ground (not forward and up). Pump arms hard in opposition — short, powerful arm action. Stay low for the first 4-5 steps. Don't pop upright. Hit full speed as you cross the 10m cone. Time with a stopwatch or gate.
Why It Works
The 10m acceleration drill isolates the most critical skating phase — the first 3-4 strides after a standing start. This is when first-step quickness is decided. NHL analytics show that ~80% of offensive zone entries that lead to goals involve a player winning a 0-10m race. Training short accelerations specifically develops the fast-twitch motor units and ankle stiffness needed to win those battles.
Hockey Transfer
Mimics the explosive 10m bursts used constantly in hockey shifts. 4-6 reps at full intent, 2-3 minutes rest. Cut the rest and you cut the adaptation.
Coaching Cues
- "Start in athletic stance"
- "First step is long and aggressive"
- "Drive arms"
Common Mistakes
Standing upright on the first step — kills forward momentum. Stay low. Overstriding — stepping far in front of the hips brakes you. Drive DOWN, not forward. Weak arm drive — arms set the tempo for the legs. Aggressive arms = faster legs. Not recording your times — you can't improve what you don't measure.
Progression / Regression
Resisted 10m with a sled or partner-held band — builds more force into the initial push.
Falling start: lean against a wall, fall forward, catch yourself with a sprint — removes the start decision and teaches aggressive forward lean.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Alactic/ATP-PC
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
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