Box Step-Up (DBs)
How to Do It
Hold DBs at the sides, standing facing a knee-height box. Place one whole foot on the box, drive through that heel to stand tall on top (bringing the trailing leg up or into a knee drive). Lower under control back to the floor with the same leg leading. Complete reps, then switch.
Why It Works
Trains concentric single-leg hip and knee extension against load through a functional step pattern, building unilateral pushing strength and the controlled eccentric needed to lower the body on one leg.
Hockey Transfer
Builds the single-leg extension power used to drive each stride and accelerate, and the controlled single-leg lowering that mirrors absorbing load on one edge during turns and stops.
Coaching Cues
- "Whole foot on the box, drive the heel"
- "stand tall, don’t push off the bottom foot"
- "lower slow"
Common Mistakes
Pushing off the trailing toe (cheating); knee caving; box too high (hips rise above knee, leaning)
Progression / Regression
heavier DBs or add a knee drive/jump
lower box or bodyweight
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.
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