Conventional Deadlift
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
Stand with feet hip-width, bar over mid-foot (1 inch from shins). Hinge at the hips and grip the bar — double overhand or mixed grip. Set the back: chest tall, lats engaged, bar close to shins. Big breath into the belly, brace the core 360°. Push the floor away — leg drive first, then hips and back rise together. Bar stays in contact with the legs the entire way up. Stand fully tall — hips locked, shoulders back. Lower with control.
Why It Works
The conventional deadlift is the king of posterior chain development — glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and traps all working together to lift maximal load from the floor. For hockey players, it builds the raw pulling and hip-hinge strength that underpins skating power, board battles, and spinal resilience. NHL strength coaches use deadlift strength (relative to bodyweight) as a primary indicator of an athlete's physical readiness.
Hockey Transfer
Full-body strength king — builds power from the floor up. Three rep sets at 80-85%. Conventional is taxing — three working sets is plenty. Quality > volume.
Coaching Cues
- "Bar over laces"
- "Big breath brace core"
- "Push floor away"
- "Hips and shoulders rise together"
Common Mistakes
Bar drifting away from the body — drags the bar back in close. Treat it like a leg press. Jerking the bar off the floor — take the slack out first, then apply steady force. Rounding the lower back — set the brace before pulling. No exceptions. Hyperextending at the top — stand neutral, not leaned back.
Progression / Regression
Deficit deadlift (stand on 2-inch plates) — increases ROM and starting position difficulty.
Trap bar deadlift — same hip hinge, more upright torso, less technical demand.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
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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