Depth Drop (Low Box)
How to Do It
Stand on a low box, step (don’t jump) off the edge, and land on both feet in an athletic position — knees bent, hips back, weight on the whole foot. Stick and hold the landing quietly under control, absorbing the impact without collapsing. Step back up and reset. Keep the landings soft and balanced.
Why It Works
Isolates the eccentric landing phase — dropping from height increases the impact force the legs must absorb, training eccentric strength and the reactive stiffness and joint control needed to decelerate and stabilize landing forces safely.
Hockey Transfer
Builds the landing absorption and deceleration control used to stop hard, land from contact, and stabilize after jumps and falls; the eccentric strength protects the knees and supports quick, controlled stops on the ice.
Coaching Cues
- "Step off, don’t jump"
- "land soft and quiet, stick it"
- "knees out, hips back"
Common Mistakes
Jumping off (adding height); landing stiff or loud; knees caving; collapsing too deep
Progression / Regression
higher box or single-leg depth drop
lower box or step-down to a stick
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Alactic/ATP-PC
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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