Foam Roll — Quads
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
Lie face down, foam roller under the front of one thigh just above the knee. Support yourself on your forearms. Roll slowly from just above the knee to just below the hip crease. Pause and hold on any tender spot for 5-10 seconds. Rotate the leg inward and outward to hit different quad heads. 60-90 seconds per leg is sufficient.
Why It Works
The quadriceps are the most-loaded muscle group in hockey — every stride, stop, and explosive push taxes them heavily. Foam rolling the quads before training increases tissue extensibility, reduces stiffness, and allows deeper knee bend in squats and skating. Post-training rolling reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and speeds recovery between sessions — critical in a heavy game schedule.
Hockey Transfer
Releases quad tightness from skating — reduces patellar tendon stress. Pair with couch stretch for full quad + hip flexor recovery. Post-game, post-practice — daily.
Coaching Cues
- "Lie face down"
- "Roller under thighs"
- "Roll slowly from hip to above knee"
- "Pause on tight spots"
Common Mistakes
Rolling too fast over tender spots — pause and breathe through it. Starting at the hip instead of the knee — work distally to proximally for best effect. Skipping the inner and outer quad — rotate the leg to hit all four quad heads. Doing it while watching TV and not paying attention — mindful rolling finds the real issues.
Progression / Regression
Single-leg roll with the other leg crossed on top — doubles the pressure.
Roller on a softer surface (carpet) or softer foam roller for sensitive tissue.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
N/A (mobility/recovery)
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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