Inchworm Walk
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 tall, feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at the hips — KEEP LEGS AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE — and place hands on the floor. Walk the hands forward until you're in a high plank position. Hold the plank 1-2 seconds — chest stable, hips level, core tight. Walk the feet UP to the hands in small steps — legs stay as straight as the hamstrings allow. Stand up. That's one rep. 5-10 reps.
Why It Works
The inchworm walk combines three full-body qualities in one move: posterior-chain mobility (hamstring stretch when walking feet to hands), core control + shoulder stability (the plank position), and full-body coordination. For hockey players whose hamstrings are chronically tight from the skating stride, this is one of the few warm-up movements that simultaneously LOADS the hamstrings while stretching them — mobility through strength. It's the single best general warm-up before a leg-day session.
Hockey Transfer
Full-body mobility + core control + shoulder stability in one move. Loosens tight hamstrings (the #1 hockey limitation) while building the plank position used in skating mechanics. Daily warm-up forever. Three minutes of inchworms beats 10 minutes of static stretching.
Coaching Cues
- "Stand tall. Hinge forward"
- "Walk hands out on the floor until you're in a high plank. Hold 1 second. Walk feet UP to your hands (keep legs as straight as possible). Stand up. Repeat."
Common Mistakes
Bending the knees on the walk-in — defeats the hamstring stretch. Keep legs as straight as your mobility allows. Letting hips sag in the plank — wasted core opportunity. Brace it. Rushing the walks — slow and controlled, especially on the feet-walk-in phase. Skipping the plank pause — that's where the shoulder and core stability lives.
Progression / Regression
Inchworm + push-up — add 1 push-up at the plank phase. Doubles as upper-body activation.
Short inchworm (walk hands out only halfway, not all the way to plank) — same pattern, less ROM demand.
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.
← Back to Exercise Library