Lateral Depth Drop to Bound
How to Do It
Stand on a low box, step off to the side and land on the outside leg, then immediately on contact rebound into a lateral bound onto the opposite leg, minimizing ground time. Stick or control the final landing. Reset on the box and repeat. The drop pre-loads the leg for an explosive reactive lateral push.
Why It Works
Applies reactive-strength (depth-jump) training to the frontal plane — the lateral drop pre-stretches the push-off leg and the fast contact uses the stretch-shortening cycle to produce a powerful lateral bound; trains reactive lateral power and rapid amortization sideways.
Hockey Transfer
Builds the reactive, elastic lateral push that converts an edge load into a powerful crossover or stride push quickly; mirrors the rapid load-and-explode of changing edges and pushing off hard after absorbing a lateral force.
Coaching Cues
- "Land sideways, explode across"
- "shortest contact, react"
- "knee out, control the finish"
Common Mistakes
Long ground contact (no reactivity); knee caving on the drop or bound; jumping off the box instead of stepping
Progression / Regression
higher box or greater bound distance
lower box or lateral depth drop with a stick (no bound)
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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