Plank Hold
How to Do It
Set the forearms on the floor under the shoulders, feet hip-width, and lift the body into a straight line from head to heels. Brace the core, squeeze the glutes, and pull the ribs down so the low back stays neutral. Hold for the prescribed time, breathing steadily, then lower. Don’t let the hips sag or pike.
Why It Works
A foundational anti-extension isometric — the deep core, glutes, and shoulders work to keep the spine neutral against gravity’s pull to sag, building whole-trunk stiffness and the postural endurance that underpins force transfer.
Hockey Transfer
Builds the braced trunk that transfers leg and arm force without leaking through a soft midsection during skating and shooting, and resists extension under contact; a base-level core stability builder.
Coaching Cues
- "Straight line, squeeze the glutes"
- "ribs down, brace"
- "don’t let the hips sag"
Common Mistakes
Hips sagging (low back arching) or piking up; holding the breath; shoulders not over the elbows
Progression / Regression
add a load on the back, long-lever plank, or max-tension hold
from the knees or shorten the hold
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural (isometric)
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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