Prone Hip Extension
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 on the floor, arms under your forehead. Squeeze the RIGHT glute first — before any movement. Lift the right leg off the floor with the knee straight — only 10-15cm. Hold 3 seconds. You should feel it in the glute, NOT the lower back. Lower. Complete 10 reps then switch. If you feel it in the back: slow down, focus on the glute squeeze before lifting.
Why It Works
The prone hip extension activates the gluteus maximus in isolation while the athlete is lying face-down — removing any possibility of compensating with the lower back or hamstrings. It is a pure glute firing drill used by rehabilitation specialists to re-establish the glute-first pattern that most hockey players lose from excessive sitting and skating in a forward-flexed position. When the glutes don't fire first, the lower back does — causing chronic back pain.
Hockey Transfer
Isolates glute activation in prone position — corrects glute inhibition. Useful as part of a daily glute-activation routine. Cheap, takes 3 minutes, real payoff.
Coaching Cues
- "Lie face down"
- "Lift leg straight up squeezing glute"
- "Hold 2s"
- "Lower slow"
Common Mistakes
Lower back doing the work instead of the glute — the lift should be small and glute-driven. No squeeze before lifting — the pre-squeeze activates the glute before the movement. Lifting too high — beyond 15cm the lower back takes over. Rushing through it — this is activation work, not conditioning.
Progression / Regression
Prone hip extension with knee bent (isolates glute even more, removes hamstring).
Simply lying prone and squeezing both glutes simultaneously — begin activation before movement.
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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