Scorpion Stretch
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, arms extended out to the sides in a T-position. Lift the right foot and swing it across the body toward the left hand — like a scorpion tail. Try to touch the left hand with the right foot without the right shoulder leaving the floor. Hold the end position 2-3 seconds. Feel the stretch across the hip, groin, and T-spine. Return and switch sides — left foot swings to the right hand. 8-10 reps each side as a dynamic warm-up.
Why It Works
The scorpion stretch mobilises the thoracic spine, hip flexors, and posterior hip simultaneously in a rotational pattern — making it one of the highest-efficiency mobility drills available. For hockey players, this combined thoracic + hip mobility is what's required for powerful rotational shots and the full hip extension at the end of a skating stride. It also counteracts the chronic posterior hip tightness from skating.
Hockey Transfer
Dynamic spinal rotation and hip mobility — great pre-skate activation. If you can't keep both shoulders down while swinging the leg over, that's the data. Work the limited side more.
Coaching Cues
- "Lie face down"
- "Reach foot to opposite hand behind you"
- "Let hip rotate"
Common Mistakes
Shoulder lifting off the floor — keep both shoulders grounded. Forcing range — the foot doesn't need to touch the hand. Stretch, don't crank. Rushing through it — hold the end position 2-3 seconds for mobility benefit. Skipping it pre-session — 2 minutes of scorpions unlocks more mobility than 10 minutes of static stretches.
Progression / Regression
Add a pause and active reach at the end position — turns it into a mobility strengthening drill.
Supine figure-4 with gentle pull — same hip target with no T-spine 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.
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