Tempo Squat (3-1-1)
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
Set up for a back squat — bar on upper back, feet shoulder-width. Lower over 3-5 seconds — count it out. Controlled, not grinding. Pause 2-3 seconds at the bottom — no bounce, stay tight. Drive back up as EXPLOSIVELY as possible — maximum intent on the concentric. The contrast between slow descent and explosive ascent is the stimulus. Rest fully between reps at the top.
Why It Works
The tempo squat (slow eccentric + pause + explosive concentric) develops all three components of the strength-speed curve simultaneously. The slow eccentric (3-5 seconds) builds quad and glute time-under-tension; the pause eliminates the stretch reflex; the explosive concentric trains rate of force development. For hockey players, this combination directly improves the first-step explosiveness that comes after absorbing a hockey stop.
Hockey Transfer
Builds hypertrophy and connective tissue strength with time under tension. Three sets × 8 with controlled tempo. Goblet or front loading is ideal — back squat tempo is brutal on the spine.
Coaching Cues
- "3 seconds down"
- "1 second pause"
- "1 second up — controlled throughout"
Common Mistakes
Relaxing at the bottom — stay fully braced during the pause. Explosive on the way down too — only the eccentric is slow. Not the concentric. Too heavy — tempo squats require 15-20% less load than regular squats. Rushing the eccentric — count it out loud if needed.
Progression / Regression
Longer eccentric (5-6 seconds) or longer pause (4-5 seconds) as you adapt.
Goblet squat with 2s pause — same concept with a lighter, more forgiving implement.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
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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