Vertical Jump
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
Stand side-on to a wall. Reach up and mark your standing reach with chalk. Swing arms back, dip into a quarter-squat — load the hips. Explode upward — drive arms, extend hips, knees, and ankles fully. At the peak, touch the wall as high as possible. Measure the difference between standing reach and jump reach. Attempt 3-5 jumps with full recovery. Record the best.
Why It Works
Vertical jump height is the most widely used single measure of lower-body explosive power in hockey — used at the NHL combine as a primary athletic indicator. Every stride push-off in skating is a partial expression of vertical jump mechanics (triple extension). Research shows a 1-inch increase in vertical jump correlates with measurably faster first-step quickness and 10m sprint times on the ice.
Hockey Transfer
Measures and trains total lower body power output. If your vertical hasn't moved in 8 weeks, the program is wrong. Track it monthly. Honest numbers don't lie.
Coaching Cues
- "Quarter squat"
- "Arm swing"
- "Explode up"
- "Reach max height"
Common Mistakes
Too deep a squat — a quarter-squat produces more power than a full squat dip. No arm swing — the arm swing adds 2-4 inches. Always use the arms. Letting the knees cave inward at take-off — drive them outward. Not tracking progress — measure monthly. The trend matters.
Progression / Regression
Depth jump to max vertical — adds reactive strength demand.
Squat jump — same mechanics, no arm swing, builds the triple extension pattern.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Alactic/ATP-PC
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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