Wall Slide
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 facing a wall. Place both forearms on the wall at shoulder height — elbows bent 90°. Forearms, wrists, and hands all in contact with the wall. Slowly slide both arms UP the wall — straightening the elbows overhead. Keep forearms, wrists, and hands in contact with the wall throughout the slide. Slide as high as possible without the lower back arching or the forearms losing contact. Slide back down. That is one rep. 10-12 reps per set.
Why It Works
The wall slide trains the serratus anterior and lower trapezius to control the shoulder blade through a full overhead arc — the exact movement pattern that breaks down in hockey players with impingement. By sliding the forearms up a wall, you train the scapula to upwardly rotate properly overhead, preventing the shoulder blade from pinching the rotator cuff. This is prescribed by virtually every shoulder rehabilitation specialist working with overhead and contact athletes.
Hockey Transfer
Improves scapular control and overhead shoulder stability. Add wall slides to your warm-up forever. The drill is in the position, not the load.
Coaching Cues
- "Back against wall"
- "Press forearms to wall"
- "Slide arms up maintaining contact"
Common Mistakes
Arching the lower back to reach higher — brace the core and stay upright. Forearms losing wall contact — if they peel off, you've reached your current limit. Shrugging the traps — keep shoulders DOWN as the arms rise. Going too fast — slow, deliberate slides allow you to feel the scapular movement.
Progression / Regression
Band wall slide — add a light band around the wrists for external rotation demand.
Scapular pull-up — same lower trap activation without the overhead demand.
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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