Single-Leg
Strong & Stable:
The Importance of Single-Leg Balance
for Hockey Players
By Kim
McCullough, MSc, YCS
Hockey is a
single leg sport.
There are very
few times during the course of play
that a player on the ice will have
their weight equally distributed
over both legs. Each skating stride
starts and finishes predominantly on
one leg and each shot requires the
transfer of weight from the back leg
to the front. Even goalies must
transition out of their two-legged
stance in order to track the puck
and make saves. Almost every aspect
of the game requires players to
generate, transfer and control force
from a single leg. Having excellent
single leg balance is critical for
the development of all players and
athletes.
No More
Flamingos
When asked to
assume a balanced position on one
foot, young hockey players have a
tendency to stand up straight like a
flamingo. In this ‘high’ position,
the small muscles of the foot and
ankle must do the majority of the
work to sustain balance and are
going to fatigue relatively quickly,
leading to a loss of balance in a
relatively short period of time.
Getting Low
On the other
hand, when the athlete ‘gets low’ by
bending the knee of the leg they are
standing on and sitting their hips
back slightly, they are using the
larger muscles of the upper leg and
their core to help sustain their
balance. These larger muscle groups
of the leg and hip are not only
stronger, but do not fatigue as
quickly as the muscles in the lower
leg, meaning that the athletes will
be able to sustain their balance for
a longer period of time.
‘Getting low’
allows players to:
• Generate
more power - using larger
muscles of the legs
• Control
their power - quick changes of
direction
• Transfer
their power - from leg to leg while
shooting
If the young
hockey player is unable to assume a
low balanced position while standing
on flat ground, how will they be
able to do so once they are standing
on a thin metal blade? Furthermore,
if they can’t sustain their balance
when stationary, how will they be
able to do so when they need to
change direction, make a hit or
shoot the puck?
Begin Off
the Ice
Not only is
single leg balance fundamental to
all components of athletic movement,
it is also easiest to teach and
train off the ice. The concept of
‘getting low’ can be a difficult one
to grasp for young hockey players
when they are on the ice as it is
much more difficult to assume a low
balanced position while in skates
than standing on the ground.
The
Fundamentals of Single Leg Balance
While standing
on one foot, players should focus
on these key points:
• Knee Bent
• Hips Back
• Chest Up
•
Abdominals Tight
Initially, a
young athlete, who has little
experience ‘staying low’, will
fatigue quickly trying to maintain
this position. Start off having
players hold the balanced position
for 10 seconds on each leg.
Gradually build up until they are
able to maintain a rock-solid low
balanced position for 30 seconds.
The ability to
balance on one leg is critical to
the development, transfer and
control of power and should
therefore be taught to hockey
players as early as possible.
© Total Female
Hockey 2008
Kim
McCullough, YCS, MSc, is a
Athletic Development Specialist and
founder of Total Female Hockey. In
addition to training and coaching
girls at all levels of hockey, from
novice to the National team, Kim has
also played at the highest level of
women’s hockey in the world for the
last decade. Kim’s female player
development
website features a
state-of-the-art Complete Off-Season
Training Program and her
blog gives the coaches and
parents of aspiring young players
access to the most up-to-date tips
and advice on how to help their
players take their game to the next
level. To learn more about
female-specific player development,
get your Free Report: The #1 Mistake
Female Players Make in the
Off-Season at
http://www.totalfemalehockey.com
