OFF SEASON TRAINING / DEFENSEMEN

Week 3 · Posterior Chain & Pivot Strength

A pivot is a hinge that happens sideways at speed. Heavy trap bar work builds the engine, then the frontal-plane and eccentric work makes sure the hip can survive being asked to change direction on one leg. Peak volume of the accumulation phase. It should feel like a grind by the last session; that is exactly the point.

01Warm-Up02Hinge Strength03Pivot & Frontal Plane04Hamstring & Adductor Resilience05Anti-Rotation+1 more
Blocks
6
warm-up to cool-down
Exercises
15
movements
Sets
29
about 48 min
00
Warm-up · 6 exercises
0/ 6 done
A
Straight sets · 1 exercise
4 sets
A1

Trap Bar Deadlift

4 × 6 reps · rest 3 min
0/4

Push the floor away. Neutral spine beats a bigger number every time.

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B
Straight sets · 1 exercise
4 sets
B1

Cossack Squat

4 × 8/side · rest 1:30
0/4

Sit into one hip, keep the other heel down. Range first, then load it.

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C
Superset · 2 exercises
6 sets
A1

Nordic Hamstring Curl

3 × 6 reps · rest 1:30
0/3

Lower as slowly as you can control, every single rep. This is the eccentric that prevents pulls.

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A2

Adductor Squeeze Isometric

3 × 30 s · rest 45s
0/3

Squeeze hard, breathe normally. Boring, and the most protective thing in the session.

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D
Superset · 2 exercises
6 sets
A1

Pallof Press

3 × 12/side · rest 45s
0/3

Resist the rotation. That is the whole exercise.

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A2

Bird Dog

3 × 10/side · rest 45s
0/3

Slow. A glass of water on the low back should not spill.

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CD
Cool-down · 3 exercises
0/ 3 done
REST OF DEFENSEMEN
VIEW PROGRAM →
01Week 1 · Lateral Power & Squat StrengthGap control is a frontal-plane skill, so the jumps here go sideways. The front squat carries the strength work because backward skating and a defensive stance both live in an upright torso. Week 1 is re-entry: own the technique and the range, and leave every set feeling like two more were there.02Week 1 · Upper Strength & Battle StrengthDefensemen win or lose the net front on upper-body strength and the ability to hold a position under contact. Explosive triple extension opens it, heavy pressing and pulling fill the middle, loaded carries finish it. Week 1 is re-entry: own the technique and the range, and leave every set feeling like two more were there.03Week 1 · Posterior Chain & Pivot StrengthA pivot is a hinge that happens sideways at speed. Heavy trap bar work builds the engine, then the frontal-plane and eccentric work makes sure the hip can survive being asked to change direction on one leg. Week 1 is re-entry: own the technique and the range, and leave every set feeling like two more were there.04Week 1 · Lateral Conditioning & Point ShotThe shot from the blue line is a ground-up sequence, so it gets trained as one — pattern first, then load, then speed. The rest of the session is the lateral and backward work no forward ever has to do. Week 1 is re-entry: own the technique and the range, and leave every set feeling like two more were there.05Week 2 · Lateral Power & Squat StrengthGap control is a frontal-plane skill, so the jumps here go sideways. The front squat carries the strength work because backward skating and a defensive stance both live in an upright torso. Volume climbs. Same movements, more total work — this is the week that builds the base everything after it stands on.06Week 2 · Upper Strength & Battle StrengthDefensemen win or lose the net front on upper-body strength and the ability to hold a position under contact. Explosive triple extension opens it, heavy pressing and pulling fill the middle, loaded carries finish it. Volume climbs. Same movements, more total work — this is the week that builds the base everything after it stands on.07Week 2 · Posterior Chain & Pivot StrengthA pivot is a hinge that happens sideways at speed. Heavy trap bar work builds the engine, then the frontal-plane and eccentric work makes sure the hip can survive being asked to change direction on one leg. Volume climbs. Same movements, more total work — this is the week that builds the base everything after it stands on.08Week 2 · Lateral Conditioning & Point ShotThe shot from the blue line is a ground-up sequence, so it gets trained as one — pattern first, then load, then speed. The rest of the session is the lateral and backward work no forward ever has to do. Volume climbs. Same movements, more total work — this is the week that builds the base everything after it stands on.09Week 3 · Lateral Power & Squat StrengthGap control is a frontal-plane skill, so the jumps here go sideways. The front squat carries the strength work because backward skating and a defensive stance both live in an upright torso. Peak volume of the accumulation phase. It should feel like a grind by the last session; that is exactly the point.10Week 3 · Upper Strength & Battle StrengthDefensemen win or lose the net front on upper-body strength and the ability to hold a position under contact. Explosive triple extension opens it, heavy pressing and pulling fill the middle, loaded carries finish it. Peak volume of the accumulation phase. It should feel like a grind by the last session; that is exactly the point.11Week 3 · Lateral Conditioning & Point ShotThe shot from the blue line is a ground-up sequence, so it gets trained as one — pattern first, then load, then speed. The rest of the session is the lateral and backward work no forward ever has to do. Peak volume of the accumulation phase. It should feel like a grind by the last session; that is exactly the point.12Week 4 · Lateral Power & Squat StrengthGap control is a frontal-plane skill, so the jumps here go sideways. The front squat carries the strength work because backward skating and a defensive stance both live in an upright torso. Deload. Loads come down and bar speed comes back. You are absorbing week 3 here, not adding to it.

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