ATG Split Squat Standards

Hey Hockey Hacks Community

Do you know what an ATG Split Squat is?

Basically, you get into a split squat position with one leg forward and the other back, and lunge forward far enough for your hamstrings to cover your calf without the back leg touching the floor. The intention is to keep the back leg off the floor to engage the hip flexors, spinal erectors, Quads, and Ankle; and to keep your chest tall so your front knee can take most of the weight.

It absolutely looks like this should not be good for your knees. Well I’m here to tell you that it is NECESSARY for your knees! AND your hips. And your groin. And your Quads. And your ankles. And especially as a hockey player.

There are so many moving parts that go into a perfect split squat. It is possibly the greatest stretch-strengthen exercise you can find, because it loads weight through an “extreme” stretched position!

Plus, just from looking at the movement, doesn’t that look like the front side of a skating stride? Or any other skating movement where you get your knees over your toes? 😉

The first time I came across this, I thought what everyone thinks when they hear of “Knees Over Toes” for the first time. “Is that not bad for the knee?”

Apparently not!

Ben Patrick has pioneered this movement better than anyone. This along with the rest of his ATG System, which we take a HUGE influence from, contributed to him completely defying his genetics and becoming a world-class athlete just from training alone. (By the way, he works with many NHLers)

Every hockey player should be doing this.

But we have some predicaments:

This A** to Grass Split Squat has been proven in-house not just by Ben Patrick, but also with people like Charles Poliquin who both strength-train multiple NHLers, to strengthen and LENGTHEN the Quads, hip flexor, and front ankle. Yet many hockey players have never seen this before.

Some people legitimately don’t know about this. Maybe the concept of structural balance is not new in hockey, but definitely the concept of Strength through Length is new.

But I can tell you this:

I no longer get back pain from skating.

I no longer get groin pain from skating.

Anyone who I’ve had use this has progressed out of knee pain over time.

I no longer look or feel slow.

I sprint faster and jump higher, therefore I perform on the ice better.

Here’s a stat to prove that: I went from a 17-18 second one lap time to a 14-15 second one lap time. The 17-18 second time was when I could barely do 65 pounds. Today, I can do 200 pounds for 5 reps. And THAT is directly correlated with my faster skating time.

Every hockey player should be able to build up to 100% of their bodyweight on this ATG Split Squat.

This took me 2 YEARS to get. And that was with previous groin and hip flexor injuries.

So here’s all the standards, just so you know where you’re at right now, and how far you can take this:

Basics (anyone can achieve, and maintainable for life) - 50% bodyweight x5 reps

Elite (some people can achieve, necessary for high level players) - 75% bodyweight x5reps

Freak (very hard to achieve, some players might need this if they had previous back, hip, hamstring, groin, etc. injuries) - 100% bodyweight x5 reps.

I think any high level hockey player, like NHLers should be able to do 100% of their bodyweight at the VERY LEAST on this. But it’s not completely necessary.

Like what is in the Basic-Elite-Freak list, I think you’ll get great results with 75% of your bodyweight.

But if you have knee problems AND previous hip and low back problems like I did,

Get your ATG Split Squat FREAKISHLY strong.

If you want help with form and progressing at a safe rate, you can check out all the programs inside the Hockey Hacks System at hackelhockeyhacks.com

This is a staple exercise in every program we use, because it’s that important for hockey players.

Yours in Hockey Hacks,

Mason