Butts and Mugs

The Stance That Creates Space

Butts out, kids. That is the single most important thing I see getting ignored at every level of youth hockey, including AAA Elite. If you are standing up straight on the ice, you are losing. You are giving up leverage, balance, and any chance of winning a puck battle before it even starts. The stance is not optional. It is the foundation everything else gets built on.

Get low. That means knees bent, butt pushed back, weight centered over your skates. When you are low, you are harder to move, harder to knock off a puck, and quicker to accelerate in any direction. Standing tall feels comfortable. That is exactly why you have to fight it.

Why This Matters Against the Boards and in Traffic

I just got home from two private lessons and Saturday morning skills. I had two AAA Elite players battling against the boards standing straight up. These are good players. Talented kids. And they were getting pushed around because they gave away all their leverage the moment they got into a corner.

When you are upright, a defender can get under you and move you wherever they want. When your butt is out and you are low, you are creating a wide base. You are using your body as a shield. You are making yourself into an obstacle instead of an easy target. That is how you create the space you need to make a play.

This is not just about puck battles, either. Skating through traffic, pivoting, protecting a puck in open ice, all of it requires that same low stance. You cannot be selective about when you decide to play with good posture. It has to be automatic.

The Dutch Had It Right

My daughter plays field hockey. She trained in the Netherlands, and the Dutch coaches were out there screaming "ASS DOWN HEAD UP" at their players constantly. Different sport, same principle. Elite programs around the world understand that a low center of gravity is not a stylistic preference. It is a mechanical requirement for competing at a high level.

The head up part matters just as much. You are not staring at the puck or the ice. Your eyes are up, reading the play, seeing your options. Low body, high eyes. That combination is what separates players who react to situations from players who control them.

Butts and Mugs: The Cue That Sticks

Call it whatever you want with your kids:

• ▸Butts and Mugs
  - Butt out, Head up
  - Ass down, Head up
  - Get low

Pick the phrase that gets through to your player and use it every single time. Coaches use short cues because long explanations disappear under pressure. When a kid is in a corner battle or fighting through a screen, they do not have time to think through a technical breakdown. They need one phrase that fires the right muscle memory instantly.

This is our hockey player stance. Everywhere on the ice. Every situation. No exceptions.

The Core and Legs Connection

You cannot hold this stance if you are not physically strong enough to maintain it. That is the honest truth. A low, stable, powerful position requires real strength in your legs and your core. Kids who are weak through the middle will drift back to standing tall because it is easier. Their bodies are taking the path of least resistance.

This is why off-ice training is not a bonus. It is a requirement. Squats, lunges, planks, lateral movements. Build the legs and core that can actually hold the position you need on the ice. The stance only works if your body can sustain it through a full shift, not just for two seconds in a drill.

Tomorrow I am going to talk about what I call "The Cement Lower Hand." Stay tuned.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do coaches keep telling my kid to "get low" on the ice?

Getting low means bending the knees, pushing the butt back, and lowering your center of gravity. When a player is in this position, they are harder to knock off the puck, quicker to change direction, and stronger in board battles. Standing upright feels natural, but it leaves a player with no leverage and no stability. Every coach at every level will preach this because it is the base of everything in hockey.

How do I get my young player to stop standing straight up when they skate?

Repetition and a simple cue. Pick a short phrase your kid can actually hear in the middle of a drill or a game and repeat it constantly. "Butts and Mugs," "Butt out, Head up," whatever lands for them. Beyond the verbal reminder, work on leg and core strength off the ice. A lot of young players stand tall because they physically cannot hold a bent-knee stance for very long. Build the strength and the habit together.

Does proper hockey stance really make a difference in board battles?

Yes, and there is no shortcut around it. When you are low with your butt pushed out, you create a wide base that is very difficult to move. You can use your body to shield the puck and absorb contact without losing position. When you are standing up, one good push from a defender and the puck is gone. Board battles are won by the player who gets lower first.

At what age should players start learning the proper hockey stance?

As early as possible. The habits you build when you are young are the ones you carry forward. A six-year-old learning to bend their knees properly is building a foundation that pays off for years. It is far easier to teach this early than to try to correct a teenager who has spent years standing tall on the ice.