Hockey’s no longer just about size.
The game is faster and more skilled than ever before. But even highly skilled players are still told they need to get bigger and stronger to play at the next level.
The truth is that strength allows players to have more tools in their toolbox, whether it’s winning corner battles, outmuscling players for a loose puck, or not getting knocked off the puck. The new era of elite hockey players combines elite skill on the on-ice with equally elite strength off the ice.
“We like you as a player, but we all think you need another season to get stronger and hopefully come back next year.”
It was crushing.
He had heard it before, but he thought after last season it was different. He had just come off a 25 goal season in Junior A and knew he had the speed and skill to play Major Junior.
He had always been “the small guy” on the team. But it had forced him to play smarter, develop more elusive skating, and rely more on skill than size. And while scouts and coaches had shifted priorities from size to speed – he still knew that it was holding him back, and maybe this was his ceiling.
“But we’ll see you at main camp in the fall and hopefully you have a big summer.”
These final words from the Coach had stuck in his head.
“It means they haven’t written me off, I just need to add some muscle and get stronger and it’ll take away any excuses they have to cut me.”
Where many players would have felt dejected and accepted the label of being “too small for the next level” – he heard opportunity.
For the past few off-seasons he had convinced himself that it was impossible for him to gain muscle. His dad was a skinny guy, and he claimed it was “in the genes.” Instead, he had invested all his energy in skill work to compensate for size and strength.
He wanted to be a mix between Patrick Kane and Brandon Gallagher, two players who’s game he had studied intensely. But he had realized that even his “smaller” NHL idols both weighed over 175 and had the strength when they needed.
“I gotta add some muscle. It’s not that I’d play scared in the OHL, I just know I wouldn’t be able to play as fearless and rely just on my skill and skating. As long as it didn’t slow me down, adding muscle would actually let me play more of my game and get more opportunities.”
He was right. Every small player who’s been successful in this game has relied on a combination of skill, elusiveness, fearlessness, and strength. We were looking at a player who, if he added muscle, would just “get by” in the OHL, but could thrive.
So we committed to creating a program that would add muscle and strength strategically without getting bulky and slowing down.
The result showed.
Each week his lifts increased. The first phase he had gained 7lbs, more than any off-season he ever had. Then he gained another 7lbs when we shifted to our power development phase. Then finally another 3lbs in our transferable phase. A total of 17lbs for a player who has “skinny genes.”
But the scale matters far less than the results on the ice. And despite getting bigger, his skill coach kept commenting on how much faster he looked. The strength and power work gave him more explosiveness in his starts, cuts, and change of direction and he felt it.
Come training camp, he had eliminated any reason to cut him. He looked like a veteran on the ice, putting up multiple points per game in intersquad games, and come pre-season kept the train rolling with points in each game.
It was undeniable that he belonged in the OHL.
After a successful season in the OHL, he connected us with a teammate of his, a tall lanky European defenceman, who also had the self-proclaimed “skinny genes.”
“You gotta give him the same game plan you did for me. If he throws on 20lbs of muscle he’d be a legit NHL caliber defenceman. He’s 6’5 but just not an imposing force out there. If he got the same strength I had it would turn him into a monster.”
We created a digital version of the program and sent it to him to use back in Europe. And again saw the same results.
Each week we’d check in and his dad (who was also his youth coach and now ran his skates in the summer) would jump on the call and brag about the progress he was making on the ice.
“He’s tried to add this strength for 3-4 seasons. He looks way more solid on his skates, no more “bambi feet,” he’s strong in corners, he’s shooting harder. He is going to be way tougher to play against.”
Both an undersized player and a tall lanky player each had their game transformed by adding the strength and muscle that mattered. Their success was undeniable, and it was time to share it with the countless players at all levels that were being “held back” by their size.
The Relentless Size & Strength Program was born.
Since then, we’ve had emails from dozens and dozens of players who gained meaningful muscle and broke through to the next level.
Eliminate the opportunity for coaches to knock you for your size. Make your game undeniable.
Built to add the size & strength that counts.
The Relentless Size & Strength Program is the Strength & Conditioning program specifically designed for hockey players to add meaningful muscle and add the strength that translates to the ice.
This proven 12-week training system has been used by hundreds of players at all levels to develop added muscle and strength while staying quick, agile, and mobile, and developing the physical attributes they need to take their game to the next level.
At Relentless, we build off-ice workouts for on-ice performance. Delivering the exact Strength & Conditioning hockey players need to start moving, performing, and playing better where it counts. We deliver the training that translates.
Create a mobile body with exercises that address structural imbalances & restrictions so that you feel & move better.
Develop truly elite strength, with an intense focus on creating the functional strength that translates on the ice.
Unlock the power that translates to explosive first steps, breakaway strides, to become more dynamic on ice.
Enhance the athleticism to thrive on-ice. With plyo, agility, and footwork drills we develop next-level speed.
The exact workout structure that elite hockey players are using to build their body.
No more fluff, randomness, or bodybuilding style workouts. This is training 2.0 - with full-body and integrative workouts designed to challenge every facet of your body with each workout including:
3 strategically designed phase to get you dialled in for progressive & consistent growth.
Maximizing your training demands strategic structure. The 12 Week Size & Strength Program is strategically designed with three distinct phases and weekly progressive workouts built to be continuously pushing you towards your training goals.
I wanted to take my training to the next level and add some size heading into my first pro season. Relentless Hockey was exactly what I needed. It was the first time it felt like I wasn’t just lifting heavy and trying to add size - I was training to get stronger on the ice. The core strength & stability work is huge and I legitimately feel it on the ice
I always played a power forward role but felt I was getting pushed off the puck. I didn’t want to get bulky, but I knew adding some muscle and getting stronger would be huge for this game. My off-season with Relentless got me leaner than ever while also adding muscle AND getting way stronger & more explosive. I felt more confident in playing my style against anyone!
This offseason was truly at another level and I want to say thanks to Relentless for all the help. I gained 15lbs of muscle, the extensive speed work has me feeling way better on the ice, and the mobility work has my body feeling unreal. I know I can make some huge strides this year on the ice and I gotta say a huge thanks to you guys!
The Relentless Size & Strength program was created by Coach Kyle, Strength Coach & founder of Relentless Hockey.
Kyle has become one of the go-to authorities on hockey training and performance optimization for hockey players.
Kyle combined his education, playing experience, experience as a skills coach, and thousands of hours working with hockey players in the gym to refine relentless programs to be the ultimate training for on-ice performance. Since starting Relentless Hockey, Kyle and the team have worked with players in nearly every professional hockey league in the world from the NHL and KHL to across Europe – along with thousands of players from across the world.
Coach Kyle continues to improve and refine all of the Relentless Hockey programs while supporting players to maximize their training and start thriving on the ice.
If you’re serious about taking your game to the next level, it’s time to get dialed in with your training. The Relentless Size & Strength Program is the complete training system that delivers everything you need to eliminate guesswork from your training and get the exact game plan to develop elite speed.
Becoming an elite hockey player goes beyond just workouts, it's becoming relentless with getting better. That's why we've created all the resources you need to truly take your training, lifestyle, and performance to the next level.
The Relentless Size & Strength Program was built for Hockey Players to rapidly add muscle and develop the strength that actually translates on the ice. The goal isn't bulky size or just crushing it in the gym - it's developing the strength that translates to playing stronger and dominating on the ice.
These integrative workouts have been designed to enhance the strength and add muscle that matters while continuing to enhance the speed, power, and athleticism to let you thrive on the ice.
If you're committed to taking your game to the next level, then it's time to get relentless with your training
You’ll have instant access to:
- Your 12 week program (36 workouts) with both a digital version and printable tracking version.
+ The Elite Speed for Hockey guide with 20+ speed workouts.
+ The Relentless Anywhere guide with 20+ at home workouts.
+ The Complete Conditioning for Hockey Players guide with 25+ conditioning workouts.
+ The Relentless Mobility & Maintenance Manual with foam rolling, mobility, and active recovery protocols.
+ The Peak Performance Nutrition for Hockey guide with 50+ pages of nutritional guidelines including hydration, game day, body composition (losing/gaining weight), and supplements.
You’ll also get access to the support of our team and Coach Kyle along with any new upgrades or additions to the programs. We’re constantly looking to create new resources to help our players thrive, and once you’re in the Relentless community we truly want to fuel your success.
Many players can train on their own, but the truth is that random training creates random results. Success demands structure.
Relentless Hockey was built to take the guesswork out of hockey player’s training and give them the exact structure that’s been refined by thousands of players to be proven to translate to the ice.
Working with a Strength Coach that understands the specific needs of hockey players can cost upwards of $120 dollars per session or joining a 12 week group training program can easily cost over $3000.
With Relentless Hockey, you have access to the exact workouts that pros are paying thousands of dollars for.
Admittedly, a lot of these exercises will be new for a lot of athletes.
This isn’t just a classic bodybuilding style workout where you’ll see 3 sets of squats and lunges. Relentless programs are loaded with integrative exercises that challenge you with unconventional movements.
You’ll have a Youtube Playlist with demonstrations of each exercise in that days workout so that you’ll always know exactly what to do.
This program was designed to be performed with a super basic gym setup. We don't believe in big fancy gym setups or the latest equipment. This program includes: dumbbells, cables/bands, barbells, kettlebells, and mini-bands. For any exercise that may require a specialized piece of equipment (trapbar/landmine/etc.) we've included alternative exercises guide, but 95% of gyms will have exactly what you need.
Immediately after purchase you’ll have access to our members-only platform that contains all of your training programs and bonus resources. You’ll have lifetime access to this platform and will be able to come back any time to download your programs or get updated versions/new resources.
We stand by our programs 100%. That’s why we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Having seen thousands of players train with Relentless, we know hockey players who truly invest in this program and their training get results. But if you start this program and it’s not for you, just contact our team within 30 days and we’ll send you a full refund.
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Hey dude, I just wanted to hit you up and let you know that I just finished the Size program and I’m up 12lbs. I’m such a hard gainer so this has been huge for me. Best part is I actually feel more solid in down low and in front of the net. This program will definitely net me an extra 10 garbage goals this season!
This has been my biggest off-season ever. I went from 160 to 175lbs. Top 3 in fitness testing. Already playing top line minutes. I really credit you guys for helping me get here, I couldn’t do with without Relentless!
I don’t know how many female players you have on this program, but my results have been huge and super impactful for my game. My coach told me that to play D1 I would have to get strong enough on the puck. I’m feeling stronger and more confident in the corners and tougher to knock off the puck and I really credit my off-season training with your guys' programs.
Just wanted to share some of my results this season… I started playing on 1st/2nd line, doubled my points, and even started talking to a couple of colleges.. My dad says my game really changed by getting stronger and even my coaches comment on how strong I am on the puck. Really appreciate your guys' help last off-season!
My old trainer was all about functional training and would say Americans focused too much on strength... but I knew I had to get stronger and add muscle to play pro. The Relentless program was perfect because it trains functional and for hockey… but still focuses on getting stronger.
Kyle, I just gotta say.. I wasn’t expecting this kind of program! I’ve been a gym guy all my life and thought I idn’t even know I had! I didn’t add too much muscle (that wasn’t the goal for me) but I am noticeably stronger and more stable on the ice. It’s like I turned my gym strength into hockey strength with this program.
I love this program. I followed you guys on insta for years and knew your stuff was tight.. But actually getting a structured program to follow has been massive. I feel like my core is 10x stronger and that I’m built like an elite hockey player.
Honestly my goal wasn’t adding muscle, it was developing “Crosby strength” that would let me get stronger on the puck. A couple weeks in and I already felt that improved core strength and being able to tap into those stronger positions. I’ve loved this program and can’t wait to repeat it!