What is the Bronko Belt?
The Bronko Belt is the first and only weighted training belt specifically designed for hockey players. It is a simple and effective way for players to develop the leg and core muscles used during skating.
The Belt comfortably distributes an adjustable amount of training weight evenly around a player's center of gravity without compromising that player's ability to skate, shoot or stickhandle. Players wear the Belt over their pants during a portion of practice and are able to execute skills with full range of motion. Depending on the type of training done, players can experience improvement in a number of areas that will positively impact on-ice performance:
Single leg strength for proper knee bend
Powerful leg drive for acceleration and agility
Core strength and stability
Anaerobic endurance
Sport-specific training
Skating is a difficult movement to duplicate off the ice. The Bronko Belt allows players to add resistance to the actual skating movements they need to perform in games and practices. In this way, players can develop muscle strength and endurance that can be expressed in the coordinated manner necessary for powerful skating.
Leg strength—single leg strength, in particular—plays a large role in the development of proper stride mechanics. For young players in particular, inadequate leg strength is a major reason why some players struggle to develop proper stride mechanics. The Bronko Belt can help players develop the strength to achieve and maintain proper deep knee bend.
The Belt helps players build functional, sport-specific strength in the 'Drive Leg'-- the leg that provides the push in each stride. When you can apply more force into the ice and are able to do it with proper coordination and timing, you can push further with each stride.
Players using the Bronko Belt must use their core and stabilizer muscles to support and control the training weight each time they change direction. This dynamic balance and core strength is critical for proper edge control and efficient transfer of power during each skating maneuver. Players tend to adopt a wider stance and deeper knee bend which are important factors in improved stability as well.
Being able to recover quickly from high intensity shifts is critical. The Belt can help increase the intensity of drills in practice which makes it a valuable tool for anaerobic conditioning. The Belt adds an element of difficulty without restricting a player's full range of motion. Strength endurance in the muscles needed for a wide range of skating skills can be developed.
Video Feedback
President, All Star Hockey School, Toronto, Ontario
“Primarily the belt’s for skating—for acceleration and change of direction. The belt’s real good, I find, because unlike a lot of other resistance products, the belt sits on your core. So when you’re doing your transition stuff there’s not a huge torque.”
VIEW ALLVideo Feedback
President, All Star Hockey School, Toronto, Ontario
“Primarily the Belt’s for skating—for acceleration and change of direction. The Belt’s real good, I find, because unlike a lot of other resistance products, the Belt sits on your core. So when you’re doing your transition stuff there’s not a huge torque.”
VIEW ALLBuilt for hockey
The patented design of the Bronko Belt RTI offers a combination of features tailored specifically to the needs of hockey players. Special consideration has been given to the high-speed, high-intensity, full-contact nature of the game and as a result the belt is able to provide hockey players with the benefits of resistance training in a sport-specific manner without compromising the player's performance, comfort or safety.
Even weight distribution around your center of gravity:
- The belt positions the training weight around your center of gravity so your balance, range of motion and skating stride won't be negatively affected while you train. This allows you to improve skating power without compromising skating technique.
- The belt's placement on the hips leaves your hands free while training. Players can shoot, puck handle and pass normally meaning they can wear the belt during practice including during drills that simulate game situations.
- The curved, form-fitting weight packs of the belt hug your hips snugly on top of your pants to achieve as low a profile as possible so the belt fits inconspicuously under your jersey and doesn't get caught up on other players or the boards.
Easy to use and fully customizable for a comfortable fit:
- The belt can be adjusted to fit just about any player. The unique fastening system locks the weight packs in place on the waist belt and prevents them from sagging or otherwise moving while you play. The system allows you to easily adjust the positioning of the weight packs on your hips so they fit comfortably and don't restrict your range of motion.
- You can select the amount of training weight to suit your fitness level and training goals. The Adult size belt includes 8lbs training weight (4lbs in each weight pack) and the Youth size belt includes 4lbs training weight(2lbs in each weight pack).
- The belt goes on easily and comes off in seconds so players can wear the belt without disrupting practice.
Works with your pants to minimize the risk of injury:
- If you fall or collide with another player the belt is designed to transfer the force of the impact onto the protective padding in your pants to minimize the risk of injury.
- By positioning the training weight around your center of gravity, and not on your back or extremities, the belt helps you avoid unnecessary strain on your lower back and core muscles.
- While the belt has been designed to protect players in case of a fall or collision it is not recommended to use the belt during drills which focus substantially on body contact. Proper sizing is required to achieve proper protection. Injury may result if the belt is not used as directed. Consult your User Guide for complete instructions on wearing the belt.
What our customers say
"We used the belts once a week all season. We used it on our days that were designed for lower body weight room workouts. Instead of the weight room we did the workout on the ice with the belts. Afterward the players went directly into yoga. I think it did make a difference. Thanks for the developing the belts. A great product."
"We trained with the Bronko Belts all year, every practice. It helped our players strengthen their stride and become faster hockey players. So easy to use, on and off within seconds, it’s hard to be able to find a product so effective yet so easy to integrate into practice. The Bronko Belts will definitely be a product we continue to implement in our program year after year."
"In the early part of last season, the coaching staff made a decision to purchase Bronko Belts... [We] used the Bronko Belts for 30 minutes during the beginning of one practice per week from about October onwards... The coaching staff noticed an overall improvement in every player’s skating ability and endurance... [Our] opponent’s coaches and parents frequently commented on how fast our entire team was, and how good our players' endurance was to still be skating so well in the latter part of the game... We are very confident that using the Bronko Belts played a major role in [our] success, and the Bantam AA team and PeeWee teams at our club are now using the Bronko Belts for the entire season."
“Our team wears our Bronko Belts once per week and uses them primarily to work on skating agility. The players enjoy using the belts and actually ask to wear them before practice. They love the feeling when they take them off—they say it feels like they’re floating. Parents think it’s a great tool and have enjoyed the progress they’ve seen the players make. Once tryouts are over, we’re going to order belts for the new players so we can continue to train with the belts next season. “
