RIRLift app icon RIRLift

Exercises

Lacrosse workout: speed, strength and shooting power

Published October 24, 2026

A lacrosse workout starts with a jump, bound or sled push while you are fresh, then one heavy lower-body lift like the trap bar deadlift or Bulgarian split squat, then a pull and a press paired with core work, and finishes with rotational med ball throws for shooting power. Lift three days a week in the off-season and two days in season, a couple of reps short of failure so practice and games do not suffer. The exercises that matter most are the trap bar deadlift, Bulgarian split squat, single-leg RDL, skater hop, sled push, med ball rotational throw, Pallof press and neutral-grip pull-up.

  1. Trap Bar Deadlift Quads, Glutes
  2. Bulgarian Split Squat Quads, Glutes
  3. Single-Leg RDL Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Skater Hop Glutes, Quads, Abductors
  5. Sled Push Quads, Glutes
  6. Med Ball Rotational Throw Abs
  7. Pallof Press Abs
  8. Neutral-Grip Pull-Up Lats

Lower-body strength

Strength is the base for speed. One heavy hinge, one single-leg squat and one single-leg hinge cover the legs for the whole season.

Total lower-body strength, hex bar hinge

Trap Bar Deadlift

Quads, Glutes

Sprinting, checking and winning ground balls all come from strong hips and legs. The trap bar deadlift is the simplest way for a lacrosse player to load them heavily, and the upright torso makes it easier to learn than a straight-bar deadlift.

How to do it

  1. Stand centered in the hex frame, grip the handles, and set a flat back with hips above knees.
  2. Take a breath, brace, and pull the slack out of the bar.
  3. Stand up fast by pushing the ground away.
  4. Lower with control to the floor and reset for each rep.

Cues

  • Fast up, controlled down
  • Chest proud
  • Full lockout with glutes

Common mistakes

  • Yanking the bar from the floor: take the slack out first.
  • Grinding reps to failure in season: stop with a couple of reps left.

Swap for: Barbell Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift

Build a session with Trap Bar Deadlift

Single-leg strength, rear foot on a bench

Bulgarian Split Squat

Quads, Glutes

Every cut, dodge and sprint stride pushes off one leg. The Bulgarian split squat builds strength one leg at a time and exposes the weaker side, and players who outgrow it can load it heavily.

How to do it

  1. Put the laces of your back foot on a bench and step the front foot far enough out that the shin stays close to vertical at the bottom.
  2. Hold dumbbells at your sides.
  3. Drop the back knee toward the floor until the front thigh is about level.
  4. Drive up through the front heel and midfoot. Finish one leg, then the other.

Cues

  • Vertical drop
  • Front foot drives
  • Trunk tall, slight forward lean

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the back knee off the floor: stop an inch above it.
  • Using the back leg to push: keep the rear foot relaxed on the bench.

Swap for: Dumbbell Split Squat, Reverse Lunge, Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat

Build a session with Bulgarian Split Squat

Hamstrings and balance, one-leg hinge

Single-Leg RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

Hamstrings power top speed and take a lot of strain in sprinting sports. The single-leg RDL trains them along with the balance and hip control you need to plant and change direction.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your left leg holding a dumbbell on the right side.
  2. Push your hips back and tip forward as your right leg extends behind you, keeping the hips level.
  3. Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, back flat.
  4. Squeeze the left glute to return to standing. Finish the side, then switch.

Cues

  • Hips level
  • Reach the back heel to the wall
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Twisting open at the hip: keep the back toes pointing at the floor.
  • Squatting instead of hinging: the standing knee only softens.

Swap for: Dumbbell B-Stance RDL, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Nordic Hamstring Curl

Build a session with Single-Leg RDL

Speed and change of direction

Do these first, fresh, with full rest. They train the lateral push, the jump and the acceleration that win dodges and ground balls.

Lateral power, side-to-side bound

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

Lacrosse is played as much sideways as forward: dodging, sliding on defense, cutting off a lane. Skater hops train you to push off one leg sideways and land balanced on the other, the base of every lateral cut.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your right leg in a slight crouch.
  2. Push hard off the right foot and bound to your left.
  3. Land softly on your left foot with your knee bent and hold for a beat.
  4. Push back off the left to bound to the right, and keep alternating.

Cues

  • Stick every landing
  • Push off the outside of the foot
  • Knee over toes on landing

Common mistakes

  • Landing with the knee caving inward: shorten the bound until the landing is stable.
  • Rushing without holding the landing: control matters more than distance at first.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Jump Squat, Lateral Sled Drag

Build a session with Skater Hop

Vertical power, jump onto a box

Box Jump

Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings

Jumping trains the explosive leg drive behind your first steps and every jump for a high pass. The box keeps the landing low-impact so you can do quality reps without hammering your joints.

How to do it

  1. Stand a step from a sturdy box.
  2. Swing your arms back, dip, and jump onto the box.
  3. Land with both feet flat and knees soft, then stand up.
  4. Step back down and reset before the next jump.

Cues

  • Explode, then land quietly
  • Step down
  • Reset each rep

Common mistakes

  • Picking a box so high you land in a deep squat: lower it.
  • Doing jumps tired: they go first in the session.

Swap for: Jump Squat, Frog Jump, Single-Leg Box Jump

Build a session with Box Jump

Acceleration, heavy sled drive

Sled Push

Quads, Glutes

The first three steps decide most ground balls and dodges. Pushing a sled trains the forward lean and hard leg drive of acceleration under load, with no landing impact.

How to do it

  1. Load a sled and grip the handles with your arms extended, body leaning forward at about 45 degrees.
  2. Drive one knee forward and push the ground back with the other foot.
  3. Take short, powerful steps for 10 to 20 yards.
  4. Rest fully before the next push.

Cues

  • Lean in
  • Short, hard steps
  • Push the ground behind you

Common mistakes

  • Standing too upright: drop your hips and lean into the handles.
  • Overloading until steps become a slow grind: the sled should still move steadily.

Swap for: Sled Pull, Lateral Sled Drag, Running

Build a session with Sled Push

Shooting power and a trunk that takes checks

Build rotation and resist it: a fast throw, a loaded rotational press, and an anti-rotation hold.

Shooting power, rotational throw

Med Ball Rotational Throw

Abs

A hard shot starts in the back hip and travels through the trunk to the stick. Throwing a medicine ball into a wall from a side stance trains that same sequence, fast, with nothing to slow down at the end.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall, about an arm's length plus a step away, holding a medicine ball at your back hip.
  2. Load your weight onto the back leg and rotate your shoulders away from the wall.
  3. Drive the back hip toward the wall, let the trunk follow, and throw the ball hard into the wall.
  4. Catch it on the rebound, reset, and repeat. Then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips lead, arms follow
  • Throw through the wall
  • Both sides, even reps

Common mistakes

  • Throwing with just the arms: the power comes from turning the back hip.
  • Only training your shooting side: do the same reps on both sides.

Swap for: Landmine Rotational Press, Cable Woodchop, Med Ball Woodchop

Build a session with Med Ball Rotational Throw

Rotational strength, landmine turn and press

Landmine Rotational Press

Shoulders, Abs

This links leg drive, hip rotation and a one-arm press in one movement, the way a shot or a check moves force from the ground to your hands. It is the loaded strength version of the med ball throw.

How to do it

  1. Set a barbell in a landmine, stand side-on to it, and squat to grip the end of the bar low by one hip.
  2. Turn your back foot and hips toward the bar end as you stand and drive it up and across.
  3. Finish with the arm straight and your hips square to the front.
  4. Bring it back down to your hip as you rotate back. Finish the side, then switch.

Cues

  • Pivot the back foot
  • Hips turn, then arm presses
  • Smooth, not jerky

Common mistakes

  • Pressing with the arm before the hips turn: the hips start the movement.
  • Arching back at the finish: brace and stay tall.

Swap for: Landmine Press, Med Ball Rotational Throw, Cable Woodchop

Build a session with Landmine Rotational Press

Anti-rotation trunk, cable hold

Pallof Press

Abs

Taking a check or protecting your stick in traffic means not getting twisted. The Pallof press trains your trunk to resist rotation, the counterpart to the rotational power you build with throws.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a cable set at chest height, handle at your sternum.
  2. Step out until there is tension, knees soft.
  3. Press the handle straight forward and hold two seconds without turning.
  4. Return it to your chest and repeat, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Square to the front
  • Hold the press
  • Brace like taking a hit

Common mistakes

  • Letting the cable turn you: stand a little closer.
  • Leaning away from the cable: stand tall with weight even on both feet.

Swap for: Dead Bug, Side Plank, Plank

Build a session with Pallof Press

Upper body for checks and stick work

Pull more than you push to balance a season of throwing and checking.

Lats and upper back, palms-facing pull-up

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

Lats

Strong lats and upper back support shoulders that take checks and swing a stick all game. A neutral grip is easier on the elbows and shoulders than wide-grip pull-ups, which suits players who also throw a lot.

How to do it

  1. Grab parallel handles so your palms face in, and hang with straight arms.
  2. Draw your shoulder blades down and pull your chest up toward the handles.
  3. Pause with your chin above the handles.
  4. Lower all the way down under control and repeat.

Cues

  • Shoulders down first
  • Chest to the handles
  • Full hang

Common mistakes

  • Kicking to finish reps: use band help or stop the set.
  • Half reps: lower to straight arms every time.

Swap for: Pull-Up, Lat Pulldown, Band-Assisted Pull-Up

Build a session with Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

Chest and shoulders, incline press

Incline Dumbbell Press

Chest

An incline press trains the upper chest and front shoulders that push through checks and hold off defenders. Dumbbells let each arm work on its own, which keeps sides balanced in a one-handed sport.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 30 degrees and lie back with a dumbbell at each shoulder.
  2. Press both up until your arms are straight over your upper chest.
  3. Lower them under control until they are level with your chest.
  4. Press again, keeping your shoulder blades pinned to the bench.

Cues

  • Shoulder blades back and down
  • Elbows at 45 degrees
  • Smooth press

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out: tuck them slightly.
  • Bouncing the dumbbells off the bottom: pause briefly.

Swap for: Flat Dumbbell Press, Push-Up, Landmine Press

Build a session with Incline Dumbbell Press

Mid-back and lats, supported row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

Rows balance all the pressing and throwing in lacrosse and build the upper back that keeps your posture strong when you cradle under pressure.

How to do it

  1. Brace one hand and knee on a bench, back flat.
  2. Let the dumbbell hang straight down from the other hand.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower to a full stretch. Finish the side, then switch.

Cues

  • Pull to the hip
  • Square shoulders
  • Full stretch

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the torso to finish: keep it flat.
  • Shrugging the weight up: lead with the elbow.

Swap for: Kettlebell Row, Seated Cable Row, Dumbbell Lawnmower Row

Build a session with One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Off-season, three lifting days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets46 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentPlyo Box, Trap Bar, Pull-Up Bar, Adjustable Cable +5

Your season is over, practices are off or light, and you have three days a week to get faster and stronger for next spring.

A typical lacrosse workout starts with jumps or sprints, moves to one heavy lower-body lift, then pairs upper-body work with core, and finishes with rotational power. Three sessions give each quality two exposures a week. Main lifts run at 1 to 2 reps in reserve to build strength; jumps and throws stop well short of fatigue because speed is the point. Each session is 14 to 16 working sets.

Day 1: Hinge and Pull
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Box Jump 3 × 3–5 3 90 s
Trap Bar Deadlift 4 × 4–6 2 3 min
A1 Neutral-Grip Pull-Up 3 × 6–10 1 90 s
A2 Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 10–12 2 45 s
Med Ball Rotational ThrowPer side. 3 × 6–8 3 1 min

Open Day 1: Hinge and Pull in the session builder

Day 2: Single Leg and Press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skater HopPer side. 3 × 5–6 3 75 s
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 3 × 6–10 1 2 min
A1 Incline Dumbbell Press 3 × 6–10 1 90 s
A2 One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 8–12 1 1 min
Landmine Rotational PressPer side. 3 × 6–8 2 1 min

Open Day 2: Single Leg and Press in the session builder

Day 3: Speed and Hamstrings
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Sled Push15 yd hard push. 4 × 1 3 2 min
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. 3 × 8–10 1 75 s
Neutral-Grip Pull-Up 3 × 6–10 1 90 s
Med Ball Rotational ThrowPer side. 3 × 6–8 3 1 min
Pallof PressPer side. 2 × 10–12 2 45 s

Open Day 3: Speed and Hamstrings in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or similar. Keep one day for conditioning or wall ball and one full rest day.
How to progress
Add load on the main lift whenever all sets hit the top of the range at the target RIR. Every four weeks, take a lighter week with one set less per exercise.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

In season, practice most days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentPlyo Box, Trap Bar, Pull-Up Bar, Dumbbells +4

You practice four or five days a week and play one or two games, and you want to keep your strength and speed through the season.

Practice and games already provide sprints and conditioning, so this plan only keeps strength and power alive. Each session has one jump or power exercise, one lower-body lift, one pull, one press and one core exercise, 12 sets total, all at 2 to 3 reps in reserve. That is enough to stop the slow loss of strength that happens over a season without leaving your legs heavy for games.

In-Season A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Box Jump 2 × 3–4 3 90 s
Trap Bar Deadlift 3 × 4–5 3 2:30 min
Neutral-Grip Pull-Up 3 × 6–8 2 90 s
Incline Dumbbell Press 2 × 8–10 2 75 s
Pallof PressPer side. 2 × 10 2 45 s

Open In-Season A in the session builder

In-Season B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skater HopPer side. 2 × 4–5 3 75 s
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 3 × 6–8 3 90 s
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 8–10 2 1 min
Landmine Rotational PressPer side. 2 × 6–8 2 1 min
Med Ball Rotational ThrowPer side. 2 × 5–6 3 1 min

Open In-Season B in the session builder

How to run it
Lift the day after a game and again two days before the next one. Skip the second session in a week with three games.
How to progress
Keep the weights from the end of the off-season. Add load only if a set feels like 4 or more reps left.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

High school player new to the weight room

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentPlyo Box, Trap Bar, Dumbbells, Incline Bench +1

You play lacrosse at school or club level and this is your first time following a lifting plan.

New lifters get stronger from almost anything done consistently, so this plan focuses on learning the main movements with good form: a hinge, a single-leg squat, a pull, a press, a rotation and a trunk exercise. Every set stops 2 to 3 reps short of failure, and there are no heavy maximal attempts. Each session is 12 working sets and takes under an hour.

Full Body
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Box JumpLow box. 2 × 3–5 3 90 s
Trap Bar Deadlift 2 × 6–8 3 2 min
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg, bodyweight or light dumbbells. 2 × 8–10 2 90 s
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 2 × 10–12 2 1 min
Incline Dumbbell Press 2 × 8–12 2 75 s
Pallof PressPer side. 2 × 10 2 45 s
How to run it
Lift on two non-consecutive days a week, for example Monday and Thursday, alongside practice. Use a weight you could lift for several more reps than the target.
How to progress
When every set of an exercise reaches the top of its range at 2 reps in reserve, add the smallest weight step. After two to three months, move to the off-season plan.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What workouts are good for lacrosse?

Workouts that combine speed and jumps, single-leg and hinge strength, rotational power and upper-body pulling. A session typically opens with box jumps or skater hops, moves to a trap bar deadlift or split squat, pairs a pull with a press and core work, and ends with medicine ball throws.

Does lacrosse have a lot of running?

Yes, especially for midfielders, who run repeated sprints with short breaks for the whole game. That is why the off-season plan includes sled pushes and why in season, practice covers your conditioning so the gym can focus on strength.

How many days a week should lacrosse players lift?

Three days in the off-season and two in season works for most players. In season, lift the day after a game and leave at least a day before the next one.

How do I get a harder lacrosse shot?

Train rotational power from the ground up: medicine ball rotational throws, landmine rotational presses, and a strong lower body from deadlifts and split squats. Combine that with shooting practice, because technique transfers the power to the stick.

Should young lacrosse players lift weights?

Yes, with good coaching and moderate weights. The first-year plan here keeps every set 2 to 3 reps short of failure and focuses on learning the movements before adding load.