The Bronko Belt RTI is a new, resistance training device for hockey players which is worn on-ice during practice to help develop the leg and core muscles needed for proper technique and explosive power.The Belt evenly distributes an adjustable amount of training weight 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 significant improvement in a number of areas that will positively impact on-ice performance:

• Single leg strength and deep knee bend
• Dynamic balance and stability
• Explosive sport-specific power for multi-directional acceleration
• Anaerobic endurance

Resistance Training is a form of strength training where each effort or rep is performed against a specific opposing force caused by resistance. The resistance can come from weights, elastic bands, a partner etc. Regardless of the source of the resistance, the purpose of resistance training is the gradual and progressive overloading of the muscles to cause adaptation resulting in increased strength, tone, mass or endurance. Most hockey players will do resistance training off-ice in order to add strength, power and/or mass. However, whether you're training off-ice or on-ice, the principle behind resistance training remains the same.

If you've ever had to push the net down the ice during practice or had to pull a teammate behind you while he held onto your stick or jersey then you've done resistance training on ice. Why are these drills used? Among other reasons, they're used to condition your muscles to move more weight than they're used to. The same principle is at work with the Bronko Belt. What makes the Bronko Belt better is that your hands are free to shoot, stickhandle and pass while you wear the belt. You can do almost any drill with the belt that you can do without it (although it isn't recommended to use the belt for drills focusing substantially on body contact) meaning you can use the belt almost any time you're on the ice for practice including during drills which simulate game situations.

The biggest reason the Bronko Belt is a better option is its weight distribution pattern. Because the training weight in a Bronko Belt is located evenly on both hips, it doesn't restrict your range of motion or negatively affect your skating stride. The distribution pattern is also important from a safety perspective because it prevents the unnecessary strain on your back which can result when you place the training weight on your extremities instead of around your center of gravity. Placing the weight around your waist has one additional important feature: it allows you to shoot, pass and stickhandle like normal so you can participate in most of the drills you normally do. Other important features include:

• You can use it during a normal practice. You don't have to be doing power skating to become a stronger skater. Get more from the ice time you have.
• It's comfortable to wear whether you're doing a drill or sitting on the bench waiting for your next shift. Other alternatives can be time-consuming to put on or must be removed if you leave the ice.
• The belt is easy to use. Use the belt on your own in practice or wear it as part of your team training. It's easy to put on and take off so you can wear it doesn't interrupt practice.
• It's fully adjustable. Adjust the positioning of the weight packs so the belt fits your body and your stride. Adjust the amount of training weight to help you achieve your training goals.

No other training aid can offer the same combination of features and versatility. The Bronko Belt RTI helps you get more from each practice because every drill becomes a more intense, sport-specific workout.

The Bronko Belt RTI is intended for users over the age of 9 who adequately fulfill the size requirements outlined in the Sizing Chart (see below). It is recommended players have at least 3 years skating experience before beginning to train with the belt. The Bronko Belt RTI is intended to be worn on the exterior of the hockey pants commonly worn during hockey and only during on ice practice sessions. For full instructions on how to use the Bronko Belt RTI safely and effectively download the User Guide.

Off-ice training, including a combination of weight lifting, plyometrics, sprinting etc. is critical in improving overall strength, quickness and agility. However, to translate the strength gains made off-ice into hockey-specific improvements, the type of training you do on-ice is also important. The Bronko Belt allows you to combine both resistance training and sport-specific movements to facilitate and accelerate the transition of gains made off-ice into on-ice impovements. It does not however eliminate the need for a rigorous off-ice training program.

The amount of training weight required will depend on the individual using the belt. Age, physical strength, conditioning level and training goals all factor into the decision of how much training weight to use. Because of the high speeds possible in hockey, adding even a small amount of weight to the belt results in a noticeable increase in the effort required to skate. Each Adult (large) Bronko Belt RTI comes with 8 lbs. of training weight (4 lbs. in each weight pack). Each Youth (small) Bronko Belt RTI comes with 4 lbs. of training weight (2 lbs. in each weight pack). The Bronko Belt allows you to select and adjust the amount of training weight you insert into each weight pack so you can start with less weight and work your way up. The proper amount of training weight should make it feel like you're working harder to skate but it should not make you feel that you can't keep up during drills or that you have to adjust your skating stride to compensate for the training weight.

Out of the box, you'll see the Belt has three primary components: a waist belt and two weight packs containing the training weight. The first time you wear the Belt you need to properly fit the components together and adjust the fit to suit your body. Put the Bronko Belt on once you've got your hockey gear on and have tucked your jersey into your pants temporarily. Fasten the Bronko Belt's waist belt around your waist on the outside of your hockey pants such that the waist belt fits snugly below the belt in your hockey pants. Make sure the Rip Cord--the strap and cord loop structure in the middle of the waist belt--is closed and positioned in the middle of your back with the cord loop pointing downwards,

Next, insert the clips on either side of the Left and Right weight packs into the corresponding clips found on your waist belt. Adjust the positioning of each of the weight packs on your hips by pulling on the loose end of the straps on each weight pack to remove the slack. The weight packs should fit snugly around your hockey pants to prevent the weight packs from moving while you skate.

Finally, you need to attach the RipCord at the back of the waist belt to the Tie Down strap on the back of your pants. Open the RipCord by pulling the cord loop downwards to unfasten the velcro holding it closed. Next, pull the Rip Cord through the Tie Down strap from beneath and wrap the Rip Cord around until it fastens back onto the underside of the waist belt. This will lock the Bronko Belt in position on your pants and prevent it from spinning on your waist. Make sure the cord loop of the Rip Cord is accessible so it can be used to release the Rip Cord when it's time to remove the Belt. Untuck your jersey and you're ready to practice. For a full, detailed description of how to put the belt on download the User Guide.

Once the belt has been assembled it can remain as a single unit. (See below for instructions on removing the belt.) To put the Belt on as a single unit, tuck your jersey in temporarily, and wrap the Bronko Belt around your waist so the weight packs are positioned evenly on your hips. Make sure the Belt is not tangled or twisted and that the Rip Cord is positioned beneath the Tie Down strap on your pants in the middle of your back. Tighten the fit of the Belt by removing any excess slack from the waist belt and/or the straps of each weight pack.

Next, fasten the Rip Cord to the Tie Down strap, making sure the cord loop of the Rip Cord is accessible so it can be used to release the Rip Cord when it's time to remove the Belt. Untuck your jersey and begin your training.

Removing the belt is a simple, two-step process. First, pull on the RipCord loop at the back of the wasit belt to release the Tie Down strap on the back of your pants. Second, unfasten the buckle of the waist belt at the front of the Belt. Make sure to unfasten the waist belt buckle instead of the buckles which hold the weight packs in place. The Bronko Belt will slide off your pants and you can put the Belt on the players bench

Removing the weight packs from the waist belt and leaving the waist belt on your pants is possible if you plan on using the weight packs again later in the same practice. Otherwise, remove the Bronko Belt as a single unit to save time. Once you've tried it a couple times, adding or removing the Bronko Belt will only take seconds. You'll be able to do it on the ice, on the bench or in the locker room.

You can adjust the amount of training weight in each of the weight packs by opening the flap on each weight pack and adding/removing the training weight inside. Simply pull the white pull tab on each training weight and it will slide out of the weight pack. Close the flap on the weight pack and continue practicing.

You'll notice it requires more effort to reach the same speeds and that it's particularly noticeable when you're changing directions. Once you've worn the belt for a few minutes though, you'll start to get used to the weight, focus on the next drill and forget you are wearing the belt altogether. Of course, your body will still need to work harder than normal to compensate for the extra weight but you'll be able to participate in drills as though you weren't wearing anything. Once you take the belt off, you'll feel lighter and faster immediately. You'll notice how big a difference a few pounds can make. The sensation will fade eventually as your body gets used to your normal weight again but over time the muscles that power your stride will grow stronger as they adapt to the heavier weight.

It's not recommended to wear the belt for the duration of every practice because you want to train your body to use its increasing strength to move your normal (lighter) body weight around as quickly as possible. Since strong and slow is not the goal, you must incorporate time to do drills at full speed into your workouts--which means time when you're not carrying around extra weight. Therefore, it's recommended that the belt be worn for only a portion of practice and not the entire length. For example, you can wear the belt for every drill in the first twenty minutes of practice or, alternatively, you could wear the belt at the end of practice for conditioning drills.

Click here to place an order online: Order Online. Alternatively we have several retail locations in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) if that is more convenient: Retail Locations.

If you play for a team in southern Ontario or will be travelling to the southern Ontario region, a Bronko Hockey representative can visit your team at practice so you and your teammates can try the belt on-ice. Contact Us to set up an appointment.

Each Bronko Belt RTI comes with a waist belt, two weight packs and training weight. Adult (large) Belts come with 8 lbs. of training weight. Youth (small) Belts come with 4 lbs. of training weight. You also get a mesh Bronko carry bag to store your Bronko Belt in. A printed copy of the User Guide is also included with each Bronko Belt RTI.

Two sizes are available. Youth (small) Belts are intended for players aged 9 and up who fulfill the sizing requirements in our Sizing chart below. Players usually wear the Youth Belt between the ages of 9 and 14 depending on their size. The Adult (large) Belts can fit players as young as 12 depending on their size. The size requirements for players training with the Bronko Belt RTI are listed below in our Sizing Chart. The Belt should not be so large on a player as to interfere with the player's skating stride but should be large enough that the Belt spans the gap between the hip and kidney pads of the player's pants by at least 2 inches on top and bottom. When properly sized and positioned, the Belt should rest entirely on top of the hip and kidney pads of the pants. Refer to the User Guide for more information.