Daily Training Tip #172

Not only should you train on unstable surfaces, but you should lift "unstable" weights.

The added movement of lifting unstable weights causes your core to tighten up. It allows you to train in more game specific situations.

Try "Ole Green" and Minnesota Hockey Camps.

Daily Training Tip #172

The two most important times to eat are when you wake up in the morning and at the completition of your workout.

At the minimum, eat a healthy snack at these two times. During these two time periods, your body is striving for some good nutrition. You workout results will increase if you eat at these times.

A Letter to a Future MHC Camper

Over the years of developing athletes, we have witnessed some players that work hard and some that do not. We’ve witnessed some players that work smart and some that do not. We have worked with and watched players train and develop at every level. At every single level, the player that works the hardest and trains the smartest is the most likely to define their game in line with their skills and maximize their potential.




Scott Hartnell, Ryan Malone, Matt Greene, Yan & Paul Stastny, TJ Oshie, Blake Wheeler, Chris & Anthony Stewart, Wayne Simmonds, Jon Curry, Brett Motherwell, Casey Borer, and Matt Hendricks are a few players who are doing everything they can to improve their status in the pro ranks and in NHL. Brad Malone, Carl Sneep, Ben Hanowski, Drew LeBlanc and Drew Olson are a few players who are doing everything they can to improve their status in college hockey and reach their goal of the NHL. All of these players attend Minnesota Hockey Camps for a certain amount of weeks each summer.



We have worked with kids who think they train, think they are in shape, think they are training properly and find that most do not! We have been witness to young phenoms who were born to be young and phenomenal but needed to work to get to the next levels. Some were even born to be great youth, junior and college players, but had no chance of going beyond that level if they didn’t train. Their careers are a matter of record. We see them play every weekend and wonder who the next “victim of early success” will be. Make a list and see for yourself. The list we have is extensive.



If you are not doing the quality and hockey specific training we employ at Minnesota Hockey Camps, you are not preparing yourself properly. Every year we have numerous ex-players say, “I wish I had utilized what your camp has to offer, I didn’t do enough when I was young or we had nothing like this when we were young. I was so close; I wish I had done more.” Everyone one of them can’t change the past. However, you can still determine your future! You have one chance to make it happen!



We want every player that we come across to be the very best they can be. The staff here has forty (40) plus years working with young athletes. We have over 26 years of testing results from the NHL, Olympic teams, Division 1 teams and Junior A teams to prove our stature. The results do not lie. Players training properly, play properly.



Over the past years of developing athletes, we have come up with one question that we want every player to answer. “Am I doing enough to maximize my skills?” Percentages tell us the answer is NO! This is usually the answer at all levels up through the NHL. We have witnessed numerous teams, numerous strength coaches and numerous programs and we cannot find a program more intense/more hockey specific/more proven than ours. Most things in life are not black and white; however, developing athletes is black and white. You either are doing the rights things or you are not! Come and train with us for three weeks and see the difference in your game. Give us the chance to help you be the player you aspire to be. Give us the chance to expose your liabilities and assets. We will!



Then you will be in a psychological position to, “Trust Your Game”!

Carve out your own legacy, don’t be a follower, be a leader! Don’t let anything stand in your way. I will be the founding member of  “Your Fan Club” make me proud.

Daily Training Tip #171

Two lifts that might extend a person's career...The multi-hip machine and pull-ups.

Both of these lifts (in some way/shape/form) need to be in your workout program. They are crucial to your development.

Congratulations to all NHL Drafts Picks.

Congratulations to all the players that were drafted in this year's NHL Draft, but especially the following...

1st Round
Beau Bennett
Emerson Etem

2nd Round
Devante Smith-Pelly

3rd Round
Joe Basaraba
Austin Levi

5th Round
Tyler Bunz

6th Round
Zane Gothberg

7th Round
Teigan Zahn

All of the above players have spent time training at Minnesota hockey Camps during the summer months. We wish you guys the best of luck. However, we hope you realize that your hard work has just begun!

Daily Training Tip #170

Two lifts that might save a person's career...Squats and Jump Squats.

Do these two lifts often and your career will be extended.

Congratulations to NHL Draft Picks!

Congratulations to MHC Campers Beau Bennett and Emerson Etem on being selected in the 1st round of last night's NHL Draft. Bennett was selected 20th overall by the Penguins and Etem was selected 29th overall by the Ducks.

MHC is proud of both of you!

Daily Training Tip #169

10,000 lakes are the background
10,000 repetitions become habitual
10,000 hours of hockey specific training define the player; and ultimately the person

Have you spent 10,000 training to make yourself a better hockey player? The majority of have athletes have not. That is 1,000 hours a year for 10 straight years. This is paying a price. Hard work has to be fun if you are going to spend so much time doing it. Hard work at MHC is FUN!

Daily Training Tip #168

Land softly when doing any sort of plyometric exercise.

Anyone can jump and do certain exercises, but to see the best results, land softly on the balls of your feet.

Daily Training Tip #167

Incorporate in some Unstable Surface Training (UST) into today's workout.

Unstable Surface Training can produce some good results. Do certain things like sprinting in the sand or doing squats on a dyna-disc.

How far has Strength & Conditioning Come?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5312405

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=5310210

A couple of great articles from espn.com on how far the field of Strength & Conditioning has come and how crucial it is and how important it is to have people in charge that are knowledgable and have a passion and are willing to go the extra mile for athletes of today.

Daily Training Tip #166

Shoulder injuries are becoming more and more common however, they can be prevented (to some extent) with hard work in the gym.

There are numerous things that can cause shoulder injuries. However, with a good strengthening and flexibility program you can prevent a vast majority of shoulder injuries.

Tuesday Morning Soreness!

Tuesday morning at Minnesota Hockey Camps is usually a day where people find out what hard work really is. They sometimes have a hard time getting out of bed because the muscles are a little tight. Funny, if you ask everyone they tell you they work hard. Guess in reality, everyone can work harder! Below is a little clip from Tuesday morning of week 1 at MHC.
   
http://youtu.be/Bz_exmYyixk?a

Daily Training Tip#165

Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Drink plenty of sports drink to replace electrolytes. Drink plenty of milk to help with the recovery process.

There are a lot of good "drinks" out there. They all benefit you in different ways. You need to drink them as they do nothing for you still sitting on the shelves in the store.

Daily Training Tip #164

Try some composite exercises such as whirling a slamball overhead to help develop your core.

Summer of 2010 is here!

Minnesota Hockey Camps is opening it's doors at noon today for it's 31st consecutive summer! The energy level around the grounds yesterday was great as the counselors/coaches/proshop workers arrived. This place becomes more and more special with each passing day. This summer promises to be another fantastic summer filled with the best training program around, the best staff, the best location and the best memories. We want to "help others help themselves."

There are still spots open to attend MHC in July and August. Register today and attend a week at "HOCKEY'S BEST KEPT SECRET" Your career will thank you later.

Daily Training Tip #163

Core exercises are also done to help prevent injuries. Something you and your parents can do together, both of you will benefit from it....in more ways than you know.

I have said hundreds (if not thousands) of times before that your core helps build athleticability. It also helps prevent injury during your "playing days" and beyond. Back injuries are way to common among the adult population. Strengthen you core and you might be suprised at how your back injuries disappear.

Daily Training Tip #162

If you prepare yourself for anything, setbacks and changes become minimal. You prepare yourself through hardwork and preparation.

The more prepared you become, the better you become.

Daily Training Tip #161

Your core makes the rest of your body more capable.

Think about this when  you are in the gym today. If  your core is the foundation of all athletic movements, it better be the foundation of all of your training movements as well.

Daily Training Tip #160

A well developed core is essential for optimal performance and injury prevention...1,000 daily sit ups!

Daily Training Tip #159

Exercise perscription is both a science and an art. Don't get fooled by just an artist.

Strength Coaches are more the just rep counters. There is a specific science behind the exercises and programs an athlete follows in the gym. Make sure you are getting lead down the right path. Come to MHC, we are time tested!

Daily Training Tip #158

The best athletes in the world are made when when no one else is watching.

What a player does all by himself, above and beyond what he is told, is what seperates himself from the rest of the pack.

Daily Training Tip #157

"Hockey Athleticism" improve all aspects of the game together on a daily basis. Sprint, Lift, Jump and Skate on a daily basis.

By doing this, these aspects all improve and grow together. You will become a better hockey player if these 4 activities become a staple in your daily routine.

Another Huge Effort From Hartnell

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/96032084.html#axzz0qXoXw3PK Scottie is one who knows what hard work really is. He spends his summers training with us in Brainerd. He is lifting and jumping in our gym when it is very hot in the dog days of summer. He has prepared himself to succeed late in the playoffs. I would want everyone to mimic what Scottie does. We're proud of you Harts!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-SWM6AjoKI Harts working out at MHC.

Daily Training Tip #156

Getting extra sleep over an extended period of time helps improve athletic performance.

Getting extra sleep also helps improve alterness and mood. Try to get as much sleep as you can each night. You want to try to sleep regularly each night. Try to go to bed and get up on a set schedule each day. Take brief naps if you are feeling tired.

There are a ton of things you can do to help yourself improve in any way you can. Getting enough sleep is another one of those things that helps you improve.

Daily Training Tip #155

Don't let yourself get out of shape. It is much easier to stay in shape than it is to get back into shape.

Don't stop training! There are certain training tactics that allow you to "active rest" and recover, while still training.

Daily Training Tip #154

Make an investment into your own career. Pay a price off of the ice. Do 50 hanging leg raises today.

Don't sit back and wait for good things to happen to you. "Pay a Price" and go get it yourself.

Daily Training Tip #153

Experienced lifters really need to "push" themselves in the gym. Don't just go through the motions. "Get something" out of it.

Everyone (regardless of skill, age, gender, etc) needs to push themselves in the gym. Just going through the motions isn't going to get you anything. Experienced lifters can take it a step further and add more and more weight to their lifts. Beginning lifters need to improve on the proper form of each lift. Once they perform each lift perfectly, then add weight.

Another Article on Hartnell

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=323877 Another nice article on MHC Camper Scott Hartnell. Hopefully, "Harts" can rebound and force a GM#7.

Daily Training Tip #152

BE ON TIME! Workouts/Practices aren't going to wait for you. They also don't work as well if you miss the first half of them. If you can't be on time, then be early!!

This holds true in life as well. Why do something if you aren't going to commit to it whole-heartedly? Bring your lunch box, show up early and be ready to work. Then you will put yourself in position to achieve your goals.

Daily Training Tip #151

Female Athletes...Don't worry about "bulking up" in the weightroom. There are certain things you can do to "bulk up" and certain things you can do to "not bulk up."

For understandable reasons, many female athletes don't want to add weight and don't want to add any bulk. However, don't let these scare you out of training off of the ice in the gym. There are MANY exercises and routines that a female athlete can complete in the gym that will help her improve her athletic ability and not "bulk up." Keep training ladies!

"Hartnell Leading the Way"

Little article on nhl.com on Scottie Hartnell and the success he is having this playoff run. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=530846


Take a look at our video of Hartnell (and others) training at MHC during the summer months.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-SWM6AjoKI
Scottie has spent numerous summers "paying a price" at MHC developing himself into a better player. He is just realizing how good he can become and the price he has to pay to get there. Keep up the good work Harts. Good Luck in the rest of the Finals. Hope you can return to MHC as a Stanley Cup Winner!!

Daily Training Tip #150

As you work hard in the gym this off-season, ultimately your nutrition choices may determine the success or failure of your program.

Don't underestimate the importance of what you put into your mouth. Everything has an effect...either a positive or negative effect. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Eat Healthy!!

Daily Training Tip #149

Hamstring exercises in the weightroom such as "single leg ball/hip" help prevent injury and improve performance.

Don't overlook your hamstrings. Hamstrings are very important in your skating stride and need to be trained/developed off of the ice.

Daily Training Tip #148

The game of hockey is unique. Therefore, in some aspects your training needs to be unique.