Daily Training Tip #232

You never know who looks at your off ice testing results. Make sure you are prepared to succeed and "pass" the tests.

Why not prepared yourself for success? Pay the price off of the ice and hit the jackpot off of the ice!

Daily Training Tip #231

Make sure you put in the final touches on your training so you are in top shape for your tryouts.

Hopefully, you have paid one heck of a price this off-season and are close to ready to go for you tryouts. Don't stop now. The last 3-4 weeks of your development are the most important. Continue to pay a price and continue doing the proper workouts in the gym.

Daily Training Tip #230

Try doing squat jumps with the slosh pipe. A great leg workout as well as targeting your core and improving your balance.

(Joey Frazer, Medicine Hat Tigers, has put in well over 10,000

training hours @ MHC. He spends 8+ weeks @ MHC each summer)

Try building a slosh pipe for yourself. Easy to build and a great training tool that can be added to your routine.

Daily Training Tip #229

This time of the season your focus needs to shift to more on ice time. Your off ice development is still important, but you need to get comfortable on the ice. Get a feel for the ice, the puck and all the "little skills" you need to improve on. Training camp is just around the corner. You have one shot and making the team. Don't let yourself down.

Daily Training Tip #228

As an injury prevention, work on your shoulder stability. Heavy Ropes are a good and fun way to accomplish this.

There are so many fun and beneficial exercises you can do with the heavy ropes. Might be something you want to invest in.

Daily Training Tip #227

Continue working on the "little" things. Your core is a "little" thing, but plays a "BIG" role in your development.

Daily Training Tip #226

Your work off of the ice is never done. You never arrive. You are never as good as you can become. Continue to Lift Strong!

If you never arrive, you never stop improving. If you are never going to stop improving, you can never stop working. Continue to pay a price on and off of the ice.

Daily Training Tip #225

How many pullups can you do?

Just about every team tests on pullups. The more you are able to do, the better chance you give your success.

After you complete all of the off-ice test in the pre-season, you are going to be given a label. That label is going to stick with you over the course of the season. Why not make your first impression a good one? Why not go out and get  yourself a good label? Why not do great on all of your off-ice tests, including pullups?

Daily Training Tip #224

To play like a pro, you need to train like a pro.

(Left, Drew LeBlanc, SCSU, spent 7 weeks @ MHC)

(Right, TJ Oshie, St Louis Blues, spent 2 weeks @ MHC)

These guys are the guys you are trying to catch. If you out work and out train them, you narrow the gap. If they out work and out train you, they continue to expand the gap. Athletes need to narrow all gaps. They need to strive to be the best...in everything. In order to play like a pro, you need to train like a pro...or even better!

Daily Training Tip #223

Do something out of the ordinary everytime you step on the ice AND everytime you step into the gym.

Daily Training Tip #222

Your body likes AND reacts well to change. This is another reason why you need to sprint, lift, jump and skate together on the same day.

Your body thrives on change. Not only change your workout daily, but also change during the workout itself. Make sure you condition all 4 muscle groups together...sprint, lift, jump and skate!

Daily Training Tip #221

You never know when your body is going to react and change drastically because of your training habits. You need to start or continue training today.

Some athletes can see dramatic physical changes in a short training period while others need more time. Either way, you don't know, so you need pay a price and get going.

Daily Training Tip #220

Multi-sport athletes are good all around, well balanced athletes. If you only play one sport, you better cross-train.

Special Thanks

Special Thanks goes out to Blake Theisen. Blake completed his internship @ MHC this summer. Blake spent countless hours working with the groups and individual athletes in the gym over the past 8 weeks. Each athlete has imporved physically because of the time Blake put in with them. Blake is a first class person and a great instructor. Because of his work ethic and character, Blake will go far in the field of Strength & Conditioning.

Thanks for all the help Blake!

Daily Training Tip #219

The buzz word in off-ice training is "quick twitch" muscles. Similiar to fast twitch, but not exactly the same.

Can be trained in a similiar fashion, but with a little more start/stop/change of direction movements. Hockey players are constantly only taking one or two steps, stopping, then starting back up again in a different direction. The quicker this is accomplished, the better the athlete becomes.

Too many hockey players only train for fast twitch movements, which is good, but only one piece of the puzzle. Hockey players need to be able to skate fast, but more importantly, they need to be quick.

Start training your Quick Twitch muscles today!

Daily Training Tip #218

Don't over look strengthening your forearms. Forearms support your stick skills. Your forearms are strengthened in the gym.

Pictured below is a DB Carry. Good for developing your forearms. Wrist rollers and wrist curls/extension are also good exercises to work with.

(Cullen Eddy, first year pro, is in his fourth year training at MHC)

Daily Training Tip #217

"Rubber Bands" are a good way to target your hip muscles that are important to develop, but sometimes overlooked. These rubber bands are cheap to buy and are a must for your training routine. There are many different exercises these bands can be used for. Some are more intense than others, but all great for your development.

(Joey Frazer, Med Hat Tigers, and Josh Archibald, Brainerd High School, have both spent numerous weeks training @ MHC over the years)

(Jack Berger, Princeton University, started training @ MHC this summer) 

Daily Training Tip #216

Set Goals! Athletes (really everyone) tend to work harder if they have a specific goal to follow.

Set short term goals. Set long term goals. Do what ever you have to do to reach those goals. I am willing to bet, if you are an athlete, to reach any goal you need to spend some time training in the gym.

Daily Training Tip #215

If you can't "dance" in the gym during speed plyos, you might not be able to score a big goal.

(Ben Hanowski, SCSU, spends numerous weeks training @ MHC each summer)

Leave your inhibitions at the doors. Don't worry about what others think, do what you know is right. Another example of how important off ice training is. The greater amount you put in, the better your results are going to be.

Let's go Dancing today!

Daily Training Tip #214

Most athletes need to consume an additional 2500-3500 calories a week to gain one pound of muscle each week.

An athletes' diet is very important. Don't over look your diet. You work hard and pay a price, don't drop the ball at the dinner table!

H20 Overdrive

http://www.h2ooverdrive.com/

There is a new recovery drink out there. I have had it in my gym for awhile and have been getting pretty good reviews. Most of my guys have taken a liking to it. There is three flavors; tangy tangerine freeze, lychee lemon rush and jostaberry. I have been hearing tangerine and lemon are the two most popular flavors, at least from my athletes.

Give it a try. It is in stores near you.

Daily Training Tip #213

Hexagon Drills are a good way to improve your foot speed & coordination.

(Drew LeBlanc, SCSU, spends numerous weeks training @ MHC each summer)

Improving your foot speed is fairly easy to do. After a good sound training program is in place that includes; jumping, lifting, sprinting and skating daily-your physical test scores will start to improve. Speed plyos force your feet to move faster. You head has to tell your feet to move and then your feet have to move. The more reps you train through, the better you become.

Daily Training Tip #212

What you do when no one is looking is what defines you both as a person and as a player.

It says something about yourself if...the gym door is open and you wave and walk by. It says something else about yourself if...the gym door is open and you stop in and work a little bit.

Daily Training Tip #211

No one else can do your work for you. You need to "pay the price" and develop your own skill sets.

Daily Training Tip #210

It is so important for athletes to improve on their vertical jump. Improved Vert = Improved Skating Speed

(Curtis Valk of the Med Hat Tigers spent 4 weeks at MHC this summer)

There are many different exercise routines that are geared towards improving a player's vertical jump. Plyometrics are need to be a part of those routines. Plyometrics along with a good leg strengthening program will put you in a great postion to improve your vertical jump.

The saying..."I can't play basketball because I can't jump, so I had to play hockey" couldn't be more false. Hockey players (athletes in general) need to improve on their vertical jump.

Have fun jumping!

Daily Training Tip #209

If you spent your time yesterday trying to develop into the best player off of the ice, imagine how good you will become on the ice?

The sky is the limit. If you sprint, lift, jump and skate together on a daily basis you will develop into the player that you aspire to be.

Daily Training Tip #208

If you are dedicated enough, you can develop into the best athlete off of the ice.

As I watch drylands daily, I can usually pick out the best athlete-which in turn translates into the best player on the ice. If you can develop into the best athlete off of the ice, you will develop into the best player on the ice. Why wouldn't you give everything you have to become the best off of the ice?

MHC MISSION STATEMENT

MHC MISSION STATEMENT




To be the best provider of hockey training for athletes, coaches and trainers in the World

To operate the company on a sound financial basis of profitable growth

To reach out to players around the world; making the Camp the most respected in hockey

To reach out to other programs that complements our camp experience

To address the needs of the Brainerd Area community through involvement with youth programs and other worthy causes

To empower employees and athletes to “Be As Much As You Can Be” in a nurturing environment which recognizes unique talents of each individual, unconditional respect for the talents of others, and creativity.



We are in this business to create an awareness of training by exposing assets and liabilities. We are the type of people who force you to make a decision on us; force you to have an opinion on what we do. You will pick sides before you finish our program. We do things from the heart. Aside from the pleasure of owning the camp, if our athletes garner inspiration from their involvement, incentive, or find a way to love training and playing the game, if will be great. You will either love us or leave us. Either way; finish one week and you will be more proud than when you walked on to the grounds.



Image may be everything to the person who takes time to build his own, but substance is everything. You get more out of hockey when you use the game to learn more about life. You develop a love for the game where you can feel it. Only than can you act on your assets and liabilities.



If we don’t have an idea that materializes and changes a person’s life, then what have we got? We wouldn't really have much of anything. We can have talks, research, seminars and meetings. If we don’t have a change in the organization or team, we really have nothing. It’s not too often we get to do something for the first time as we get older. Young people give us an opportunity to create something new every day we work with them.



“Commitment to training the way we train prepares an ordinary person to do extra-ordinary things.”



We are a camp that refuses to follow America's trend. We are still attempting to create the drive and desire that used to exist in the majority of all athletes. It comes as no surprise that the sports world is deteriorating when you consider all the wealth and all that is out there for kids these days. They have a lot of choices outside of the playground setting. We are losing the "hungry" kid that used to be able to afford the game and the wealthy feel they can get by with the gimmicks.



Chris Chelios has a son that told the Gretzky boys that this camp is hard, and he is right. Well, the Gretzky boys took everything we had to offer in stride and hopefully they will return for the right reasons. They received no special treatment and they responded admirably. I have a great deal of respect for them and their upbringing after observing them for two weeks.



I saw something in Dean Chelios that made me want him here for 5 to 7 weeks a summer. I liked what I saw. He was a good kid and performed admirably out of his comfort zone. I know in my own heart we could help him because, like the Gretzky children, he has things you can't teach.



We are in an age where kids get too much too soon and we have too many who think they can "buy success". We have too little focus on consistency and continuity. The intangibles are secondary and kids are being misled as to what it takes to succeed in life and the game. We believe our passion, and love for the game and kids who play it, will rub off on the people who work and play here.



Baseball fields are filled with hungry and poor sand lot ball players, but those sand lots are in a different country. Outdoor rinks are a thing of the past in most areas. Structure and "buying" our way is the norm in AAA hockey.



We still maintain the hope that some hungry kid or some kid who has everything going in life but hockey, will catch and pass up the guy who gets all the breaks. We are an underdog camp with a few elite players to emulate. One of the easiest ways to develop a winner without cost is to elevate the charisma, class and character levels of every young person we meet. These are traits that bring more credibility to the game.



Our country is falling behind in most every sport and we haven't been able to figure out the reasons why. It comes as no surprise to me after traveling all over the world and being witness to the different ideas on training.



This camp has the answer, but few care to listen. There is no replacement for quality training time spent working hard. There is no replacement for the combined humor and sweating with your colleagues. Hard work is fun and will always be. Hard work puts you on a path to "Peace of Mind".



When our society begins to once again endorse that concept we will be on the road to recovery. If a player plays five (5) minutes in a sixty (60) minute game, they will play like it is the most important five (5) minutes of their life. We need to develop players capable of creating an atmosphere (attitude) conducive to success. Hockey players contribute in different ways. In doing so, they feel a sense of ownership and pride; all part of being on a winning team.



"Adults and management have a way of stripping young people of opportunity; if only by a rating system." For some, you may get that “one chance” and you better be ready to make the most of it. For others, they can do no wrong. Right or wrong, the pros have less of a support system for their players than the amateurs. This comes at a time when the support system could be the most important thing in your life.



None of us can say we’ve done it by ourselves, no matter what we accomplish in our lives. Supports systems are crucial to our success; whether amateur or pro. We’ve been witness to over twenty-five (25) training camps during our professional career. Sometimes it is the high risk chance we don’t take that gets the attention of management, then there are the times it is the expression of our unique talents.



Every athlete has to take the approach, "If it can happen, I am going to make it happen."



This was the concept our forefathers envisioned when they laid the foundation for this great country; a model for any team to follow. I would guess there are more than a few rolling around in their graves right now; not too happy with what’s happening in our society.



Team members provide an enormous lift to society and communities when they know they are doing something well. When their light shines, our light shines. It matters not who or what you are; you are no different than the next person.



Our camp changes young peoples’ lives for these very reasons.



The word "mission" is very evident at Minnesota Hockey Camps. We strive to have each person have a communicable, altruistic purpose for what they are doing, especially, for their vocation and profession. We consider our life in hockey an avocation. We are on a mission as mentors of sorts with hopes that the end results are Peace of Mind, Stanley Cup, and a legacy such as our camp in the Brainerd Lakes Area. We still have a chance to win another Cup and Ring. We can readily identify with our mission in life. The purpose is much larger than we are and we feel we can talk about our lives as having a meaningful and worthwhile direction.



Camps have been, are and always will be an important segment of American society. They are a place to let the imagination run. We have a plus having ours in a pristine setting. Young people need camp experiences to grow out and away from their comfort zones. A worthy camp will play a role in the psychological, sociological and physical growth of a child, and ultimately plays a role in their successes in life. The camp can play a similar role in any employee’s life. We embrace a family style setting in and amongst the birch, pines and pristine shores of beautiful Clark Lake. We have a rustic setting with the latest in training techniques.



We are aware of what our company can do to improve the quality of life for people like our players, coaches and support staff. We have a quality place to work and play. We can cite example upon example of how MHC’S service made a difference in individual lives. The self-esteem levels of the people involved are raised considerably, we are saving careers once doomed to fail, and we are improving people's life-styles by recognizing their unique skills.We are helping young people find purpose in their lives and careers and we are helping others discover what they have in common to work together. We've recruited people with the right values to carry out our mission. Per person productivity is up there with the best in the business. The employee's attitudes toward our company are at an all time high.



Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are reserved. No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps

Daily Training Tip #207

Multi-tasking during your workouts is a great way to maximize your off-ice training time.

Example; hold a stick and handle a puck/ball when you are jumping on the stride box.

Sometimes your training time is hard to come by. So when you have it, make sure you maximize your time. Multi-tasking exercises are a great way to do this.

Daily Training Tip #206

It is good to be curious in the gym. Try new exercises. Find out what works best for your body and what doesn't.

Daily Training Tip #205

Work on pull-ups. Pull-ups are an off-ice test that most teams complete. Do bad on the pull-up test and you will get a label. Do good on the pull-up test and you will also get a label. The second is better than the first! Let's practice pull-ups so you 'pass' the test.