Daily Training Tip #372

Hold yourself and your workouts accountable!

2011 Frozen Four

We'd like to wish all participating teams in this year's Frozen Four the best of Luck.

This marks the fifth consecutive season that a Brainerd Warrior will be plaing in the Frozen Four. Carl Sneep in three (3), Chris Peluso in one (1) and now Drew Olson in his first. All are MHC campers and are part of our MHC family. http://brainerddispatch.com/sports/2011-03-29/olson-latest-former-warrior-frozen-four

I'd have to do a little more homework to find out how many consecutive years MHC has been represented in the Frozen Four, but at least the last six (6) Frozen Fours!

This year MHC has representation on three (3) of the four (4) Frozen Four teams;

UM-Duluth-Joe Basaraba, Keegan Flaherty and Drew Olson

North Dakota-Brad Malone

Michigan-Mac Bennett

We wish all teams and all players involved the best of luck. We can only hope for three (3) great games!

Daily Training Tip #371

Make sure you follow two (2) important things during your workouts;

1) Make sure you have great quality during each of your exercises. Quality is better than quanity.

2) Make sure you have great intensity during each of your exercises.

Daily Training Tip #370

Make sure your off-ice trainning has a direct correlation to your on-ice performance. The movements you make while training on the Stride Box are directly correlated to your movements on the ice.

If this player was dressed in hockey gear, you wouldn't be able to tell if he was training in the gym or on the ice. This is what parts of your off-ice conditioning need to look like.

Daily Training Tip #369

When running backwards, really work on extending each leg as far back as possible.

Daily Training Tip #368

Add backwards running, sprinting and jumping to your workouts. It is a good supplement to forward sprinting and helps increase your results.

When doing backward movements, make sure your form is the same as when forwards. Nothing changes, still light on your feet and landing softly.

Daily Training Tip #367

Quickness ladder drills are a great way to improve on your foot turnover speed. There are thousands of different exercises to do in the ladder, be creative.

(Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia Flyers)

Look at the video picture above. These ladder drills are good for all sports as they build foot speed, but a good way to make it hockey specific is to hold onto your stick while completing these drills.

Daily Training Tip #366

If you live in Minnesota, today's workout should be sholving snow. A great way to build up your 'shooting muscles.' When you have a hockey player, who needs a snowblower?

Daily Training Tip #365

Why let yourself ever get out of shape? The easiest way to get into top shape is to never let yourself get out of top shape. You have a much easier road to the top of the mountain if you stay close to the top and continue to climb. The player climbing for 12 straight months will reach the top before the player that only climbs for 9 straight months.

Daily Training Tip #364

The best lower body exercises are ones that work on triple extension. Triple extension is when your hips, knees and ankles flex and extend at the same time.

Pictured above; while not the most perfect form, you can easily see the hips, knees and ankles flexing. When extended together, player will jump into air, launching medicine ball. Skating has the same qualities, triple extension is present during each stride.

Daily Training Tip #363

Don't just run a mile. Run a mile that is comprised of a 100 yard sprint followed by a 100 yard jog. Repeat this eight (8) consecutive times and you have just ran a mile, a hockey specific mile!

Daily Training Tip #362

There are numerous aspects of athletic ability. Explosive power is just one aspects. Great athletes are great in all areas. So your workouts need to be dynamic and you need to work on all areas of you development.

Daily Training Tip #361

There is a direct correlation between vertical jump height and athletic ability. Josh Archibald agrees. Josh has a 32" vertical jump and has a 95mph slap shot. Josh also skates better than average NHL skating speeds. One of the key reasons is his athletic ability. He improves on it daily, by doing workouts that improve on his vertical jump.

There are lots of different exercises and exercise routines that build athletic ability. However, if jumping isn't involved in those routines, throw them out the door!

All WCHA...MHC Campers

Congratulations to MHC Campers Matt Donovan (Denver) and Drew LeBlanc (St Cloud). Matt was named to the All WCHA 2nd Team and Drew was named to the All WCHA 3rd Team. Both are tremendous young men with a great future and have paid one heck of price to get where they are today.

(Drew LeBlanc doesn't let anyone out work him)

Daily Training Tip #360

I've hit this before, but make sure you are putting the proper fuel into your body. You can do any work you want training, but that can be easily wasted if you have a bad diet!

Daily Training Tip #359

Make sure you breathe properly during your workouts and during specific exercises. Exhale (or breathe out) during the hard part of each exercise.

State Tourney Time!

I will be in the cities for the Boys High School State Hockey Tournament this week. I will be in the Minnesota Hockey Camps booth at the Let's Play Hocke Expo. Stop by and see us!

My Daily Training Tips will only be on twitter for the next few days. Check them out at http://twitter.com/#!/mnhockeycamps I will get back blogging again on Monday March 14th.

Daily Training Tip #354

You will see the most physical benefit from working out first thing in the morning. So get up and get to the gym!

The same holds true with practice. Early morning practices have the most benefits for you and for your team!

Daily Training Tip #353

Once your injuries are all healed up, then you can start thinking about next year. Start by building a good "strength" base and improve your overall strength. Then you can move onto other areas of your training.

Daily Training Tip #352

You need to heal up from your injuries from this past season, before you start looking ahead to next season. If a doctor told you to "rest" or to "stay immobileized" then don't move!

Daily Training Tip #351

Start training for next season by doing 'active recovery' while your injuries heal up.

As I said yesterday, there is no off-season. Each and every day, you need to be, at a minimum, doing some active. During this 'recovery' time, anything active goes; biking, running, swimming, racquet ball, etc. Stay Active!

Daily Training Tip #350

There is no off-season. Only the season itself and then preparing for next season!