Daily Training Tip #414

When training; be aware of severe weather. Keep tabs on the forecast and move your daily workout inside if needed. Severe weather can also mean high heat. High heat can possibly do just as much damage to your body as not drinking any water.

Daily Training Tip #413

Part of your off-ice training needs to be body control. Just because you are big, strong, quick or explosive; it doesn't mean anything if you can't control your own body. Complete exercises in the gym that force you to change direction on the ground or in the air. Focus on body control.

Body Control Includes...
Taking off while jumping.
Landing while jumping.
Changing of direction, quickly
Spinning forwards to backwards and backwards to forwards.
Keeping head up, knees up, etc

Daily Training Tip #412

A hockey player needs to train his/her "Million $ Muscles." Million dollar muscles are your muscles from your nipple line down to your knees. This is where you main training focus needs to be. I call this area your million dollar muscles because if you train this area well enough, someday you might be lucky enough to make a million dollars playing this great game.

Herbie always said, "The Legs Feed The Wolves." As the training world has advanced, Herbie wasn't that far off, his area has just expanded a little bit.

Daily Training Tip #411

For maximal development, the best time to workout is in the  morning. Get out of bed and go to the gym. Then return home, eat breakfast and head to school/work.

Thinking back to DTT #410, have enough vision and forward thinking to still get enough sleep. If you know you are going to the gym early in the morning, then go to bed a little earlier the night before.

Daily Training Tip #410

You should be working your way up to 2.5 times your body weight on your squats. Slowly increase your weight, building up to 2.5 times your weight. This may take a while to achieve. MOST IMPORTANTLY, keep using proper form! Proper Form always comes first.

Daily Training Tip #409

Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is crucial to your development. The average athlete needs 8+ hours of sleep each and every night. The younger you are, the more sleep you need.

Daily Training Tip #408

Not only are pull ups a good test to complete because they have a correlation to your overall strength, but pull ups help improve on your back hand shot. They improve on your upper back muscles that supplement your lower body when shooting a puck on your backhand.

Daily Training Tip #407

Not only is the log jump a good test to complete because of it's direct correlation to athletic ability, but raise the log jump up and it becomes a great exercise to build explosive power.

Daily Training Tip #406

Off-ice training needs to be considered an integral part of your development. Improvements need to start off of hte ice. I've witnessed way too many athletes that viewed off-ice training as just a time filler. These athletes' careers ended way too early. Put yourself into a position to succeed. Pay a price in the gym both by working hard and working smart.

Daily Training Tip #405

Jumping Rope is a good warmup and/or a good workout that benefits all athletes of all sports. Jumping Rope helps build coordination and agility. Make sure you pick the right size rope that fits you the best.

Daily Training Tip #404

Part of your training process needs to be injury. Injury prevention is just as important as improvements. With injuries, improvements will never happen. Common areas that hockey players are injuried or see signs of early fatigue is in your shoulders and hips. There are lots of small muscles inside of your shoulders and hips that are often over looked during  your training. Make sure you spend a little extra time this week on these two areas.

Daily Training Tip #402 & #403

Sorry for the slow delay, I've been having problems with the website.

#402 This is the time of year when the weather is getting nice. For a change of pace, move your workouts outside. If you can't complete your entire workout outside, use alternative workouts. It's good to change things up and get outisde a bit.

#403 As long as you're outside training, try to find a softer surface to train on. Look for a beach or grassy area and stay away from concrete and blacktop areas. The softer ground will save you shins, knees and hips in the long run.

Daily Training Tip #402

This time of the year when the weather is starting to get nice, complete alternative workouts outside. If you are unable to move your entire workout outside, pick an alternative one; swimming, biking, rollerblading, beach sprints, etc.

Sometimes moving outside makes a workout more enjoyable. If a workout is more enjoyable, you will stick to it for a longer period of time and you will work harder at it.

Daily Training Tip #401

As an athlete, your three (3) favorite drinks need to be...
     1) Water to help prevent dehydration
     2) Sports drinks to replace electrolytes
     3) Milk to help the recovery process
There are other important drinks, such as orange juice and cherry juice, but the above three should be consumed on a daily basis. Water needs to be ingested throughout the day, every day. Sports drinks should be ingested after intense workouts and competitions. Milk should be ingested shortly after intense lifting workouts.

Daily Training Tip #400

Completing normal lifting exercises while standing on one (1) leg, helps improve your balance. There is no need to complete specific balance exercises, just incorporate into your normal workout schedule.

A simple standing shoulder press can help improve your balance. Make sure you complete equal amounts on each leg.

Daily Training Tip #399

You need to wear the proper clothing when you are training outdoors or in harsh elements. You need to be flexible with what you are wearing and as the weather/elements change, you need to be able to adapt. Proper footwear is also critical.

Daily Training Tip #398

Pool workouts are a great way to get a low impact hockey specific workout in. You are able to do both power & speed plyos in a pool as well as sprinting. Of course swimming is a great cardio workout.

As the lakes unthaw in the north country, you can also use a nearby lake to get your workout done in.

Daily Training Tip #397

You can do so many different exercises with Medicine Balls, exercises that work the entire body. If you don't have a med ball in your possession, I'd suggest purchasing one.

You are able to work you lower body and core by doing Bosu Squats holding a 12pound Med Ball.

You can develop your core by doing Overhead Slams with a 10-12pound Med Ball.



Daily Training Tip #396

Be aware of non-FDA approved supplements. The labels might say one thing and there might be something completely different inside. Most supplements aren't approved by the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA), which means their contents can't be proven.

In today's world, you can buy supplements almost anywhere. Some are good, some are not so good. Beware of what you are intaking!

Daily Training Tip #395

Skating training can only do so much for a player. However, a good off-ice program can make the changes to a player's body so he/she can skate faster.

Take a look at the pictures below. Off-ice training is more  important for your career than you will ever know. Start training today! 

Daily Training Tip #394

Olympic lifts are great exercises to be doing. However, they need to be done properly for the benefit to come. You need to be strong enough to attempt these lifts first, then work on your form. Then an only then can you increase the weight.