Daily Training Tip #659

As discussed before, Active Rest (AR) is an important part of a year-around training program. AR is sometimes misunderstood. AR is ACTIVE. It is playing basketball, tennis, racquet ball, swimming, etc during a structured ‘off day’ of training.

AR is NOT sleeping in until noon because you don’t have to make your 6a workout. It is NOT playing video games all day.

AR days are placed in a stratigic spot(s) during your training program. They are to be taken just as serious as your intense workout days.

Daily Training Tip #658

Hockey is a complex sport. It requires a lot of training in a lot of different capacities. In a sense, hockey is an anaerobic AND an aerobic sport. However, if done properly, anaerobic training becomes aerobic after a certain extended amount of time.

So there isn’t a need to take a “long slow run” or a “long bike ride” to ‘build up your cardio.’ Do some more explosive anaerobic training for an extended amount of time and you will be hitting both areas and improving more.

Daily Training Tip #657

Hard work breeds good results. Good results breeds confidence. Confidence breeds everything. So everything starts with Hard Work!

Daily Training Tip #656

This one is for you Andres boys!

It is easy to catch up and pass everyone that is in front of you. You have to do two simple things; out work and out smart everyone while you are training and you will be well on your way to a successful career.

Daily Training Tip #655

One of your goals when entering the gym each day; is to stay injury free. One way to prevent injury is to land with your foot completely on top of the box when doing box jumps. Keeping your entire foot on top of the box will prevent your foot from slipping off of the box.

A healthy athlete is one that can improve!

Daily Training Tip #654

The 40yd dash (in terms of football) is the most respected test, sometimes worth millions of dollars in a better contract or college scholarship if test is performed to perfection. Football players know they can improve on their 40 times with some hard work on the track and in the gym.

If the above is true, why are hockey players afraid of the track? There is a 90% direct correlation between sprinting speed and skating speed. Hockey players (in some sense) need to train like a sprinter!

Daily Training Tip #650, #651, #652, #653

#650 This one’s for you Chas!

Workouts can really happen all over the place. Watch a construction worker complete his daily job. Constantly lifting, twisting, swinging, etc. Always try to keep you lifting technique perfect, you will be less prone to injury. Lift with your knees, not your back!

#651
When asked to answer honestly, around 90% of athletes say they work out hard. When witnessed working out, only around 50% of athletes are actually working out hard.

Why is this? How hard you work out and train is 100% up to you. Only you can control that. While others say they work hard, you just go out and actually work hard!

#652 Turn every exercise you do today into a balane exercise. Stand on one foot during every upright exercise you complete today. Alternate feet during each set.

#653
Don’t get tangled up in gimmics and fads. Yes, doing something in the gym is better than doing nothing at all. However, if you are an athlete, doing everything you can to reach your goals; there are certain things that are better than others.

Find a workout program that is time-tested, has a positive track record, has the results to back up the findings and is specific to your needs as an athlete. Weed through all the junk and do what is best for your career!

Daily Training Tip #649

We all know that technique is very important in the gym. While doing plyometrics, your landing technique is just as important (if not more important) than any other technique you will be doing in the gym. Make sure you; land on the balls of your feet, spend minimum time on the ground, land softly, explode back up quickly, keep your knees in line and keep you head/chest up.

Daily Training Tip #647

To complete the vast majority of athletic movements, you need lower body strength. You have to continually develop your lower body first, then work on everything else. Improvement in leg strength equals improvement in everything else; isn’t that right Madison?

Daily Training Tip #646

Off-ice training is something that you can do completely on your own. If the team is done with practice and you don’t feel like you’ve worked enough, get back into the gym on your own. Spend another hour getting extra work done, do some squats in your basement or do some core at home in your bedroom. The question is; what are you doing to seperate yourself from the rest of the pack?

Daily Training Tip #645

You don’t need a fancy gym filled with fancy equipment to make yourself a better hockey player. You need a commitment level! If you don’t have a commitment level to yourself and your career, you can’t expect to play near your best.

Daily Training Tip #644

Hockey is a lower-bodied sport. That doesn’t mean that your upper body can go untrained! You need to train/develop your chest, shoulders, back and arms as well. At a minimum, you need enough upper body strength so you can create seperation between you and an opponent.

Daily Training Tip #643

Workouting out without Resistance Training, is like riding a bike with no wheels. It doesn’t matter what your athletic/training goals are, resistance training needs to be involved. Resistance Training comes in many ways/shapes/forms but you have to get stronger in order to improve!

Daily Training Tip #642

When you are training, keep in mind each and every day is important. There are certain days that “mean” a little more than others, but each day is important. Each workout should progress from the previous workout and slowly get more intense and complex. Your entire training program is like a 365 page book. If you only read the first page of each chapter, you are not going to understand the book!