Daily Training Tip #1052

Make sure you are doing some sort of squatting on a regular basis! Heals flat, chest up, butt down!

Daily Training Tip #1051

Pull Ups are a great exercise that greatly benefit you as an athlete and can be done really anywhere. Hammer out some pull ups today!

Daily Training Tip #1050

You hear athletes say it all the time, "I was just in the right position at the right time." Being able to get yourself in the right position at that right time starts with months and months of training and preparation. If you haven't started yet, you better start today!

Daily Training Tip #1049

As an athlete, it is better for you to pay a heck of a price in a half hour of training than it is going half speed for an hour. Get after it!

Daily Training Tip #1048

A hockey players' hips can often be overlooked. Live on the Multi-Hip Machine, or reproduce those same movements with bands, towels, weights, etc. Train your Hips!!

Daily Training Tip #1047

Work on your weaknesses. If you have a hard time completing a one leg squat on your left leg, build a workout program that helps increase the strength of your left leg. The better your weakness is, the better you are.

Daily Training Tip #1046

Your lower back is part of your core. It needs to be trained/developed with just as much importance as your front. Back Extensions and Hypers are two of the best exercise to hit this area. Try them today!!

Daily Training Tip #1045

What you are doing right now, this month, will greatly affect your performance come playoff time!

Daily Training Tip #1044

We've discussed this before, Active Rest is a big part of the overall training process. On days that you are not scheduled to be training, Active Rest is a must. Get off of the couch and get active. Anything active and anything fun will do!

Daily Training Tip #1043

Make sure your training routine is moving you towards your goals. Workout/Train for a specific purpose. If your plan and your goals do not match up, success isn't going to come. Make sure you are on the proper page.

Daily Training Tip #1042

Jumping Rope is a basic athletic skill that everyone should have learned at a young age. It is also a complex skill that all athletes should incorporate into their workouts. It helps builds coordination and athletic ability.

Daily Training Tip #1041

We all make mistakes, we all know we need to learn from those mistakes. However, your career is way to short to make mistakes during your training sessions. There is no room for mistakes. Think about your athletic goals and work towards those goals.

Daily Training Tip #1040

It does not matter what your goals are during a training session. If your knees are suppose to be bent, bend them the proper way. Keep knees aligned, drop thighs down to parallel, keep head and chest up.

Daily Training Tip #1039

We've always discussed single leg training for hockey players, however, just as important to train are independently of each as was. Single Arm bench or shoulder press will get you started.

Daily Training Tip #1038

Doing the proper exercises/workouts in the gym when No One is Looking will help separate you from the rest of the pack!

Daily Training Tip #1037

Box Jumps and 1 Leg Box Jumps can be done anywhere. Find a set of steps and jump away!

Daily Training Tip #1036

If your body is used to doing something each day (ie: Training), don't take that training away. Stay the course with your training no matter if is in-season or not. You might need to change the training intensity a little because of a game or competition, but do not stop training. Stay the Course!

Daily Training Tip #1035

Push Ups are an exercise that can be completed anywhere and anytime. There is no need to waste your 'gym time' doing push ups when you can do that before or after at your house or even office. Use your time wisely!

Daily Training Tip #1034

To help aid in your 'cardio training' just shorten the rest during the workout that you normally do.

Daily Training Tip #1033

Raise the Bar on your own training today. Make yourself a little better each day, by the end of the season you will have put yourself (your team) in position to win it's last game!

Daily Training Tip #1032

Keep in mind, going through an intense workout today is making you better during the playoffs of the season.

Daily Training Tip #1031

Spend a little time today developing 'over looked areas' that need to be trained on a regular basis. A hockey players' hips are a huge role in your skating stride and need to be developed. Start working on your hips today and continue working on them from here forward.

Daily Training Tip #1030

Prehab is doing 'rehab' before your injury occurs. Included in your training program should be exercises that help prevent injuries, so you won't miss any playing time. Shoulders, hips, groins are common areas that hockey players might have issues with, so spend some prehab time working on those.

Daily Training Tip #1029

You can do so many different things with Medicine Balls. Be creative and use them often. Vary the weight of the ball so you develop in various ways. You can develop strength, power, explosiveness or anything in between.

Daily Training Tip #1028

You are not born with excellence, you have to go out and get it! Strive for Excellence daily!

Daily Training Tip #1027

Build up explosive power and strength one leg at a time. Not only if you are a hockey player, but if you are an athlete! Try one leg box jumps today.

Daily Training Tip #1026

You've all hear our saying 'Work Hard and Work Smart' It is a two part saying. One without the other is not going to cut it. Work Hard and Work Smart and results will come!

Daily Training Tip #1025

Mornings are the best time to workout, train and show improvement. Get out of bed and get after it today!

Daily Training Tip #1024

Part of your overall training goal is to work towards injury prevention. However, injuries can still happen. When they do, the majority of your training needs to be focused on rehab and getting back on the field. If that means rest, then rest is what you do!

Daily Training Tip #1023

Control your breathing while you are training. Exhale during the 'hard part' of each exercise.

Daily Training Tip #1022

Be patient with your training. Your body has small ups and small downs during the different phases of the training cycle. Just stay the course, keep working hard and working smart and be patient as the results will come!

Daily Training Tip #1021

Make sure your workouts are designed for you! You only have one career, make sure you are taking the proper steps that will benefit you.

Daily Training Tip #1020

When training with Medicine Balls, make sure you change up the weight of the ball on different days. One day use a heavier ball and focus on strength. The next day use a lighter ball and focus on explosiveness. You could even change it up during the workout itself.

Daily Training Tip #1019

Make sure you use the 'F' word during your workout routine. FUN! Keep things fun and the improvements will keep coming.

Daily Training Tip #1018

Make your own Slosh Pipe so you can add in some extra lunges, squats or squat jumps on your own time. These are easy to make and can be stored outside. When you get done shooting pucks in your driveway, grab your slosh pipe and complete some squats!

Daily Training Tip #1017

If you are on the road, you might need to be creative to keep in your training routine. Run up and down the hotel stairs. Do some 'log' jumps over your suitcase. Do some 'box' jumps up on a chair. Run a sprint shuttle outside on the parking lot.

Your career is too important to miss a day of training because you are on the road.

Daily Training Tip #1016

For the majority of your training season, your training intensity level needs to be as high as possible. Don't cut back, Don't cut corners.

Daily Training Tip #1015

Avoid soreness by not letting yourself get out of shape!

Daily Training Tip #1014

You get a bigger benefit from going at a maximum effort for 30 minutes than you will from going half speed for 60 minutes. Don't spend hours going slow, spend minutes sprinting!

Daily Training Tip #1013

You are the only one that knows how hard you are working. You are the only that knows if you need to work harder. You, You, You. It is your career. Do not let yourself down. Put yourself in position to succeed! When success comes, pat yourself on the back!

Daily Training Tip #1012

The way you hold the bar/dumbbell/resistance during any lifting exercise, will effect the outcome of the lift. Make sure you change up your grip on different exercises to get different effects. Pronated, Supinated and Alternate grips are the most common.

Daily Training Tip #1011

Make sure each and every single workout you complete has plenty of 'one leg' exercises that work one leg at a time. Hockey (athletics) is a one legged sport. Train the way you play!

Daily Training Tip #1010

In-Season training is just as important as Off-Season training. During the season, there IS PLENTY of time for improvement. Make sure you are completing a workout program, scheduled between your games, that not only keeps you injury free, but also shows improvement. The hockey season is long, improving from start to finish, will mean huge things for your career!

Daily Training Tip #1009

Become an athlete first, then work on specifics.

Daily Training Tip #1008

There is so much buzz in today's world about 'safe training' and techniques to 'not get hurt in the gym.' It is really this simple; work hard and work smart!

Mistakes can cause injury, so work smart and do not make mistakes. Injuries can also be caused by laziness and not completing the lift/exercise as you are suppose to, so work hard.

Your key to open most doors is to work hard and work smart!

Daily Training Tip #1007

Lack of sleep makes it difficult to gain muscle mass. Make sure you are getting enough sleep each night.

Daily Training Tip #1006

During a game, most times, the team that makes the least amount of mistakes, wins. Your training is the same. Avoid making mistakes during your training sessions! Keep proper form, keep intensity where it belongs, keep hydrated, etc.

Daily Training Tip #1005

Have someone take a couple of pictures of you skating on the ice and another few of you training off of the ice. You should see similarities between the pictures. If not, you might not be training as smart as you think.

In both on ice and off ice pictures, look for; knee bend, leg extension, chest up, head up, etc.

Daily Training Tip #1004

Make sure you complete your workout in the proper order. Different lifts/exercises have different purposes. Make sure you complete those in the proper order so they give you the optimal benefit. Usually, start with the most complex lifts first and work downward.

Daily Training Tip #1003

As you progress towards the in-season, your focus shifts to more improvement on the ice. STILL work hard and work smart off of the ice, but spend a little extra each day on the ice improving on your on-ice skills.

Daily Training Tip #1002

There are no shortcuts in regards to your training. It is a long road! Keep the course! Keep sprinting, jumping, lifting and skating on a regular basis. By doing those four things regularly, you will elevate your career!

Daily Training Tip #1001

Your training time is too short to do things that are not productive. Organize your priorities and come up with a training plan that is geared toward those priorities. Do what is best for you and your career!

Daily Training Tip #1000

Can't believe today is my 1000 DTT!

Thanks to everyone that reads them, either once or on a regular basis.

My goal is for you to pick up small pieces of information that you can use and help make yourself into a better athlete/hockey player. Every tip has been from a direct conversation I've had with an athlete at some point in time, so one of them might have been from you! Thanks!

Keep following me @ciardellijoe for a thousand more!

Today's DTT is Just Get It Done! #JGID

Daily Training Tip #999

We said it numerous times before, your core is the foundation of all of your athletic movements. Your core needs to be trained on a consistent basis and trained with multiple training techniques. It is easy to do, DEVELOP YOUR CORE!

Daily Training Tip #998

Prepare for a practice or training session, the same way you would for a game. Use the same routine, the same warmup, the same intensity, the same cooldown, etc. Practice how you want your game situations to go!

Daily Training Tip #997

You have to have the mindset that someone, somewhere is working harder than you. They are trying to take away your spot. If you do not play with them or play against them, they are still out there. You control what you can control, work hard and work smart!

Daily Training Tip #996

It does not matter where you are at right now today. It matters in what direction you are moving.

It does not matter what team you are on or who you are playing against. It matters how many of those people you catch up and by pass.

Just keep working! Just keep improving!

Daily Training Tip #995

Transitioning from your 'off-season' training program to your 'in-season' training program is nothing more than starting the new phase. No time off, No time on the couch, No time on vacation; just start with the in-season phase of your program the next day. Continue with your in-season phase until your post-season phase begins.

Daily Training Tip #994

When sprinting (either on ice or on track) make sure you have enough forward lean. Keep your chest out and lean forward, letting your legs power you forward.

Daily Training Tip #993

Make sure there is explosiveness in every single workout that you do!

Daily Training Tip #992

While training to be a better hockey player, knee bend is crucial! Make sure you are getting your butt down, while keep you head and chest up!

Daily Training Tip #991

The path to greatness isn't a one way, paved road. There are lots of obstacles, twists, turns and bumps along a dusty, dirty, long road. However, by out training, out working, out thinking and out performing you will get to an open door at the end of the road. Once you see that open door, sprint as fast as you can to get though it!

Daily Training Tip #990

Make sure you are completing pushing AND pulling exercises together on the same day.

Daily Training Tip #989

Mix up your exercises a bit. Do not get stuck in a groove of using a bar each and every day. Mix in some dumbbells. DB's allow you to work and control the resistance with one arm at a time, which helps develop your core and balance a little more.

Daily Training Tip #988

Instead of completing lifts with both arms together, add in some 1 arm exercises today. This helps build your stabilizer muscles and forces each arm to work individually of each other.

Daily Training Tip #987

Do not overlook your hips. Your hips are part of your core and need to be worked on regular basis. Use bands, weights, machines or partners to strengthen your hips.

Daily Training Tip #986

Get your butt down, keep your chest and head up, and keep your heels flat when doing any sorts of squats. Avoid getting up on your toes by sticking your butt out before you start the eccentric phase of the squat. Heels Flat!

Daily Training Tip #985

Get up, get out of bed and get your workout done, first thing in the morning.

Daily Training Tip #984

Make sure you are getting 8-10 hours of 'rest' each night. That means get to bed when the time is right!

Daily Training Tip #983

There is a way, some way, to make each of your favorite exercises or routines explosive. As an explosive athlete, you need to be training explosively. Work hard and work smart!

Daily Training Tip #982

Train for a purpose. Don't just show up and go through the motions. Make sure you have a plan in mind and strive to achieve that plan.

Daily Training Tip #981

You are the only person that knows if you are paying a price or not! Some people work hard, others come across that they work hard. However, you are the only one that truly knows.

Make sure you are working as hard and as smart as you possibly can!

Daily Training Tip #980

If you are a fast twitch athlete make sure you are working/training your fast twitch muscle fibers properly. If you are a slow twitch athlete make sure you are working/training both slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers properly!

Daily Training Tip #979

Athletes are made when no one is watching them. Most everyone works hard when being watched by a coach, teammate, mentor or parent, however, it is the athletes that pay a price when no one is watching them that succeed the most!

Daily Training Tip #978

Train the way you want to perform. If you want to be an All-Star and perform better than everyone else, train harder and smarter than everyone else!

Daily Training Tip #977

Make sure your workout's follow a sequence. Your most difficult, complex lifts should be completed first. Then work your way to the most basic of your lifts for that day.

Daily Training Tip #976

Sometimes it is tough to get to the gym. If that is the case, make your own implements and get a workout in at home. Find an old tire to flip, use a towel for resisted rows, use your hockey bag for log jumps, use the stairs up to your bedroom for jumps and skips. You get the picture. No excuse to not workout on a regular basis.

Daily Training Tip #975

Keep focused on the final outcome and keep improving at a steady pace. Your successes are not going to come over night. Continue down the proper path and keep on a steady pace, work hard and work smart and good things will continue to happen!

Daily Training Tip #974

As you continue to move through your off-season workouts, keep in mind, the work you are putting in today will affect the outcome of your success come playoff time and the end of the season.

Daily Training Tip #973

Completing interval sprints will help improve your sprinting speed and your aerobic capacity. Repeated 40 yard dashes with a quick walk back recovery are a great addition to your off-season training program.

Daily Training Tip #972

If you have an injury or are rehabbing an injury, pool workouts (or lake) are a great low impact way to still develop your explosive power.

Daily Training Tip #971

Become a better athlete first by completing ATHLETE SPECIFIC workouts. Improving on your strength, speed, explosiveness will make you a better athlete, which makes you a better hockey player. Make those same workouts hockey specific by holding a stick in your hand or stickhandling while completing those same exercises. That's hockey specific!

Daily Training Tip #970

Towels can be used in the gym for more than just wiping your sweat off. Use a towel during your workout today to make yourself a better athlete!

Daily Training Tip #969

You put yourself in position for success by the work you put in. Position yourself in front of everyone else!

Daily Training Tip #968

Make sure the design of your workout program has both push and pull exercises. As an athlete, you use push and pull movements all the time during your sport. You training needs to include both and you need to improve on both movements.

Daily Training Tip #967

Athletes that get more sleep at night are less likely to have injuries occur. Most athletes need 8+ hours of sleep each night. Work hard all day, get to bed on time!

Daily Training Tip #966

Active Rest days are not spent on the couch!

Daily Training Tip #965

If you are a coach and you are training athletes or you are an athlete and you are working with a coach, communication is the key. A coach is unable to know what is going through your head without open lines of communication. In today's world, where communication has moved to phones, texting, and online, make sure you are communicating with your coaches and your athletes.

Daily Training Tip #964

Improve on your weaknesses. Spend some specific time improving your weakest area so you improve as an entire athlete. During the time you are developing that area, continue developing your best areas!

Daily Training Tip #963

A weight vest is a piece of equipment that can be used in multiple ways. Try completing an entire workout today using a weight vest!

Daily Training Tip #962

Different types of training and different types of exercises need different work to rest ratios. Resting is important, but also needs to be the proper length or can hinder your performance. Make sure your work to rest ratios are where they belong.

Daily Training Tip #961

When completing a physical test and someone else has a better score than you, spend the time improving on your physical abilities so you can score better than them the next time. It is all about improvement!

Daily Training Tip #960

Lunges are another great one-legged exercise that athletes should be completing on a regular basis. Alternate between Front/Skater/Side/Reverse lunges. Remember to stop your knee directly above your ankle (not over your toes), sink your hips down and keep your head and chest up.

Daily Training Tip #959

When doing any sort of box jumps, make sure your entire foot lands on top of the box. If you leave your heal hanging off or your toe hanging off, negative affects can occur. If you heal doesn't make it onto the box, it could cause your toe to slip off causing your shin to back on the edge of the box.

Land flat on all boxes or benches.

Daily Training Tip #958

Your career is too short to be making mistakes in your training. Eliminate the mistakes, work hard and work smart and you are well on you way.

Daily Training Tip #957

I've said before to 'think outside of the box' (squat rack) when training. However, you still need to improve your lower body strength. Squatting is one of the best ways to accomplish this. In some way, shape or form, squat on a regular basis!

Daily Training Tip #956

Having your hips down does not mean putting your head and chest down. Sink your hips down, while keeping your head and chest up. If unable to, you need to improve on your lower body strength.

Daily Training Tip #955

When doing resistance training with weights, make sure you control the weight, do not let the weight control you. You move the weight at the proper speed, direction, depth, angle and bring it back to the proper spot.

Daily Training Tip #954

Your body is like a high performance race car. It wants to work hard, be explosive, be powerful and go fast. You just have to lead it in the proper direction.

Daily Training Tip #953

When doing Pull Ups, try using an alternate grip or a 'Hockey Stick Grip.'

Daily Training Tip #952

Make sure you complete each exercise to the fullest. Doing something 'halfway' will not get the results that you want. Work Hard and Work Smart!

Daily Training Tip #951

As an athlete, spend the majority of your time doing complex exercises. (For example; instead of doing a simple bicep curl, do a 1 Leg Bicep Curl RDL) Your training time needs to be focused on become a better athlete, which in turn will make you a better hockey player.

Daily Training Tip #950

There are two secrets when it comes to training. Work Hard and Work Smart! THAT'S IT! There is no 'top secret training program' that only a few know about. There is no 'one lift does it all' out there that only a few do. It's really just as simple as out working everyone else. Be the first to the ice, gym or track and be the last to leave. Get a few extra exercises in once everyone else has quit. It's Your Career and you only have one! #JGID

Daily Training Tip #949

Certain lifts and certain exercises have different directions/motions they can and should be done. For example; when training your hips you need to work them all four (4) directions; Flexion, Extension, Adduction and Abduction. All four need to be done to see the max benefit.

Daily Training Tip #948

Different foot placement slightly affects the outcome during certain lifts. Make sure your feet are placed in the proper place for each exercise you complete.

Daily Training Tip #947

Parts of your workout each day are geared towards injury prevention. When you do become injured, rehabbing that injury might become your workout.

Daily Training Tip #946

It really boils down to "How You Do It." If you just go through the motions, your career will not end up where you want it. If you work as hard as you possible can, the sky is the limit. The choice is yours!

Daily Training Tip #945

If you are planning on training outside, make sure you Dress for the Elements, or if the weather is bad, be prepared to move your workout inside.

Daily Training Tip #944

Proper knee bend is something that can be hard to do for some athletes, either on the ice or in the gym. Build up your hip, quadricep and hamstring strength to be able to achieve the proper knee bend. What you do in the gym, training off-ice, correlates directly to what you do on the ice.

Daily Training Tip #943

Sleep is crucial to your performance. You need the proper amount of sleep to perform properly during a game, practice or workout. Each person's needs are different. Find the right amount of sleep for you and make sure you get that each night.

Daily Training Tip #942

Don't forget to work the "Reverse" muscles. You do it on the rink, you practice your forehand AND your backhand. Same holds true for your off-ice training, work your biceps AND your triceps.

Daily Training Tip #941

Make a plan for yourself each day detailing the steps of how you are going to improve that specific day. Then follow through on that plan.

Daily Training Tip #940

Your core is the foundation of all movements. YES, your core can be trained in a hockey specific way.

Daily Training Tip #939

You should complete some specific physical test to see how much you have improved and how your program design is. Physical testing is seldom done to compare others, but rather compare yourself.

Daily Training Tip #938

You avoid soreness by not getting out of shape! Stay in shape all season and your career will thank you!

Daily Training Tip #937

Non-Training Days need to be filled with Active Recovery activities such as playing racquet ball, basketball, soccer, rollerblading and your other favorite activities. Stay off the couch and stay active.

Daily Training Tip #936

The speed at which you move the weight matters just as much, if not more, than the amount of weight you have loaded on the bar.

Daily Training Tip #935

Create a Training Ritual when you enter the gym. Come at the same time, come in the same door and change in the same locker. This will build a ritual for you so training becomes a way of life. When training becomes a habit and a way of life, results follow!

Daily Training Tip #934

Make sure you use complete and full Range of Motion (ROM) when completing any exercises in the gym.

Daily Training Tip #933

Progression has to happen before improvements happen. Your workout needs to constantly be progressing to more detailed, more advanced, more specific types of training. Don't just skip right to the end, work through the entire progression.

Daily Training Tip #932

Don't overlook your Calf Muscles when you are training. They are smaller muscles, but really aid in your jumping and sprinting abilities.

Daily Training Tip #931

Sport Specific training is completing off-ice workouts that mimic your on ice movements.

Daily Training Tip #930

Document your workouts so you can physically see your improvements. Write everything down so you can keep track of all the changes, the ups and the downs. Over the course of time, you will be able to see the improvements.

Daily Training Tip #929

Today's training focus is on turning your weaknesses into your strengths. Find your weakest area and focus on that today, making your overall performance that much better.

Daily Training Tip #928

We've all heard the saying, 'you get what you put in." This is completely true in the gym. If you out work and out smart everyone else, you will out gain everyone else. If not, you won't. It is that simple.

Daily Training Tip #927

Some training days are harder, some are designed to be easier. However, there are no off days. Make the days that you are not in the gym, Active Rest, days. Do something active with your teammates. Play basketball, racquetball, soccer, etc. Get off of the couch and be active. Your body will thank you when you show up in the gym the next day.

Daily Training Tip #926

Either you train to be fast or you train to be slow. Either way, you decide how fast you are!

Daily Training Tip #925

There are no Take Backs when it comes to training. You can only move forward. Make sure you are working smart and working hard on a regular basis.

Daily Training Tip #924

Lunges are a great exercise for hockey players to complete. You can do lunges, skater lunges, side lunges and reverse lunges. Make sure your knee stops directly above your ankle and does not extend past your toes. Sink you hips down and keep your chest up.

Daily Training Tip #923

On the ice you need to watch out for Gray Zone turnovers. In the gym you also need to watch out for the Gray Zone. The Gray Zone is the 'medium zone' where you just go through the motions. Not too hard, not too easy, just gray. Improvements don't happen in the Gray Zone. Work through your ups and downs and continue to improve.

Daily Training Tip #922

Set small training goals each training session. (Last time you benched 100lbs, your goal for today is 110lbs) Reaching small goals each session, helps you move closer to the big goal!

Daily Training Tip #921

It is so much easier to go through an Injury Prevention routine than it is to go through an Injury Rehab routine!

Daily Training Tip #920

Have your teammate (or spotter) help you complete two more reps on your core exercises today. Do as many as you can do on your last set and then get a little help completing two more. The next time you complete that same lift, get to that number on your own!

Daily Training Tip #919

Your training time is too short to be making mistakes. Eliminate your mistakes while training and your career will be elevated.

Daily Training Tip #918

If you do what everyone else is doing, you wil get the same results as everyone else. Work harder and work smarter and you will be better than everyone else!

Daily Training Tip #917

We've said drink plenty of water before. Just wanted to reiterate again, it does not matter what your goals are; bigger, faster, stronger, more explosive, skinnier, healthier etc. You need to be drinking plenty of water and drink it often.

Daily Training Tip #916

Add squat jumps after every exercise you perform today. Perform a set of bench press, complete 10 squat jumps. Perform a 5k, complete 10 squat jumps. You get the picture.

Daily Training Tip #915

Results will come, be patient. Keep showing up each day, keep working hard each day and the results will come.

Daily Training Tip #914

A part of your training process needs to be body control. You need to learn how to control your body in all situations. Controlling your stick while skating at full speed is a learned skill. It is tough to do until you have practiced it!

Daily Training Tip #913

Make sure at least one off-ice exercise a day mimick's an on-ice movement. This is what makes your training hockey specific.

Daily Training Tip #912

Holding the weight with one arm while doing lunges or squats changes the load angle on your core and creates a more advanced workout, engaging your core a little differently. Try a set holding a dumbbell with your left hand for the first set and then your left hand for the second set.

Daily Training Tip #911

Workout/Train with your teammates. Getting everyone involved makes everyone better. It creates a unique synergy that doesn't come from anything else. Everyone improves together, Everyone wins together!

Daily Training Tip #910

Proper knee bend on the ice can not happen without enough strength in your lower body. Continue to increase your lower body strength!

Daily Training Tip #909

It is so much easier to Stay Conditioned and stay in shape, than it is to get back into shape. After your season ends, do not lay on the couch for a month. Get right back after it and start your off-season training. Your career will thank you!

Daily Training Tip #908

If you can't get to the gym first thing in the morning for a workout, start your day off with some body weight exercises. Hammer out some push ups and squat jumps. Then move on with your day and get to the gym later on.

Daily Training Tip #907

Sandbags are an easy to use, multi use, cheap piece of equipment that has many benefits. Use a sandbag during today's workout!

Daily Training Tip #906

As an athlete, you know you need to be stronger, faster, quicker, more explosive, etc. All of these work together hand in hand, however, are developed differently. That is why it is so important to Change up your workouts. Make sure you are working on all areas, therefore improving on all areas!

Daily Training Tip #905

We've said many times before, improve on your lower body strength and become a better hockey player. Spending more time on your lower body during a workout burns more calories. So if you feel you are a little on the 'heavy' side, squatting burns more calories than benching and has more positives for you.

Daily Training Tip #904

Just like on the ice, keep your head up while you are training in the gym. Keeping your head up helps keep you chest up, which in turn, keeps your back in the proper position. It all starts with your head!

Daily Training Tip #903

Show up ready to work. Without hard work, you are not going to accomplish as much as you want to.

Daily Training Tip #902

During force production, everything goes through your feet. They are the final piece of the puzzle. Take care of your feet!

Daily Training Tip #901

Hard work always pays off. Maybe not today or next week or next year, but you will ALWAYS be paid back for your hard work. The journey is long, with obstacles and detours in the way. Continue to outwork everyone and climb to the top! Hard work pays off!

Daily Training Tip #900

We've said it many times, play as many different sports as you possibly can. Yes, there is a time to specialize and make a greater commitment to one sport, however, growing up through the youth ranks play multiple sports.

This helps build you into a better athlete. Generally the best athletes are the best hockey players.

Daily Training Tip #899

If you are an athlete, stay off of weight machines and switch to free weights. Machines focus on one specific muscle group. As an athlete, you never use just one muscle group during an athletic event. Free weights are 'sport specific' as they work/develop multi-muscle groups at the same time, some without you even knowing it.

Working Hard and Working Smart!

Daily Training Tip #898

Complete workouts/exercises that engage multiple muscle groups, on different muscle planes, at the same time. This helps build better athleticism.

Daily Training Tip #897

If you train slow, guess what, you'll become slow. Train Fast, Be Fast!

Daily Training Tip #896

You need to be working hard and working smart for a chance. A chance to win the big game, a chance to take that next step, a chance to be the best.

You will have no chance if you don't work hard and work smart!

Daily Training Tip #895

Don't make excuses. Hold Yourself Accountable. Do what is best for your own career. Put your hard hat on, grab your lunch pail and get after it today!

Daily Training Tip #894

You play games filled with Pride and Passion. You need to have that same Pride and Passion when training off of the ice. If not, your career will be shorter than you want it to be.

Daily Training Tip #893

When coming up with new ways to train your core, don't forget about your lower back. Your core (or Million $ Muscles) is from your nipple line down to your knees, both front and back. Add in some Back Extensions and Hypers today to focus a little more on that area!

Daily Training Tip #892

If you (or your gym) has a Multi-Hip or a 4-Way Hip machine, use it and use it often. This great piece of equipment easily focuses on 4 ranges of motion that your hip performs often.

If you do not have access to one of these machines, you still need to work your hips in these 4 ranges, just use rubber lifting bands.

Daily Training Tip #891

Build strength, speed and explosiveness in the same movement patterns and at the same speed as you would in a game.

Daily Training Tip #890

Tires are a great piece of equipment that you can incorporate into most of your workouts. One reason tires are great are because they come in all shapes and sizes, so they can be used by everyone. Tires can be used inside or outside and can really increase the intensity level of your workouts.

Stop by a junkyard today and pick one up!

Daily Training Tip #899

If you are an athlete and you have a distaste for training, you better find something else to do. In today's world, training/development/workouts/gym time, whatever the word is, is part of everyday life. It is something that all athletes do. If you don't, you will get caught up to and by passed.

Make training your lifestyle!

Daily Training Tip #898

Active Rest means exactly what it says. Take a rest day, but be active. Play pick up basketball, go rollerblading with your friends, go for a bike ride with your parents, play tennis or racquetball.

You get a 'rest' day from your training schedule, but you need to stay active and get off of the couch!

Daily Training Tip #897

When off-ice training, keeping your 'Chest Up' puts your back in the proper position for most lifts/exercises. Stick it out! Be Proud!

Daily Training Tip #896

Most times you 'Don't Like' an exercise in the gym because it is too intense or to hard or too confusing. Spend a little time today on the exercises that you don't like. There are intense and hard for a reason, they are confusing because they are complicated. Don't shy away from great exercises because of the above. Some exercises that you Don't Like, might just be the most beneficial for you!

Daily Training Tip #895

Yesterday was Heels, today is Toes. While jumping, focus on your Big Toe leaving the ground last during take off and hitting the ground first during landing. During sprinting, your big toe is the last to leave the ground, push through it, and last to strike the ground during landing. Always know where your Toes (and Heels) are! Your foot placement is crucial to your training success.

Daily Training Tip #894

Your heels are an important part of your performance in the gym. When squatting, your heels need to be flat on the ground and you need to 'push' through your heels. When jumping, your heels tap the ground lightly or even not at all. When running, only the outside of your heels strikes the ground. So always be thinking about what your heels are doing when you are training off of the ice.

Daily Training Tip #893

Your body reacts positively to structured change. Slowly change up your weight amouts, your sets, your reps and your exercises. The change will gain more improvement!

Daily Training Tip #892

To work through the proper lifting phases, you need to in the beginning. Start with more sets/reps with less weight and with less rest.

Daily Training Tip #891

Technique comes first, adding weight comes second. Improvement in technique will show improvement in results.

Daily Training Tip #890

Many aspiring athletes have the same goals; to play in the top league, the pros. However, few are actually working towards that goal. Pay a Price, Work Hard & Work Smart and you are on your way!

Daily Training Tip #898

Improving on your vertical jump leads to improvements on your overall athletic ability.

Jumping Higher = A better Hockey Player, Football Player, Soccer Player, Basketball Player, Volleyball Player, Swimmer, etc!

Daily Training Tip #897

Your hips are an important part of your skating stride and are often an overlooked area. Make sure to work your hips often on either the hip sled, multi-hip machine, with bands, with bosu's, with swiss balls etc. There are many beneficial exercises out there, use them!

Daily Training Tip #896

You don't skate inside a box, so don't train inside a box!

Daily Training Tip #895

Fatigue causes improper technique. Use your off-ice training time to improve your performance during a fatigued state.

Daily Training Tip #894

Hockey is a game that is played on one leg (as with most sports), so let's make today a one-legged training day. Complete your normal workout, except stand on one leg for all of your upright exercises. Make sure you alternate legs!

Daily Training Tip #893

If you live in MN today, grab a shovel, it's just as good as workout!

Daily Training Tip #892

It is really hard to "overtrain." If you are feeling fatigued or injuried or too tired, chances are there are other factors that are out of place, not overtraining.

Take a long hard look at your diet, make sure it works. Make sure you are getting enough sleep at night. Make sure your training program is structured. These are just three examples that are easily fixed and ARE NOT due to overtraining.

Most cases of overtraining are in the mind.

Daily Training Tip #891

An easy way to improve your sprinting speed (which is directly related to your skating speed) is to (after you are warmed up) sprint everywhere. Don't 'jog' anymore. If you are running a mile, sprint it. Or at least as long as you can, slow down for a bit and then sprint again. Keep your body used to sprinting, no jogging.

Daily Training Tip #890

We've said it before and will say it again...WATER, WATER, WATER!

Daily Training Tip #889

Make sure you 'test' yourself in a few different physical catagories before you begin your off-season training program. Test yourself in a strength movement, an explosive power movement, an agility movement, a flexibility movement and an endurance movement.

Doing this will help you measure and track your performance and improvement and will also guide you along the way so you can assure you are completing the proper workouts.

Daily Training Tip #888

When your season ends, take 2 weeks off and rest/refresh up. After those two weeks, you 'Off-Season' begins with your off-season training program. Start to 'Get After' it again!

Daily Training Tip #887

Want to build more muscle and strength? Work on your lower body. The back squat is one of the most beneficial exercise to be doing. Complete it with proper form and do it often!

Daily Training Tip #886

Home Workouts are a great way to get a workout in when you can't otherwise make it to the gym. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier and complete 50 pushups, 50 jumping jacks, 50 squat jumps and 50 core exercises.

There can't be any excuses!

Daily Training Tip #885

Your body reacts well to change. Don't get stuck in a groove on the same treadmill, running the same program each day. Mix it up!

Daily Training Tip #884

Technique First when in the gym. Adding weight comes second.

The first step in injury prevention is making sure you have proper form and are completing the lift properly before adding any further weight to the bar.

Daily Training Tip #883

What you do during the time closely after a competition is just as criticial as what you do leading up to that competition. Make sure you continue doing the 'little things' properly right after the game, so you put yourself in the proper position for the next game.

Daily Training Tip #882

As you progress in the gym, you need to change to different phases of training. After a few weeks, 'Change' things up a bit.

Daily Training Tip #881

Following a structured training program helps to eliminate muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances can lead to injury and time on the 'IR.' Train things equally and on a consistant basis.

Daily Training Tip #880

Remember, your core is from you nipple line down to your mid-quadriceps, front and back. Your core is more than doing situps! Work your entire core, not just your 'six pack.'

Daily Training Tip #879

Minimize your ground contact time. When your foot is in contact with the ground, it is slowing you down. Hit the gound, get off the ground!

Daily Training Tip #878

Only you know what you are going to accomplish. Set your goals high and do what it takes to reach them.

Daily Training Tip #877

When entering the gym, we all have choices to make. What am I going to do today; elliptical, squat, bike, bench, etc. Keep in mind, your choices today will affect your outcome tomorrow!

Daily Training Tip #876

Success is a Marathon, not a Sprint. It takes 4-6 weeks to see improvement, don't give up early. Success is just around the corner. Keep working and keep improving!

Daily Training Tip #875

As discussed before, breathing properly while working out is a skill. We all breathe without even thinking about it. However, it does take some skill to breathe the proper way while training. Practice breathing out on the 'hard part' until you are able to do it for every exercise, set, rep without thinking!

Daily Training Tip #874

Running Stairs is a great way to build explosive power, quickness and endurance. It's something that can be done just about anywhere as there are sets of stairs all over the place. For today's workout, run some stairs!

Daily Training Tip #873

Just like everything, training has it's ups and it's downs. The key is to stay focused during the ups and work through the downs. Always keep your ultimate goals in focus and continue to work through all obstacles to arrive at those goals.

Daily Training Tip #872

Everyone does pull ups, in fact, pull ups are a great exercise to help improve your overall athletic ability. One great way to make pull ups more effective is to do one, then switch you hand position to a chin up, then do one, switch back to pull ups and keep repeating. Make sure you keep hanging during your hand position switch. This is a simple way to get more out of your pull ups and see improvement faster!

Daily Training Tip #871

For best results in any training program, you need to be consistent. Sometimes things do arise and you need to miss a workout, but make it up! Your career is too short to not maximze your potential!

Daily Training Tip #870

Don't get stuck in a 'groove', add weight to your lifts on a regular basis. If you need help completing the next set because of the added weight, ask for it. This is a key way to continue building strength.

Daily Training Tip #869

Make the most out of your training sessions. Your 'rest' time is part of the workout. Depending on the structure/phase of the workout, your rest time will vary. Rest the proper amount and then get back to it. Resting more than required will affect the outcome of the entire workout. So make the most of your workout and rest the proper amounts.

Daily Training Tip #868

Make sure you are varying the speeds of each movement in the gym. Example; if you want to build strength, your squat should be heavy and slow. If you want to build power, your squat should be lighter and faster. Most athletes need to improve in both strength AND power, so you should vary your squat movement speed on a regular basis.

Daily Training Tip #867

As a hockey player, your hips are a very important part of the game. Make sure you work them often. Work them in a variety of different ways; hip flexors, hip extenders, hip adductors and hip abductors (front, out, back and in)

Daily Training Tip #866

As an athlete, you need to be slowly increasing your squat weight, building up to at least 2.5 times your body weight. This might take a while to accomplish, so just keep working and keep building!

Daily Training Tip #865

Only you can do the work. No one else can do your work for you. Others can help out, point you in a direction, but only you can actually do the work and see the results.

Daily Training Tip #864

Make sure your shoes fit your feet properly. Having shoes that are '2 sizes too big because I'm going to grow into them' is not helping your performance in the gym.

Daily Training Tip #863

A big part of your training needs to be Complex Exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. These lifts, such as Olympic Lifts, are crucial to your development.

Daily Training Tip #862

Make the most out of your workouts. If your session for today is 15 minutes, a half hour, or an hour, make the most out of it! Only you will decide how far your career is going to go!

Daily Training Tip #861

When completing one leg exercises, make sure they follow the two leg protocol. Example; while jumping on two legs; be light, quick, fast, soft, quiet etc. Same holds true for jumping on one leg!

Daily Training Tip #860

The best athletes win in most situations. So the question is; what are you doing to become the best athlete that you can be?

Daily Training Tip #859

One of your goals during any plyo session is to minimize ground contact time. Hit the ground and get off the ground! One way to assist in this, is to use rubber bands to assist you.

Land light and explode back up!

Daily Training Tip #858

Power is a combination of speed and strength. Having power is a must for all athletes! Build speed and strength today!

Daily Training Tip #857

Focus on Short Distances. Completing sprints at an all out effort for a short distance over and over again WILL improve your speed, power, explosivensss AND endurance.

Going on a long slow run will hinder your speed, power, explosiveness and might improve your endurance.

You pick!

Daily Training Tip #856

Learn Olympic Lifts. Perform Olympic Lifts.

Olympic lifts will help you reach your potential faster. Learn them, so you perform them without any error. Then complete them on a regular basis.

Daily Training Tip #855

Your body is just like a High Performance Race Car. It needs the proper fuel, proper care, proper rest, etc in order for it to run. If you put a can of coke into your race car, will it run? Will it out perfrom the competition?

Think about what you are doing to yourself, your career is too short to make mistakes.

Daily Training Tip #854

You need to be progressing through your training program. Each day needs to build on each other and to be building towards your goal.

Daily Training Tip #853

Be creative in the gym, however, make sure you stick to your overall training plan to see the best results.

Daily Training Tip

Sometimes things out of your control prevent you from getting to the gym; when it happens, make sure you don't skip your workout. There are plenty of things you can at home to make up for it. You can do squats, abs, lunges, planks, jumping jacks, etc. There's never an excuse to miss a workout!

Daily Training Tip #851

Squats are the 'King' lift. You should be doing some sort of squats on a daily basis; front squats, back squats, one legged squats, box squats, etc. Squats help you build muscle and strength in your lower body!

Daily Training Tip #850

Make today a Single Leg Training Day. The stronger each leg is individually, the stronger they are together. You can't be an athlete without have single leg strength and power. Turn your workout today into a single leg workout by completing each scheduled exercise on one leg, then repeat for the other leg.

Working Hard and Working Smart!

Daily Training Tip #849

It's the 'little things' that seperate you from the rest of the pack. Most times, nobody knows you are even doing the little things, they never see it, the never hear it. They sit and wonder; how did he do that? Well it's easy, you were able to do that because of all of the little things you did when no one else was looking!

Daily Training Tip #848

Bring a playground setting into the gym for your workout today. Watch how kids play at the playground and repeat those movements while training; skipping, jumping, change of direction, falling down & quickly getting back up, monkey bars,etc. You can learn a lot from a kid!

Daily Training Tip #847

Lift often and lift heavy. Buiding muscle improves you and improves your career in many ways. While lifting, lift heavy. You don't get much out of lifting light weights. Make sure your last set and your last reps are tough to complete.

Daily Training Tip #846

Movement in the gym needs to be flowing, rhythmic, powerful and explosive not rigid and programed. Working Hard and Working Smart!

Daily Training Tip #845

Make sure your workouts resemble your area of improvements. For example; if you want to be a better skater, make sure you are training your skating muscles...sprinting, jumping, lifting and skating.