MHC Hockey Training Tips

Daily Training Tip #603

2012-02-01T04:31:00.000-08:00

There are three muscle groups that play a big roll in your skating stride, that some hockey players never train. Your Hip Flexors, Hip Adductors and Hip Abductors. All are easily trained and developed, however, often overlooked. Your career is way to short to over look an area that is a big part of your on-ice performance.

Daily Training Tip #602

2012-01-31T06:32:00.001-08:00

I read an interesting article yesterday about the sleep habits of hockey players and how the "pregame nap" is a way of life for professional hockey players. I found the article very interesting. I thought about one thing while reading it. If an All-Star NHL player thinks he needs a pregame nap to perform well, then he better take one. If the nap is productive for him or not, if he mentally feels better, he better continue his naps!

Daily Training Tip #601

2012-01-30T07:00:00.001-08:00

We've said this many times. There is a 96% direct correlation between your off-ice sprinting speed and you on-ice skating speed. The faster you sprint, the faster you skate. You should be training more like a sprinter than a lineman.

Daily Training Tip #600

2012-01-27T04:40:00.001-08:00

Muscle Imbalances lead to injuries which can lead to extended amounts of time not playing.

Not one wants to get injuried. But we all know that sometimes injuries happen and really can't be prevented. However, some injuries can be prevented. Muscle Imbalance injuries fall into that category.

Your body is a machine. The same as a race car. If one part of your body gets stronger and more developed, while another part of your body stays the same, there is going to be some "breaking point." That breaking point is going to keep you off the rink. Example; ALL athletes need to be doing squats to develop as much leg strength as they can. However, ALL athletes also need to develop as much hamstring strength as they can. If you focus on your quads and forget about your hamstrings, you are going to have muscles strains, pulls and tears. Imagine a race car that has two high performance racing tires and two monster truck tires. We all know this car isn't going going to be very fast. Your body is the same way!

Your training program needs to be functional.

Daily Training Tip #599

2012-01-26T06:12:00.000-08:00

You need to be self motivating! It isn't up to your parents, your teammates or even up to your coaches to "push you." It has to come within! Only you, can get yourself in the proper position to achieve your goals.

Daily Training Tip #598

2012-01-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

More times than not, it is the little things that you do during your training sessions that make the difference. Something you do on a regular basis, BREATHING, can effectively increase your performance.

A couple of breathing guidelines...

-Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

-Exhale during the "hard" parts of each exercise.

Daily Training Tip #597

2012-01-24T06:39:00.001-08:00

A strength circuit is a great way to keep (and increase) your strength during in-season workouts!

Daily Training Tip #596

2012-01-23T07:16:00.001-08:00

There are so many positive examples out there of what hard work does for a person/athlete. Hard work is really one of the only things you can control within your athletic career. Your career is way to short to not work hard!

Daily Training Tip #595

2012-01-20T04:44:00.001-08:00

Making Hockey Players with No Extra Cost!

With new skates and sticks, the game of hockey is expensive enough. Why pay more than you have to during the season to become a better player?

The cost to rent an hour of ice is always increasing (also hard to come by), the cost of a gym membership is rather expensive, the cost to purchase a home gym is also expensive and sometimes there is no extra space inside your house, all of this and the price of gas to drive to and from the rink and the gym is rising daily. There is no more money to spare.

Parents ask me often enough how can I help my young athlete become a better player while keeping down the cost? This can be done by using things you probably currently have inside your own home or inside your home rink.

During the course of the winter I calculate a kid carries his/her hockey bag to and from the rink 4 times a week (two practices/two games) over the course of the season at 16 weeks long. 64 total times at the rink. A young player could carry his/her bag into the rink and back out to the car a minimum of 128 times. Most kids are probably going to the rink more than four times a week and the season is usually more than 16 weeks. So a player can become stronger just by carrying their bag. This costs you, as a parent, nothing. This trend is almost out the door because parents either carry the bag or the bag rolls on wheels. Why not help your son/daughter out, help them develop into a stronger athlete and make them carry their own bag?

As long as we are on the topic of the hockey bag, it can be used for another purpose. The hockey bag can also be used as a hurdle and jumped over. If a player can do 5 sets of 30 second lateral hops over their bag each day, they will become a better skater. Once a player masters the double leg lateral hop over their bag, they can try a single leg hop over it. A player can complete this either at home, in the basement or at the rink in the locker room before a practice.

If the entire team joins together and uses their bags, they can do multiple bag jumps. Space as many bags as you can two feet apart in a straight line and jump over one at a time until you make it through the entire line. You can either do forward jumps or lateral jumps, either way will help a young athlete improve their skating ability. This would have to be completed in the locker room either before practice of after practice. Either way it is free of charge and will help the team improve individually and will help build a little teamwork. The entire team can join in and have a little contest to see who can complete the most jumps during the given time. I recommend doing 3 sets of 30 seconds of both forward jumps and lateral jumps over 6-10 bags.

Another piece of training equipment that probably every young player has access to is a set of stairs. These stairs can be used in multiple ways to help develop leg strength. Just by walking up and down the stairs builds leg strength. Take this one step further and run up and down. A little more advanced run up and down skipping a step, then two, then three etc. For a change of pace, an athlete can hop up and down the steps, hitting every step, and then skipping steps. More advanced try it single leg.

Another leg strength exercise that costs nothing is doing body squats. Have a young athlete stand with their legs shoulder width apart, keeping their feet flat on the floor, squat down until their thighs are parallel to the ground and then stand up. If they could work up to completing 5 sets of 50 squats each day, they will see an improvement in their leg strength within 4-6 weeks.

A young player can complete all of these exercises for the lower body, become a better skater and cost you, as parents, no additional cost.

Along with improving the lower body, there are cheap ways to strengthen a young athlete’s upper body as well. Everyone knows of the body weight exercises that all young athletes should perform on a daily basis: push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups etc. These are all great but take it one step further and perform some hockey specific exercises.

Shoulders, core and backs are important to the development of a hockey player. Strengthening shoulders is rather easy. Take two carrying cases of six water bottles, one in each hand, standing upright, keep arms straight and lift your arms straight up in front of you until they are parallel to the ground. Slowly lower arms back to the starting position and repeat. Complete 3 sets of 10 on a daily basis. Holding the same water bottles, keeping your arms straight, lift your arms straight out to your side (forming a cross) until they are parallel to the ground. Complete 3 sets of 10 on a daily basis.

Using water bottles is a great thing for numerous reasons. One every team has a bunch of water bottles. Two, younger athletes can use half filled bottles for less weight while older athletes can fill them completely to the top and then add more bottles if need be. Three, when an athlete is done with the exercises they have water readily available to drink and rehydrate from. If an athlete needs more weight than the bottles provide, use puck bags.

An athletes’ core needs to be strengthened on a daily basis, for ideas read my article “One Thousand Abs.” To add some weight when strengthening a players’ core, including their back, hold onto the water bottles again or even the puck bag. Be creative, really anything will work.

These are all ideas to help athletes improve their strength, in a hockey specific manner, so they can develop into the player they aspire to be. All of these ideas cost you, as parents, nothing! There can now be no excuses why a player cannot be doing some sort of training. Hockey is a competitive game. Every advantage one player can get will help them out.

“Help Your Kids, Help Themselves”

Daily Training Tip #594

2012-01-19T10:33:00.001-08:00

I recently read an article on ways to improve your confidence and get yourself out of slump.

One of the easiest things you can do to improve your confidence is to “pay a price” off of the ice. By outworking your opponent you gain a physiological advantage over them. You know you deserve to win the battle/game. Paying a price in the gym fuels your confidence!

Daily Training Tip #593

2012-01-18T04:57:00.000-08:00

If healthy (no concussions or illnesses) a skater that is struggling to keep their balance could have a lack of leg strength. Increased leg strength will improve your game in many, many ways.

Daily Training Tip #592

2012-01-17T06:09:00.001-08:00

Lowfat chocolate milk naturally has many of the nutrients that most commercial recovery drinks have to add inside the lab before they hit the store shelves. Make chocolate milk your recovery drink of choice!

Daily Training Tip #591

2012-01-16T05:58:00.000-08:00

What you do after a game is just as important as what you do before a game! After an intense game (or workout or practice) you need to do a proper cool down. After a not-so intense game (one in which you didn't play to many minutes, or sat in the penalty box too long) you also need to do a proper recovery.

A proper cool down should be active. Don't just shower and leave the rink, get a flush on a bike or jog a few laps around the arena. Then eat the proper foods!

A proper recovery after a not-so intense game, is the same as the above, but might have to be a little more intense. If your body is accustomed to performing at high levels, you need to have a more intense bike ride after your game.

These things vary person by person and day by day. Find out what works best for yourself!

Daily Training Tip #590

2012-01-13T06:11:00.001-08:00

If you don't already, add Cherries to your diet. Cherries, Cherry Juice, Frozen Cherries should all be a part of your regular diet. They help aid in the recovery process.

Daily Training Tip #589

2012-01-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

Box jumps are one of the easiest exercises to complete, yet they are one of the most effective plyometric exercises. You should be completing box jumps on a regular basis. If you don't have a box at home, find a set of stairs and jump up those.

Daily Training Tip #588

2012-01-11T04:41:00.000-08:00

I've said before, to gain an advantage on your opponent you can train smarter than them and you can out work them. A third component of this, is to train/work when they aren't.

-Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier each morning and do some extra situps. Others will still be sleeping.

-Before you leave the rink after a game, shoot 50 more pucks. Others will be showering up.

-Head into the gym on an "off day" and get an extra workout in. Others will be relaxing.

Every little advantage you can give yourself will pay off in the long run.

Daily Training Tip #587

2012-01-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

It takes 21 consecutive days to break a bad habit. If you have a habit of being in the wrong place on the breakout or have a habit of spinning a circle instead of stopping/starting or coasting back on the back check, you need to spend 21 consecutive days trying to break that habit.

Making yourself a better player is easy to do. It just takes time and hard work!

Daily Training Tip #586

2012-01-09T05:56:00.000-08:00

Keep your routine and keep your ultimate goal in mind!

On Friday, the Alamaba football team had a mini-weightroom constructed on the road, so after their practice they could have a "training/development" session. Their goal was to keep things as normal as possible, leading up their big game tonight. Three days prior to the national championship game, they were still paying a price in the gym.

Something all teams and all athletes should do regardless of sport. Keep your routine and keep your ultimate goal inmind!

Daily Training Tip #585

2012-01-06T04:51:00.000-08:00

I read a great article last night "Too Many Athletes Warming Up the Wrong Way." The article backed up what we have been saying for years. Static Stretching is not a warmup!

The idea behind a warmup is simple, get your body ready for practice or competition. A dynamic warmup is much more effective at getting your body ready for performance.

This article found dynamic warmups increase a players jumping ability by 3% when static stretching decreases it by 8%. We know that the higher you jump, the faster you sprint and the faster you sprint, the faster you skate. So do something before your games that benefits you!

Daily Training Tip #584

2012-01-05T04:36:00.001-08:00

Make sure your workout are high-intensity! You will get much more out of a shorter, high-intense workout than you will out of a longer, less-intense workout.

As hockey players, you hear it all the time; practice like you play! Well the same holds true in the gym; train like you play!

Daily Training Tip #583

2012-01-04T06:04:00.000-08:00

Push Ups are a great exercise that you can complete anywhere. You don't need any equipment or outside help. Just find a spot on the floor. There are so many different types of push ups you can do; you can do normal push ups, you can do jumping (clapping) push ups, you can do one arm push ups, you can do hand stand push ups, then you can also alternate your hand positions to give you other numerous different push ups. Make push ups a regular part of your workouts.

Daily Training Tip #582

2012-01-03T04:34:00.001-08:00

You need to train and develop both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems to become a better hockey player. However, spend the majority of your time doing anaerobic training, as over time, anaerobic training becomes aerobic training.

Daily Training Tip #581

2012-01-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

Hockey is a one-legged sport. You are on one leg 80% of the time. Because of this, you need to do your training on one leg as well. Box jumps are one of the easiest exercises you can do with one leg!

Daily Training Tip #580

2011-12-30T04:58:00.001-08:00

Be prepared to work when you show up in the gym. Have the right attitude and get after it!

Daily Training Tip #579

2011-12-29T04:27:00.000-08:00

As we’ve said numerous times before, your core is the foundation of all athletic movements. There are so many different types of exercise that all train your core. Don’t get caught in the groove of doing the same exercises over and over again. Mix it up!

Daily Training Tip #578

2011-12-28T04:23:00.000-08:00

Caffeine and coffee have been a hot topic of discussion lately. I believe, yes, coffee (caffeine) does have some positive affects on your performance. It might help increase your leg strengh to some extent. However, it is a quick fix and doesn't last. The only real way to improve over your entire year is through hard work.

Also, be aware of giving coffee to your youth or even high school athletes. There are so many more different things you can do as a parent to help your young hockey player out than driving them to Starbucks before a game!

Daily Training Tip #577

2011-12-27T04:32:00.000-08:00

Using a balance board is a great way to help improve your balance. Using the board also brings you a lot of different training options. You can build strength by throwing a medicine ball while standing on balance board. You can build up your hands by stick handling and passing on the balance board. You can even build explosiveness by jumping on/off the balance board. Using the balance board brings you a lot of different training options.

Daily Training Tip #576

2011-12-26T04:32:00.000-08:00

Keep your training routine in tact, even during a holiday break. If you are used to getting up and going to the gym first thing in the morning, continue doing that when your on break from your team. You might not be able to do the same exercises becasue of lack of equipment, but you can still keep your routine! This will help during your first game back.

Daily Training Tip #575

2011-12-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

During the season, your focus shifts from off-ice training to on-ice training. However, as I've said before, in-season training is still very crucial to your development. With being on the ice more and having more practices and more games, you need to make the most of your gym time. It doesn't matter if you are in the gym for a workout, a warmup, a cooldown, a rehab session or anything else; make the most of it! Standing around, watching others isn't going to benefit you very much!

Daily Training Tip #574

2011-12-22T04:51:00.000-08:00

Paying a price a in the gym, starts with you! Nobody can do the work for you. You need to be determined enough to complete exercises that you've never done before. Same holds true on the ice.

If you think you can, or you think you can't; you're right!

Daily Training Tip #573

2011-12-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

Box Jumps are a great exercise for all age athletes to do. However, there is one (1) common error that you need avoid.

Make sure you land softly with your entire foot on top of the box. If not (like below) your toes have a greater chance of slipping off causing your shins to bang the side of the box.

Daily Training Tip #572

2011-12-20T04:32:00.001-08:00

Use a stability ball during your workout today.

You can use a stability ball for the majority of your exercises; you can sit on it, lay on it, lean against the wall on the ball and balance on it. Adding the ball helps create balance and incorporates/activates your core in an additional way.

Daily Training Tip #571

2011-12-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

Keep your heals flat when squatting! Keeping your heals flat takes the stress away from your knees and forces your quads to do more work.

Daily Training Tip #570

2011-12-16T04:25:00.000-08:00

Your training program needs to have different phases. Which really means change. Your body reacts well to change. Each phase needs to be built with a different goal in mind. Typically, a year around program will have four phases; hypertrophy, strength, strength & dynamic effort, and lastly maximal strength & power. Then there also needs to be change with in each phase. Talk with your strength coach or trainer and discuss some of your options. Stear away from doing the same things over and over again!

Daily Training Tip #569

2011-12-15T04:48:00.000-08:00

The faster you sprint, the faster you skate. Assisted and resisted sprint training both lead to faster sprint times, but in different ways. Assisted sprint training produces gains in the initial phase of the sprint, while resisted training produces gains in the later phases of the sprint. Both are important to hockey players.

Try the below today. Using bungees to "assist" you in sprinting/skating faster by getting pulled by a partner and using bungees to "resist" you while you are pulling your partner. This is a great way to build speed both at the start and at the end of your sprint. It is also very fun!

Daily Training Tip #568

2011-12-14T04:49:00.001-08:00

As a strength coach, it pains me to watch young hockey players have their parents take their hockey bag out of the car, extend the handle and hand it to the player so he/she can roll it into the rink. It pains me even more to see mom or dad roll the bag into the rink while the player walks along side.

Every little thing you do, both as a player and as a person, will have an affect on you. When you show up to the rink today; take your bag out of the car yourself, take the wheels off and carry your own gear into the locker room. You will become a better player for it!

Daily Training Tip #567

2011-12-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

Body weight exercises are a great way for youth hockey players to start off-ice training. You can start body weight exercises at any age and continue them until any age! Push-Ups, Sit-Ups, Squats, Pull-Ups, etc are great exercises to do on a regular basis for any age, any ability player.

Daily Training Tip #566

2011-12-12T06:02:00.001-08:00

Injuries happen. Unfortunately, they are part of the game and sometimes happen at the worst possible time. What you do, after you are injuried will determine how quickly you return to action. You can do a couple of things to speed up the process.

1) Follow your rehab, as perscribed.

2) Make sure you continue to stay in shape. If you have an upper body injury, ride the bike. If you have an lower body injury, ride an arm bike. If able, you can also swim. Depending on your injury, there are other things you can do as well.

3) Continue to eat and sleep proper through your injury process. Don't stay up late eating chips on the couch!

Doing the little things, when injuried, can help you return to action quicker!

Daily Training Tip #565

2011-12-09T05:19:00.000-08:00

Just like when you enter the rink, have confidence when you enter the gym. The more confident you are, the harder you will work and the greater your results will be.

Daily Training Tip #564

2011-12-08T05:00:00.001-08:00

Breathing is a small, but important part of your training. When training or when competiting always breathe out during any "hard" parts. Doing this helps get a little more power and helps with your fatigue levels.

Daily Training Tip #563

2011-12-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

If you live in the north country, there is no excuses why you can't lift, jump, sprint and skate together on a daily basis.

One of the greatest parts of living in cold climates is the amount of open ice that can be used for skating and pick up games!

Looking out my office window, Clark Lake looks a little different than it does during the summer months!

Daily Training Tip #562

2011-12-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been told at one time or another to "think outside the box." Your training is no different. The movements you make while playing the game, aren't confined to a box. Your legs extend outside, your arms extend outside, sometime your arms are out one side while your legs are out the other side of the box. Your training needs to mimic this.

Train outside of the box!

Daily Training Tip #561

2011-12-05T06:08:00.001-08:00

In 2010, emergency rooms treated almost 10 times more cases of reactions to energy drinks than in 2005. This increase is caused by a lot of different factors.

You need to be aware of what you ingest into your body. As an athlete, your body needs to be in top shape. Make sure you are eating and drinking properly!

Daily Training Tip #560

2011-12-02T04:45:00.001-08:00

If you are trying to catch the person in front of you (or trying to pull farther away from the person behind you) you can not afford to to skip a workout or a practice.

If a coach told you "it is optional" you better take the option of the showing up and working hard. That is the only way you can catch up and bypass.

No matter how long you play the game of hockey, it is going to be too short. You can't afford to miss things!

Daily Training Tip #559

2011-12-01T04:49:00.000-08:00

Soak up as much knowledge as you possible can. There are lots of resources out there that can benefit you and your career. However, the key is to sort out what works for you and what doesn't!

Daily Training Tip #558

2011-11-30T04:50:00.001-08:00

Continuing from yesterday, what are you doing to keep the pecking order the way it is?

If you are on the top line and the top power play, what are you doing to stay there?

If you are on the top team, what are you doing to stay there?

If you beat a team the first time you play, what are you doing to assure you beat them again?

The pecking order is always changing, which means if you are on the top, you had better be paying a heck of a price to stay there. There is always someone else that is trying to take your spot. There is always someone else that isn't happy with their pecking order and are doing everything they can do to change it. You need to be doing everything you can do to stay on top. You don't have time to sit on top and enjoy the view, you need to be making strides up and up!

Daily Training Tip #557

2011-11-29T05:04:00.000-08:00

What are you doing to change the pecking order?

If you are playing on the third line, what are you doing above and beyond the six (6) players on the top two lines?

If you are on the B team, what are you doing above and beyond the players on the A team?

If you lost the first game against a certain team, what are you doing above and beyond them to beat them when you face them again?

If everyone is doing the same things, everyone is going to improve in a similiar fashion. My question to you is, what are you doing above and beyond everyone else to catch back up to them or to pull ahead of them even further. It doesn't matter where you stand, it matters where you are going.

There are lots of "little extras" you can be doing to put yourself in a position to change the pecking order. You can always shoot more pucks, stickhandle more, spend more time in the gym or get on the ice more.

The pecking order is always changing, make sure you are always moving up!

Daily Training Tip #556

2011-11-28T05:55:00.000-08:00

When you are on a tight training and competition schedule, there is no room for drugs and alcohol. You can't perform to your best ability if you abuse your body!

Daily Training Tip #555

2011-11-22T04:47:00.001-08:00

Use this Thanksgiving break to get caught up on your academics, sleep, training and to heal up any injuries you might have.

Daily Training Tip #554

2011-11-21T05:56:00.001-08:00

You need to push yourself off of the ice, just like you do on the ice. With the proper workouts and the proper work ethic off of the ice, you can really seperate yourself from your opponents.

Pay a Price!

Daily Training Tip #553

2011-11-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

If you have aspiration to play in pros, then don't train like the pros. Train harder than the pros. A pro has already accomplished a lot of things, you need to catch up! Pay a bigger price, get bigger results!

Daily Training Tip #552

2011-11-17T04:53:00.001-08:00

If you become injuried and are expected to miss a portion of time, your dietary needs will probably need to change. When you are training and practicing on a daily basis, you burn a lot of calories. If you stop all of your training, because of your injury, you need to, at a minimum, cut back on the amount of calories that you intake. Intaking more calories than you burn will increase your body fat, which is something you don't need.

However, you can't cut back to much! Don't under eat! By under eating, while injuried, can actually prolong inflammatory response and can slow down your immune function. So don't cut back to much!

Daily Training Tip #551

2011-11-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

Testing shows improvement. If you've gone through a series of tests and haven't show improvement, you probably didn't work as hard as you could have during the off-season.

Daily Training Tip #550

2011-11-15T04:49:00.001-08:00

There are always a lot of studies going on, on how to improve on first step quickness. All come back with a combination of plyometrics and strength training; something that MHC excels at!

Daily Training Tip #549

2011-11-14T04:47:00.000-08:00

In-Season training is just as important as Off-Season training. In-Season training is slightly different than Off-Season training in the fact that the amounts of reps and sets are different. Sometimes the exercises themselves are different. In-Season training has to be scheduled around game times, etc.

However, In-Season training is the same as Off-Season training in the fact that the intensity level is still very high. It is very crucial to be training as hard as possible. Never put it in cruise control!

Daily Training Tip #548

2011-11-11T04:51:00.000-08:00

I read a study yesterday on the NFL. It stated that the shortened preseason, lead to an increase in injuries.

My question to those players is, what did you do on your own during your off-season? Didn't you prepare yourself?

Typically, muscle strains and muscle pulls that occur during the early part of the season can be avoided. During the first few entire team practices and/or games, players tend to go a little harder than they are used to, causing injuries. But my question is, if a players training is proper and they are in proper shape, wouldn't those first few workouts be breeze?

The harder and smarter you train, the better your results will be!

Daily Training Tip #547

2011-11-10T04:49:00.001-08:00

If you warm up properly for a game/competition, why wouldn't you warm up properly for a practice or workout?

A neuromuscular dynamic warm up not only helps your body get ready to perform, it also helps reduce the risk of injury.

Daily Training Tip #546

2011-11-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

I've written a lot about the proper way to train and condition yourself to be the best hockey player that you can be. How to train your core, how to create power & explosiveness, why one-leg training is important, how to prevent injuries, etc.

However, all successful people do the same thing...

They are willing to push themselves to the limit.

They are willing to outwork every competitor that they have.

And they never look for a handout from someone else. They go out and get it!

It's easy to make excuses, that's why there is only one champion at the end of the season.

Daily Training Tip #545

2011-11-08T04:59:00.000-08:00

Knee Bend, Knee Bend, Knee Bend... http://www.letsplayhockey.com/1049blatherwick.html Jack Blaterwick wrote a great article in this weeks' Let's Play Hockey. Take a look and read it for yourself!

A couple of key points...

-"How can you teach skating without dryland training?" Dryland training needs to be a part of your hockey routine. Head to the rink for practice, then head to the gym for dryland. In today's world, a lot of youth associations do have a structure dryland program, however, way too many kids work hard on the ice and then skip dryland. Practice and Dryland need to go hand in hand.

-"Strength Training should be thought of as Skating Practice!" We've been saying this for years, you become a better skater off of the ice!

-"Make this position your comfort zone by completing hundreds of repetitions!" It is impossible to keep your knees bent down to the proper position without proper leg strength. Proper leg strength comes with hard work off of the ice!

Daily Training Tip #544

2011-11-07T06:04:00.001-08:00

Don't wast your time doing aerobic training. If done properly, all anaerobic training becomes aerobic after a certain amount of time.

Daily Training Tip #543

2011-11-04T04:45:00.001-07:00

Fatigue is also caused by a poor diet and poor sleep habits. YES, the way you eat and the way you sleep will directly affect your performance!

Daily Training Tip #542

2011-11-03T04:53:00.001-07:00

The impact of fatigue is seen in a lot of places.

-Your skating form breaks down, causing you to skate slower and less explosive.

-Your puck and stick skills become slower and less accurate.

-Your head/mind become less focused causing an increase in errors.

Training helps delay the onset of fatigue. The better conditioned you are, the longer it takes for fatigue to set in.

Daily Training Tip #541

2011-11-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

Just ask the Brainerd Boys & Girls Hockey Teams...Running stairs is a great way to get your morning started!

Running stairs can be completed as it's own seperate workout or part of a workout. While running, make sure to keep good form; chest up, light on your feet and have good knee drive up the hill!

Daily Training Tip #540

2011-11-01T04:48:00.001-07:00

Lots of muscles play a role in your over all leg strength. Which means, you have to do multiple exercises to strengthen them all. You should be doing squats, lunges, deadlifts, RDL's, calf raises, etc. Multiple lifts helps build balance, which increases results and decreases injuries.

Daily Training Tip #539

2011-10-31T05:56:00.001-07:00

You've been told since you first started skating, get your butt down! Well proper knee bend on the ice can't happen without proper leg strength. So get into the gym!

Daily Training Tip #538

2011-10-27T04:36:00.000-07:00

Success is a marathon, not a sprint.

These are all facts;

-It takes 4-6 weeks of hard intense training to show improvement.

-It takes 21 consecutive days to break a bad habit.

-It takes 10,000 training hours to become an expert.

Training takes time. There are lots of ups and downs. Keep forging forward. Work as hard and as smart as possible. Don't skip any workouts. You will get rewarded!

Daily Training Tip #537

2011-10-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

Sky Jumps are an easy (but beneficial) exercise that all athletes can do regardless of their access to equipment. It can be done at home, in your back yard, on the playground, at the rink, really anywhere. If you have something to hold over your head, great. If not, just squat down, touch the floor then explode up in the air and try to touch the sky.

Daily Training Tip #526

2011-10-25T04:58:00.001-07:00

You should be able to complete at least 5-one leg squats (with each leg)with perfect form. If not, you have an area where you really need to improve on. Lower body strength is crucial to your athletic development.

Daily Training Tip #535

2011-10-24T06:22:00.001-07:00

You get out, what you put in!

Daily Training Tip #534

2011-10-21T04:21:00.001-07:00

Missing a workout is like skipping the last three (3) workouts. That's how important staying on a regular workout schedule is!

Daily Training Tip #533

2011-10-20T04:47:00.001-07:00

The success of any training program is determined by the work ethic and discipline of you...the athlete. Your motivation, along with a well-designed, complete program, will determine how good you become.

Daily Training Tip #532

2011-10-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

Lunges force athletes into a single-leg support position, which occurs in competition often. However, most sport specific movements don't occur in a straing forward position, so you need to use various forms of lunges; front side, skater, reverse lunges, etc.

Daily Training Tip #531

2011-10-18T04:51:00.001-07:00

Vertical Jump and 40 yard dash speeds directly predict skating acceleration. Which means the higher you jump and the faster you sprint, the quicker you will be on the ice!

Daily Training Tip #530

2011-10-17T06:14:00.001-07:00

Faster skating is based on the number of times a player can push off to create power, not having a "long" stride. Create a high stride rate!

Daily Training Tip #529

2011-10-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Today's DTT comes from TJ Oshie. In regards to TJ's training and on-ice workouts, TJ says to "Go Hard or Go Home!"

TJ has made himself into a hockey player. He pays one heck of price everytime he steps in the gym or on the ice. He always goes above and beyond what is required. Making yourself into a player, is really pretty simple. It just takes hard work!

Back in June, we had bunch of aspiring athletes at the camp on a Sunday morning. We were giving our Template Talk to these kids and explaining the price they need to pay to play this game at an elite level. All of sudden, the gym doors opened up and in walked TJ. We witnessed TJ go through a pretty special workout at 10a on a Sunday morning. These kids witnessed what TJ does during his workout and were amazed. They realized what they need to do to succeed.

Thanks Osh!

Daily Training Tip #528

2011-10-13T04:51:00.003-07:00

Hockey specific training is just that, hockey specific training. It doesn't matter your age or level of play, the training is the same. The older, more advanced the player is, the more advanced the workouts are, but all the concepts are the same. It doesn't matter if you are a squirt, peewee, bantam or a pro, you need to jump, sprint, lift and skate together on a consecutive basis.

Daily Training Tip #527

2011-10-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

Technique is important. If you’re lifting or jumping, make sure your technique is correct. If not, improvements are slower to appear and injuries do happen. Proper technique while lifting and jumping has quicker improvements and a decreased risk of injury.

Daily Training Tip #526

2011-10-11T04:47:00.001-07:00

USA Hockey says "treat your body like a temple, eat properly."

We take that one step further, "treat your body like a temple and do ALL the little things properly to put yourself in the proper position to succeed." There are a lot of "little things" you can do. Eating properly is one of them, along with sprinting, jumping, lifting, skating on a daily basis, getting enough sleep each night, keeping academics high, being a team player, etc. A lot of little things, add up to a big thing!

Daily Training Tip #525

2011-10-10T06:22:00.001-07:00

Add in 300 body squats to your normal workout routine today.

Daily Training Tip #524

2011-10-06T04:50:00.001-07:00

Along with forward sprints, try some backwards sprinting today. Just make sure you know where you're going!

Daily Training Tip #523

2011-10-05T06:20:00.001-07:00

Completing a workout is taking one step forward. Missing a workout (or taking a day completely off) is like taking three steps backwards. It is so crucial to workout daily.

Daily Training Tip #522

2011-10-04T04:50:00.000-07:00

Your core is a multi-muscle machine that all work in sync with each other. You have to work all muscles both individually and as a unit. This needs to be done on a daily basis.

Daily Training Tip #521

2011-10-03T06:01:00.001-07:00

Your core is a non-fatiguing area. Which means it can (and should) be worked/trained on a daily basis. Complete some sort of core routine each and every day!

Daily Training Tip #520

2011-09-30T04:43:00.000-07:00

Keeping your back flat during certain exercises is a must. We've all heard numerous times; butt down, chest up. Well chest up really means, back flat. Keeping your back flat will decrease the risk of injury.

(While flipping tires, Alex's form is perfect! Butt down, back flat, head/chest up)

Daily Training Tip #519

2011-09-29T04:50:00.001-07:00

If you have a concussion and aren't cleared for contact and games, you should also stay out of the gym. Working out can put the same stressors on your brain as playing a game can. Once you are cleared for games, get back into the gym.

Daily Training Tip #518

2011-09-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

Resistance Sprint Training is pulling a weighted implement. RST helps build power in your sprinting stride. Along with Assisted Sprint Training, RST is a great tool to add to your training bag to improve your sprinting speed. Remember, the faster you sprint on dry land, the faster you sprint on the ice!

Daily Training Tip #517

2011-09-27T04:53:00.000-07:00

Assisted Sprint Training is being forced to sprint faster than you have ever sprinted before. Strapping a 'sprint bungee' to your waist and having a partner pull you, forces you to get out of your comforct zone. It forces an increase in your cycle speed and forces an increase in your turnover speed. After repeated use, your body comes to the realization that it can sprint that fast even without the cord.

Daily Training Tip #516

2011-09-26T06:02:00.000-07:00

There are two types of sprint training; resisted and assisted. Both are great and both need to be untilized inside a training program. Purchase a 'speed bungee' and use it at least once a week. Here's the tip, also use the speed bungee on the ice! Just be careful not to step on it as your skates will slice the band!

Daily Training Tip #515

2011-09-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

You always here that you need to stay hydrated. True! However, staying hydrated isn't drinking gallons on game day. Staying hydrated is drinking enough fluids each and every day. You need to drink plenty of water on game day as well, but you will see more benefit from constant water intake.

Daily Training Tip #514

2011-09-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Most athletes are looking for the next cutting edge piece of equipment to give them an advantage over their opponents. But it's easy to overlook some of the most simple, yet very effective, training devices available. Jumping Rope is a classic example. It doesn't cost you much to purchase one, then after you have one there is no cost. You can use it everywhere and YES it will add to your improvements. Jump some rope today!

Daily Training Tip #513

2011-09-21T06:39:00.001-07:00

Make sure you are prepared for every obstacle that might stand in your way. If you need to be quicker, work on your quickness. If you need to be stronger, work on your strength. If you need to see the ice better, study the game. Prepare yourself for success in every way!

Daily Training Tip #512

2011-09-20T04:47:00.001-07:00

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In this matter, hockey players are no different than any other athletes. They need to eat breakfast and need to eat a good, healthy breakfast.

Athletes who practice in the afternoon need to eat breakfast to set the foundation for a full day of healthy eating. Athletes who have early morning workouts need breakfast to help shift their bodies from a catabolic state to an anabolic one. Athletes that are in preseason 2-a-days they need to eat breakfast to begin fueling early and often in order to maximize training.

No matter what you are doing, you need to eat a good, healthy breakfast. Get up and eat!

Daily Training Tip #511

2011-09-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

You will get out what you put in!

During your workouts, if you only put in a 50% effort, you are only going to get out 50% of the results. If you put in every ounce of effort that you have, you will get the greatest results as your return. Only you will decide the outcome!

Daily Training Tip #510

2011-09-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

Agility training is something that needs to be done on a regular basis. An easy to way to make it fun is to incorporate competition drills with a partner.

Try getting a 'break-a-way' cord and try to get away from your partner, while your partner is trying to stay close to you. This is a great workout and adds a fun, competitive angle to your workout.

Daily Training Tip #509

2011-09-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

If you are going to run a mile (or more) break it up into a 200yd sprint followed by a 200yd jog and repeat 3 more times. This is better for your hockey career than just running a mile.

Daily Training Tip #508

2011-09-13T04:49:00.000-07:00

Overhead, One leg exercises are a great complex exercise, that develop hockey specific athletic movements. You can use; medicine balls, kettlebells, dumbbells or even weight plates. Keep you chest up and your back flat while completing any overhead lifts.

Daily Training Tip #507

2011-09-12T06:24:00.001-07:00

Early morning workouts are the best for your development. Get out of bed and head to the gym. Once workout is completed, then get on with your day!

Daily Training Tip #506

2011-09-09T04:34:00.000-07:00

We've said before, hockey is a lower body sport. If you want to improve on your shot, improve your lower body, not your wrists. Your wrists play a very minor part in your shot. Improve them, yes, but spend the majority of your time on your lower body.

Daily Training Tip #505

2011-09-08T04:47:00.001-07:00

As your season gets going and you complete pre-season off ice tests, keep in mind it doesn't matter how you compare to others, it matters how you compare to your post-season off ice tests from last summer.

A test should only be given to chart improvement!

Daily Training Tip #504

2011-09-07T04:46:00.000-07:00

I've been asked numerous times over the last month, "why does it take me a couple of shifts to 'get into the game?' After a couple of shifts, I'm good, but the first few shifts I'm terrible."

The reason is simple. You're not getting properly warmuped. Before you get your hockey gear on, you should have a good sweat going. Your heart rate should be raised and your muscles should be loosened up. This should take somewhere between 7-15 minutes of a hard, dynamic warmup. Directly after your warmup, quickly get your gear on. If you sit and take thirty minutes to get dressed, you will cool down. Take no more than seven (7) minutes to get dressed.

Stretching is not a warmup. If you are only stretching before a game, you are not properly warmuped!