Become More Explosive On The Ice

Become More Explosive On The Ice

by | Jul 5, 2016 | Educational

Become More Explosive On The Ice

When my athletes come back from their season and they are ready to start training again for the summer I ask a bunch of questions to get an idea of where we need to place our focus. One question I always ask my guys is “What did the coach say you needed to work on for the upcoming season?” And 9/10 times the answer I hear is “The coach asked me to work on improving my first few steps on the ice”.

With the direction the game is going nowadays, it is very important to work on speed and explosive training during the summer. The game is becoming too fast and if you can’t keep up, then you won’t be playing at high levels very long.

One of the greatest ways to improve our explosive stride is to incorporate plyometrics (plyos) into our off-season training program. (Plyometrics can be described as exercises that help increase the rate at which fast twitch muscle fibers fire and any exercise that involve: hoping, jumping, bounding, etc.) Plyos develop the stretch-shortening cycle ability and the better this system is developed the more force we can produce. Maximizing the ability of the stretch-shortening cycle depends on how we train plyos.

Plyometrics are not conditioning drills!

Like everything we do, we need to start with the basics and this couldn’t be truer with plyos. In order to get the most benefit from plyos, we need to make sure we have the strength in our legs first.

Let’s  break down the movement of a jump into 3 parts.

First is the eccentric movement or the stretching of the muscle. This is when we lower down into our squat.

Second is the part of us holding the bottom position of the squat.

Third is the concentric movement or the actual jump itself.

To help with injury prevention we need to focus on the first part of the plyo and build strength in the eccentric movement.

This can be accomplished by simply performing body weight squats. To make the exercise more difficult, slowly lower down into the bottom position of the squat on a 5-second count. Make sure the knees aren’t falling inwards when performing this exercise. Slowly lowering down into the bottom position of the squat will help increase the eccentric strength needed to perform safe plyos.

Once we can perform a body weight squat properly without having the knees collapse in we can add some speed to the exercise. We do this by trying to get into the bottom position of the squat as fast as possible. Adding speed to the squat will make it harder to prevent the knees from collapsing inward when dropping down into the bottom part of our squat. (Make sure to pay attention so this doesn’t happen.) Once we drop down into the bottom position we’ll want to hold it for about 2 seconds then stand up to the starting position and repeat for 5 repetitions.

Now that we have the strength and the speed to get into the bottom position of the squat we can finally add the jump and complete the entire plyometric movement. For kids under the age of 14, it is recommended that they perform single sets of plyos at 6-10 repetitions and progress up to 2-3 sets over multiple weeks. And for any given plyo session young hockey players shouldn’t perform more than 100-foot contacts for that day. (Foot contacts refers to every time your feet touch the ground. For example, if you did 2 sets of 5 jumps you would have completed 10-foot contacts) Limiting a number of foot contacts for each session will help prevent non-contact injuries, reduce fatigue, and increase performance. As the athlete matures it is acceptable for them to perform upwards of 140-foot contacts per session.

Before you start your next plyometric session remember the following:

  • Build eccentric strength first
  • Prevent the knees from collapsing inward
  • Plyometrics are NOT conditioning drills
  • Hockey players under the age of 14 should limit their foot contacts to below 100
  • Older and more advanced hockey players can perform up to 140-foot contacts per session

Do You Experience Muscle Cramps?

Do You Experience Muscle Cramps?

by | Jun 20, 2016 | Educational

Do You Experience Muscle Cramps?

Can you Actually PREVENT a Muscle Cramp?

Have you ever been playing a hockey game when all of a sudden you felt a cramp come on? Or have you had your leg cramp up so bad in summer training that you couldn’t finish your workout? How about being in a deep sleep when all of a sudden your calf cramps up and wakes you up feeling like you’ve been shot in the leg? No matter when a cramp presents itself it is never enjoyable!

When it comes to our body there are certain things that we can control and others that we can’t. I strongly believe that we need to limit the number of variables that may prevent us from reaching our goals. A cramp is one of those variables! A cramp may not seem like a big deal to some people, but athletes know the significance of a cramp and the negative effects it can have. I will be sharing some simple everyday things you can do to make sure a cramp never slows you down or prevents you from making that big play during the playoffs to win the game.

Encyclopedia.com states that “Muscle cramps are one of the most common clinical problems suffered by athletes in endurance events” But that doesn’t mean athletes who perform shorter, higher intensity sports like ice hockey aren’t prone to experiencing muscle cramps.

 

What exactly is a muscle cramp, and how does it hinder sports performance?

A muscle cramp happens when the muscle has an involuntary and powerful contraction that will not relax on its own. This occurrence can be very painful and can impede any type of movement in the affected muscle. In most cases, the athlete is unable to continue and has to remove themselves from training or even worse, a competition.

 

So how do we prevent muscle cramps from happening?

Well, we can’t. That probably isn’t what you wanted to hear, but don’t worry there is still something you can do to delay the onset of the cramp so it doesn’t actually affect your performance. Since there is not enough definitive research out there on how to fully prevent muscle cramps, the best thing we can do is delay them from happening. Many people think that exercising in hot or cold weather can have an impact on muscle cramps. The truth is the only proven indicator of what causes cramps is fatigue. (Cramping in Sports: Beyond Dehydration). Below are a few tips of what you can do to hopefully never experience a muscle cramp again.

  • Consume a carbohydrate and electrolyte beverage before and during exercise
  • Add a little extra salt to your diet
  • Proper training
  • Drink the recommended amount of water daily
  • Stretch your muscles

With more research being done each day, maybe soon we’ll be able to exactly know not only how to delay the onset of a cramp but how to prevent it altogether. Until that happens, the best you can do is follow the tips above. To elaborate, you want to make sure you are not dehydrated and have enough electrolytes in your system, especially sodium. Adequate training for your specific sport is also very important. If you can train your muscles to be prepared for the task at hand, then this will help prevent muscle fatigue thus slowing down the onset of any type of cramp. Stretching is also a great preventative measure as it keeps the muscles healthy and firing properly, ultimately delaying or avoiding the onset of a muscle cramp.

How to Front Squat for Hockey Players

How to Front Squat for Hockey Players

by | Jun 6, 2016 | Educational

How to Front Squat for Hockey Players

I hope you are incorporating front squats into your off-season programs. This exercise is a great way to develop strong legs that will help you skate faster. In the video below I break down the front squat and show you how to perform it correctly. These are the main areas you should be focusing on while squatting:

 

  • High elbows and neutral wrists
  • Engaging your core
  • Keeping your back flat
  • Screwing your feet outward BUT keep your feet pointing straight ahead
  • Pushing your knees out as you lower into the bottom position of the squat BUT don’t roll onto the sides of your feet
  • Keeping your back flat
  • Keeping your head in neutral positioning throughout the entire movement by not looking up at the bottom of your squat

The front squat will help you develop the leg and core strength you need to become a better skater, but if performing this exercise incorrectly, you will increase your chances of injury and you won’t get all the benefits of this awesome exercise.

Ask Yourself This Question…

Ask Yourself This Question…

by | May 23, 2016 | Educational

Ask Yourself This Question…

Do YOU Have WHAT it takes?

WHAT does it take? Let’s start off by defining this ominous term. Growing up playing hockey at many different levels and making my way through the ranks from minor hockey to college and then professional, I have seen a lot of good hockey players, and a few exceptional ones. The difference between them was not their skill level. Some naturally skilled players won’t make it past Junior B, while seemingly mediocre ones will skyrocket into stardom. You may ask yourself why? Instead, ask yourself WHAT.

Sacrifice and Discipline

Don’t get me wrong, sacrifice and discipline alone won’t fast track you to the NHL, but if you want to be successful in your hockey career and make it to the highest level possible with the talent you were given, mental strength and stamina will give you the edge that you need to power through fatigue, injury, temptation, and self-doubt. Even though you may possess or achieve these two traits independently of one another, they are both needed to help get to where you want to go.

So let’s identify what Sacrifice and Discipline are. The dictionary definition of sacrifice is ”something given up or lost.” You might be asking yourself, well how is that going to help me make it to the next level? Before I answer that, let’s find out what discipline means.  Discipline is defined as “a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules or orders.” We all have goals; whether they include making it into Juniors, getting a scholarship to a recognized school, or even striving for the NHL, but along our journey, we will have many temptations. They can be as small as choosing the right foods to eat to fuel our bodies, or as big as going to that “epic” party everyone is talking about. When we train as hard as we do and spend as much time in the rink and gym as we do, we need the proper rest and nutrients for optimal recovery.  Making the sacrifices to do what is right for us (even if we might not want to in the moment) will help us obtain our goals. Having the discipline to stay on track and follow the plan we have laid out for ourselves will reap rewards that far outweigh our daily temptations. I’m not suggesting that you neglect your social life, but be aware of how it affects your progress and surround yourself with the right people and environments that will support your ambitions.

  • Don’t drink away your calories or party away your sleep
  • Fuel your body with the right foods
  • Follow your performance plan and track your progress
  • Doing the right thing at the moment that will help you achieve your goals

Success doesn’t happen overnight, it’s the little things we do day in and day out that allow us to achieve the goals we have set out for ourselves. Make the sacrifice now so you can have what you desire later!

Remember: Elite players schedule their day around their workouts while average players plan their workouts around their day.

DON’T BE AVERAGE!

Where to Start

Where to Start

by | May 9, 2016 | Educational

Where to Start

I remember the first off-season where I actually worked out like a hockey player. I was fortunate enough that my Junior hockey team had a great strength and conditioning coach. Always being a skinny tall guy I knew I needed to put on some serious mass if I wanted to play at a higher level. After the hockey season, the strength and conditioning coach gave me a program and said if I followed it properly I would be able to put on about 10-15lbs and really increase my strength over the summer. I was pretty happy to hear this because I needed to not only add size but strength as well.

I remember flipping through the pages of the training book and thinking to myself, I need to get big and strong so I don’t need to start with these light weights and high reps at the front of the book, I’ll go right to the good stuff. Following the program how I thought it should be done rather than what my strength and conditioning coach planned for it to be done left me with less than optimal results. I still got a little stronger and added a few pounds of muscle mass but nothing like what the strength coach said would happen.

The following off-season I promised myself I would follow the program correctly from start to finish. At the end of the summer, I had put on 15lbs of muscle mass and increased my strength just like the off-season program was designed to do. Not only did it make me bigger and stronger, my on-ice performance improved as well. It was a bittersweet feeling because it made me realize I could have had these results the previous year but instead I missed a whole hockey season with this added size and strength. And now I was also at the end of my Junior career.

The point I’m trying to make is that strength and conditioning coaches have a plan that is progressive in nature and will help you achieve your goals. We don’t just slap together a program. Every piece is specially designed with the end goal in mind. Every part of the program has a purpose and is as important as the next. Don’t do what you feel is best or what you feel like doing, follow the program and enjoy the results!

Your first two weeks should look like this….

During the first two weeks (minimum) of your summer training, you need to train higher volume and lower to medium loads to develop your muscle tissues, ligaments, and tendons. This will help prepare the body for more challenging demands later in the off-season. The first phase of training needs to have a “prehabilitation” mindset as it will help prevent any “rehabilitation” from occurring later in the summer.

In the first phase, the specific focus needs to be placed on improving balance, motor control, coordination, mobility, and core strength. All these aspects of training help build a strong foundation. Along with building a strong foundation, you need to work on developing the strength ratio between flexors and extensors by balancing the training on both sides of the body.

Even though this type of training might not be as glamorous as lifting heavy loads or performing plyometrics, if you don’t do it you will NOT develop your strength and power as much and the chance of injuring yourself later on in your off-season training is a lot greater.

I know every hockey players wants to lift heavy weights and get super strong and add tons of muscle mass over the off-season. Although this is important to a certain degree, what you really need to do is improve the neuromuscular system to function as effectively as possible to meet the demands of hockey. If your summer training program doesn’t have a proper progression in place and doesn’t go through the appropriate phases then you will have a hard time achieving this goal.

Machine vs Free Weights

Machine vs Free Weights

by | Apr 25, 2016 | Educational

Machine vs Free Weights

Looking back at the first time I went to the gym to work out, I can honestly say it was an overwhelming experience. It was at the local gym and I was 16 years old. I remember walking into the gym, looking around and thinking to myself “where do I even begin?” There were so many different machines, plus all the free weights. Add to that, the amount of people in the gym, and my anxiety was getting high. With no direction of my own I figured I would just observe what everyone else was doing. I assumed that everyone in the gym was more knowledgeable than me and I started to mimic their workout regime (wrong move!). For some exercises I used machines and others I used free weights. I had no idea what the pros or cons of either were. I was completely clueless. Today I’d like to pass on some basic information about the different uses of the two types of equipment.

When to use the machines vs. free weights?

Every piece of equipment in the gym has its place in a workout program. Whether it’s a big portion of the program or a small one, a workout program is like a puzzle. You need multiple pieces of equipment in the gym to complete the full picture. However here is my disclaimer, personally I am not a huge fan of machines and most of the time nowadays I only use them as a place to hang my towel. That being said, there is still a time and place machines can be beneficial in a workout program.

Let’s discuss who should be using machines, when and why

 

Why Machines

If you are new to working out and don’t have the means to get proper training instruction then using a machine would be most valuable for you. Machines allow you to perform exercises with minimal knowledge of the actual movement. They have a fixed range of motion (ROM), as well as a controlled weight system which minimizes the risk of inquiry by possibly moving in an incorrect way or potentially dropping the weights. Machines are designed to target specific muscles by only allowing movement in a particular way. They are also important from a rehabilitation stand point because they limit the activation of stabilizing muscles and allow a greater focus on the targeted muscles.

Why Free Weights

Just like machines are beneficial for beginners and rehabilitation purposes, free weights have their place in a training program as well. Using free weights helps target more muscle groups than just the one you are training. Free weight exercises activate stabilizer muscles and improve the musculature of the core. They also allow for a more natural ROM. Free weights recruit more muscles fibers during an exercise than a machine would. This not only improves the targeted muscle strength but it also improves the strength of the stabilizing muscles. Stabilization strength is very important for hockey players because it is what allows us to have better balance and more controlled movements on the ice. Using free weights doesn’t restrict our movement to a fixed range. The freedom of ROM allows us to perform certain exercises with more speed and power (like the hang clean or dumbbell snatch).

Free weights play a very important role in hockey workout programs. However please remember training with free weights requires coaching because proper form is everything. Since hockey players are strength/power athletes we must train for these two aspects, and using free weights allows us to do this most efficiently.

Machines
  • Useful to learn proper movements of exercises
  • Effective a reducing risk of injury
  • Help target and isolate certain muscle groups that can be beneficial for rehab
Free Weights
  • Recruit more muscles fibers that help strengthen our stabilizers
  • Allow performance of speed and power exercises like hang cleans or dumbbell snatches
  • Not limited to a fixed range of motion (more freedom with the exercise)

The next time you go workout make sure you have a goal in mind because it will help you know which type of equipment should be incorporated into your workout plan!