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| Variety |
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The offseason was once a place
where you went to forget about how tired you were. It has
evolved into the single most important block of time to improve
your game.
Athletes, coaches, parents and everyone involved in the game
understand that you must continue to develop off the ice in
order to continue developing on the ice. No expert in our field
would disagree with the notion of continual improvement. Experts
would argue for weeks on end as to how to get there. There are
many ways to get in great anaerobic shape for hockey.
Let’s discuss how and why as simply as we can.
Every great skater we have worked with, and by great we mean
fast, has been a great sprinter during dry-land training. Sergei
Samsonov, Shawn Bates, Jay Pandolfo, Sean McEachern, Bill
Guerin, Joe Sacco and Mike Sullivan have all won fastest skater
contests for their respective teams. And they could all repeat
bouts of speed again and again. What’s their common thread? They
were all great sprinters in our offseason program and they
worked hard to improve their abilities to accelerate and
decelerate.
There are many factors involved in speed improvement, but
ultimately you have to practice running fast to become faster.
And you have to be fast every sprint to be fast every shift.
Benefits of biking
The bike has long been a staple of the off-season program. Long,
steady rides have long been considering a way to improve stamina
in skaters while minimizing the stress placed on joints. This is
a half-truth. The bike will reduce stress on joints, if impact
is an issue. The bike will also continue to make hockey players
become more inflexible as their hip flexors/psoas stay short in
the seated position. Full hip extension is the goal of every
athlete and should be encouraged whenever possible. In addition,
long slow rides will make you just that – slow. Hockey is a game
of sprints and recovery. Any conditioning we perform will be
interval based, with specific work and rest ratios.
Can’t just slide on by
A slide board is a great tool to improve fitness, strength and
technique. Length will be determined by the size and strength of
the athlete. A mirror is often a great tool to correct and
improve posture and body position. Four athletes can use the
slide board at once and it is a relatively cheap piece of
equipment. This is perhaps the best multi-person, multi-use
piece of equipment that exists currently.
Climbing to your peak
There are other pieces of equipment that exist that help an
athlete reach his or her peak for hockey. The versa climber,
in-line skates, sandpits, and the pool are all effective if used
correctly. Variety is an excellent way to keep training fresh
and exciting. Use some or all of the above to inspire yourself
or others to improve.
The harder the sprint, the longer the rest
You want to practice being fast, so allow the body time to
recover before sprinting again. Technical perfection is a must.
Your goal should be quality first and then build quantity. Good
habits lead to success and poor habits reveal weak character. If
you want to improve then make it a priority to work hard and
smart.
The general premise behind conditioning is simple: Become fit
enough to handle the specific demands of your sport while
reducing the potential for overuse and wear and tear injuries.
The human body can tolerate a tremendous amount of stress
through adaptation. If you plan your conditioning out over
months you will be fit and healthy. Getting in shape in two
weeks is similar to cramming for a test. The results are never
good. Use a scientific approach to training and improvement and
use your imagination for variety in determining how you are
going to get there. |
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