Off-Season Training With Planet Hockey

It is now that time of the year. The images and memories of last season become clearly fixed in the rearview mirror and our new dreams are created as we watch the Stanley Cup Finals in admiration. We are familiar with what we as hockey players can do on the ice and can't help but snicker as we watch the big guys play with seemingly effortless poetry. How do they do it?

Most professional players were born with a ton of talent, yet others were not. The common thread they all have is that they work at their game year-round in one way or another. No one can skate three hours a day throughout the year, I wouldn't recommend it. We all work hard throughout the season and need some sort of break from the game. This may mean skating twice a week throughout the summer, or twice a month, everyone is different. Throughout the summer, some NHL players skate 15 hours per week, some only 15 hours the entire summer. They all, however, engage in off-season workouts ranging from golf to intense weight training. After being cooped up in an arena all year, there are clear benefits both psychologically and physically to being active outdoors throughout the summer. Breathing air that isn't cold and filled with Zamboni exhaust can sometimes by itself be enough to prepare for the upcoming season.

Every player's off-season routine will vary with their age, ability, desire, level of commitment, and long term hockey goals. A couple pre-workout recommendations: buy a good pair of running shoes to limit knee and ankle impact, stretch for 5-10 minutes before and after each workout, always change your workout routine to maintain interest, consult our physician if you have any medical conditions, and for technical skating and puck control instruction and ideas, as well as skills training drills call 1-800-320-7545 to purchase the 1996 Planet Hockey Instructional Skating & Puck Control video. The following off-season training ideas are excellent for developing hockey specific skills and muscles.

Avoid Burnout
The nature of the game draws us in and consumes us. We eat, breathe, and sleep perfectly taped sticks, and game-winning goals. Many of us play year-round and are at risk of burning out. Burnout is very real and happens to players at all levels. We recommend a summer structured around a variation of creative hockey-related and hockey-unrelated activities.

Objectives
The objective of every off-season training routine should be to develop skills, condition hockey specific muscles, and provide a chance to participate in activities outdoors. Specific goals should include developing soft feet, soft hands, promoting an active lifestyle, and having fun. Selecting from an assortment of creative and effective workouts must be stressed to increase motivation and to help you through those inevitable "lazy days". Following are a few of Planet Hockey's favorite off-season training ideas:

Jumping Rope
Workout Suggestions- change workouts to include jumping with both feet, one foot, and alternating feet. Jump rope 2-4 times per week. Alternate between the following two workouts:

1) Quick Bursts- 30-45 second intervals at the fastest tempo possible without breaking your rhythm, with 1 minute rests between each repetition. Try 3 sets of 3 reps. with a 2 minute rest between each set.

2) Endurance- Jump 20 minutes at a moderated pace, alternating your foot patterns throughout the workout. Set goals of 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes without a "miss". Jump with a walkman on, listening to your stereo, or while watching TV.

Muscles Worked- Primary: wrists, ankles, calves. Secondary: shoulders. SOFT FEET.

Inline Skating
Your primary objective should be to reinforce correct skating techniques. Anytime you are in skates, hockey or inline, correct skating motions should be executed. This will develop good habits, not bad ones. Assuming you do this, enjoy a nice sunny day on your blades and remember to ALWAYS wear a helmet and sufficient protective equipment.

Workout Suggestions- Vary your workouts to include distance training and technical skills training. Train on your inline skates 2-3 times per week. To avoid dehydration and sun burn, skate in the morning or evening and drink plenty of fluids. Select a safe, newly paved surface.

1) Distance Training- skate a 50% speed for 20-30 minutes maintaining a 90 degree kneebend. Try to find a route with changing scenery.

2) Technical Skills Training- Work on your skating and puck control skills for 30-45 minutes. Create drills to develop your forward and backward strides, crossunders, turns, stickhandling, passing, and shooting. This is a mental workout, rather than a physical workout. The emphasis is on precise execution, not power or speed. Skills must be practiced at a learnable rate. Again, for technical skills training ideas and effective drills, call 1-800-320-7545 for our latest hockey skills training video.

Muscles Worked- Quadriceps, hamstrings, cardiovascular.

SlideBoard Training
A training tool widely used by international speedskaters and competitive hockey players to develop leg strength, correct striding, and to provide a challenging cardiovascular workout.

Workout Suggestions- Vary your workouts to include distance training, quick burst training, and technical skills training. Incorporate slide board workouts 2-3 times per week.

1) Distance Training- stroke a 50% thrust for 20-30 minutes maintaining a 90 degree kneebend and a consistent head level. Swing your arms back and forth to involve your upper body and to finish the transfer of body weight. Adjust the slide board to a challenging length.

2) Quick Burst Training- Adjust the board to a shorter length. Maintain controlled strides, pick up the tempo of your strides to approximately twice that of your distance training. Three sets of three 30 -45 second bursts at 80-90%. Rest 1 minute between reps and 2 minutes between sets.

3) Technical Skills Training- Complete, explosive leg thrust and upper body control must be maintained throughout any workout involving striding motions.

Muscles Worked- Quadriceps, hamstrings, cardiovascular.

Running Steps/Stairs
This could very well be one of the best cross-training activities, one that simulates game-like situations, challenges you mentally and physically, and allows you to breathe fresh outside air on a nice summer day. Step training will develop explosive leg strength and quick burst speed.

Workout Suggestions- Go to your local high school or stadium and run 2-4 sets of 3 reps, 1-2 times per week. Each repetition should involve a 20-30 second burst up the steps, with 45 second rest intervals between each rep. Concentrate on exploding off deep kneebend, swinging arms front to back, and maintaining a level head position. Change your step workouts to include running every other step, or using only one leg, or a combination of the two. Find what works best for you. Warning-your legs will get quite "wabbly" as a result of fatigue, so take it easy on the way down, as you return back to the bottom. Use this return to the bottom as a time to catch your breath and regain your strength.

Muscles Worked- Quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, cardiovascular. This is a surprisingly low impact/high output activity, as you are continually thrusting, not pounding down on your knees and ankles! Give it a try, you'll love the results.

Stomach Crunches
Quite possibly the most neglected muscles in a hockey player's body are those that control upper body positioning and control, the stomach and lower back. Our quest for power and speed focuses on developing our legs and arms, overlooking the importance of well conditioned abdominal and lower back muscles. Every shot, change of direction, and all body contact stems from your midsection.

Workout Suggestions- A very simple exercise that anyone could and should do 10 minutes each day. Lying on your back, bring your legs up and pull your knees back toward your body forming a 90 degree angle between your thighs and your upper body. Place your hands on your stomach, NOT behind your head, so you can feel your abdominals contracting. The key is to feel a "burn" and to keep your stomach tight and contracted throughout the entire repetition. Start by slowly lifting your entire upper body upward toward the ceiling, while contracting your stomach with each "crunch". Keep your shoulder blades off the floor, crunch upward 4-8 inches, hold for 1 second, then slowly return downward keeping your shoulder blades off the ground the entire time. Repeat slowly and completely for 3 sets of 30-50 reps. This exercise should be performed strictly by feel. Go to "Burn + 10". This means, if you feel a good burn at 20 reps., crunch out 10 more at that point. If you don't feel a burn until 50, no big deal. With each set, you will feel the burn more. You will feel a burn in your stomach, which is what you want. This activity utilizes a very short range of motion. Do not curl or arch your back, or crunch in a jerking motion. Simply pull your upper body upward by literally contracting your stomach muscles. It is surprising how easy it really is to develop strong abdominal muscles. 5-10 minutes each day will do the trick.

Muscles Worked- Abdominals (stomach) and lower back.

Puck Control/Shooting Drills
On a smooth surface, using a ball or puck, make-up creative stickhandling and shooting drills 2-4 times per week.

Workout Suggestions- 1)Place pucks in a triangle or any other random pattern and work on your reach and "soft hands". Develop a soft feel for the puck/ball using controlled wrist and arm motions. 2)Hang Gatorade bottles from a hockey net and practice hitting the targets from different angles both on the forehand and backhand. Learn to concentrate and focus on hitting your target, never settle for just getting close. Have contests with your friends and family or keep track of your accuracy percentage. Make those hanging bottles become "dancing bottles". 3)Stickhandle a golf ball on a slick surface to develop soft, quick hands. Pay special attention to the sounds of the ball hitting the stick blade. There should be little or no sound. Work on range of motion, reaching the golf ball around your body, even using your feet.

Muscles Worked- Wrists, forearms, stomach, lower back.

You will find that the most difficult part of an off-season training schedule is getting started. Begin one week from today and begin! Always train with at least a friend or two when possible. Set attainable goals and remember, if the workouts are not fun and are not challenging, your intentions are useless. Be creative, smart and safe, and begin one week from today! Good Luck.

This article was written by Shawn Killian, Director of Planet Hockey Skills Camps and the Planet Hockey Ranch in Salida, Colorado. For more information on all Planet Hockey Programs including Training Videos and coordinating a Planet Hockey Skills Camp for your Association or Group contact Planet Hockey at 1-800-320-7545 | www.planethockey.com | shawn@planethockey.com

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