Hockey Training

[ironjayc]

Ok, I play hockey and am wondering if there are any excercises/routines that I could use to get the most out of my training. I've heard of special excercises using the fitness ball for balance, but can't seem to find any information on them.

I've heard of team/player personal trainers relying on excercises that utilize balance, suppleness and power to the best possible degree to get their players into game-shape.

Right now i'm doing priority training for Legs and Triceps....Triceps are lacking at the moment, and because I play defence i'll need the strongest triceps I can get to pin my opponents to the boards. I'm alternating Heavy Low rep(4-10 reps) Squats/Deadlifts one week, and Heavy High Rep(15 reps or more) Squats/Deadlifts the next, doing this on days that won't interfere with my Icetimes too much(Ie training the day before a big game/practice).

If anyone has any information for Hockey specific training, please share

[Ralph Wiggum]

You really don't need your arms that much for hockey, except your forearms. When you check somebody, its your shoulders and legs. When you shoot its your forarms, chest, legs, and shoulders. I would be working more on Chest, Legs, and Shoulders than anything else. Do squats, lunges, dumbbell presses{flat, decline, and incline}, powercleans, leg press, plyometrics, wrist lever movements-to-front, wrist lever movements to-back, flys, crunches, push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups(wide and close grip), there are many things to do. For the first month, do raw strength training, 2nd month, do explosive training. I reccomend you get a guide to ice hockey fitness from either e-bay(those personal trainer guys) or a bookstore(The one by Peter Twist is a good book.)

[Arniefan]

ur wrong...u need upper body mainly in that being the shoulders....wih lower body its calves for skating but the push of starts with the thigh...


the best way to go is build for stregth...
i read an article about gary roberts training routine...he stregth trains...and he does many jumping excersises for the legs, a great one for me to recomend would be standing jumps


as a hockey player myself i build for stregth and speed

[Ralph Wiggum]

No, I don't have a clue what I'm talking about. I've only been playing for 11 years. You don't need much arm strength. You need Shoulder, Chest, and leg strength the most out of all. As I said before, Do raw strength training for one month, using heavier weights. Then the next month, do explosiveness training, using lighter weights.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Think about it. You need to push off as much as you can with your legs when you lay a big hit on someone.

[ironjayc]

Thanks both Ralph Wiggum and Arnie Fan for your advice!

Right now i'm working on RAW strength/Power training, but I plan to add in some box jumps(Plyometrics), sprinting and jumping work in the near future. I've been bulking for the past year and a half, and have added a little too much bodyfat around the midsection to have the speed I want while doing Power-only training. Right now I play defense, weigh about 205 at 10%-12% bf, but by mid-season I hope to Bring my bodyweight to just under 200, while improving my conditioning.

Thanks again for your help...if there are any more tips you can give me, i'd be appreciative and hopefully will add some new excercises to my current program.

[BornHard-13]

LEG STRENGTH and LEG ENDURANCE is my advice

[Arniefan]

Originally posted by Ralph Wiggum
No, I don't have a clue what I'm talking about. I've only been playing for 11 years. You don't need much arm strength. You need Shoulder, Chest, and leg strength the most out of all. As I said before, Do raw strength training for one month, using heavier weights. Then the next month, do explosiveness training, using lighter weights.

yes u do...if u wanna be a power forward...u wanna be able to hold the person back with ur arm...

i dont wanna get into an argument over this, you have ur opionon as i have my own.

[Athasling]

Squats are the best thing you can do. Hockey players need lots of power. Plyometrics are great. I improved my acceleration so much doing plyos. Concentrate on lower body. Do lots of lower body exercises. For upper body, concentrate on the compound lifts like bench press, military press, and so on. Try to incorporate some olympic lifts into your routine life power cleans, clean and jerks and so on. You'll notice a HUGE difference in a short period. Trust me on this. Cardio is just as important. Get on that bike and devise a sprinting routine. Hope that helped.

[Sonny]

How big are you now? Are you a Cliff Ronning or a Todd Bertuzzi?

Check out Charles Poliquin. He trains a lot of NHLers. Including Gary Roberts. Some of the site is incomplete, but here's the article page. He talks a lot about developing strength for sports.

www.strengthzone.com/articles/index.html

Canucks Rule!!!

[ironjayc]

Oh man, guys, thanks alot! I thought this thread was dead, but thanks for bumping it again

I'm just over 6 foot 2, and weigh around 205 lbs pretty lean and strong, but I could use more speed and agility. I'm more like a Todd Bertuzzi, and I'm a natural power forward with a scoring touch. Right now i'm playing defence though, because my team needs some defencemen to carry the load back there(we're low on big defencemen, or big players even).

I appreciate the link too, i'm gonna check that out right now!

[Sonny]

We're playing you guys tonight. Any word on a new coach for the Flames? The guy you got now looks a little old.

By the way, there's a Q&A page on that site I gave you under "Ask the Guru." You should definately go through those for some added info.

[ironjayc]

lol yeah, no word yet on a coach. Although they really tried to get Scotty Bowman(Yeah right, like that'll happen)

I'm one hell of a Canucks fan actually! I used to live on Vancouver Island only 1 1/2 years ago. In Qualicum Beach, a town that was pretty nice, but the hockey there sucked. 1 ice time per week.

I'm playing pretty competitive right now in Calgary, and I love it. Outdoor rinks are coming soon, so i'll be out there day and night!

Thanks for the info, Sonny. I'll check it out thoroughly. Hey, maybe even keep in touch about any new websites etc you find....email me anytime at Ironman@winning.com and we'll talk some more! Thanks! laters- Jay C

[BeBig22]

I have played hockey for several years, and I think you should basically be training everything. You need strong legs for quick explosive races to the puck, but you also need endurance to last throughout the game. Running a few miles every couple days made me feel like I had much more energy throughout games. But you also need upper body strength mainly for checking, but shooting as well. With all the contact in hockey it helps to have extra strength and weight in your upper body to avoid being pushed around, and you have more weight to put into checks etc.

[ironjayc]

Originally posted by BeBig22
I have played hockey for several years, and I think you should basically be training everything. You need strong legs for quick explosive races to the puck, but you also need endurance to last throughout the game. Running a few miles every couple days made me feel like I had much more energy throughout games. But you also need upper body strength mainly for checking, but shooting as well. With all the contact in hockey it helps to have extra strength and weight in your upper body to avoid being pushed around, and you have more weight to put into checks etc.

Yeah I'm basically doing a regular bodybuilding routine, with a focus on strength and endurance. So far my overall play has improved greatly this season. I'm going to continue with the training i'm doing, aswell as incorporate a few new excercises I find useful for balance(when I find them). Then in the summer, i'll try to pack on as much quality mass as I can, while not losing my endurance. It's tough packing on lean mass during the hockey season, but it's not impossible or anything.

Thanks for all of your guys's advice!

[TheAntar]

Last couple years I've played casual beer leagues, but I wanna step it up a notch over the summer and get into the local competitive mens league.

I'm on a new, better diet and am hitting the gym 3 times a week, while doing cardio 4-5 days a week (be it a ball hockey session, going for a jog, whatever).

I'm 6'7 275 right now, and feel that I really wanna be about 250/10%bf as I feel thats a reasonable, reachable goal where I'll feel pretty good.

I'm just getting into the newb training routine from this site, with squats, deadlifts, rows etc and am trying to get the form down for all these.

Now the question I have:

In another week when I'm more comfortable with the exercises, with a focus on losing fat and preparing for hockey, I'm trying to figure out an appropriate amount of weight. Should I be barely able to finish each set? Should I just lift moderately, so it burns but finishing isn't a problem?

Thanks,

[Dangles22]

I was on a program my team provided with some sprint training that realy helped my agility on the ice.

Monday- sprint program. upper body
Thuesday-Lowerbody lifting
Wensday-off
Thursday-Jump program
Friday-Upperbody
Saterday-recovery run stretch
Sunday-Off

most weeks where like this.

[TheAntar]

I was on a program my team provided with some sprint training that realy helped my agility on the ice.

Monday- sprint program. upper body
Thuesday-Lowerbody lifting
Wensday-off
Thursday-Jump program
Friday-Upperbody
Saterday-recovery run stretch
Sunday-Off

most weeks where like this.

Could you explain what each day actually looked like?

Also, diet? Was this something you did while eating at a deficit or a surplus ?

Thanks,

[Dangles22]

Could you explain what each day actually looked like?

Also, diet? Was this something you did while eating at a deficit or a surplus ?

Thanks,

Each day looked different with in the beginning the weights higher and the reps lower, with more aerobic cardio, to more speed in the lifts and interval cardio

whats a deficit or a surplus? in Czech speaking and my English isnt that great

[TheAntar]

Each day looked different with in the beginning the weights higher and the reps lower, with more aerobic cardio, to more speed in the lifts and interval cardio

whats a deficit or a surplus? in Czech speaking and my English isnt that great

okay - I'm hoping for more detail in the workouts you did with your hockey team. Like, if sprint training was:

Sprint for 30 seconds, jog for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds. Repeat 5x times.

You know, something like that?

Calorie Defecit = eating less than you burn
Calorie Surplus = eating more than you burn

[Ty1er]

okay - I'm hoping for more detail in the workouts you did with your hockey team. Like, if sprint training was:

Sprint for 30 seconds, jog for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds. Repeat 5x times.

You know, something like that?

Calorie Defecit = eating less than you burn
Calorie Surplus = eating more than you burn

I play college hockey and I have this workout program written by a minesota scientist who studied players and different workouts. It mostly concentrates on the lower body.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Sprints, Plyometrics and various upper body workouts. Sprints consist of lean, fall, sprint ( you lean, fall and then sprint off to simulate taking off on ice) 10 sets of about 10 yards. Then go into 100 yard sprints. I usually just do as man as i can handle. Plyometrics will basically involve a simple box drill ( hop scotch kind of thing), Box jumps 10 reps 3 sets, Lunge jumps 20 rep 3 sets, tuck jumps 20 reps 3 sets. And for upper body i typically just workout whatever i feel needs improvement.

Tuesdays and Thursdays - these are hellish days. You do a 400 rep drill and then work on your abs. All the workouts in the 400 rep drill you wont be using weights just your own bodyweight. 20 squats 15 sec rest, 20 stride jumps 15 sec rest, 20 lunges 30 sec rest, 20 squats 15 sec rest, 20 tuck jumps 15 sec rest, 20 mountain climbers 30 sec rest, 30 lunges 15 sec rest, 30 tuck jumps 15 sec rest, 20 stride jumps 30 sec rest, then 20 lunges 20 tuck jumps 20 mnt climbers no rest in between rest for 30 sec after, 40 squats rest 30 sec, 20 lunges 20 tuck jumps 20 mnt climbers rest 30 sec, 40 squats. Then your ab workout will consist of russian twists, declined crunches and planks. 45 sec reps 3 sets.

Plyometrics are going to be your best friend. Build from the bottom up. Lots of squats and leg presses. Do a 2 mile run at least twice a week to help with your cardio as well. And dont forget to do stretches before AND after.

[baultista]

To say that you don't need upper body strength as a hockey player is wrong. Yes, it's true that your skating muscles (legs, hips, abdominals) should take precedence in your training, but you should never ignore your upper body muscles, which will come into play when fending off a check, shooting/passing the puck, pinning an opponent along the boards, or tying up an opponent's hockey stick.

Also... don't forget that hockey more about skating than anything else,and skating is more about balance than anything else. You need to have power (lower body strength training) anaerobic (sprints) and aerobic (3 mile run) capacity, and a great deal of balance/explosiveness (plyometric exercises).

What level do you play at? Basic skills development and skating practice (take a powerskating class!) might be of greater benefit to you than hockey-specific fitness training if you're playing at a lower level.

[labradarep]

Quick question. Do you workout at Pro Bodies Gym in Calgary or do you work there? In you BodySpace profile it is listed as your occupation? (not trying to "flame" you just confused as to why you are asking for advice if you work for a Training company)

Ok, I play hockey and am wondering if there are any excercises/routines that I could use to get the most out of my training. I've heard of special excercises using the fitness ball for balance, but can't seem to find any information on them.

I've heard of team/player personal trainers relying on excercises that utilize balance, suppleness and power to the best possible degree to get their players into game-shape.

Right now i'm doing priority training for Legs and Triceps....Triceps are lacking at the moment, and because I play defence i'll need the strongest triceps I can get to pin my opponents to the boards. I'm alternating Heavy Low rep(4-10 reps) Squats/Deadlifts one week, and Heavy High Rep(15 reps or more) Squats/Deadlifts the next, doing this on days that won't interfere with my Icetimes too much(Ie training the day before a big game/practice).

If anyone has any information for Hockey specific training, please share

[NBHockey15]

Ok, I play hockey and am wondering if there are any excercises/routines that I could use to get the most out of my training. I've heard of special excercises using the fitness ball for balance, but can't seem to find any information on them.

I've heard of team/player personal trainers relying on excercises that utilize balance, suppleness and power to the best possible degree to get their players into game-shape.

Right now i'm doing priority training for Legs and Triceps....Triceps are lacking at the moment, and because I play defence i'll need the strongest triceps I can get to pin my opponents to the boards. I'm alternating Heavy Low rep(4-10 reps) Squats/Deadlifts one week, and Heavy High Rep(15 reps or more) Squats/Deadlifts the next, doing this on days that won't interfere with my Icetimes too much(Ie training the day before a big game/practice).

If anyone has any information for Hockey specific training, please share

In my opinion the most important areas you should focus your training on is legs, core, cardio, and plyometrics. I played college hockey myself and have worked out with guys that play in the OHL, AHL, and NHL. I have also had the opportunity to watch a few NHL practices/workouts and talk with some of their trainers. From what I have learned myself and watching/talking with them is that there is nothing more important then to focus your training on legs, core, cardio, and plyometrics. This does not mean to neglect other areas of your body, but these four focuses are the most important. A lot of professional hockey players do high rep/low weight circuit training 2-3 weeks a month in the off season and alternate in a low-rep/heavy weight week of two. With hockey it is important to train your fast-twitch muscles (the ones that allow for explosive movements). A great exercise for this a squat jump. Your cardio should focus on constant 30 min runs/bike, etc for the first month to build endurance and then should switch to 400 meter, 200 meter, 100 meter, 50 meter sprints, as well as hill sprints, shuttle runs, latter runs, etc. My advice is two lower body circuit training and ab days per week, and 1 upper body circuit training day hitting all lower body muscles on lower body days, and all upper body muscles on upper body days. Try finding 12 exercises and breaking them into 3 exercises per circuit. Perform each exercise for 20 seconds then switch to the next for another 20 seconds, and then the final exercise for another 20 seconds. (One minute of total work or the length of a shift in hockey) Repeat the circuit three times and then move on to the next circuit, keep rests around 60 seconds to keep intensity up.

[JDMcNugent]

Some good advice from above. Played college as well and trust me the biggest thing we worked on was aerobic capacity. Pushing as hard as you can as long as you can. Mountain runs, shuttles, sprinting the field then walking the endzones, tons of plyos. All of our weight training consisted of explosive movements. Squats/cleans/presses. No beach muscles. Med ball throws, agility cone runs, balance boards, slide boards, and anything else our trainer could think of. Remember to train for athleticism, just because you can lift a lot of weight doesn't mean that will translate to performance on the ice. You have to possess great motor skills, the best way to do that is playing a variety of sports. Is it any coincidence that the worlds best athletes are usually good at everything they do? And someone above stated arm strength is a necessity, furthest thing from the truth. Balance is your key, shrugging checks, driving the net, laying big open ice hits, all comes from your core. Unless you're paid to skate two shifts a game and drop the gloves arm strength isn't going to make or break ya.

[labradarep]

Some good advice from above. Played college as well and trust me the biggest thing we worked on was aerobic capacity. Pushing as hard as you can as long as you can. Mountain runs, shuttles, sprinting the field then walking the endzones, tons of plyos. All of our weight training consisted of explosive movements. Squats/cleans/presses. No beach muscles. Med ball throws, agility cone runs, balance boards, slide boards, and anything else our trainer could think of. Remember to train for athleticism, just because you can lift a lot of weight doesn't mean that will translate to performance on the ice. You have to possess great motor skills, the best way to do that is playing a variety of sports. Is it any coincidence that the worlds best athletes are usually good at everything they do? And someone above stated arm strength is a necessity, furthest thing from the truth. Balance is your key, shrugging checks, driving the net, laying big open ice hits, all comes from your core. Unless you're paid to skate two shifts a game and drop the gloves arm strength isn't going to make or break ya.

Sound advice.

But , I think you are mistaken when you describe your workouts as Aerobic. Hockey is not an aerobic sport. It is Anaerobic in nature (acceleration, deceleration & many change of directions). The type of training you describe primarily trains the anaerobic energy systems

[Meyers20]

Some good advice from above. Played college as well and trust me the biggest thing we worked on was aerobic capacity. Pushing as hard as you can as long as you can. Mountain runs, shuttles, sprinting the field then walking the endzones, tons of plyos. All of our weight training consisted of explosive movements. Squats/cleans/presses. No beach muscles. Med ball throws, agility cone runs, balance boards, slide boards, and anything else our trainer could think of. Remember to train for athleticism, just because you can lift a lot of weight doesn't mean that will translate to performance on the ice. You have to possess great motor skills, the best way to do that is playing a variety of sports. Is it any coincidence that the worlds best athletes are usually good at everything they do? And someone above stated arm strength is a necessity, furthest thing from the truth. Balance is your key, shrugging checks, driving the net, laying big open ice hits, all comes from your core. Unless you're paid to skate two shifts a game and drop the gloves arm strength isn't going to make or break ya.

JD McNugent
Saving Silverman.. great movie

[DHr2009]

Chest, Core, Quads, Calves, Shoulders, Traps, Back, Tri and Bi.

Those are what you are going to need for hockey. I used to play AAA hockey up until a recent injury that got me out of the sport i played as a goalie and had to train hard as i was the only player out the entire game and i was the one who was to play my best for the full game i was extremely into it. If you were wondering what the injury was, I messed up my back skiing. Slammed a tree. Not fun.

Along side that Yoga helped me a lot and neck bridges/other neck exercises Yoga for flexibility, Neck bridges to help you stay healthy when checked.

Also, try to get on the spin bike at least 4 days a week in the off season to keep up your cardiovascular health and 2-3 in the season.

[JDMcNugent]

True enough labra. I should explain that the training was focused on short duration bursts at top speed and then quick recovery. Up hill runs and shuttles work on the lactate thresh hold (don't know if thats spelled correctly). You are right aerobic capacity is a terrible word to describe hockey. Hockey players have to obtain the ability to neutralize lactic acid in their legs to carry on into the 3rd period/overtime. But to the initial poster look at how the best in the business train. I was lucky enough to play against crosby when he was 16 and his explosiveness and balance are what makes him great, as soon as you think you have him his short burst propels him through a check and he drives the net for a good scoring chance. He can do this because of his training. He focuses on sand running, box jumps, and many different balance training schemes to keep his body learning/growing. Oh and ironjay as far as triceps for pinning goes, i used to love that, you'll get sent to the sin bin quick in the new rules that have filtered down from the NHL. 2 minutes for holding and you'll feel shame haha

[FrankM73]

From everything I've read (training, endurance, strength, skating), the most important aspect is your core muscles (abs, obliques, hips, back)... next would be leg stregnth and endurance... after that is upper body strength...

hockey is about skating and balance... if you have neither of those but everything else, you will suck... with people going around you! If you have skating and balance you will be going around people... add strength and you go around them powerfully!