How is your off-season training plan coming along? Are you getting ready for the upcoming season? Let’s check the list to see where you are.
- Did you take time off at the end of last season to recover from injuries?
- Did you take time off the ice to get away on vacation? (Still, a little time left.)
- Did you go through some corrective exercises and general preparation phases of a program to build strength and a balanced body?
- Did you work on your aerobic endurance to aid in recovery between on-ice shifts?
- Is your diet full of clean whole foods and are you getting the proper number of servings of macronutrients to fuel your body for sport? (More on this in another article.)
If you answered no to any of these, don’t worry. But the season will be upon us soon and we need to train accordingly. We are now shifting into phase 4 of the off-season training plan. We spent phases 1 – 3 building strength and increasing lean muscle mass. Ice time was not as important except for some stick time sessions to keep up on perishable skills. We now move into what is known as the “specific preparation” phase which can approximately last until the end of August. Our goal in this phase is power and anaerobic development. Players need to focus more on training for speed. Generally, the workout intensity goes up as the overall volume goes down. Training will be less general and more specific in nature to benefit the hockey player’s needs. Ice time will also become more important as training becomes more focused on the needs of being a hockey player.
Now is the time for hockey players to start training as hockey players. Don’t forget the foundations of getting good sleep, good nutrition, and proper care for injuries.
Mike Hannegan is an Athletic Trainer and Strength Coach with ten years of experience in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues. He is currently the Director of the Compete Sports Performance and Rehabilitation facility inside The Rinks Yorba Linda Ice located in beautiful Orange County, CA. He can be reached at mike@competeperformance.com.