Dryland Training

[The Viking Fury]

What sort of dryland training techniques do you guys do? No links please, just share personal experience, what works, what you did one year during the offseason that you didn't like so you stopped, what you really like, something new you learned, etc would be awesome. I've got about a month before my roller hockey season picks up again and I want to get some good training in.

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[Slick]

I just started hitting the bikes at the gym. Can't really give any experience since I just started doing it, but I think it will help endurance.

I practice puck handling when I'm watching TV sometimes. Dont know if you ever tried squats using just your body weight. If you have a pole in your basement, grab it, put your feet close to it, lean as far back as you can and do squats that way. You'll definently feel a burn that way.

One guy mentioned going running in the weight lifting thread, running up hills, etc.

 

[The Viking Fury]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Toonces]

Also focus heavily on your core muscles such as your abdominal region. Every action you do in hockey, hell, pretty much every physical exercize you do involves these muscles.

 

[znk]

Why no link? I'm going to break that rule because this link has awesome office training exercises from NHL professionals with video descriptions. http://www.nikebauer.com/ training--->exercises.
It's really all you need.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

High intensity interval training is really good in terms of a cardio-workout. Concentrating on the core muscles is also highly recommended.

 

[Greeneye]

Why no link? I'm going to break that rule because this link has awesome office training exercises from NHL professionals with video descriptions. http://www.nikebauer.com/ training--->exercises.
It's really all you need.

I second that, it works.
Also I have a sheet of synthetic ice (really just a piece plastic) that I stickhandle on when I'm watching TV. That is until my wife begs me to stop.

 

[EmptyNetter]

Also I have a sheet of synthetic ice (really just a piece plastic) that I stickhandle on when I'm watching TV. That is until my wife begs me to stop.

I stickhandle in the basement while the laundry's going -- upstairs our cat would chase the ball and my wife would be climbing the walls. I'm using one of those quick-hands balls but the problem is that it's taller than a puck. When I try to stickhandle a puck on ice it often slides under my stick because I'm so used to the ball. I just read that I should be using the heel or toe of the blade, so that might be the difference. I need a lot of work in this area anyway.

For a more explosive stride sprinting up hills is great. Just remember to fully extend that back leg as you would on the ice.

For balance/core strength I took a 4-week yoga class. It helped a lot -- I'm much more aware of my posture while skating, which muscle groups I'm using, etc. I also learned some very effective stretches for my lower back and legs.

Interval training is great for cardio. I don't have the self discipline to jog or to time my intervals so I sometimes use a stationary bike at the gym which has an interval program built in.

 

[Muttley*]

What sort of dryland training techniques do you guys do? No links please, just share personal experience, what works, what you did one year during the offseason that you didn't like so you stopped, what you really like, something new you learned, etc would be awesome. I've got about a month before my roller hockey season picks up again and I want to get some good training in.

WannaBeBig.com has a "sports-specific" section in its message boards. If you do a forum search under "hockey" or just browse all the messages, you can get tips, ideas and advice from others.

http://www.wannabebigforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=59

 

[The Viking Fury]

Hey thanks a lot guys, the reason why I stated no links in the original post was because I wanted to hear from people what they did and what they think works, not like a regimen some guy put up on a website. I wanted to see basically what people follow from other links.

You guys have been really helpful, thanks a lot!

 

[hckyguy14]

I second that, it works.
Also I have a sheet of synthetic ice (really just a piece plastic) that I stickhandle on when I'm watching TV. That is until my wife begs me to stop.

I stickhandle in the basement while the laundry's going -- upstairs our cat would chase the ball and my wife would be climbing the walls.

You guys are making me think twice about getting married. They just seem to get in the way of hockey

 

[yankeecpt15]

treadmill...
5 min warmup
10 min...7% incline..20 secs @ 7 mph 40 secs @ 5 mph
5 min...3% incline...5.5 mph
5 min..7% incline..20 secs @ 7 mph 40 secs @ 5 mph
5 min..1%...5 mph
cooldown

do it once a week..increase incline or speed after 4 weeks

 

[Avery4Byng*]

It will be easier when you get older and start beer league hockey. Drink as much beer as you can all week then get on the ice and play your *** off.

 

[Greeneye]

You guys are making me think twice about getting married. They just seem to get in the way of hockey

LOL. We made a compromise. I can only practice when I am watching hockey, not during her shows.

 

[XX]

High intensity interval training is really good in terms of a cardio-workout. Concentrating on the core muscles is also highly recommended.

Winner. HIIT burns 9-10x more fat than regular cardio sessions do.

 

[yotesfan92]

Hockeyshot.net has a good workout. I usually never sweat, but this workout actually made me.

 

[Hank19]

What sort of dryland training techniques do you guys do? No links please, just share personal experience, what works, what you did one year during the offseason that you didn't like so you stopped, what you really like, something new you learned, etc would be awesome. I've got about a month before my roller hockey season picks up again and I want to get some good training in.

In my own personal experience the only thing that has really been beneficial to my game is running and squats.

I have tried rollerblading, rollerblading with ankle weights, stationary bikes, spinning classes, sprinting and even skipping.
Eventually I realised that what worked wonders for me was running.
When I was in college I joined an intramural hockey league. At the same time I had joined a boxing gym. As everyone knows, running to boxers is like swimming to swimmers. The first hockey game I had I didn't need to leave the ice.

Eventually I stopped boxing and therefore stopped running. I joined several mens rec leagues afterwards but I never had as much wind as I did when I boxed.
I hated running so I did all of the above to gain strength and endurance.

Eventually I started hitting the weights and really focused on lower body strength. Heavy squats, lunges, leg presses, etc. That helped greatly. And then I also incorporated running 3 times a week. I can't tell you the difference it made.
When I finally started running again it was during our Christmas Holiday break from the league. So I had 2.5 weeks to get into running. Before that, I was sucking wind by the end of the 1st period. After the break? I couldn't believe how much energy and wind I had.

That's my own experience. I'm sure others have different stories. But for me, the stationary bike and the rest didn't do squat for my endurance in games.
And from my own experience HIIT training helped me burn fat but didn't necessarily help with my endurance on the ice.
Case in point: A guy in my league is into mixed martial arts and tough man competitions. He trains using the HIIT technique. But when he's on the ice he's tired like everyone else half way through the game. On his same team there's a marathon runner. The guy's built like Screech but he skates forever and never gets tired.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

In my own personal experience the only thing that has really been beneficial to my game is running and squats.

I have tried rollerblading, rollerblading with ankle weights, stationary bikes, spinning classes, sprinting and even skipping.
Eventually I realised that what worked wonders for me was running.
When I was in college I joined an intramural hockey league. At the same time I had joined a boxing gym. As everyone knows, running to boxers is like swimming to swimmers. The first hockey game I had I didn't need to leave the ice.

Eventually I stopped boxing and therefore stopped running. I joined several mens rec leagues afterwards but I never had as much wind as I did when I boxed.
I hated running so I did all of the above to gain strength and endurance.

Eventually I started hitting the weights and really focused on lower body strength. Heavy squats, lunges, leg presses, etc. That helped greatly. And then I also incorporated running 3 times a week. I can't tell you the difference it made.
When I finally started running again it was during our Christmas Holiday break from the league. So I had 2.5 weeks to get into running. Before that, I was sucking wind by the end of the 1st period. After the break? I couldn't believe how much energy and wind I had.

That's my own experience. I'm sure others have different stories. But for me, the stationary bike and the rest didn't do squat for my endurance in games.
And from my own experience HIIT training helped me burn fat but didn't necessarily help with my endurance on the ice.
Case in point: A guy in my league is into mixed martial arts and tough man competitions. He trains using the HIIT technique. But when he's on the ice he's tired like everyone else half way through the game. On his same team there's a marathon runner. The guy's built like Screech but he skates forever and never gets tired.

I train using both HIIT technique as well as just long freakin' runs, mixing it up every now and again and find that it really works for me. Mind you I look like a freakin' twig (6'2" 160lbs) and am generally outweighed by 40 or so pounds, but the wonders of strong legs can knock just about anyone over.