Advice: Off season workouts
- Thread starter Akhockeyguy
- Start date
Axman
MoreSkilledThanYou
- Feb 9, 2011
- 4,475
- 0
For any form of athletics and fitness I would just like to suggest for everyone to include weight lifting. At least by the time you are 16/17.
This does not mean go to the weight room and divide your muscles into groups in which to do at this time or that day. Try to spend 45 minutes attacking your full body through compound exercises.
Focus each day on one/two of the major work outs, which are: Deadlift, Squat, Clean and Jerk, Snatch, Bench Press, Pull up. Choose which ones to do on what day, dont be afraid to do two but be smart in your planning. These will serve as your main dish.
Add in some side dishes but rather than going to the gym and doing lateral lifts, leg extensions, bicep curls. Replace them respectively with pushpresses, lunges, chin-ups. For some added cardio during this session, instead of devoting 20-30 minutes on a treadmill/bike use a row machine for 1000-2000m or jump rope in between weighted training sets.
Like I said, try to spend your 45 minutes of devoted time to strength training to compound exercises.
I found it more useful, more effective, more efficient and more importantly more fun doing exercises like the clean and jerk or deadlift. Add it in with some pull ups, back extensions, high jumps, row machine, dips.
Some days I work on slow, steady, focused movements... other days I go hard and intense.
The more intense and faster I want to hit my work outs, the lower the sets but higher the reps I pull off.
All in all, its all about focus, preparation and form.
This does not mean go to the weight room and divide your muscles into groups in which to do at this time or that day. Try to spend 45 minutes attacking your full body through compound exercises.
Focus each day on one/two of the major work outs, which are: Deadlift, Squat, Clean and Jerk, Snatch, Bench Press, Pull up. Choose which ones to do on what day, dont be afraid to do two but be smart in your planning. These will serve as your main dish.
Add in some side dishes but rather than going to the gym and doing lateral lifts, leg extensions, bicep curls. Replace them respectively with pushpresses, lunges, chin-ups. For some added cardio during this session, instead of devoting 20-30 minutes on a treadmill/bike use a row machine for 1000-2000m or jump rope in between weighted training sets.
Like I said, try to spend your 45 minutes of devoted time to strength training to compound exercises.
I found it more useful, more effective, more efficient and more importantly more fun doing exercises like the clean and jerk or deadlift. Add it in with some pull ups, back extensions, high jumps, row machine, dips.
Some days I work on slow, steady, focused movements... other days I go hard and intense.
The more intense and faster I want to hit my work outs, the lower the sets but higher the reps I pull off.
All in all, its all about focus, preparation and form.
Focus your weight lifting around more of olympic weight lifting exercises. Simply because these simple but difficult work outs involve all your muscles and joints as well as improve your bodies balance and center of gravity. Rather than just increasing your strength, it directly improves your power and your ability to transfer energy throughout your body.
Do a clean and jerk properly and you will notice how your body transfers energy from receiving the applied load on top of you, flexing all the way down and transferring it upwards through your legs then your core and then to your upper body.
Have fun with it though. There are multiple ways to do all these exercises that you can practice each with similar purpose but targeting differ muscles and joints and improving your balance even further.
Deadlift: Regular (shoulder width apart), Sumo (wide), One leg.
Squat: Overhead (great indicator of overall balance and flexibility), front, back, side dumbells, one leg, jumping.
Pull up: Regular, wide grip, one handed (very difficult but even as an attempt it serves as a great work out), weighted, military
... and so on and so on.
Do a clean and jerk properly and you will notice how your body transfers energy from receiving the applied load on top of you, flexing all the way down and transferring it upwards through your legs then your core and then to your upper body.
Have fun with it though. There are multiple ways to do all these exercises that you can practice each with similar purpose but targeting differ muscles and joints and improving your balance even further.
Deadlift: Regular (shoulder width apart), Sumo (wide), One leg.
Squat: Overhead (great indicator of overall balance and flexibility), front, back, side dumbells, one leg, jumping.
Pull up: Regular, wide grip, one handed (very difficult but even as an attempt it serves as a great work out), weighted, military
... and so on and so on.
Do not get me wrong though with this focus on compound full body work outs. I sometimes put in split routines depending on situation (usually later on in the day though).
And I am not all about the weight room. I try to incorporate gymanstics and plyometrics and field work.
My ideal work out is something like this:
10-15 minute warm up of jump rope/jumping jacks, dynamic stretching, burpees, kicks and punches maybe some bike work or row machine time also.
Now is my 45 minutes of strength and conditioning.
I will start with one of the big exercises. Like a deadlift. I do about 5 sets. Included in it is a warm up set 10xish, 50% load 8xish, 75% 6-8xish, 80-90% 4-6x. I stay at that load and do about 1 or 2 reps for 3 to 5 sets. Then I go back down in similar fashion. 70% 5x. 50% 5x and maybe even again.
(I like to work on my max power by repeating a high load several times at very low reps but in the end I try to make sure I work on high reps to keep up my muscle and joint speed)
Depending on how I feel I will probably add in a squat routine. 5x. The other day when I did it though I did clean and jerks. I basically do the same thing but the loads are far differ than the squats. I rather do a load I can do properly 10x than a load I only do once properly and fake the others.
So I would probably do something like a back squat. Warm up set of 20% max. set of 10 40% max. Set of 8-10 60% max. Set of 5 80% max. Maybe try that again. Or go back down in similar fashion.
After that I would probably do pull ups, or include a set of max pull ups in between squat sets.
In between each set is no more than a minute but typically try to get it to be 30-45 second range. Squats to pull ups have no rest, but to restart the super set I would give myself at least 30 seconds.
I then do some back extensions. 3-5 sets of 8-10 reps. Depending on how I feel I will apply loads of 25-45 pounds.
I then add in some dips. 3 sets of 12 reps. Maybe add in some added weight.
Then I do lunges. 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Nothing more than a minute in between each work out. Nothing more than 30 seconds in between each set.
Then I get a swiss ball and work on core. Look up Marv Marinovich and you will find a lot of swiss ball exercises I like to add in. Sometimes I even make it my warm up if i have everything I need.
If I can, I will finish up with some push ups, hand stands and then cool down with some light kicks, some light boxing or even go into a pool and just relax for a bit. Light swimming.
Have something to eat. Full of protein, light on carbs, full of amino acids and foods that will recover me the best. And stretch for at least 20 minutes.
Foam Roller
And I am not all about the weight room. I try to incorporate gymanstics and plyometrics and field work.
My ideal work out is something like this:
10-15 minute warm up of jump rope/jumping jacks, dynamic stretching, burpees, kicks and punches maybe some bike work or row machine time also.
Now is my 45 minutes of strength and conditioning.
I will start with one of the big exercises. Like a deadlift. I do about 5 sets. Included in it is a warm up set 10xish, 50% load 8xish, 75% 6-8xish, 80-90% 4-6x. I stay at that load and do about 1 or 2 reps for 3 to 5 sets. Then I go back down in similar fashion. 70% 5x. 50% 5x and maybe even again.
(I like to work on my max power by repeating a high load several times at very low reps but in the end I try to make sure I work on high reps to keep up my muscle and joint speed)
Depending on how I feel I will probably add in a squat routine. 5x. The other day when I did it though I did clean and jerks. I basically do the same thing but the loads are far differ than the squats. I rather do a load I can do properly 10x than a load I only do once properly and fake the others.
So I would probably do something like a back squat. Warm up set of 20% max. set of 10 40% max. Set of 8-10 60% max. Set of 5 80% max. Maybe try that again. Or go back down in similar fashion.
After that I would probably do pull ups, or include a set of max pull ups in between squat sets.
In between each set is no more than a minute but typically try to get it to be 30-45 second range. Squats to pull ups have no rest, but to restart the super set I would give myself at least 30 seconds.
I then do some back extensions. 3-5 sets of 8-10 reps. Depending on how I feel I will apply loads of 25-45 pounds.
I then add in some dips. 3 sets of 12 reps. Maybe add in some added weight.
Then I do lunges. 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Nothing more than a minute in between each work out. Nothing more than 30 seconds in between each set.
Then I get a swiss ball and work on core. Look up Marv Marinovich and you will find a lot of swiss ball exercises I like to add in. Sometimes I even make it my warm up if i have everything I need.
If I can, I will finish up with some push ups, hand stands and then cool down with some light kicks, some light boxing or even go into a pool and just relax for a bit. Light swimming.
Have something to eat. Full of protein, light on carbs, full of amino acids and foods that will recover me the best. And stretch for at least 20 minutes.
Foam Roller
Sorry for the big blob of information.
Real simple.
I try to do 3 days on, 1 day off routine
I split everything into Weight Lifting (WL), Gymnastics (Gym), Cardio (C), Plyometrics (Ply).
One day I will be in the weight room doing everything from GYM, WL, PLYO, C.
Next day I will probably work on just C, PLYO, GYM.
Next day I will work on just WL and C.
I try to be fun with my work outs too. Involve a lot of outside. Ill go to the track and field and work on sprinting and handstands. Jumps.
Another day, I will go to the state park and find sandy hills to climb or sprint up too.
Ill hit the gym a few times of course but I hate when a gym doesnt have medicene balls, kettle bells or swiss balls.
Ill go to the beach and work on sand work outs, swimming.
Real simple.
I try to do 3 days on, 1 day off routine
I split everything into Weight Lifting (WL), Gymnastics (Gym), Cardio (C), Plyometrics (Ply).
One day I will be in the weight room doing everything from GYM, WL, PLYO, C.
Next day I will probably work on just C, PLYO, GYM.
Next day I will work on just WL and C.
I try to be fun with my work outs too. Involve a lot of outside. Ill go to the track and field and work on sprinting and handstands. Jumps.
Another day, I will go to the state park and find sandy hills to climb or sprint up too.
Ill hit the gym a few times of course but I hate when a gym doesnt have medicene balls, kettle bells or swiss balls.
Ill go to the beach and work on sand work outs, swimming.
WOAH!
DO NOT DO THIS! Static stretching should be avoided before a game. 3 hours at least. http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog...static-stretching-before-lifting-weights.aspx
Static stretches actually weaken your muscles before training.
Perform static stretches daily. Hours before or after training. 20-30 minutes. To imporve your natural flexibility.
Before games you want to focus on PNF stretches, dynamic stretches but of course a warm up. An ideal pre-game preperation is as such for me...
3 hours before I do some static stretches. Focus on the glutes, the back, the legs but overall everything. if your quads are tight before games I will assume they are not stretched enough daily. It happens. So daily, you should spend time on stretching those legs. Proper rest and recovery. DAILY! Whether you play a sport or not, its healthy and feels great.
1 hour leading up to it I will do a good warm up consisting of jump rope, jumping jacks, high jumps. Maybe all of it. Raise your heart rate.
Then I will perform like 10 burpees, 10 push ups, 10 dips. Some rotational stuff to work on my joints.
I will set up a 10 yard line of some sort to jog back and forth. I will basically jog 10 yards, jog back. Then high knees ten yards. Jog back. Heel to butt 10 yds and back. Skipping 10 yards back, side to side motions, jungle swings, high kicks and low kicks for hammies. back wards 10 yards back. Sprint once or twice back. quick feet for 1 yard and sprint and back. Swing the arms, rotate the body.
Then I will probably perform some PNF exercises and some light contraction and extension exercises. Like deep squats but slowly down and slowly up.
I stretch my neck a lot too.
Nutrition is key. Go on google search for how much water I should drink. Depending on your activity levels, age, weight it will give you an estimate. I try to have at least 1 more cup than that. If its hot out, maybe some more but some sites will account for that. So many people drink less (much less) water than they should daily.
And most of the world is not getting enough nutrition and vitamins daily. Try to have 5-6 fruits and veggies a day. try to get at least 7 hours of sleep, no more than 9 but we all differ.
You cant sleep 4-6 hours every day of the week, and then the night before a game sleep 10 hours and think its all fixed for the week. doesnt work like that.
game days: I try to have carbs of course. But try to stay away from bread, and minimal pasta. Very little. But depends. I try to eat a big meal 5 hours before, but never to the point of being too full lol. We need to add protein to that of course.
Then about 2 hours before the game I will have a quick snack like PBJ sandwhich. Just PEANUT BUTTER. No added salt in the ingredients of the product, no added syrup or sugar or whatever. Jelly should have as limited amount of ingredients too. All your foods should be like that. No high fructose corn syrup.
TRY TO AVOID GATORADE. Its basically a lot of unneccessary salt and sugar in water lol.
Ideally I like to have one bottle water on the bench. And bottle of water, some green tea, a little honey, and a pinch of salt.
Check out BioSteel Pink Drink. I want to try it. Mostly natural ingredients except for like sucralose but they said years ago they been trying to get rid of it. I just trust Gary Roberts ideology on nutrition and health.
Sorry for repeated comment. The above comment does have more info but I didnt realize this was the same thread.
I would highly suggest a foam roller too for your legs. Look into it. Like $20-30 bucks at any sport store and youtube videos.
Because you have been trying to bulk up, I would assume a lot of this has to do with your issues. Is there any reason why your trying to bulk up?
At 190lbs your pretty good. Now make it functional. I hope your squats are full squats. Meaning, I hope your getting down to your ankles or at least thighs are parallel to the floor. This will work on your hip and leg flexibility. It is more efficient and more results will show if you do less weight but a full proper squat then doing heavier weight and only going down a few inches.
I would highly suggest a foam roller too for your legs. Look into it. Like $20-30 bucks at any sport store and youtube videos.
Because you have been trying to bulk up, I would assume a lot of this has to do with your issues. Is there any reason why your trying to bulk up?
At 190lbs your pretty good. Now make it functional. I hope your squats are full squats. Meaning, I hope your getting down to your ankles or at least thighs are parallel to the floor. This will work on your hip and leg flexibility. It is more efficient and more results will show if you do less weight but a full proper squat then doing heavier weight and only going down a few inches.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
Hockey is an interesting sport that is a mixture of power and endurance. You can't just get super big like in football and you can't just have awesome cardio like in soccer.
Players have moved away from bodybuilding lifts and riding the bike to a number of different exercises. They will still squat and deadlift heavy weights, but for a lot of things they will do unilateral exercises and work with balance balls, cable machines, and some Crossfit exercises like tire flips, sledgehammers, and kettlebell swings.
If I had unlimited time and gym access, I'd have an incredibly varied workout. I would probably only lift once a week and maybe only do one or two big lifts (like power cleans or deadlifts). I'd spend more time on smaller exercises like weighted pullups, single leg squats, kettlebell swings, TRX/cable rows and twists, etc. I'd have dedicated plyo days and on my off days would play sports like tennis, swimming, golf, etc.
If you want to see some of that in action, check out the Minnesota Wild's "Becoming Wild" series. They profile a lot of players in the off-season and it's a lot of that stuff.
Players have moved away from bodybuilding lifts and riding the bike to a number of different exercises. They will still squat and deadlift heavy weights, but for a lot of things they will do unilateral exercises and work with balance balls, cable machines, and some Crossfit exercises like tire flips, sledgehammers, and kettlebell swings.
If I had unlimited time and gym access, I'd have an incredibly varied workout. I would probably only lift once a week and maybe only do one or two big lifts (like power cleans or deadlifts). I'd spend more time on smaller exercises like weighted pullups, single leg squats, kettlebell swings, TRX/cable rows and twists, etc. I'd have dedicated plyo days and on my off days would play sports like tennis, swimming, golf, etc.
If you want to see some of that in action, check out the Minnesota Wild's "Becoming Wild" series. They profile a lot of players in the off-season and it's a lot of that stuff.
The Tikkanen
Pest
I have the more expensive rumble roller and it works. You wouldn't think a roller would do much but we've taken it on snow boarding trips and had my friends use it and it literally removes soreness from your body.
Caeldan
Whippet Whisperer
- Jun 21, 2008
- 15,459
- 1,046
Sometimes using a roller, I think it's tougher than the workout that preceded it...
but feels so good after!
bigbadbruins1
Registered User
- Dec 12, 2008
- 2,097
- 211
I always eat something with lots of potassium before a game like a banana, then do a quick warmup to get the blood flowing (on or off the ice) then I stretch.
The Tikkanen
Pest
Sometimes using a roller, I think it's tougher than the workout that preceded it...
Agreed, rolling on my hips is probably the most painful but when you're done you remember what it was like not to have hockey hips anymore.
I'm trying to make the jump to AAA for next year to hopefully get drafted to the OHL or Jr.A. I'm 15, 5"10, 160lbs. I want to put on some muscle mass while getting in better shape so I can be effective in AAA. Any ideas?
Try working out your quads two or the times per week. You may be in good shape but if your legs are getting that tired the. You need to strengthen them more.
- May 22, 2008
- 9,836
- 2,151
You are doing way too much every day. You would be better off cutting each day to about 2/3 of what you are currently doing if you are gonna focus on muscle groups.
Btw if your goal is to be a better hockey player, you are doing way too much chest work and not nearly enough core work. Also, you'd be much better off doing plyometrics than focusing on muscle mass.
Btw if your goal is to be a better hockey player, you are doing way too much chest work and not nearly enough core work. Also, you'd be much better off doing plyometrics than focusing on muscle mass.
May seem random or weird but look at George St. Pierre training...
Why?
The guy is one of the best at his sport (MMA). Mixed Martial Arts demands you to be well versatile in your fighting, athleticism and most of all your training. GSP is not only one of the best MMA fighters today but he is probably the most versatile as well.
I also say to look him up his training and work outs (on Google, Youtube and etc) because he has a TONNNNNN. He even has his own version of Insanity video type work outs call RushFit. Which is basically like Insanity, kinda like p90x and so on...
In a week I have found so much interesting stuff on proper diet (healthy foods, supplements, how to bulk up properly, how to lose weight etc etc).
His work outs range from olympic lifts to gymnastics to sprints/hills. Look at his intensity, his focus and his dynamic routine that always looks for challenges.
Most of all, to answer this thread, he has a ton of stuff on rehab and recovery.
He uses the swiss balls, the foam rollers. He has massage therapists and trainers and etc. Maybe you cant afford his ongoing training advice but you can take from what he does and try to mimic it as best as possible. When it comes to training though, note that he is a professional trainer that does this everyday, has been doing it for years and has proper recovery habits. So just make sure whatever you do, you know the difference between hurt/pain and soreness.
One theraputic advice I saw for knees was after his work out he would stretch, foam roller and then massage his knee caps. Especially the tissue right above the knee cap. Looked interested, i bet it helps relieve a lot of pain and stress. So I will try it too
Why?
The guy is one of the best at his sport (MMA). Mixed Martial Arts demands you to be well versatile in your fighting, athleticism and most of all your training. GSP is not only one of the best MMA fighters today but he is probably the most versatile as well.
I also say to look him up his training and work outs (on Google, Youtube and etc) because he has a TONNNNNN. He even has his own version of Insanity video type work outs call RushFit. Which is basically like Insanity, kinda like p90x and so on...
In a week I have found so much interesting stuff on proper diet (healthy foods, supplements, how to bulk up properly, how to lose weight etc etc).
His work outs range from olympic lifts to gymnastics to sprints/hills. Look at his intensity, his focus and his dynamic routine that always looks for challenges.
Most of all, to answer this thread, he has a ton of stuff on rehab and recovery.
He uses the swiss balls, the foam rollers. He has massage therapists and trainers and etc. Maybe you cant afford his ongoing training advice but you can take from what he does and try to mimic it as best as possible. When it comes to training though, note that he is a professional trainer that does this everyday, has been doing it for years and has proper recovery habits. So just make sure whatever you do, you know the difference between hurt/pain and soreness.
One theraputic advice I saw for knees was after his work out he would stretch, foam roller and then massage his knee caps. Especially the tissue right above the knee cap. Looked interested, i bet it helps relieve a lot of pain and stress. So I will try it too
Off season training
Does anyone have any good exercises for getting quicker feet to be a faster skater?
Does anyone have any good exercises for getting quicker feet to be a faster skater?
To be faster you need to constantly improve these aspects of your physical element:
Form, Balance, Flexibility and Power. Each one is just as important as the other!
Strictly speaking off-ice training:
Daily work outs that focus on those 4 things is crucial. Beyond the weight lifting, it is vastly important to get out of the gym or your house and get outside. If you truly want to improve your speed, its going to take some dedication.
Go to your neighborhood track and field. Or a field with flat open area, hop for grass or turf.
Obviously start with a good solid warm up. Dynamic stretches.
Work on sprints. Long distance and short distances. 200 Meters, 100 meters, 50-50s. Work on 20 yard ladders, 10 yard ladders.
Work on plyometrics that involve a ton of jumps. Box jumps, long jumps. Be challenging though. Dont just jump on a box every time. Get a few boxes of different sizes in a line and jump them in height order. Side ways too.
To build speed, you need power behind your legs. To get power, jumping is a great way to do so.
Finish off the sprint days with some ab work. Dont limit it to sprint days but finish off with like a small ab circuit.
Other great work outs you should do involve swiss balls, deadlifts, squats, clean and jerks.
There is just so much you can do:
I would look into work outs that Usain Bolt does, and GSP (MMA) does. I have done a lot of research on these guys and their training and diet. They is so much info on them including a ton of videos.
You can learn a lot from them.
Form, Balance, Flexibility and Power. Each one is just as important as the other!
Strictly speaking off-ice training:
Daily work outs that focus on those 4 things is crucial. Beyond the weight lifting, it is vastly important to get out of the gym or your house and get outside. If you truly want to improve your speed, its going to take some dedication.
Go to your neighborhood track and field. Or a field with flat open area, hop for grass or turf.
Obviously start with a good solid warm up. Dynamic stretches.
Work on sprints. Long distance and short distances. 200 Meters, 100 meters, 50-50s. Work on 20 yard ladders, 10 yard ladders.
Work on plyometrics that involve a ton of jumps. Box jumps, long jumps. Be challenging though. Dont just jump on a box every time. Get a few boxes of different sizes in a line and jump them in height order. Side ways too.
To build speed, you need power behind your legs. To get power, jumping is a great way to do so.
Finish off the sprint days with some ab work. Dont limit it to sprint days but finish off with like a small ab circuit.
Other great work outs you should do involve swiss balls, deadlifts, squats, clean and jerks.
There is just so much you can do:
I would look into work outs that Usain Bolt does, and GSP (MMA) does. I have done a lot of research on these guys and their training and diet. They is so much info on them including a ton of videos.
You can learn a lot from them.
Try once a week, at least, to hit a hill. Add in stairs too but definately add a hill.
On the hill, try to find one that is dirt/sand. And one that is challenging.
Of course work on sprints and climbs on there. But one thing I would like to share is doing side way lunges on the hills.
A lot of stretching. Do static stretches apart from any of your work outs. Try to do them after your work outs or games or whatever. Work on it for at least 20 minutes a day.
The core I believe involves your abs, lower back, glutes and your hips. Look up exercises beyond machines in working on all of this.
Message me if you wanna know more. I would be glad to help you out further
On the hill, try to find one that is dirt/sand. And one that is challenging.
Of course work on sprints and climbs on there. But one thing I would like to share is doing side way lunges on the hills.
A lot of stretching. Do static stretches apart from any of your work outs. Try to do them after your work outs or games or whatever. Work on it for at least 20 minutes a day.
The core I believe involves your abs, lower back, glutes and your hips. Look up exercises beyond machines in working on all of this.
Message me if you wanna know more. I would be glad to help you out further
CornKicker
Holland is wrong..except all of the good things
- Feb 18, 2005
- 11,826
- 3,053
fast twitch muscle training is very good for off season work. i havent done it in a while and dont remember the details (i dont want to spread mis-info) but youtube has some good tutorials
Jarick
Doing Nothing
Been doing some TRX stuff the last couple weeks for upper body. Mostly holding various pushes and pulls and focusing on muscle contraction. Really feeling it.
