Post 1 of 5 in Summer Feature Series:
We have invited fitness coach, fitness fanatic, and UBC Thunderbird defenseman (and top academic) Jason Yee to share his wisdom on hockey fitness training for those of you training, or overseeing the training of your kids off ice this summer.
About Jason:
I write my blog from the point of view of “what I wish I knew 5, 10,and 15 years ago”. When I first approached off-ice training, I had no clue and no compass. I heard that older players “worked out” with weights, so I figured I had to do the same. I held notions of: “this exercise is good for hockey” or “you need to do this exercise to get faster”. What I didn’t know was that even though the basics (like posture and breathing) weren’t sexy (like a power clean or a “skater hop” seems to be), mastering them would have accelerated my development. Moreover, I would never have guessed that I would have to return to the basics to keep progressing forward as a hockey player. I also wasn’t always clear on the objective of off-ice training. I made tons of dumb mistakes while training, including but not limited to: overtraining, putting too much emphasis on off-ice training, getting really sport specific, and trying every gimmick out there. This post is the first in a 6 part series on lessons to consider that I hope will help anyone beginning to think about off-ice training – so that they might avoid repeating some of my mistakes.
Lesson #1: You can determine your performance ceiling – choosing between foundational skills and quick wins
Every full functioning human has the ability to develop the complex movement skills needed for hockey. Some may have to put more time and effort in than others, but everyone is capable of it. However, the ceiling on those skills is dictated by the foundational, non-hockey, movement skills. Very simple skills like: breathing, standing, rolling, and crawling are the foundations of more complex movements. Athletes without this foundation who want “quick wins” by improving their (insert popular hockey conditioning test here – windgate/bench press/weighted squat/beep test/agility test) without mastering the fundamentals, will not be able to keep up in the long run with athletes who have mastered the fundamentals. If your ego can take it, leave out the quick wins, and master the basics first. Of course, watch what you eat and educate yourself on protein and fiber facts to optimize your workouts. I suggest mastering the basics by taking part in gymnastics, martial arts, or by working with a coach who specializes in fundamental movements.
The best do the basics better. Do you?
Next post will discuss the myth of sport specific training. To learn more or to read ahead in the series, visit the website here it’s Jason’s blog at: https://train2point0.wordpress.com
