Kirill Vaks

The Illusion of Choice: Elite Training Edition The illusion of choice is a psychological phenomenon where people believe they have a wide range of options, but in truth, their decisions are shaped and limited by the outcomes they’re pursuing. In athletic training, this illusion shows up all the time. Athletes say they want to play…

The Training Aspects Approach to onboarding Athletes At our core, we’re dedicated to developing athletes. To ensure every athlete thrives in our small group training, we offer a tailored onboarding process. Athletes begin their journey with either 1:1 personalized coaching, semi-private sessions (up to three athletes), or our comprehensive 6-week Foundation Training program. This initial…

Summer: Where Hockey Players Are Made For hockey players, summer isn’t just about downtime or casual skates. It’s the most critical period for real development. Why? Because it’s the only time we can truly shift focus away from skating and dedicate ourselves to building the athletic ability that underpins every single skill on the ice.…

Maximizing the Off-Season  and Not Losing It In-Season Athletic training development is a year round process. Though the focus may be different in training mentality, depending on in season or off season, etc. The goal is to unleash the potential! Off-Season (May 15 – August 25)This is the golden window for player development. With no…

Two Great Exercises to Get Faster The world of training is filled with techniques, programs, tips, and tricks endless ways to improve. The key is to find a program that works for you and see if these strategies can be integrated to maximize your athletic training and development. Here are two great exercises to help…

Kettlebells and athletic training- Unleash the potential!   I’m often asked what equipment someone should buy for their home gym – a treadmill, a bench press, a hex bar, TRX, etc. My answer is always the same: save your money and invest in kettlebells. I recommend starting with one 25lb, two 35lb, two 45lb, and…

Three great athletic training exercises There are many athletes who want to get faster, stronger, more powerful whatever their goal may be. Often, they see cool exercises on social media and try to replicate them. Now, I’ll always say: there are no single exercises that will develop true movement power and ability but there are…

Creating consistency can be challenging. There are many tricks to increase effectiveness, many are by adding. In this article, the focus will be what to get rid of to create success.  Here are three things that may affect your ability for success. It may not be perfect, keep moving forward- “If it’s not perfect, then…

Life gets hectic- Daily essential habits must stay present When life gets busy, the mind goes into survival mode. The thoughts become short-term focused. Any long-term goals usually get axed. It makes sense… if the person feels like it’s a “do or die” situation, then long-term plans don’t matter. The problem? Most issues aren’t life…

Just get Better and achieve your personal training results! There was a person I was working with on improving their movement performance. The client, in their mid-50s, taught me a great lesson. One morning, my back felt a little tight. I was supposed to get up and meet my 5 AM workout crew, but I…

Starting Something New? 3 Simple Tips to Stick With It Whether you’re stepping into a new challenge, committing to personal growth, or leveling up your performance on the ice or field—taking action is what counts. As we’ve said over the past few weeks: consistency is everything. When you’re adding something new to your routine—whether it’s…

The practice of Athletic training practice and consistency Reps with Intention: The Foundation of Athletic Performance When you’re a kid learning the alphabet, you write each letter over and over again as homework. Why? To develop the ability to write with ease and confidence. It’s no different in sport. As a developing hockey player, shooting…