It’s hard to know what to focus on with all the noise in the hockey performance world now a days. You hear conflicting things from all angles…work on speed stuff, you need to be more mobile, do this program, this exercise is the best. How do you know what to follow? Although these all may be beneficial in some way, you want the most bang for your buck when it comes to your performance training. We’ll break down the #1 missing aspect in your hockey training program to maximize your results!
Using Weight as an Extension of your Body
Sounds cool…but what does that even mean? Everyone wants to lift huge amounts of weight to get stronger and be better on the ice, that can work to an extent but to truly maximize your hockey performance you need to be strong with your body moving in all planes of motion! To elaborate, you are only as strong as your body can handle that load in that plane of motion. Example: I can squat 400 lbs. But can you squat 400 lbs while stepping side to side or while you rotate? I’m going to take a wild guess and say…probably not!
Mastering your Weight Transfer:
Weight transfer is everything when it comes to hockey! Shifting side to side, rotating your hips and core, changing direction quickly…these are happening all the time on the ice. Mastering your weight transfer will help you flow effortlessly on the ice while saving energy and stamina!
Here is a more in-depth explanation of weight transfer
When to Add Weight:
So where does the weight come in? Once you master your weight transfer you can begin to add some weight, always go lighter first. The goal is to be able to control the weight as an extension of your body, as well as flow from movement to movement effortlessly. This can be done with kettlebells, dumbbells and even barbells. We recommend mastering kettlebells and dumbbells first, then progressing to barbells.
Here are some great exercises using weight as an extension of your body.
How Does it Increase Hockey Performance?
You only need to be as strong as you need to be for the demands of your sport. In hockey you don’t need to move 400 lbs up and down, you need to be able to throw your weight in the corners, shift your weight side to side, rotate explosively, be strong on your skates in awkward positions…the list goes on! The stronger you can be in any and every position on the ice, the stronger hockey player you’ll be! So train to be strong in all planes of motion!
Where do I go from Here?
You still need to build the foundation first but using weight as an extension of your body and improving your weight transfer can take your hockey performance to the next level! If you’re not sure where to start, always start slow and light! You can always progress up. Consulting with a Hockey Performance professional can be a great idea as well! These are advanced movements and they will know the best way to progress you properly to avoid injury and get the best results!
Written by:
Rob Jost – ACE-CPT, NSCA-CPT
Take action… Now!
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