Monthly Archives: April 2009

Hockey-Specific Jump Training

Hockey-Specific Jump Training

I think jump training is an effective way to improve lower body power development, and the ability to decelerate. Jump training gets a lot of emphasis because of the importance of maximizing force output while transitioning from a deceleration- to acceleration-based movement, or eccentric (muscle lengthening) to concentric (muscle shortening) contraction. This happens anytime you… Read more

Hockey Goalie-Specific Training

Hockey Goalie-Specific Training

The needs of an ice hockey goalie are very specific. They need to: · Be exceptionally powerful through the hips, especially in lateral and diagonal movements · Be quick through the upper body, notably in independent arm actions · Maintain a large amount of joint range of motion · Be able to maintain a squat-like… Read more

Athletic Development vs. Strength and Conditioning

Athletic Development vs. Strength and Conditioning

I recently started training a very talented goalie, with high aspirations. Her goal is to prepare herself physically to tryout for the Olympics. With this in mind, I think I should point out that I, as an athletic development coach, do not have any illusions of off-ice training making anyone Olympic-worthy. On-ice talent is by… Read more

The Knee Pain Program

The Knee Pain Program

The main areas this program was meant to address are: 1) Improving soft-tissue quality of the muscles in the hip and thigh 2) Improving ankle range of motion 3) Strengthening the hip external rotators and abductors 4) Using isometrics (and one dynamic exercise-the reverse lunge) to strengthen the lower body Foam Roll Circuit: Anterolateral Hip,… Read more

The Problem with Physical Therapy

The Problem with Physical Therapy

Those of you that know me personally know that I hold physical therapists in a very high regard. I’m fascinated by the education they receive. They truly are the only profession that is taught how we move, and expected to be able to apply their knowledge in a way to manipulate human movement in the… Read more