Blogs

The first question players ask after going through any form of performance testing is either “How’d I do?” or “Is that good?” Every player presents with unique physical characteristics that either help them perform at a desired level or prevent them from doing so. While there are a lot of individual considerations in interpreting testing […]

This is an exercise we integrate into our warm-ups to help reinforce a low skating position and strong push-off. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Neeld, PhD (@kevinneeld) A common problem you see in less efficient skaters is that they adopt a wider stance and their stance leg collapses inward slightly, […]

In a previous post, I mentioned that limitations in speed development can be identified by asking the below questions: 1️⃣ Can the player get into the right positions?2️⃣ Can the player hold the right positions?3️⃣ Can the player push out of the deep positions?4️⃣ Can the player “explode” out of deep positions?5️⃣ Can the player […]

Maximizing intended contraction speed leads to decreased recruitment threshold of high force motor units, increased doublet firing, and increased rate of force development (ROFD). This is true even with isometric contractions, so this strategy can be used in a variety of ways – from improving strength through sticking points to maximizing ROFD in specific ranges […]

This is an overview of factors contributing to performance from a presentation I gave to a group of youth hockey players a few years back. The message here is that performance at any moment will be the result of how you’ve prepared yourself physically (how well-trained you are), how you’ve fueled yourself (not only the […]

One thing a lot of athletes struggle with is maintaining a stable pelvis while pushing laterally. It’s common to see the torso bend back toward the pushing leg in exercises ranging from Lateral MiniBand Walks to Lateral Bounds and lateral cutting in transitional speed work. While there’s a time and place for emphasizing this type […]

The picture below is a throwback to (2012?) USA Hockey Women’s National Team Camp in Blaine, MN. Great memories working with this group alongside @michael_boyle1959, @anthonydonskov, and @smcstrength. Yesterday I shared a quote from the @hph_podcast discussing how testing can be used to both drive and assess a groups commitment and culture. You can check […]

There are several notable differences in the stride pattern and muscular contributions of acceleration and max speed – both in running and skating. I shared some of the differences in skating characteristics in previous posts that you can find by clicking on the #SpeedTraining highlight on my instagram account. The images above are taken from […]

Training single-leg strength in a variety of patterns is one of the keys to having strength improvements transfer to the dynamic environment of sport. This video is of a 1-Arm DB 1-Leg Lateral Slideboard Lunge, a supplementary exercise that serves two primary purposes: 1️⃣ Develop single leg strength, with control against competing lateral forces2️⃣ Develop […]

Great quote from my friend @dmcconnell29 in an interview he did with @fergus.connelly for the @teamsportmasterclass. The most successful people I know in the performance and rehab fields have continued to learn, grow, and evolve throughout their career. They recognize there’s always more to learn, have the curiosity to pursue new information, and the humility […]