Tag: hockey training program

In-Season Hockey Training Program

One of the questions I get the most from hockey players (and parents) is whether or not they should continue to train in-season. The answer, of course, is a resounding “YES!”…or for my friends in Quebec “OUI!”.

Naturally the volume and intensity need to be altered to accommodate the increased on-ice demands of the season, but players should continue to follow a training program to ensure that their now improved speed, power, and strength capacities do not decrease. In other words, in-season training is geared toward, at a minimum, avoiding detraining (some may call this “maintenance”).

I generally recommend that players train two times per week. Because most of our youth players have games on the weekends, they’ll train Monday and Wednesday. One of the difficulties associated with in-season training is how to design the program to maximize improvements AND recovery. That is why I’ve decided to share the program our players are working off with you. Take a look, and feel free to post any questions you may have!

Day 1

A1a) 15-Yard Sprint (2-Point Start)
Week 1: 3x/side
Week 2: NA
Week 3: 3x/side
Week 4: NA

A1b) Box Jump
Week 1: NA
Week 2: 3 x 5
Week 3: NA
Week 4: 3 x 5

A2) 2-Way Med Ball Crush
Week 1: 2 x (2x20s)
Week 2: 2 x (2x20s)
Week 3: 2 x (2x20s)
Week 4: 2 x (2x20s)

B1) DB Reverse Lunge
Week 1: 3 x 6/side
Week 2: 3 x 8/side
Week 3: 3 x 4/side
Week 4: 3 x 6/side

B2) DB Chest Press
Week 1: 3 x 6
Week 2: 3 x 8
Week 3: 3 x 4
Week 4: 3 x 6

B3) Feet Elevated Front Plank
Week 1: 2 x 20s
Week 2: 2 x 25s
Week 3: 2 x 30s
Week 4: 2 x 20s

C1) Slideboard Hamstring Curl (3s negative)
Week 1: 3 x 10
Week 2: 3 x 12
Week 3: 3 x 8
Week 4: 3 x 10

C2) Low Pulley Row
Week 1: 3 x 8
Week 2: 3 x 10
Week 3: 3 x 6
Week 4: 3 x 8

C3) Feet Elevated Side Plank
Week 1: 2 x 20s/side
Week 2: 2 x 25s/side
Week 3: 2 x 30s/side
Week 4: 2 x 20s/side

CON) Bike
Week 1: 8 x :30/1:00
Week 2: 6 x :30/1:00
Week 3: 10 x :30/1:00
Week 4: 5 x :30/1:00

Static Stretching: 30s each
2-Way Rectus Femoris
2-Way Lying Glute
Lying Knee-to-Knee
2-Way Pec
Cross-Body Lat

Day 2

A1) 1-Arm DB Push Press
Week 1: 3 x 3/side
Week 2: 3 x 4/side
Week 3: 3 x 2/side
Week 4: 3 x 3/side

A2) Alternate Arm Scap Wall Slide
Week 1: 2 x 8/side
Week 2: 2 x 8/side
Week 3: 2 x 8/side
Week 4: 2 x 8/side

A3) Stability Ball Front Plank w/ Mini Rollout
Week 1: 2 x 10
Week 2: 2 x 10
Week 3: 2 x 10
Week 4: 2 x 10

B1) 1-Leg DB SLDL
Week 1: 3 x 6/side
Week 2: 3 x 8/side
Week 3: 3x 4/side
Week 4: 2 x 6/side

B2) Weighted BOSU Push-Up
Week 1: 3 x 10
Week 2: 3 x 12
Week 3: 3 x 8
Week 4: 2 x 10

B3) Inverted Row
Week 1: 2 x 10
Week 2: 2 x 12
Week 3: 2 x 8
Week 4: 2 x 10

C1) Chin-Up
Week 1: 3 x 8
Week 2: 3 x 10
Week 3: 3 x 6
Week 4: 2 x 8

C2) Dynamic Y->W
Week 1: 2 x 10
Week 2: 2 x 10
Week 3: 2 x 10
Week 4: 2 x 10

C3) 1-Arm DB Farmer’s Walk
Week 1: 2 x 50 yards/side
Week 2: 2 x 50 yards/side
Week 3: 2 x 50 yards/side
Week 4: 2 x 50 yards/side

Static Stretching: 30s each
2-Way Rectus Femoris
2-Way Lying Glute
Lying Knee-to-Knee
2-Way Pec
Cross-Body Lat

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

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This Week at Hockey Strength and Conditioning

Another great week over at Hockey Strength and Conditioning! This week we added:

Program: Off-Season Hockey Training Program (4 day/week-Phase 3) from me

This is the 3rd phase of our off-season hockey training programs at Endeavor. I’ve now posted 12 weeks of the EXACT programs we use to develop our elite level hockey players at HockeySC.com!

Article: Emulate the Best to be Your Best from Sean Skahan

This article is short, but incredibly profound. Definitely a must-read for everyone!

Video 1: 1-Leg Medial and Lateral Hop Overs from Darryl Nelson

Darryl works with the US National Developmental Program and has been a great addition to the site.

Video 2: Band Walking Patterns for the Glute Medius from Mike Potenza

Working with pro athletes has made Mike a master of variation. These videos include several great hip training exercises to help prevent some of the common hip flexor and groin strains we all see so much of.

As always, the forum has been hopping with great questions and contributions from people like Mike Boyle, Brijesh Patel, and Maria Mountain. You can get access to all this information for only $1!

Click the link below for more information about Hockey Strength and Conditioning!

To your continued success,

Kevin Neeld

NHL Combine Test Results Revisted

Several weeks ago I put up a post about some of the NHL Combine Testing Results. If you missed it, you can check it out here:

NHL Combine Testing Results

Sadly, this was BY FAR the most highly read post I’ve ever had. In general, I think the readers could be categorized into one of three groups:

1) Curious about how probable future NHLers are performing on these tests

2) Angry about the comparison of my testing results in college vs their testing results as younger prospects

3) Actually read the post and understand the message

I fully understand that I was further along in my development in college/grad school then these kids are (although my bench press numbers were comparable in high school…gotta love chest day mondays!). That wasn’t the point.

My point was that it is ABSOLUTELY MORONIC to compare player’s based on off-ice testing scores!

I realize it’s a widely utilized practices amongst extremely high level coaches and scouts, but that doesn’t make it any less stupid.

If Daniel Carcillo has a higher vertical jump, bench press, and better 40-time than Sidney Crosby, did the Penguins miss out?

The only thing that matters on the ice is how good you are at hockey. Testing is important, but not to compare players (which is moronic…absolutely…incredibly…moronic). Testing is important to guage progress WITHIN a player. If a player is training and they aren’t getting stronger, faster, leaner, and/or adding muscle (depending on their goals and needs), then the hockey training program should be adapated or a closer look into the players dietary and recovery strategies is warranted.

Especially in youth programs, we need to stop emphasizing testing as a form of player evaluation. Everyone grows up at different rates. Players that grow up (read: develop) faster are probably going to test stronger and faster than their teammates. We’re rewarding development opposed to quality training. Even doing pre- and post-testing with young athletes doesn’t make a ton of sense. Avery Faigenbaum’s research has shown very clearly that adolescence that do NOTHING in the form of structured training will test stronger and faster as times goes by.

Intuitively, we all know that, but as Stephen Covey says, “To know and not do do is to not know at all.” If you’re a coach and you feel the need to test your players for accountability reasons, make sure you emphasize that you are testing to guage progress within each player, not to compare players (and do not compare players…ever). If you’re a parent, stop putting any emphasis on testing at all. The craziness around testing needs to stop. Now.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

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Hockey Training Stuff You Should Read

Between writing the blogs and newsletters for my site AND Endeavor’s site, I’ve been doing a lot of writing recently. Usually when I write, I try to not rehash on things I’ve already talked about. I’d hate for anyone to ever refer to me as monotonous. The other day I was rereading a few articles I had read before and it hit me that it’s helpful to hear QUALITY information over and over. It helps make it more concrete in your mind.

With that said, I’ve created a list of a few articles and interviews that I’ve been a part of that I think EVERYONE should read. These articles outline much of the scientific foundation that I base my hockey training programs on. Spend a day or two re-reading these articles and post your comments below!

Maximal Force: Cracking the Nervous System Code

3 Tricks to Increase Maximal Strength

Fight the Injury Blues: Keep Lifting

Rethinking Bilateral Training

Dissecting the Sports Hernia

Battling Anatomy: Implications for Effective Squatting

Rapid Rate of Force Development

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

P.S. In the next week, I’ll be announcing the official launch of my Ultimate Hockey Development Coaching Program. Stay tuned!

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Integrated Shoulder Training for Hockey Players

I wanted to share one of my new favorite exercises with you that I’m using in my hockey training programs. This is a TRUE rotator cuff exercise, that emphasizes the collective role of the rotator cuff musculature in creating dynamic stability of the humeral head in the glenoid cavity. Because you’re leaning forward into the ball, there’s a pretty significant core stability component as well.

You can progress this exercise by moving the ball lower on the wall, moving the ball to the ground, or by adding a perturbation (as demonstrated at the end of the vide0) to any of the above positions.

1-Arm Wall Stability Ball Hold

-Kevin Neeld

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