Summer’s are fun because of the nice weather, the chance to go boating or golfing as well as taking a road trip or vacation.

However summer is also the time for making big gains in your hockey training. It’s the time to address nagging injuries that you couldn’t deal with completely during a playoff push. It’s the time to put on the mass that helps you control your space and impose your will more easily on your opponent. And it’s the time to be able to focus on the recovery between training sessions.

There are lots of great reasons to look forward to the summer.

But as we see with many of our players they also like to take some time and get away. As well, they also have friends who spend their off-seasons elsewhere. And when they come through Kelowna they know they have a place to come and train.

They don’t have to settle for local ‘meat-head’ gym where the squat racks are busier with guys doing biceps curls than they are for squatting.

They don’t have to settle for the local community gyms that prefer that every lift be done slow and controlled. Plyos, med balls throws and Olympic lifts would be out of the question.

Besides hockey players that roll through town in the summer we are also a common training centre for the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team. So you may cross paths with snowboarders and skiers all trying to shine in Sochi in 2014.

But anyways we want to make this same offer available to our friends of onsidehockeytraining.

So if you are a subscriber of this site you are considered a friend of Okanagan Peak Performance, which is the physical home of our athlete training centre. And therefore I want to welcome you to access our facility when you are in the Kelowna area.

So how do you take advantage of this offer?

Simply leave me a comment on this blog and I can let our staff in Kelowna know to welcome when you are passing through.

We have almost 2500 square feet with four racks and platforms, 5 benches, over 3000 lbs of weights, TRX, GHD, slideboards, sandbags, kettlebells, sleds, battling ropes, plyo boxes, bands, tubing and lots of other toys. Basically everything an athlete needs and nothing they don’t.

Take a look at the pictures below to see what the facility looks like.

Besides the great location and equipment we also provide towel service, training and recovery drinks to our training clients. And for our hockey players we include weekly massages with their training to enhance the recovery process.

The last thing to mention about our facility, and maybe the best feature, is the people. Not only do we work with some amazing athletes we also have a great staff here. They’re all about making sure our clients have the best experience possible.

So if you have plans to be in BC this summer hopefully you can stop by and get in a training session or two.

Chris

I just got back from a trip to Hawaii. My wife and I like to go at this time of year as it allows me to refresh before the busy summer begins and all the hockey players roll into town.

While I was away I did a lot of snorkelling.

And this got me thinking about hockey and training.

What?

What does tropical weather, warm water and snorkelling have to do with hockey and training? It’s the breathing actually that makes me think of how this could improve training and performance.

If you’ve never tried snorkelling it may be a little un-nerving to have your nose inside the mask and then to only be able to breathe through the snorkel.

First timers may panic in this type of set up which leads to:

* increased respirations

* increased gasping

* increased thoracic breathing

* decreased diaphragmatic breathing

The list goes on.

To really enjoy snorkelling you need to relax. You need to slow your breathing down to a comfortable rate and then move. You need to relax your chest and shoulders and let your belly expand and contract as you breath diaphragmatically.

And being in water really facilitates this in one regard. The buoyancy of the water helps reduce tension on the upper body and arms and makes it easier to just  focus on belly breathing.

So how do we apply this your hockey training?

Well you don’t necessarily have to grab some fins and a snorkel but we do want to start with the basics. Below are four progressions you can try.

1. Supine

This would involve learning to breath from the diaphragm while on your back. Place one hand on your navel and one on your chest. Take 10 breaths making sure that your chest does not rise. As you inhale your stomach should rise and fall as you exhale.

2. Lateral

On your side put your fingers in your side just above the hips. Now as you inhale try and get lateral expansion of the abdominals. As in the supine position you want to minimize or control chest breathing.

3. Prone

Flip over to face down. Some will cross the arms and rest the head on the forehead. The goal now is to get the back side of the trunk to rise and fall. This is a little more difficult and we’ve found it easier to cue by placing a foam roller across the low back. This provides a physical cue of where to push against to get expansion.

4. Training

You don’t need to go straight from the ground to standing with all these drills. You can go from tall kneeling, to half kneeling and eventually to standing.

But the goal remains the same regarding of how you position your body. Neutral posture, breath properly and brace when necessary.

In the picture above, notice the elevated chest and shoulders. When we breath we want as much distance between the shoulders and the ears. In this picture it looks like his right shoulder is almost tough his ear.

Because as breathing breaks down in training or in hockey we see:

* changes in posture

* changes in technique and movement

And with just these two changes there are a couple of other side effects that accompany breakdowns in posture and improper technique. These side effects would be reduced performance and increased chance of injury.

I’ve always liked simple things which enhanced performance. And nothing is as simple or basic as breathing. But it has to be done properly. Give these drills a try to work on improving the quality of your breathing and ultimately your on ice play.

Chris                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     onsidehockeytraining.com

So today was a great day.

Because we sent out contracts for our first ever Okanagan Strength & Conditioning Conference. And we’ve lined up some big names to present at this event.

While I can’t name names just yet, as we need to have all the contracts signed first, it will be an epic event.

Hockey players, coaches and trainers would benefit greatly by attending this event. We are bringing in 5 different coaches and experts that train athletes at the highest levels of their sports.

One coach in particular has his name on the Stanley Cup.

I’ll let that sink in for a bit.

We’re talking about a strength and conditioning coach currently employed in the NHL in that capacity who has prepared players who won the Cup.

And he’s going to be speaking at our event. And he will be available to hang out with at our conference social. Plus we are trying to arrange for him to provide some extra coaching to our staff and hockey players that train here in the summer.

Now let me ask you something…how valuable would it be to you to be able meet, connect and learn from one of the most respected strength and conditioning coaches in the NHL?

What questions would you have for this coach?

What areas of your off-season training could be improved by spending some time with a coach of this calibre?

Obviously this type of opportunity would be invaluable. But here’s the kicker…these types of coaches aren’t readily available for these types of events. They work hard during the season and they have a number of commitments during the off-season. Any free time at all is spent with their families.

So we feel very fortunate to have someone like coming to our event to present, teach and help.

And I want to make sure you take advantage of this opportunity if it’s within your means. With that in mind I want to give you a special bonus for following this blog and demonstrating the commitment to improving your game. Here’s what I’d like to do.

Because many of you aren’t local to Kelowna I want to invite you to train at our facility for the week prior to our event. If you purchased a copy of PremierHockeyTraining.com you can access our facility for no additional cost.

Plus I will be there while you are training and be able to coach you through many of the lifts, exercises and drills you are working on.

Plus you will be able to train alongside many of the other hockey players we will be working with. This includes NHL players, European, NCAA, CIS, Junior as well as minor hockey league players.

If you need accomodations we have arranged a great rate with a hotel down the street from our facility.

Lastly, there may be a chance to do some of your training under the watchful eye of an NHL strength coach. I can’t promise you this yet but am working on making it happen.

If you are serious about improving your performance in hockey you owe it to yourself to be in Kelowna for the week leading up to August 17-18. It’s an amazing city and a great opportunity to train with many other highly motivated hockey players, in an incredible facility with top level coaching.

Leave me a comment below if you are interested or would like more details.

Chris                                                                                                                                                                                                                      onsidehockeytraining.com

2 Responses to “Come Train in Beautiful Kelowna, BC”

I like movies and I like hockey. So naturally I was excited to hear a hockey movie was coming about the fighter on a team.

And when I heard that Stiffler from the American Pie movies would be playing the lead role I thought this could be really funny.

But whether the movie is funny or not has nothing to do with the fact that this movie is going to miss big time when it comes to protraying the fighter in hockey.

Why would I say this? Or better yet, how could I say this when I haven’t even see the movie? Well for a number of reasons. Here are my Top 5 Reasons the Movie ‘Goon’ Will Miss when it comes to protraying the fighter in hockey.

Reason #1 – Can’t Skate

In the movie Stiffler’s character is not a hockey player. He doesn’t even know how to skate. Apparently the producers of the movie liked the fact Sean William Scott (who plays the goon) couldn’t skate himself which allowed for a more genuine portrayal of the goon.

Don’t fall for this. You will not advance to any level of professional hockey these days if you can’t skate regardless of what a movie tells you.

Reason #2 – One Dimensional

The movie portrays the goon as a player with one purpose. To be a presence, to intimidate and to fight if called upon. This may be very similar to the responsilities of the fighter on any team.

But in real life it doesn’t end there. Take for example the players with the most fighting majors in the NHL this season. Scott Thornton has a Stanley Cup ring with the Bruins. And Brandon Prust is with the Rangers atop the Eastern Conference this year. Both players also chip 20-30 points a year.

Even if you’re a fighter you need to be able to contribute in other ways as these two guys are.

Reason #3 – You Need to Be Missing Teeth

Maybe back in the 70s or 80s it was more common to recognize hockey players by their missing teeth and scars. But now with cosmetic surgery, mouth guards and advanced medical facilities within main areans there is no reason to be walking around without a full set of bright white choppers.

Plus you are more likely to be missing teeth from a stick or a deflection as opposed to blocking a couple of knuckle sandwiches with your face.

Reason #4 – Can’t Be Educated

In the movie Scott’s character comes from a family of intellectuals and he is not. He is therefore the outcast and apparently is perfectly suited as the enforcer on his team.

True, there is no minimum IQ requirement to drop the gloves and go with someone. But the stereotype that these guys are all dummies is old.

I can recall discussing movies, travel, literature and many other topics with the fighers I’ve trained. Some liked to do Sudoku puzzles. Others were into cards. And almost all of them were as quick witted as could be. I’ve always considered a quick sense of humour a sign of intelligence.

Don’t fall for the stereotype that all fighters are dummies.

Reason #5 – Not the Same on Ice

Have you ever heard of football teams trying out world class sprinters as wide receivers or to return kicks? Rarely works, doesn’t it?

Just because you’re good at something in one dimension doesn’t mean it translates to all. In this case the Goon is a bouncer at a bar. And we’re to make the connection that he’s a good fighter at the bar therefore he’ll make a good fighter on a hockey team. Doubtful.

If you’ve been in a hockey fight or worked with players who have you’ll know this a totally different beast. The difference in surface should be an obvious one. But there’s also the element of trying to tie up your opponent’s arms and trying not to land too many punches on the side of your opponent’s helmet. Add to that the fact you may have just completed a hard 40 second shift and still have stitches from your last fight. Not really the conditions of a bar fight, is it?

Summary

I’ll still go to the Goon. And I’m sure I’ll laugh. The directors and producers are sure to include as many hockey stereotypes in the movie for effect. Hopefully you’ll see it as entertainment and how far from the mark it is to what a real hockey fighter is like.

Chris                                                                                                                                                                                                                              onsidehockeytraining.com

Unless it’s an opponent I hate seeing people wasting their time and money.

There are enough things to think about and prepare for in hockey that we should be as focussed and efficient as possible.

Too often I see hockey players do too many drills and exercises not relevant to improving their performance. I put their in italics because the best hockey program for you is the one that addresses your needs and goals.

The best hockey program for you is not necessarily the one being followed by the highest scorer on your team.

Or by the strongest, most powerful player on your team.

Or the one used by the top players in the NHL. You’d be surprised how many times coaches, players and parents will tell me they got a copy of (substitute your favourite hockey player’s name)’s training program and could we follow that in our training?

Sure. We can do anything we want.

But would this program get you the best results? Would it prevent you from suffering from non-contact injuries? Would it be the best investment in your time and money?

Probably not.

Let me put it you this way.

Imagine you got sick. And the doctor said you needed a specific prescription. And this prescription would be dependent on your size, age, severity of symptoms and the time you had been sick.

Let’s add to this that this prescription was new to you and you wouldn’t know how you would respond. Heck, the doctor didn’t even know for sure if the prescription would work for you. Plus with every prescription there are always side effects. So even if the drug works for you you may still suffer from other symptoms by taking this drug.

Now let’s say your friend had a prescription filled for him or her a while back. And there was some left over. The prescription may or may not be for the same illness and symptoms you are experiencing. But we do know the following:

* you and your friend are different ages

* you are totally different sizes

* you don’t have the same experience (tolerance) to prescriptions

* the severity of your symptoms was quite different

Would you take your friend’s prescription?

Nobody would. In fact even if you had your own left over prescription from a previous illness you wouldn’t be allowed to bring this in to a hospital with you.

The prescription has to be specific to the individual.

That’s how your hockey training program should be. It should address your weaklinks and be specific to your goals.

Guess what?

This is exactly the first part of Premier Hockey Training (www.premierhockeytraining.com),  the complete off-season training program for hockey.

In this program you receive an Assessment Package and Corrective Exercise Cheat Sheet.

This package walks you step by  step through the various tests to identify what your weaklinks are and what needs to be addressed first.

But knowing what your weaklinks are is useless you know how to fix them. This is exactly the purpose of the Corrective Exercise Cheat Sheet.

Does your knee collapse in when you stride? The Cheat Sheet shows you how to fix this.

Do you have one foot that turns out when you squat, lunge, step or run. The Cheat Sheet fixes this one too.

And here’s the kicker.

Not only are you at a greater chance of getting injured with these kinds of compensations but are wasting energy.

That’s right. Instead of directing power into the ice for movement you are directing it into your joints, which stresses the joints, and results in lower power production.

I hope this isn’t you. I hope you aren’t wasting energy. I hope you aren’t a liabilityto get injured.

The Assessment Package and Corrective Exercise Cheat Sheet in www.premierhockeytraining.com can address these issues before they become a problem.

Want a sneak peek? Here you go.

Corrective Exercise Treatment Table ‘Cheat Sheet’

Sorry that the page cuts off the treatment part on the right. But in that column you are told the exact stretches and exercises to address your compensations. In total there are 11 common compensations laid out in specific detail for you.

Plus there are videos to go with the exercises.

And we can get on the phone and discuss your assessment if you like.

Want to get started on a hockey training program specific to you? Head over to www.premierhockeytraining.com now and pick up your copy today!

Chris                                                                                                                                                     onsidehockeytraining.com