Hockey sense can be somewhat difficult to define but I think most hockey coaches would state that it is your ability to anticipate the play in order to react to it, either in an offensive or defensive manner. Wayne Gretzky would probably be considered a player with a very high level of hockey sense. If […]
A Great On-Ice Warm Up to Get You Ready to Play
This is a series of warm up drills that you can do on the ice to get you ready to play and help avoid injuries. Not only does HockeyOT focus on hockey performance training but we are also involved with a sports injury clinic in Southern California called Back to Function. At Back to Function […]
Why You Should be Doing Off-Ice Training for Hockey
There are at least four reasons why you should train for hockey. Injury prevention: The most important reason is injury prevention. Effective training will help prevent injury and offset premature fatigue. A player who has worked on his weaknesses through training will be better prepared for practices and games. A player who is able to delay […]
Speed Development: Sprint Technique
To be able to perform well in any sport, there needs to be a component of speed. Speed is the rapidity of movement and is an important aspect of all sports. Speed is developed in athletes by using their strength, flexibility, endurance and technique. The technique is performed numerous times at slow speeds and then […]
Is Strength Training Safe For Younger Athletes?
We train a lot of athletes in a team setting and have done fitness training with kids as young as 8 years old. Most of the kids we work with really enjoy a fun strength training session with their teammates. Occasionally we will have a player sit out of a training session because a parent […]
How to Improve Your Change of Direction Speed
If you watch a hockey game, it quickly becomes evident that the average time a hockey player skates in one direction at full speed at any time during the game is for less than 5 seconds followed by a change in speed or direction. This is not to say that hockey is not a very […]
How to Shoot Harder & Faster
Before we get into the issue of proper training to improve your shot, remember that having proper form and technique on the ice is important! Keep practicing, taking 50-100 shots per day off a piece of synthetic ice in your basement, garage or driveway if you do not have access to ice. As you master […]
Establish Your Game With HockeyOT.com’s Dryland Training Program
Establishing your off-season training goals should start with a simple question: What are the attributes most important for success in hockey? If you study elite hockey players, success in hockey depends on: 1) skating speed and agility 2) stickhandling and shooting skills 3) physical conditioning 4) mental toughness 5) confidence 6) hockey sense or hockey […]
Should I Drink Water or a Sports Drink?
The major focus of sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade is that they provide nutrients and electrolytes in addition to just plain water. In order to determine whether or not a sports drink is more beneficial than water we need to understand what happens when we sweat. The major electrolytes lost in sweat during exercise are […]
Basic Posture Exercises That Will Improve Your Skating
Many youth players are starting to use dryland training exercises at the request of coaches and parents. Many hockey coaches are running these dryland training sessions themselves after looking up exercises on the internet or remembering what they did when they were kids. At hockeyot.com we offer a professional training package that can make your […]
How to Choose the Right Fitness Trainer
You have decided to get serious about training for hockey. Many questions can come up now. What exercises should you do? How many days per week? Should you train during the season? To help answer some of these questions you may decide to hire a fitness trainer. Trainers can help maintain motivation and avoid training […]
A Pain in the Groin!
Groin injuries are among the most common injuries seen in hockey. A groin pull is a painful and debilitating injury to the muscles of the inner thigh. Research has shown that hip flexibility, and more importantly, strengthening, can help decrease the occurrence of groin strains. Hip strengthening should be performed during the entire season to maintain […]
Do You Know How Much Water You Need to Drink?
This article is slightly scientific and has a few simple math calculations but don’t be afraid! If you read it and apply the ideas you will gain a significant advantage over your dehydrated competition. Failure to adequately hydrate on a daily basis, and especially during exercise, can lead to impaired heat dissipation. This can elevate […]
10 Tips for Optimal Recovery after Workouts
We have identified 10 things that an athlete can do to assist their body in regenerating between workouts. This is a crucial element in a training regime, because the quicker you can recover between workout sessions, the more frequently you can train with a higher intensity. 1) Drink water before, during and after exercise. This […]
A Simple Exercise to Improve Skating Speed
The leg muscles are under a heavy load as your skate blades dig into the ice. These muscles are also among the strongest in the body, and if used correctly, can greatly enhance performance. Many beginner skaters have an exaggerated forward lean that comes more from the spine than from the hips. As a result, the […]