Joffrey Lupul training with HockeyOT

There are at least four reasons why you should train for hockey.

1. 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 fatigue on the ice also has less of a chance of getting tired and risking injury.
2. Physical performance improvement: The second reason to train for hockey is physical performance improvement. Ice hockey is the fastest game in the world played on two feet. Today’s elite hockey players are physically bigger and have improved levels of fitness compared to their predecessors. A good program should consist of workouts based upon the player’s needs and potential weaknesses with the confidence that it will lead to greater game preparedness. Prior to starting a training program you should write down the physical attributes that you want to improve. For example, a 13- year old forward might want to develop lower body strength and overall speed. A 17-year old defenseman might want to develop upper body strength and quickness. The young forward would concentrate on lifts such as the dumbell squat, squat jumps and 30-meter sprints while the defenseman would do upper body pressing/pulling exercises and quick feet agility drills.
3. Mental toughness: The third reason to train is that mental toughness is enhanced with tough physical training. Getting through a tough workout takes commitment and discipline and instills confidence in the player that they are game ready. If the workout involves the entire team there is an additional element of team camaraderie that happens when the team “survives” a grueling workout.
4. Fun: The last reason to train for hockey is that it makes the game more fun knowing that you are doing everything you can to make yourself a successful player. Many of our HockeyOT.com athletes actually enjoy the off-ice workouts. As the great coach John Wooden stated, the will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com.