Global would like to thank Peter Twist and Twist Conditioning staff for its continued support of the Global Showcases and Clinics.
With the popularity of sport conditioning these days, there are many places parents can access “hockey conditioning” so to ensure the best results, programs should be carefully evaluated. Program cost and frequency are important considerations, but pay close attention to who is coaching (credentials, references, previous success) along with what hockey specific attributes the program develops (fast feet, core conditioning, strength, balance, agility) to fully understand your investment. Recognize that sport conditioning is not the same as generic fitness provided at your local fitness club. Only educated sport conditioning coaches truly develop hockey specific physical traits that support playing at the next level.
Hockey skills like skating, shooting, bodychecking and one-on-one maneuvers all require a specific set of athletic abilities and physical tools. Without a program to develop the physical attributes hockey skills, strategies and tactics draw upon, every player will eventually hit a ceiling of ability. Summer by summer, players who strive to improve can transform their game.
What is the best way to get there? Remember there are no universal rules, but there are some things for you to keep in mind when choosing the best option for a son or daughter. Spring hockey can be a very good caliber, providing a good on-ice experience. Game time is invaluable to refine hockey pace and tempo, positioning, play off the puck, vision, patience, decision making and other variables which help develop “hockey sense”. Too much time on the ice, year-round, can lead to mental and emotional burnout, overuse skating injuries, and a bad habit of rehearsing the same weaknesses.
The general trend for all sports is early specialization. But this limits development as an athlete - and the best athletes are the ones who rise to the top. I highly recommend players participate in varied sports like lacrosse and soccer that help develop youngsters as athletes, producing a smart and skillful body capable of much more than repeating skating and shooting movement patterns.
I prefer to split the off-season to first build whole body strength, muscle growth, aerobic conditioning, body control, flexibility, core strength, single leg balance and deceleration training. Week by week, at precisely the right time, we introduce higher speed lifts, rotary power, foot quickness drills, plyometrics, speed and agility training, anaerobic sprint intervals, acceleration and multi directional reaction drills combined with similar development on the ice to create the best possible results.
This approach ensures that players bring a new body, new physical skills and fresh enthusiasm to their fall hockey. I wish all players nothing but success as they strive to reach a new level of competiveness.
Peter Twist, 11 year NHL Conditioning Coach, is President of Twist Conditioning Inc that provides franchised Sport Conditioning Centres, Smart Muscle™ Hockey training products and home study coach education. www.twistconditioning.com
No comments:
Post a Comment