It drives coaches at every level crazy and even pro players struggle with it. For goalies it makes you a split second slow and for skaters it makes you easier to knock off the puck and puts you a full stride behind.
What is it?
Standing up when you get tired.
It’s not your fault really – it is the natural response. You don’t have to use your muscles as much when you are standing up. Standing up is easier for your body. Most of you don’t even realize you are doing it.
But…it makes you slow.
You cannot be maximally explosive when you are standing up.
Let me give you an example from track and field (still excited about Team RevCon athlete Damian Warner winning Pan Am Gold in the decathlon last week setting both a Pan Am and Canadian record in the process)…when Damian lined up for the 100m sprint, did you see any guy on that start line standing up?
Let me answer that for you…. “NO”
They were all coiled up in the blocks like springs ready to explode, because that is where the power comes from.
So today I have an EOTW that is somewhat painful, but it will help you stay low, explosive and fast on the ice. It is one of my favourite leg exercises for hockey.
Here’s how to do the Oscillatory RFE Split Squat…
If you cannot see the video above, just click the link below
https://youtu.be/UTJcwzUqll0
This is an advanced exercise, we are using it in the final phase of our off-season training for the players who have been in the gym with us 4-5 days per week since May. So this is not one you just add to your new workout routine.
Get as many reps as you can in 15 seconds. Use 45-55% of your predicted 1 rep max for single leg squat. It will be a relatively light weight, but trust me, when you are hitting 18 reps in 15 seconds, you will be feeling the burn.
As you fatigue, guess what you will start doing?
That’s right, you will start standing up, instead of working the bottom half of the range like I show you in the video, you will start creeping up into the top half. Don’t do that!
You should be going from thigh parallel to the floor and up about 4 inches.
Enjoy!
M
PS – click HERE for my ‘done-for-you’ off-ice training programs