Here we are on the doorstep of another hockey season – can’t believe it. You will probably hear me say that a lot over the next two weeks – seems like every off-season goes faster and faster.
It is the busiest time of year in the gym, but the work doesn’t end when the players head off to training camp – in fact this is the time when I get better.
I never want to just re-cycle the training systems that have been so successful in the past, I am constantly looking for more effective and efficient ways to train you for staggering success on the ice while minimizing the devastation of injuries.
That is something that will never stop. As we countdown to another season I am going to give you lots of ways you can become a better goalie or skater during the season, so hang on for the next few weeks – lots of specific training techniques coming your way that will help your strength, speed and stamina plus ways to reduce your risk of injury and how to fuel your training with proper nutrition.
I had planned on starting the series today, but then the one and only Miss Tina Turner got right up in my wheelhouse with a big ‘A-Ha’ moment that I feel compelled to share with you.
A life lesson from Tina Turner…
Yep, I learned a life lesson from Miss Tina last night. Here’s how it went down.
Paul and I were out on the porch reading (I was reading Joel Jamieson’s manual on Heart Rate Variability) until about 8:30pm and then I decided to watch a few minutes of TV before heading to bed.
I first clicked on the TV in time to see Miley Cyrus of all people doing some sort of weird stripper impersonation (if you can explain to me what that was about, please feel free to leave a comment below) and then I came across an interview Oprah was doing with Tina Turner. I am not a big fan of Oprah, but I respect her for what she has achieved. I AM however a fan of Tina – you think you have obstacles standing in the way of your success, you’ve got it easy compared to the path she had to take.
It may not be well known to some of you younger readers out there, but as she was starting her path to superstardom she was the victim of physical, sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of her husband Ike Turner.
She ultimately had to flee her husband and stardom to save not only her life, but her children’s. It was a long road back.
Anyway, Miss Tina was talking about her final tour – – at the age of 69. Oprah was asking her how much fun it was, etc. and Tina said something that surprised me, she basically said most of the time it wasn’t fun. A lot of nights she did not feel like going out to perform, she had to force herself to go out there and ‘be Tina’.
She said she loved giving the audience a great show and new that was her obligation, but she did not spring out of bed every morning pumped for the concert that night – it was a battle.
Why did she do it?
When asked why she did it, the answer was simple – she had a goal and a destination.
Just like you, she had somewhere she wanted to get to. She wanted the financial security to know that she could retire, care for her family, support her charities and live in an exceptionally comfortable style without worry.
You see, despite being beaten, abused and at times just plain exhausted, she kept pushing until she got to where she needed to be – that took her to the age of 69. It was not always fun – but it got her where she needed to be.
What’s the point?
The point is this…
- You need to have a clear picture of where you want to be (we have talked about that before)
- You need to have a map to get you there
- You then need to take consistent action
- You need to realize that sometimes it will suck, but you still keep pushing – training is not going to be fun everyday, but achieving your goals and living your dreams certainly is!
Here’s what I am doing…
So here is what I am doing to achieve my goals and get to where I want to be which includes helping 10,000 hockey players win more games with fewer injuries, live in Paris for a month and help youth hockey players who do not have the financial means an opportunity to play the greatest game on the planet.
- Unwrap the mysteries of Heart Rate Variability (it will help me monitor the recovery of the athletes I train)
- Register for either John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition Certification Program of the Postural Restoration Institute course
- Read Kelly Starrett’s book on mobility
- Keep up with training schedule so I am ready for the Tough Mudder at the end of September
- Get up at or before 5:30am to work on this online business and keep providing great training strategies for you guys.
The Countdown is ON…
The countdown is on for another hockey season, just like me (and Miss Tina), your off-ice work doesn’t end once you step back on the ice. I see that happen all the time – players come back at the end of the season, weaker, stiffer, slower, fatter than they were at the end of the previous off-season.
I think a great goal for you would be to finish the season as strong or stronger than you are right now. Finish the season with the same or better mobility than you have now. Be faster in March than you are right now – that is how you help your team win games when the season is on the line.
I promise to be a better coach by next off-season, will you promise to be a better hockey player? I will give you lots of ways to do that right here – starting Wednesday 🙂
Cheers,
M
The step-by-step road map to on-ice success for skaters. In-season schedule included.