How To Be THE Best Hockey Player

The Difference Between Being THE Best & Very, Very Good

There are a lot of good hockey players, for that matter, there are a lot of very, very good hockey players, but there are only a few GREAT hockey players.  So what is the difference?

Well, not everyone has the same level of natural talent, so that is a part of it, but at the very top level, everyone has the requisite gifts, so what makes the difference?

There is no one best training program that will get you there.  Lots of different things work, so what makes the difference?

I have been blessed in my career to work with some of the top athletes in their respective sports, I have also had the opportunity to work with some athletes who are equally (or more) talented, but never make it that far.  So here are my observations on where the differences lie.

VERY GOOD GREAT
Will find little reasons to miss a workout here and there – got home late, had a family dinner, had an exam Think ahead and find a way to make sure they get the training they need.  They see every workout as an opportunity to get better.
Rely on coaches, parents, others to motivate them through their training. They are their own best motivators.  They have a clear picture of where they want to be and are committed to doing what’s necessary to get there.
Make excuses why they fall short in competition and focus on the ‘why’. When their performance falters they see an opportunity for improvement and work on correcting it.
Do the big training first and may skip some of the ‘other stuff’ – stretching, maintenance work, energy system Resist the temptation to just work on their strengths; they do ALL of their training, as prescribed.
If they get into the gym and are not sure how to do an exercise they will leave it out until their next session with the trainer. Will phone or email right away to get the exercise right so they do not have to skip any sets.
They go through phases where they ‘eat really well’ – to achieve a specific goal. Make wise food choices as a lifestyle choice so they can maximize their gains in the gym and develop healthy habits.
Have faith in their ability (a good swagger) but don’t always back it up with action. Have a quiet confidence in their ability, because they know they have done the work to back it up on competition.

 

So there are my observations based on training hundreds and hundreds of athletes.  In hockey, like life, if you want to be the very best at what you do, then behave the way the very best do; model the Sidney Crosby’s and you will become a better player.

Cheers,
M

Hockey training blueprint

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