The Problem With Doing The Same Workout For Weeks On End
I know you may really like your workout. You may think that it really helps you on the ice. That is fine.
I am not saying you have to stop doing it forever, you just need to stop doing it for a while and expand your horizons – give your body a challenge so it can get better and better rather than plateau.
You see, your off-ice hockey training teaches your body a vocabulary of movement and muscle recruitment patterns.
Much like learning a language. Paul and I are off to Paris this March, so I am trying to brush up on my francais. If I practiced the exact same vocabulary and dialogue from now until March I would be very good at saying, ‘hello, how are you?’ – Bonjour, comment ca va? … but I would be pretty limited beyond that.
I need to consistently expand my vocabulary while returning to those foundation lessons to keep them up to snuff as well.
So, you do not have to bid your current workout fair well, you just need to change it up on a regular basis (about every 4-6 weeks) like I do here for goalies and skaters.
Let me give you some examples…
If you cannot see the video in the player above, just click the link below
http://youtu.be/3o54QeQLVCw
- You currently do Leg Press…try Split Squats instead
- You currently do Push Ups…try Push Ups with a reach
- You currently do DB One Arm Row…try Staggered Cable or BG Row
- You currently do Crunches…just stop – seriously…do Hand Walk Out
- You currently do BB Back Squats… try DB Single Leg Squats
- You currently do BB Bench Press…try Single Arm Standing Cable Press
Or change up your rep range. If you always do 3 sets of 12 reps, change it up to 4 sets of 6 reps with a heavier load.
Change your tempo. If you always use a tempo of one second down, one second up, change it up by lowering the load for three seconds and lifting for one second. You will be amazed by how that changes the stimulus.
Every 4-6 weeks you should be making a change to your off-ice hockey training program if you are looking to make progress both in the gym and on the ice.
If you are not sure how to do that – I do it for you ever month for skaters HERE and for goalies HERE.
Happy training.
Cheers,
M
PS – if you are looking for an alternative to one (1) of the exercises that has been in you workout for far too long, just put it in the comments section and I will give you an option. Please don’t put your entire workout in there and ask for an update – that is what my private coaching clients get, so I want to be fair to them.