I have not forgotten about my super-motivational post that disappeared from my computer when I was typing my last post – still too angry to tackle it again 🙁 No not really – I just got a “tweet” from someone yesterday (yes, I am on the twitter…you can tweet me too – http://twitter.com/goalietraining).
They tweeted me to ask for a reference for one of the articles I had written on back pain in hockey players. I was immediately snapped back in time to my days as a Masters student at the great University of Western Ontario.
Western is a great place to spend a few years being an academic. The building shown in the photo on the left is called Middlesex College and the two things that stand out to me about Middlesex College are 1) going there in first year to check my final math grade only to find that if you flunk the course, they do not give you a grade – you get zero – OUCH!! I like to tell myself that I probably had a 43% average or so.
Yes children, back in the day there was NO internet, so you actually had to go up on campus and check your grades, or wait for the grades to be mailed home where your Mom would probably be the first to find out that you flunked first year Matrix Algebra… if you can explain how a better understanding of Matrix Algebra would have enhanced my quality of life, please leave a comment below. For those of you who were wondering…yes, my Dad did make me take the course again and yes, I did pass this time. Funny how doing your homework actually helps your GPA.
The second thing I think about when I see Middlesex College is a lovely little spot in the basement called “The Grad Club”. It is a pub of sorts where they have lovely beer on tap and graduate students can go in there to unwind for an hour or six without any of those pesky undergrads – – or so I have heard.
Paul Stacked Tires, I Went to School…
I took 5 years to work between finishing my undergrad and starting the masters, so Paul and I were already married when I was in grad school. Paul schlepped tires 6-days per week – literally, he worked in a tire warehouse and when a transport truck full of tires came in, he would unload them and stack them in the warehouse by hand. He earned $20,000 per year and tuition was probably about $5,000 per year. I remember one day I went to the grocery store and loaded up a buggy with our groceries for the week and then it dawned on me…we actually have no money in the bank to pay for these. Although it kind of sucked, it was just an awesome time!
Anyway, enough of memory lane – when this guy asked for references for one of my blog posts, I remember presenting research reviews to professors at research rounds and you basically had to know by heart the title, author, journal, etc for every single research study you referred to. It was nerve wracking to say the least. Today, things are a little more relaxed, since I am not writing a thesis here, I am just sharing some training ideas with you based on science and practice. But I thought it would be good to see who some of the web-based references I look to for new and thought provoking ideas. The really geeky ones might enjoy some of their stuff. So here is the list of people who I think are worth reading online and some of their very best articles…
Your Best Hockey Training Resources…
- If you want solid hockey training techniques, then Kevin Neeld’s blog should be bookmarked on your browser for sure – www.KevinNeeld.com. Kevin is my friend and we make an effort to talk every 3-4 months. We chat about hockey training, our bricks and mortar businesses, our online businesses, my Leafs vs. his pitiful Flyers (sorry Kev), etc. One of my favourite posts from Kevin is this one on improving hip range of motion in hockey players. Kevin is also launching a new comprehensive hockey training manual in the next few days which is amazing! He gave me a copy to look at a few months ago and wanted my feedback. Well, here is my feedback, exactly as I sent it to him…WOW!! There was nothing I could add – it really is a textbook on hockey training. It is not light reading, but if you really want to understand the ins and outs of hockey training then this is for you. I tried to get him to double his asking price, but he did not listen, so in my opinion, he is basically giving it away. Anyway, I want you to get to know Kevin a little better, so check out this video on transitional speed for hockey. You will have to provide your email in order to see the video – if you do not like his info, then just unsubscribe. I also want you to know that I am officially promoting this product, so that is my affiliate link, which means that if you purchase the product I will earn a few bucks. But I think you know me well enough to know that I am only promoting it because I know it is an outstanding resource that some of you will find really informative.
- Mike Boyle has been a mentor of mine for the past 8-years I would say. I like that Mike is open to new ideas that make sense, he is quick to call b.s., but he will also change his mind. I know that Mike’s training beliefs are not based on ego, they are based on what he believes develops the very best athletes. I also love that Mike gets the idea that colleagues can disagree without dislike. So you do not have to agree with my methods, but we can still be friends. Here are two of his posts that are must reads… Training 9-Year Olds and the Joint By Joint Approach to Training (genius)
- Thomas Myers rocked my world about 5 years ago. I was teaching a sport conditioning certification for Peter Twist in Toronto and one of the participants told me about the book Anatomy Trains. I cannot thank her enough because it was like a light bulb turning on as I started reading through the chapters. I was so inspired that I hopped on a plane, flew to New York City and took the next available course. Since that time Tom has joined the Perform Better speaking series, much to the benefit of the industry. This is one of my favourite posts by him if you want the readers digest version of how your muscles really work, then read this post about the skeleton
- Dr. Stuart McGill is one of the guys I trust when it comes to the science behind core training. He takes an objective approach and I have trouble arguing against him on most of it. This article on Super Stiffness explains very nicely how the core should work in sport.
- I am going to confess that I do not read Sean Skahan’s blog all the time. I interact more with him over at www.hockeystrengthandconditioning.com, but if you are looking for great insider info straight from the trenches, then Sean is your guy. As the strength coach to the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks, Sean still posts workouts that he takes the team through on a weekly basis. This is one post from Sean on the exercises every hockey player should do in the gym.
So there are some great free online resources for you to check out. My next post will be the super-motivational post and then I am not sure what to write about next. Could you please do me a favour and leave a comment letting me know what topic you would like me to do an article or video on? I would really appreciate that.
Cheers,
Maria
