I get this request a lot and I want to make sure we are clear on what this means.
The request is this…
“Hi, my name is so-and-so and I was play hockey at XYZ, but I want to play in the NHL one day, so can you please design an NHL caliber workout for me?”
I want you to appreciate that there is no such thing as the “NHL workout” and if one does that workout, they are destined for the NHL.
I say that as a joke, you know that, but I think most of you still believe that there is one ‘best workout’ that will lead you to the promised land.
Let’s compare this to learning a musical instrument – much the same thing.
It requires skill, dedication and practice. If you want to play the guitar like Jimmy Page (yes I am dating myself), the Edge or Jack White,you won’t just go out and buy a double neck guitar and start shredding like Jimmy.
In fact,you will be awful to start.
Let’s say you know how to hold the guitar and even how to pluck the strings,you know what frets are and you can play a pretty clean “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – – well then you will start to learn some chords, maybe a power chord here and there, all while improving your scales.
You always have to start from where you am and build from there.
What sets an NHL caliber program apart…
What sets an NHL caliber program apart is the fact that it is customized for their exact needs. Both the needs of their position and their specific needs based on strengths, weaknesses and injuries.
I have trained an NHL player who could literally not balance on one foot, so we had to start with some single leg balance training. Not really what you would consider NHL caliber, but that is where he was coming from. And since he was an amazing athlete, he became proficient extremely quickly and we moved on to more advanced training, but we did not skip ahead just because he was a pro.
In fact, when athletes try to skip ahead, it almost always results in injury sooner or later. You have to start where you are and build from there. Just like on the ice, if you cannot skate, it would be a waste to invest a lot of time and effort into working on your RVH or double knee recoveries – maybe a t-push?
Make sense?
The Development Progression…
So the development progression is always…
- Can you move properly?
- Can you stabilize?
- Can you stabilize AND move?
- Are you functionally strong?
- How quickly can you apply your force efficiently?
- Do you have the required stamina?
That puts you on the path to success. If you aren’t sure exactly what exercises you should use, how many sets, reps, what tempo, what days to workout, etc., but you are serious about taking action and finally playing to your potential, then you will want to see THIS.
Have a beauty day.
Cheers,
M
