Well, I might burst at some point in the next two weeks – just so you know. The Olympic games open tomorrow so that will be awesome, I love watching the Games every time they come around. The Winter Games are always my favourite. I am pumped to see the cross country skiing, the alpine skiing, the hockey and of course the figure skating.
Most of you who have been around for a while know that two of my clients are defending Gold medalists in the Ice Dance (which I used to think was a little silly too, until I actually paid attention to what they do on the ice). Even if you think you hate figure skating – although I think you can appreciate how hard it is – do yourself a favour and be sure to watch Virtue and Moir do their thing. I guarantee that you will be mesmerized – they have a magic. Their Free Dance brings tears to my eyes every time I see it, there is something special about these two. Be a part of the magic and watch the best in the world do their thing.
So, with a team competition starting today (Scott & Tessa skate Saturday and Sunday this week) and then the individual competitions later, I might just burst from the excitement of it. What are you looking forward to watching at the Games?
I will tell you about Elton John at the end, but for now here is the hockey training info you came here for 🙂
A Deceleration Agility Drill For Goalies
We spend a lot of our time trying to develop speed in the athletes we train. In most sports, the faster you are the more successful you will be (or the more potential for success you will have), but there is a flaw in having a speed focus.
Unless I am training a sprinter, it is not the top speed that is the critical element; it is the ability to decelerate. Think about it – if I am changing direction or moving side to side I need to be the best at slamming on my brakes and re-accelerating.
So that is where I am coming from today – working on a deceleration drill working on an oblique pattern – like driving from your post to the top of the crease and back again. In this drill we are going to look at changing the position of your foot to make the angles a little more specific for you.
When we change your foot position – it has an impact on the position of your hip and how you use the muscles that cross your ankle, knee and hip. It is a slight difference, but I think it is worth giving a try.
If you cannot see the video in the player, no worries – just click this link
http://youtu.be/vWN8CI1C-zY
How Many? How Much?
Remember, the emphasis is on power – acceleration and deceleration, so we are going to keep the volume low so fatigue does not become a factor.
Start with 2-3 sets of 4 reps with each leg leading.
In The Presence Of Greatness…
So as I told you earlier this week, Paul and I were off to see Elton John at the Bud Garden in London, ON. Yes, Elton John played my hometown on Monday. I cannot remember if his husband is actually from here or if he just went to University here, but there is a family connection to London, so this is the second time he has been to town.
The show was terrific and the greatest part for me was seeing a true professional in action. Like watching Crosby play hockey or Judy Dench acting – there is something about being in the presence of greatness.
Favourite song of the night…”Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
Have an awesome day! Go get it!
Cheers,
M