Hockey Specific Training

Athlete Specific Training for Hockey

Ice hockey is definitely a unique sport--don't you agree?


It may be the only sport played at high velocities that also requires excellent speed, power, agility, dynamic vision, and resilience, or the ability to give and receive powerful hits...


All while skating around on a sheet of ice.


As a result, hockey players need to be finely tuned athletes, and need to be strong and stable enough to withstand high-force-collisions (some say that hockey collisions are the hardest hits in contact sports) while balancing on an itty bitty piece of metal.


Traditional training programs have been shown to only produce minor results for hockey players. Research has shown that traditional exercises can be used, but they are most effective in a hockey specific training program.


Not sure if your training program is taking you in the right direction?


Look at the keys to effective hockey programs to see if your program covers all the major areas that have been proven to be successful in helping hockey players achieve optimal performance.


Ok, so you've looked at the keys, and realized that your program is not effective for what you want and what you need.


So, now what do you do?


Do your research---No, I don't mean going to the local bookstore and purchasing all the popular fitness magazines, or buying textbooks to sift through the technical material to try to figure out what they are saying...


But rather, find an experienced strength and conditioning coach or athletic performance specialist that has experience training hockey players for several years, and has a proven track record with hockey players similar to you, in helping them achieve their specific goals through effective hockey specific training programs.


Find several coaches and ask specific questions…do your homework and make sure they have advanced college education (preferably advanced degrees) specializing in exercise science, physical education, athletic training, performance enhancement, or kinesiology.


Find coaches that are certified as strength and conditioning specialists or performance enhancement specialists, and not just personal trainers trying to be strength coaches.


If you find several coaches in your area that are qualified to do the job, choose the one that you feel the most comfortable training with—choose the one that will motivate you in a way that best suits your motivational needs. If you need to be yelled at, find one that will do that. If you just need to be encouraged, then a coach that yells would not be good for you.


Also, it is important to find a coach that is a strength and conditioning coach or performance enhancement specialist on a full-time basis. Part-time coaches typically produce part-time results. Would you want a surgeon who is a part-time surgeon and full-time salesman at the local deli?...I would guess not.


So what do you do if you can't find anyone in your area?


You can either contact a company that offers customized online training programs, travel to a city where you can get a program, or try to salvage the program you have been doing by adding or removing some exercises and taking a different approach to help you progress towards your goals.


At the bottom of this page, you will find some hockey specific training program samples, with videos and articles about training for ice hockey.


If you wish to take a closer look at the essential elements of a hockey specific training program, then check out our section on hockey training programs.