| There's nothing more frustrating than spending | | | | stick in all different directions while the athlete resists |
| countless hours working toward something, only to | | | | any movement. |
| realize you haven't made any progress. Actually, there | | | | Overhead Hockey Stick Partner Perturbation |
| is one thing: spending countless hours working toward | | | | Athlete stands in an athletic position holding a hockey |
| something, only to realize you've actually been | | | | stick straight overhead The partner lightly taps the |
| progressing in the WRONG direction! In the world of | | | | stick in all different directions while the athlete resists |
| hockey training, crunches, sit-ups, and partner leg | | | | any movement. |
| throw-downs predominate as the most utilized forms | | | | The latter two exercises can all be performed from a |
| of core training. Bad news for players that were | | | | half-kneeling (lunge position) or tall-kneeling position |
| actually hoping to improve their performance through | | | | (kneeling on both knees and getting as tall as possible). |
| training. | | | | To increase the challenge even further, the athlete |
| I could write a book on the reasons why these | | | | performing the exercise can close his eyes. This really |
| exercises are not only poor choices with regards to | | | | challenges the body's sensory system. |
| performance, but are actually dangerous! In the interest | | | | The next progression is into explosive medicine ball |
| of time, I'll summarize all the arguments against these | | | | throws, to really train the core force transfer function. |
| useless exercises by saying that at no point do you | | | | Before you transition from resisting movement to |
| need to rapidly or strongly flex your trunk (think crunch | | | | creating it, you need to know which areas to move |
| motion) during the game of hockey, and performing | | | | from to maximize force transfer and minimize injury |
| these movements over and over reinforce the poor | | | | risk. As a general statement, you want to move at the |
| hunched over posture that we spend way too much | | | | hips and thoracic spine (think moving through your |
| time in already (sitting at a computer, driving, sitting in a | | | | chest area), and minimize ALL movement around the |
| classroom chair, etc.). | | | | lumbar spine (or low back). This is true for both linear |
| To understand how to best train the core, we need to | | | | movements (bending forward, backward or side to |
| define the core musculature and its function. The core | | | | side), and rotational movements. Once you understand |
| includes ALL of the muscles that attach to the hip. This | | | | where to move, you're ready to progress to throwing |
| is an important point. Only training the abdominals | | | | around some medicine balls. My favorite two medicine |
| inevitably leads to muscular imbalances and leaves | | | | ball exercises are: |
| opportunities for improved performance untapped. The | | | | Overhead Floor Slams |
| core musculature includes the abdominals, glutes, hip | | | | Hold a medicine ball directly over your head. Then slam |
| flexors and rotators, all of which should be trained | | | | it straight down into the ground in front of your feet as |
| using functional patterns. | | | | hard as possible. Catch it on the rebound, rapidly return |
| The two primary functions of the core are: | | | | it to the overhead position, then slam it again...and |
| 1) To create a stable base for extremity (arm and leg) | | | | again...and again. |
| movement | | | | Side Standing Shot Put |
| 2) Create trunk stiffness for efficient force transfer | | | | Stand facing perpendicular to the wall. Load the ball in |
| between the lower and upper body | | | | front of your back shoulder with your back elbow |
| Both of these functions revolve around controlling | | | | raised even with the ball. Drive off your back leg and |
| pelvic/hip movement. | | | | throw the ball as hard as you can using a punching |
| The core needs to be both stable and reactive, and | | | | motion. Catch the ball on the rebound, rapidly return to |
| should be trained in that order. | | | | the start position and throw it again. Switch sides and |
| Despite the potentially confusing structure and function | | | | repeat. |
| of the core, the training is pretty straight forward. To | | | | Most medicine ball exercises are best performed |
| establish a stable core, all hockey players should start | | | | between 8 and 12 reps. Any more than that and the |
| with a basic core training circuit involving front planks, | | | | movements lose their power. |
| side planks, and glute bridges. Once they can hold | | | | The final core training progression is to incorporate |
| each position for 3 sets of 30s with perfect form, they | | | | reactive stability into explosive medicine ball throws. |
| should progress to 1-leg variations to add in a rotation | | | | The way to do this is to perform a couple explosive |
| component. | | | | throws, catch the ball and freeze in a position while a |
| This is when things start to get fun. There's nothing | | | | partner provides a perturbation. For example, if you |
| stable about the game of hockey. In truth, core stability | | | | were performing the overhead floor slam, you would |
| in an unchallenged environment won't do a whole lot | | | | perform 2-3 reps, then catch the ball and hold it |
| for a hockey player on the ice. The key is to train the | | | | overhead while a partner lightly tapped the ball for |
| core for reactive stability. In other words, the core | | | | 5-10s while you resisted all movement. Then you'd |
| needs to maintain stability while being exposed to | | | | perform 2-3 more slams, and repeat the overhead |
| some challenging force. On the ice, this force can from | | | | perturbation, cycling through this process 2-4 times. |
| an external source, such as an opposing player, or | | | | This type of training will have the maximal carryover to |
| internally, such as decelerating momentum from a shot. | | | | on ice performance, as you're alternating between |
| The key to making a core stability exercise a reactive | | | | explosive power and reactive stability. |
| core stability exercise is to add in a perturbation. In | | | | For hockey players to get the most benefit from their |
| general, reactive core exercises involve one athlete | | | | core training, they should begin with basic core stability |
| trying to maintain a position, while another athlete | | | | exercises before progressing to reactive stability |
| provides slight challenges to this position in the form of | | | | exercises. After spending some time working at these, |
| taps or pushes. These exercises are usually | | | | players can advance to explosive medicine ball |
| performed for time (working up to 30s). A few | | | | exercises and then to advanced exercises |
| examples would be: | | | | incorporating explosive movements with reactive |
| Side Plank with Perturbation | | | | stability holds. Following this progression will help |
| Athlete sets up in a side plank position with his top | | | | guarantee that off-ice core training leads to on-ice |
| hand reaching straight up. Partner lightly taps the | | | | improvements in performance. |
| athlete's hand, while the athlete resists any movement. | | | | In part three we'll jump into speed, agility and quickness |
| Hockey Stick Partner Perturbation | | | | training, as well as the best way to condition for |
| Athlete stands in an athletic position holding a hockey | | | | hockey. Stay tuned... |
| stick in front of himself. The partner lightly taps the | | | | |