| For any player serious about taking their game to the | | | | training to get you as strong, as fast and as powerful |
| next level, off season hockey training is of the utmost | | | | as you can for the upcoming season. |
| importance. There isn't a single guy playing in the NHL | | | | 3) Core, core, core. Make your workouts unstable. |
| or any other elite league that didn't dedicate | | | | Hockey is a naturally unstable game that puts a lot of |
| themselves to training during the summers. Here are | | | | demand on your core. Don't just pump your arms and |
| the top 3 tips to using the off-season to become | | | | chest because they look good at the beach. Always |
| dominant. | | | | consider your core, and make it a focus. Simple doing |
| 1) Don't play ice hockey. | | | | your normal exercises on an exercise ball instead of a |
| It's important to keep active, and playing sports is a | | | | bench is a great way to focus on your core while |
| great way to keep fit to supplement your gym | | | | doing the rest of your routine. Your legs and your core |
| workouts, but a lot of guys, even at the highest ranks, | | | | are the two most absolutely important muscle groups |
| burn out if they play hockey all year around. Taking the | | | | for hockey, yet they're often the most ignored. Don't |
| summers off will give your body a chance to recoup | | | | make that mistake! |
| from a long season, and will leave you dying to play by | | | | Following these three tips over the summer will have |
| the time fall comes around. Use the summers for | | | | you coming back to the ice in fall stronger and better |
| fitness training, and incorporate another sport like | | | | than you left it in the spring. But these are only a few |
| baseball or soccer. | | | | of the many things you can do to maximize your gains. |
| 2) Fitness first, skills second. | | | | For the best results, get a good hockey training |
| You won't ignore skills like stick handling and passing | | | | manual, or consult a coach or trainer to help design a |
| during the off-season, but you will put them second to | | | | workout for you. Whatever you do, don't ignore your |
| reaching your fitness goals. Your focus during the | | | | off season hockey training; it could be the difference |
| summer will be hitting the gym and doing dry-land | | | | maker in your game! |