| Let's start with a question. What are the goals of | | | | earth would we want to turn a barbell squat into a |
| off-ice training for hockey? Well there are lots of | | | | balance exercise when there are so many better |
| attributes we are trying to improve such as; speed, | | | | ways to train balance? Probably because it looks cool |
| strength, power, flexibility, stability and stamina. Would | | | | and your trainer has no idea what he or she is doing |
| you believe me if I told you there was one single | | | | and just wants you to feel like you are getting 'cutting |
| exercise that would improve all of these | | | | edge' training. |
| characteristics at the same time? If you said "Yes" | | | | Standing on the ball is a circus trick which may have |
| then I would like you to phone me today so we can | | | | some value for alpine ski racer, but never with a |
| discuss some 'waterfront property' in Florida that I | | | | barbell on their back! I used to include a photo of me |
| have for sale. | | | | standing on the ball in my marketing material. Why? To |
| I am expecting that most of you agree that an off-ice | | | | get attention, the same reason you see someone |
| training exercise designed to improve strength is not | | | | doing it at your gym. Have you ever seen someone |
| going to be the same exercise that helps improve your | | | | fall of the stability ball? Not pretty this is one where the |
| flexibility. That is not to say that I cannot use exercises | | | | risks outweigh the benefits by about 1000:1 - don't do it. |
| that combine two attributes because hockey is such a | | | | How would you like to miss half of your hockey |
| complex game that there are times when you must | | | | season because you broke your tailbone falling off a |
| be explosive even when you are fatigued or stabilize | | | | stability ball? |
| while trying to produce force. | | | | When I design an off-ice training program for a hockey |
| The key is knowing when and how to utilize | | | | player at any level I ask myself two questions: |
| combination exercises to maximize performance and | | | | · Where does this athlete have the most room |
| minimize the risk of injuring the athlete during off-ice | | | | for improvement (i.e. what is their biggest weakness |
| training. Which brings me to the worst off-ice training | | | | on the ice) |
| exercise for hockey, here it is: | | | | · What exercises will improve those areas |
| · Standing on a stability ball, BOSU or balance | | | | most effectively with the least risk of injury to the |
| board squatting the barbell | | | | player. |
| Again, let's start this discussion with a question. Do you | | | | I never ask myself, what would look cool or what did I |
| think you could squat more weight standing on a | | | | just see online? If you are working with a strength |
| stability ball with a barbell or standing on the floor with | | | | coach, ask questions. If they get mad at you for asking |
| a barbell? Correct, you will squat way more weight | | | | questions it is because they probably do not know |
| standing on the floor. Okay, one more question for you, | | | | what they are doing. Any strength coach worth his or |
| what is the primary purpose of the barbell squat? Is it | | | | her hourly rate should be able to explain exactly why |
| a balance exercise? No! Of course not! It is one of our | | | | they selected every single exercise in your workout. |
| very best exercises to build pure strength! Why on | | | | |