Hockey Transition & Prep Training

Mar 20, 2015

Summer is just around the corner which means the hockey season is coming to an end. Once the hockey season is done, many players hang up their skates for the summer and forget about them until the fall. However, if one is serious about being an elite player, they should take advantage of summer to progress their game to the next level. The off season in hockey is the perfect opportunity for players to improve their fitness level and skills for the upcoming season. At Pure, we believe players should get proper sport specific training and nutritional education that will help them progress for the next season. We also understand the physiological stresses that hockey puts on the body and is why we believe it is important to have a periodized training plan. Hockey training should be broken into three phases:

  1. Competitive  (in-season)
  2. Transition (post-season)
  3. Preparatory (off-season)

During the competitive phase or the in-season, players focus on maintenance exercises that will help them stay functional, injury free, and maintain strength and power during the season. Once the season is done, the transition phase takes over. Since the hockey season puts a great deal of stress on its players due to injuries and fatigue from the constant practices, games and traveling, it is essential that there is a transition period from the in-season to the off season training. This phase is meant to prepare the athletes for the higher volume of training during the off season. Therefore, the focus is to take care of any injuries, imbalances or asymmetries that would have occurred during the season. We do this through Functional Movement Screen (FMS) which assess the body for any asymmetries or imbalances. These imbalances are then corrected through corrective exercises, Physiotherapy, or Massage Therapy which are all offered at our facility. Once these issues are dealt with, the Preparatory phase, or off-season, begins. This phase is ideal for developing muscle hypertrophy (muscle building), strength and power which will help the athlete be stronger on the ice. Furthermore, enhancing anaerobic and aerobic endurance to help athlete’s last longer and recover faster during shifts. Finally, developing agility, speed and explosiveness will help the athlete be faster than his opponents on the ice.  

Our facility has the highest qualified trainers who are dedicated to tailoring each program to the athlete’s needs. They have worked with all types of  hockey players ranging from elite levels such as the WHL or NCAA to minor hockey players. We have also recently upgraded our facility with top of the line equipment to better fit the needs of hockey players to ensure the best quality of training. If you are interested in bringing your game to the next level, call us at 204-338-7873 or email us at info@purewinnipeg.com to get more information about our hockey program.

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