Body composition matters in ice hockey.  Here’s why!  One of the most important physical abilities needed to be an effective player is acceleration or the ability to win 10-15’ puck races. Excess body mass negatively affects acceleration.  To see why, a basic understanding of physics is needed.  Newton’s second law states that force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration (F=ma).  A simple manipulation of this formula allows us to solve for acceleration leading us to the conclusion that acceleration is equal to force/ body mass.  Larger body mass leads to a decrease in acceleration.  It’s important for players to focus on foods that promote the growth and maintenance of lean mass throughout the course of the off-season.  Poor body composition leads to decrease efficiency on the ice.

#OneDayBetter

In a study done by former NHL Coach George Kingston in 1976 he found that the average player in the Canadian system spent 17.6 minutes on the ice during a typical game and was in possession of the puck for an astonishingly low 41 seconds. Kingston concluded that in order to get one hour of quality work in the practicing of the basic skills of puck control, (that is, stick-handling, passing, and shooting) approximately 180 games would have to be played.

Suffering an injury can be a difficult time for an athlete.  The athlete may experience forms of depression from an inability to participate in practices, training sessions, and competition.  As a physical therapist and strength coach, it is essential that we find methods to keep the athlete prepared for a return to competition, physically and mentally.  One method to keep an athlete physically prepared for a return to performance is the application of blood flow restriction (BFR) training.  

The hockey season is finally upon us.  The demands on schedule are just starting to ramp up; weekend hockey games, practices, extra-cirricular activities, school work, and travel will all be part and parcel of the process we call hockey season.  In addition to these hectic demands, there are also scheduled strength and conditioning sessions.  The purpose of this article is to educate the reader/parent on the unique demands placed upon the hockey player during the course of the season and how the strength and conditioning staff serves to aid on-ice performance during this time.  

It’s that time of year again at DSC.  Another long, grinding summer of action packed, electrically charged energy in the weight room.  A time for PR’s, sweat equity, discipline, dedication and a one-day better mentality!  It’s also time for a brand new group of interns to begin their quest in the strength and conditioning field in hopes of gaining valuable hands-on experience and one day becoming a practitioner.   This will be the seventh year since the inception of our internship program at DSC.  The truth is, all interns want to learn, but what they need the most has nothing to do with strength and conditioning methodologies, exercise science, or set/rep schemes, and everything to do with people skills and accountability.   

The sport of hockey is extremely demanding.  Players reaching speeds of up to 30mph is the equivalent of hundreds of small car crashes occurring throughout the course of a 7-8 month season.  Physiological, psychological and mechanical stressors mount during this time.  It is during this period that the strength and conditioning practitioner faces a major challenge; the law of competing demands; In other words, how to balance stress so that players performs optimally when it matters most on the ice.  This job changes during the off-season when the major stressors of competition are removed.  The off-season, although often limited in time, is paramount in terms of physical preparation and the application of additional stressors that may not be appropriate during the period of intense competition. 

“Most of the problems that exist in youth sports result from the inappropriate application of the win-oriented model of professional or elite sport to the child’s sports setting (R.E. Smith 1984).”

It’s about that time of year again!  A time where youth athletes’ are finishing up their competitive seasons and looking forward to the summer.  It’s also a time when parents are looking at enlisting the service of a “personal trainer” or strength coach to aid in the athletic development of their children.  This is a big decision for a parent that warrants a little homework.  After all you wouldn’t give your hard earned money to an investment banker without knowing their background, philosophy and practical experience.   The same can be said for physical conditioning.  Health is the most important investment of all, and to place it in the hands of a competent Coach takes a little investigating.   Below are three pitfalls to avoid when choosing where you’re son or daughter will train this summer.

Advanced Periodization & Team Sports