seanskahan

Apr 172010
 

Some great new content up on HockeyStrengthandConditioning.com

this week:

-Video of the Week- “Corrections for Hip Extension Exercises” from

Mike Potenza- The position of skating causes the quad musculature

to become overworked and tight, as a result the Vastus Lateralis

can make hip external rotation common during some bent knee and

straight leg hip extension exercises. Here are some videos that

show how we correct exercise technique in San Jose to help

utilize the entire hamstring group properly.

http://www.hockeystrengthandconditioning.com/members/Video_of_the_Week_Corrections_For_Hip_Extension_Exercises.cfm

-“Diversify Your Athletic Lifestyle” from Sean Skahan looks at why

it is important for young hockey players to be an athlete at

several sports. Developing skills and having fun playing other

sports can have a positive effect on any hockey player at any

level.

http://www.hockeystrengthandconditioning.com/members/Diversify_Your_Athletic_Lifestyle.cfm

-“In Season Training-Something is Better Than Nothing”- Mike Boyle:

Kind of a lousy title for an article but, it’s true. I often talk

to coaches who say “we don’t train in-season, we don’t have a

weightroom”. I think I have a simple, low cost solution.

http://www.hockeystrengthandconditioning.com/members/In_Season_TrainingSomething_is_Better_Than_Nothing_2.cfm

-Also, Check out the Endeavor Hockey Assessment Form that Kevin

Neeld uses with all of his hockey players. They started

implementing this recently so they don’t have enough data to draw

any conclusions, but it should be interesting to see what

commonalities they observe after testing all of their off-season

players this Summer.

http://www.hockeystrengthandconditioning.com/members/Hockey_Training_Endeavor_Hockey_Assessment_Form.cfm

Any questions, let us know,

Kevin, Michael, Sean and Mike.

http://www.HockeyStrengthandConditioning.com

Apr 112010
 

There are several strength and conditioning coaches and trainers who prescribe isolated glute max muscle “activation” and/or strengthening work.  These are exercises such as glute bridges, 1-leg glute bridges, quadruped hip extensions, and others where the emphasis is on the quality of the muscle contraction.  There are also several coaches and trainers who think that activation exercises are a waste of time and think that this concept is just a fad.  What I have found is that they may think that if their athletes are doing exercises such as squats, lunges, single leg squats, split squats, etc, then they are strengthening their glutes and the activation exercises are unnecessary.  I am one who does prescribe glute activation exercises.  We will do glute max isolation exercises on a daily basis with our players.

First, I think it is imperative to note that my job is to help keep the best players in the lineup on a nightly basis.  I understand that injuries such as fractures, concussions, and lacerations are beyond my control.  However, I am on the cautious side when it comes to soft tissue injuries.  We will do everything that we possibly can to help prevent injuries from happening- even with healthy athletes.

I was first introduced to the Prone Hip Extension Test by Al Vermeil at a seminar we hosted at Boston College back in 2001.  A few years later, I was able to attend a course on the Janda Method.  That’s when I learned how to administer the test properly.  This test has helped us identify athletes who don’t use their Gluteus Max’s when completing hip extension movement.  In a proper sequence of muscle activation, the hamstrings would fire first, glute max second, opposite side lumbar extensors third, same side lumber extensors fourth, opposite thoracolumbar extensors fifth, and same side thoracolumbar extensors sixth.  Several times, the gluteus maximus may not turn on at all.  Sometimes, we will see a difference in right vs. left side function.  In my opinion; this is a recipe for disaster.  Players who are continually going out and performing in their sport with this kind of pattern have a good chance of getting hurt.  Lower backs, hip flexors, and groins, can be affected by this.  Think about it, a player who can’t fire his glute max in order to help produce a significant amount of hip extension is going to find a way to do it without them.  Hamstrings, and lower back are the likely candidates.  These muscles may over work and strain.  I would also be worried about the athletes who are doing squats, lunges, single leg squats, and split squats, with this weakness too.  They are figuring out a way to do those exercises without their glute max.

Apr 092010
 

We added some great content this week on HockeyStrengthandConditioning.com.:

–     “Shopping For the Right “Dryland” Training Program” from Mike Potenza.

As the summer gets closer, parents and young hockey players will hear about many camps and programs available for off-ice training.  Shopping for the right “Dryland” training program can be made easier by asking a few questions.  Coach Potenza lists what questions to ask and why to ask them.

–     Answering to a forum post, Jaime Rodriguez shows sled variations at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning for the Video of the Week.

–     Sean Skahan breaks down 4 phases of “In-Season Core” work.

Also, the Coaches Forum is jumping.  Lots of great discussion already, including “Testing Hockey Players”.  Find out the answers to:

  1. What are the best tests to use in the beginning of the season for college and pro hockey players to determine anaerobic capacity, power, and strength.

 

  1. Does anybody have their players perform the test multiple times during the season and post season to compare the strength and conditioning to the pre-season?

 

Hope you all are enjoying the site.  Any questions let us know. 

Michael, Sean, Mike, and Kevin.

Apr 052010
 

Eric Cressey and Michael Reinold have released a 4 DVD set of a seminar that they did back in November.  These are 2 smart guys who have the ability to apply their knowledge to some of the best players in baseball.  In my coaching situation, bridging the gap between athletes looking to get healthy and athletes looking to stay healthy is what it’s all about.  Check it out – Optimal Shoulder Performance

Apr 012010
 

1-      HockeyStrengthandConditioning.com is up and running.  If you train hockey players, you have to check it out.  We will start posting content on a weekly basis real soon.  I am really excited about it as there are several strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers from all levels including the NHL, AHL, major junior, and others. 

2-      I got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers a few weeks ago.  Honestly, I wish I got them sooner.  I’ve been training with them and have been on a few walks with them.  I believe they have helped me with some neurological symptoms that I have had in my left foot.  Surgery for a bulging disk back in 1999, and another surgery that I had to remove a non-cancerous mass in my spinal cord at the cervical level, has given me trouble with sensation.  I really believe that the Vibrams have helped wake up some proprioceptors and muscles that may have been shut down in my foot.  I am actually able to move my pinky toe by itself.  Something I haven’t been able to do for a long time. 

3-      Another thought on my training, I really love Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 program.  I continue to make gains in strength on this program as I keep going up on my Military Press and Bench Press.  My “Actual Max” has gone from 155 to 190 in the Military Press while my Bench has gone from 225 to 265.  (I do not squat or deadlift, see #2 above).  Not bad results.  Something I may look into with my junior hockey players this summer.  What I really like about it is the simplicity of it.  It is a basic program that is really easy to plan out.

Mar 202010
 

First, I want to say thank you to all of you who read the blog. I’ve recently heard from some friends who are readers. It’s great to know that you enjoy the information.
Continuing education is an important aspect of improving in any profession. As I mentioned on the blog before, I believe it’s important to always be learning new information as it is changing often. I really like the quote by Pat Riley, “If you’re not getting better, you are getting worse”.
During the season, for continuing education, I will spend most of my time conversing with and visiting other coaches as well as checking out some of the sites and blogs on the internet. During the off-season, I try to get to as many live seminars that I possibly can. Here is a list of the seminars that I plan on attending this off-season:

May 22nd- 23rd, 2010
The 2nd Annual Boston Hockey Summit and Basketball Symposium.  I am fortunate to be a speaker at this event. 

June 4th- June 6th, 2010
Perform Better Functional Training 3-Day Summit

July 9th- July 11th, 2010
Northeast Seminars – Current Concepts in Trunk and Lower Extremity Examination, Integration and Training

Mar 162010
 

I’ve become a fan of some really good motivational books that talk about teamwork and bringing positive energy to your workplace and life in general.  A book that I like is “The Energy Bus” by Tom Gordon.  This book is about an unhappy manager who gets into some car trouble, and as a result, is forced to take the bus to work every day.  In the story, he meets some good people on the bus who give him advice on how to create positive energy and improve teamwork in his own life and at the workplace.   Another great book on management is “Good to Great” by Jim Collins.  In this book, there is a quote that talks about great managers who “Get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figure out where to drive it”.  In both books, they obviously refer to managers being bus drivers and trying to get people on their bus to create teamwork and obtain positive results.  What does this have to do with strength and conditioning?  As strength and conditioning coaches, we need to see ourselves as bus drivers and one part of our job is getting our athletes on board in order to get the best results possible. 

Although we may not be the head coach, or a positional coach of the team(s) that we train, we need to create a get on board or a buy-in culture when it comes to the strength and conditioning environment.  Not only is it important to get your athletes on board, but coaches, management, administrators, and the training staff also need to be on board as well. 

In the professional and college setting, sometimes getting athletes to buy into the strength and conditioning program can be a challenge.  There are several barriers in trying to get everyone to buy into the program.  As a Strength and Conditioning Coach, your goal should be to create an environment in which you’re athletes actually want to train with you because they know that you are looking after their best interests.

Some of the strategies that we’ve used to help get our players on board include:

1-     Getting to Know Your Athletes and Staff- Get to know your athletes, coaches, administrators, and trainers as people.  Try to get to know their families, backgrounds, likes, dislikes, etc.  Getting to know them as people away from the weight room will make a huge difference in your working relationship.  Relationships can be built on the little time between sets of exercises or sprints on the bike.  Also, show them that you care about them as people.  When you actually take the time to actively listen to what is on their mind, it can go a long way. 

2-     Create Positive Energy Everyday- No matter what kind of day you are having, you must be able to bring positive energy to your athlete’s every day.  They do not care about what is bothering you.  Usually, all they care about is getting better and they expect you to help them achieve that.  Don’t suck the life out of them. 

3-     Create Competitiveness- Sometimes we create competitiveness within our program.  For example, we may post shuttle run times, body fat percent results, and number of pull-ups or push-ups done within our workouts on our grease board.  Another form of creating competiveness is something that I have recently seen incorporated by Roger Takahashi, Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Vancouver Canucks.  He keeps a monthly leader board of the players who spend the most time in the weight room in terms of warm ups, workouts, and conditioning rides.  These are all good ideas on creating competiveness within the team.  

4-     Make Frequent Changes to Your Program- Athletes don’t want to do the same thing over and over again.  Trying to make things interesting in your program by changing exercise variations, sets, reps, and tempo can go a long way in preventing your athletes from getting stale or bored.  I really like Charles Poliquin’s quote “Your program is only as good as the time it takes to adapt to it”.  I always keep this in mind when designing our programs. 

5-     Get Results- The ability to get results is imperative in promoting a buy-in culture.  Results can be different for each individual.  Some examples are: Helping an athlete stay healthy, or helping an athlete get more playing time.  For an injured athlete, it may be getting one step closer to returning back to play.  Whatever results are achieved, they all can add up to what the team’s main goal may be.

In “Good to Great”, the author talks about getting the wrong people off the bus.  I think by applying the 5 strategies above, the people who aren’t necessarily on the bus will see the benefits of the environment that you create and want to get on board.  However, sometimes athletes at the professional level (especially older veteran athletes), may have or want to do their own program which may differ from yours.  Each situation needs to be evaluated on an individual basis to see if there is something that can be worked out between their program ideas and yours.  If something can’t be worked out, I like to refer to the quote “You can only lead a horse to the water.” When I hear this, I always think of the addition to the quote which says “Sometimes you need to grab the horse’s head and shove it in”.  This sometimes needs to be done if players aren’t necessarily on board.  There are times when an athlete may need to get his “head shoved in the water”.  However, once it is established that you are there to look after his/her best interests, they will see the results and buy in. 

Strength and Conditioning coaches need to see themselves as leaders and be able to take their operation to higher levels.  It is important that you demonstrate to your athletes that you care about them as people and want to help them achieve their goals.

Mar 112010
 

I want to tell you about an incredible new site that I am part of that you absolutely need to check out of if you train hockey players.  It’s called http://www.HockeyStrengthandConditioning.com.

I have partnered with legendary Boston University Hockey Strength Coach Michael Boyle, Mike Potenza (San Jose Sharks), and Kevin Neeld (Endeavor Hockey) and assembled “The Greatest Collection of Hockey Strength and Conditioning Coaches on the Planet!”

Our advisory board is a Who’s Who of Hockey Strength and Conditioning including Chris Pietrzak-Wegner (Minnesota Wild), Jim Reeves (Mind to Muscle), Brijesh Patel (Quinnipiac), Cal Dietz (Univ. of Minnesota), Chris Boyko (UMass), Maria Mountain (Revolution Sport Conditioning), Tim Yuhas (Yuhas Performance), Matt Nichol (former Toronto Maple Leafs), and Kim McCullough (Total Female Hockey).

There are a ton of articles on the site already with topics ranging from Strength and Conditioning, Programming, Youth Training, Injuries, Female Training and Coaching.   There are webinars, audio interviews and videos up as well, all about hockey!

Each week, we will be adding videos, articles and programs to the library and with this group, you know the Coaches Forum will be jumping.  Each month, there will be webinars and audio interviews added as well.

Right now until March 31, we have an incredible offer: Only 1 dollar for 30 days, then $9.95 a month after that.  I don’t know how long the $9.95 a month is going to last, so you should jump on this opportunity.   It’s only a buck, and you have until March 31.”

Feb 222010
 

The NHL’s fastest skater competition is held every season on the day before the All-Star Game. During this event, each individual skater is timed on how fast they can do one lap around the ice. 

Although each player who participates is certainly fast, I don’t think it determines who the fastest player in the league is. I’ve never seen a player skate a lap around the ice in a straight line during a game. This reminds me of the NFL scouting combine where they conduct the 40-yard dash. Very rarely do football players run in straight lines.

Hockey is a game of stops, starts and frequent changes of direction. The ability to accelerate, decelerate, then stop and accelerate again as quickly as possible is a huge characteristic in the game’s fastest players. 

Acceleration, or the ability to accelerate faster than others, is what the game’s fastest players are able to do. Very rarely does a player get up to his top-end speed, which is measured in the NHL’s fastest skater competition.  Coaches such as Boston University Hockey Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Boyle and Washington Capitals Exercise Physiologist Jack Blatherwick have been promoting the need to develop acceleration for years and I totally agree with them.

So how do you develop acceleration?

First, I think it’s important to think about what characteristics the faster players in hockey have in common.  From my practical observations, they are all built like a track sprinter or a football running back. Big and strong quads, glutes and hips are characteristics of sprinters in hockey and other sports. When I recall some of the players that I have been fortunate to work with who were some of hockey’s best accelerators (Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald, Todd Marchant and Teemu Selanne come to mind), they are all very strong and powerful athletes. 

Acceleration is the ability to go from a dead stop to a sprint in as little time as possible. In our off-season program, we will always do drills to help players improve their acceleration ability. 

These drills are always done before any strength training or conditioning exercises. The focus of these drills should be on the first 3-5 steps, which should be done as fast as possible. Then the recovery should be as long as necessary for each athlete.  Speed work should never be done when an athlete is tired or when they haven’t recovered from the previous repetition. Some of the drills that we do with our players include lean-fall and funs, tennis ball drops, and partner chase sprints.  All of them emphasize the first 3-5 steps.

I have found these drills also are very easy to implement with a young team that I currently work with. We’ve simply done them in an empty space in front of the rink. 

The point is that hockey players need to be incorporating sprinting exercises into their strength and conditioning program. Implementing short sprints into your program combined with a strength-training program that emphasizes leg strength will go a long way in developing a young hockey player.