Thursday, May 28, 2009

Hockey Conditioning - Part 2

Here is the rest of Peter Twist's list:

  1. Micro unloading: There are times in the season when players will physically and mentally hit the wall. To be clear, being tired doesn’t always mean rest is needed. If we rested every time someone was tired in a sport season we would rest every day. Even my 5 year old daughter says, “Daddy my legs are tired, I’ve got to get me some energy, can we run?”. Exercise gives energy. So usually we look to activity to energize the body over the long haul. However, in reading players, occasionally I will interpret their body language, on-ice mechanics, play, mood and other variables that suggest they have hit the wall. More is not always better. At these times we will lighten the frequency of workouts, cancel post-game workouts, and implement variety in routine and exercise style. This is not scheduled precisely into the master plan. Periodization (training schedule of what and when) is more than crunching numbers into a schedule. Hitting the wall can’t be predicted with accuracy. It is a subjective assessment and we must be responsive and willing to modify schedules when it appears.
  2. Automatic unloading. A couple of months before play offs I implement an automatic unloading where players incur less taxing routines. This is to allow them to re-load for the home stretch so they can work hard going into play offs. Workouts heading into playoffs are intense and all about quality efforts.
  3. Play Offs: Players who do not dress have a responsibility to do extra conditioning on the court/field/ice and in the weight room. They may sit every game until the championship and then get the nod. For themselves and for the team, they need to be more than ready, should the opportunity arise. Also, athletes getting minimal playing time per game require conditioning, as the game action is not enough to maintain their fitness levels. Dependent on the league, playoffs can run for up to two months. Someone can lose massive amounts of fitness over 8 weeks. Going into the championship round, players want to be at their very best. Go-to players who see endless playing time each game need plenty of rest – their energy expenditure is high plus it is a war of attrition as the physical combat intensifies. However, they should do a brief strength routine. This is to maintain their strength as well as give the sense of feeling strong. Even a short, light workout provides the kinesthetic sense of having strong, tight, powerful muscles, players feel like their joints are strong and have more confidence in their durability.
  4. The cycle. Sport breaks the body down. Conditioning builds it back up. The trick is that each time the cycle is repeated, a player’s starting point needs to be higher each year, which leads to a better peak condition. This points to efforts during the season so that players are not deconditioned at the start of the off-season, putting themselves right back to the starting line again. Always take steps forward.

In a game, the most skilled players will look so in the first period. In double overtime, the most fit will be your top performers. Skill without fitness makes for a nice practice player. Play off performance is earned over the long haul through year-round sport-specific conditioning.

Peter Twist has coached in the NHL for 11 years and is currently a consultant for several NHL players and agents. An exercise physiologist with an MSc and specialization in Coaching Science, Twist has published over 300 papers, authored 4 books and 11 DVD’s on athlete development and delivered lectures to thousands of trainers and coaches internationally. Recognized as a leader in his industry, Twist was honoured with the National Strength & Conditioning Association's 1998 Presidents Award and CanFitPro 2003 Specialty Presenter of the Year Award. Twist is the President & CEO of Twist Conditioning Inc. For more information or to contact Peter, visit www.sportconditioning.ca For Fitness products from Peter visit www.athleteconditioning.com


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Hockey Conditioning - Part 1

As a college coach I am often asked what is the greatest weakness of most incoming players. The answer is most players have not learned how to physically train their bodies. This week I want to focus on sharing information regarding Strength Training and Conditioning.

Probably my favorite article is Peter Twist's about gearing up for the playoffs and his list -

You want your team to work hard in the off season and continue to ramp up to play offs with a full season conditioning commitment. You want a team that will go to work at the most important time – the final game segment leading into play offs – versus dropping off. To accomplish that through a long season and within the complex dynamics of a team of personalities, there has to be specific mechanics in place to have a successful process. First, here are the rules:


  1. There are challenges, but there are no excuses.
  2. The best players on the team are by default also leaders. Less skilled players can be leaders if they want to and have the attributes. A team’s best players are automatically in a leadership position, it is not an option.
  3. Your best players must lead. They must buy into training, speak positively about it, and essentially walk the walk. They don’t skip out of workouts. If they do, more players will eventually join them. If they are the most dedicated, focused and hardest working, they set the pace for the entire team. It is a dramatic effect – positive or negative.
  4. The head coach must be able to articulate the importance of conditioning, speak positively about it, and make it a formal part of player evaluations and the selection process. They must also have consequences in place for poor conditioning or poor adherence, and reinforce the importance of conditioning to team success.
  5. Support staff, including medical trainers, equipment trainers, administration, what have you, must speak positively about player development and encourage the players to commit to the time to do it as well as encourage them to go after it. If support staff is more worried about being buddy buddy with players to the point they speak poorly about team activities, weak links develop which are cancerous to the team building process.
  6. An injury is not a ticket to watching TV and hanging out in the trainers (medical) room. It is instead a ticket to extra weight room time, extra time on the ice/court/field, building up both the injured area as well as turning the set back into an opportunity to improve unrelated areas.

Peter Twist has coached in the NHL for 11 years and is currently a consultant for several NHL players and agents. An exercise physiologist with an MSc and specialization in Coaching Science, Twist has published over 300 papers, authored 4 books and 11 DVD’s on athlete development and delivered lectures to thousands of trainers and coaches internationally. Recognized as a leader in his industry, Twist was honoured with the National Strength & Conditioning Association's 1998 Presidents Award and CanFitPro 2003 Special
ty Presenter of the Year Award. Twist is the President & CEO of Twist Conditioning Inc. For more information or to contact Peter, visit www.sportconditioning.ca For Fitness products from Peter visit www.athleteconditioning.com

Friday, May 22, 2009

Developing Expectational Performance

Here is the second part of Ryan Walter's e-mail blast from yesterday.

Developing Expectational Performance

Create the win in your mind's eye

During the 1999 World Championships of Hockey, Canada and the Czech Republic were tied at the end of regulation play. Under the tournament format, the two teams would next compete in a ‘shoot out' to decide the winner of the game. The shoot out consisted of five players from one team moving in from the red line one at a time, trying to score on the other team's goalie. The opposing team would also get their shots and the team with the most goals would then win the game.

The two teams involved had very different attitudes towards the impending shoot out, and expressed these views publicly. Team Canada goaltender Ron Tugnutt said later, "The thought of a shoot out had been going through my mind for the last five days. My worst nightmare had come true."

Conversely, Radik Dvorak, of the Czech Republic team, was on record as saying that he had been looking forward to the shoot out. "We wanted to go to penalty shots, because it is our best chance. We can score goals on penalty shots; many guys can."

Can you guess the outcome? The Czech Republic won the shoot out, and enjoyed every minute of it. Winning mental expectations are crucial to a winning performance.


Have an awesome week!

Ryan

Contact Ryan Walter:
Email: ryan@ryanwalter.com
Telephone: 1-866 728-3603
www.ryanwalter.com

Thursday, May 21, 2009

We get what we FOCUS on... and EXPECT

I often receive little e-mail blasts from former Stanley Cup Winner and Motivational Speaker Ryan Walter. I thought this one was a perfect fit for the playoffs right now.

I have watched many professional hockey players complain publicly, "I am playing poorly, I just can't seem to score any goals, and I hope that I don't get traded." If an athlete is making these negative statements to the public, imagine what is going on in his or her mind. In effect, we talk ourselves into our ‘goal scoring slumps.' We often focus on what might happen, instead of creating energy around what WILL happen (what you want to happen.)

There is an old parable about a foolish peasant who was sent to visit his master's house. The master brought him into his study and offered him some soup. As the peasant was about to drink it, he noticed a small snake in his bowl. Not wanting to offend his master, he drank it anyway, and within a few days fell so ill that he was brought back to the house.

The master again took the peasant into his study, and prepared some medicine in a small bowl, which he then gave to the peasant. Just as the peasant was about to drink the medicine, he noticed another snake in the bowl. This time he pointed it out, and loudly complained that this was the reason he had become sick in the first place. Roaring with laughter, the master pointed to the ceiling where a large bow was hanging. "It is the reflection of the bow blowing in the wind you are seeing," he said. "There is no snake at all."

The peasant looked again and, sure enough, there was no snake in his bowl, only a reflection. He left the house without taking the medicine and regained his health within the day.

When we put limitations on ourselves, we have swallowed imaginary mental snakes. And they are always real... until we find out otherwise.

Physical preparation to play at the NHL level requires amazing dedication. In fact, today's NHL player is in better shape than players were in previous generations. I recognized early in my NHL career that physical preparation was extremely important, but I also found that if I developed my mental toughness, I would gain a significant edge over players who played hard only when they felt like it. While I was playing professional hockey through two decades, I worked to focus my reading and research on the exact areas that I needed to improve. One of the best compliments that a player can receive from his peers in the game of hockey is, "He comes to play every night!" By working on my "mental muscles," I was ready to play my best, whether I felt like it or not.

Contact Ryan Walter:

Email: ryan@ryanwalter.com
Telephone: 1-866 728-3603
www.ryanwalter.com



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

11 Winning Mental Attitudes for Hockey - Part 2

Psychologists have identified eleven mental attitudes that have a direct bearing on success in athletics whether an athlete becomes an all-star or also-ran depends on what’s in his head and heart

5. LEADERSHIP
Winners tend to enjoy the role of leader. When leadership is reached, they step forward and take charge. They are dynamic people who like to influence others and take control of situations.

4. RESPONSIBILITY
Winners accept total responsibility for their actions. They admit errors and will not blame other or makes excuses. They recognize their own mistakes and the need for change and improvement.

3. DETERMINATION
Determination make winners. The refusal to quit or accept defeat the persistence to try and try again, the willingness to practice long and hard. Determined athletes are relentless in their efforts to improve and to win.

2. AGGRESSIVENESS
Winners make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. They take charge, force actions, and produce results. They assert themselves strongly, make their presence felt. They thrive on competition.

1. DESIRE
Desire provides the drive that carries an athlete to success. Dedicated athletes have strong desire to improve, to compete, and to win. No one gets to be best without a burning desire to do the best.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

11 Winning Mental Attitudes for Hockey - Part 1

Psychologists have identified eleven mental attitudes that have a direct bearing on success in athletics whether an athlete becomes an all-star or also-ran depends on what’s in his head and heart.


11. TRUST

Winners are believers. They accept people at face value, and know that mutual trust is a major factor in building team morale and unity. Trusting athletes communicate and cooperate better with their teammates and coach.


10. CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Winners have high standards of character. They have a deep sense of obligation, and knows team must have discipline to be successful. They put the welfare of the team first, don’t beat rules, and regulations to suit themselves.


9. COACHBILITY

Winners respect the coach and the coaching process. They know that coaching is important to their development and progress as an athlete. They are receptive to the coach’s advice and follow it.


8. MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Mental toughness is a big factor in athletic success. Winners can accept strong criticism and rigorous training from a demanding coach. They recover quickly from setbacks, don’t fall apart when the going gets rough


7. EMOTIONAL CONTROL

Successful athletes can handle the pressure of competitive sports. They stay cool, adjust quickly, and are not upset by bad calls. They deliver top performance regardless of the circumstances.


6. SELF-CONFIDENCE

Self-confidence builds winners. Winners have confindence in their abilities and can act decisively. They believe they can successfully meet challenges, handle unexpected situations. Never doubt their own ability.


Monday, May 18, 2009

Colorado Select’s Furia blazes trail to UND

Nice article by USA Hockey on Sioux recruit Ashley Furia.

USA Hockey

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Friday, May 15, 2009


Potential Jerseys styles for next season -

Game 7 winner

Source: www.freep.com
Detroit's Daniel Cleary celebrates on the ice after scoring his teams game winning goal during 3rd period action between the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim ducks in game 7 of their playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2009 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)

The FIVE Golden Rules

Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey
The FIVE Golden Rules


DO YOUR BEST
- Academically
- Athletically
- Socially

ALWAYS STRIVE TO DO BETTER

DO WHAT IS RIGHT

TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED

COMMUNICATE

MANAGEMENT LESSON #1

Lesson One:

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?" The eagle answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.


Management Lesson - To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.



Detroit Red Wings escape Anaheim Ducks in second round's best series - ESPN

Detroit Red Wings escape Anaheim Ducks in second round's best series - ESPN

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

N.D. higher ed board advocates dumping UND nickname, logo | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota

N.D. higher ed board advocates dumping UND nickname, logo | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota

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Wings, Ducks know what's at stake tonight | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Wings, Ducks know what's at stake tonight | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

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16 Rules for Survival and Success - PART II

Here is the rest of Bob Parson's list:

9. Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around. In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."

15. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time."
I wanted to share this great list with you, because sometimes its good to take a step back and make sure our attitudes and direction are on track. This list, for me, helps me to maintain a good perspective.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

16 Rules for Survival and Success - Part I

This is an article I received awhile back from Dan Tudor and I refer to it often. It is Bob Parsons, the founder of GoDaddy.com, (the Internet domain registration company) tips for survival and success.

Here is Part I of the list:

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."

2. Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."

5. Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."

6. Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward. Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide. Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks - Recap - May 12, 2009 - ESPN

Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks - Recap - May 12, 2009 - ESPN

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Carlyle keeps Ducks players loose as they face elimination

Interesting approach to game 6 by the Ducks coach playing small games on Monday. Read below for more we will see if it works.

As the Ducks took the ice for practice Monday, Carlyle had his players reverse the way in which they normally hold their hockey sticks. Righties became lefties and vice versa as multiple pucks where thrown into play for a series of scrimmages around the rink.

"I didn't think it was a day where you want to come to work and drag your knuckles and say here we go again," explained Carlyle, a Norris Trophy winning defenceman during his 18-year NHL career.The plan was to take some playoff tension out of the air.

"You can see a lot of smiles on faces and a much lighter approach to practice," said Carlyle. "Turn the page and you start to feel good about being at the rink."



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The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Means named women’s hockey coach

The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Means named women’s hockey coach

Welcome coach Means to women's hockey. Und hopes the developing rivarly continues to grow with him as the new head coach at Mankato.


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Are Ducks feeling effects of playoff inexperience? | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Are Ducks feeling effects of playoff inexperience? | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

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Wings' Brian Rafalski could play in Game 6 vs. Ducks | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Wings' Brian Rafalski could play in Game 6 vs. Ducks Freep.com Detroit Free Press

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15 reasons to love the Blackhawks

Though a devoted Red Wings fan I enjoyed the article regarding the Blackhawks. You need to respect the sudden impact and leadership from former Sioux Player Jonathan Toews .

At 20, he's already wise and winning beyond his years. Wee Patrick Kane, a cocky little sprite, might have received the Calder Trophy last season and still generates most of the out-of-town attention, but Toews is the complete article. And he hasn't stopped growing, or developing. This guy is going to be a captain on the Steve Yzerman/Joe Sakic level, and in short order.


If Detroit can advance this should be a heck of a series.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Technology

How crazy is it that I can update a blog from the road? I am looking at being more active blogger as I do hockey camps all over the world.

Patience, Perseverance Pays Off

Great article in the Detroit Free Press about the philosophy of general manger Ken Holland of the Red Wings. A couple of things that stood out was their commitment to patience.

"I guess I would say to you: This is the toughest league in the world. And if you get here, and you start making mistakes, you lose your confidence or the coach loses confidence in you. There is a lot of rehabilitation that needs to go on. "The longer you can be away from this league and keep the player improving, the more prepared he is when he gets here. I mean, you are talking about a guy (Ericsson) that was a winger until he was 18 years of age. He is learning to play defense." Patience. Holland says it's the most important trait in the organization.