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How to choose the right fitness trainer

     You have decided to get serious about training for hockey. Many questions can come up now.   What exercises should you do? How many days per week? Should you train during the season? To help answer some of these questions you may decide to hire a fitness trainer. Trainers can help maintain motivation and avoid training injuries as well.   It is very important to choose the right fitness trainer to help you with dry land training. Hockey is a dynamic game based on speed, strength, endurance and agility and all can be improved through the correct application of training exercises.  You should do your homework when choosing a trainer. Some of the questions you should ask are:

1)     What are your certifications? A Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S) is someone with a Bachelor’s degree or more that has demonstrated a level of expertise in the fitness arena.

2)     How often do you work with hockey players? Hockey has specific training requirements unique to the sport that are different than many other sports.

3)     Have you worked with this age group before? Different age players will have different training needs and safety considerations to take into account.

4)     Can the trainer provide a few references of hockey players in a similar age group? It is revealing to talk to players that have worked with the trainer as to how satisfied they were with the service provided.

5)     Will the training be fun? Whether you are an elite hockey player or a weekend warrior, any training you do for the game should always be fun.

Remember, it is never too late to start a training program for hockey. In fact, initiating an off-ice training program might be just the thing you need to take your game to the next level.

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

New bi-weekly blog segment

We are adding a new biweekly blog segment where we will be interviewing our players from high school, collegiate, and PRO about how they use dry-land training in-season. Let us know what questions you would like to have them answer.  

A Pain in the Groin

Groin injuries are among the most common injuries seen in hockey. A groin pull is a painful and debilitating injury to the muscles of the inner thigh. The groin consists of 6 muscles on the inside of the hip and thigh called the adductor muscles. During the powerful skating stride, the hip extensors and abductors on the back and side of the hip are the prime movers, while the hip flexors and adductors act to stabilize the hip and decelerate the leg. In hockey, adductor strains occur during the lengthening contraction of the adductors as they decelerate the leg during the skating stride. The strain occurs when the muscle is stretched past its ability to handle a muscle load. Typically only some of the muscle tears while the bulk of the muscle remains intact. Any imbalance between the prime movers and stabilizers of the hip can make the adductors more prone to injury.

            Research has shown that hip flexibility, and more importantly, strengthening, can help decrease the occurrence of groin strains. Hip strengthening should be performed during the entire season to maintain a level of fitness necessary to avoid injury.

Once a groin strain occurs, there are a few treatment options that can help speed recovery. Ice right after the strain occurs is recommended to decrease the effects of inflammation around the injury site. After a few days, a very effective method of treatment is a hands-on soft tissue technique designed to take the injured area through its complete range of motion. This helps to minimize adhesions that will form after this type of injury. Once the injured area has begun to heal, a strengthening program is implemented in order to get the groin area strong enough to begin skating again.

            Remember, the groin and hip are under a great deal of strain during the sport of hockey. Be proactive and take care of this area so you won’t have to miss playing time with a pain in the groin!

Here are two exercises that can help you strengthen your hips:

To learn more about dry-land training that can help strengthen mussels to avoid injury check out HockeyOT.com 

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

FLUID & ELECTROLYTE REPLACEMENT

FLUID REPLACEMENT

Failure to adequately hydrate on a daily basis, and especially during exercise, can lead to impaired heat dissipation. This can elevate body core temperature and increase the strain on the cardiovascular system. Performance can be negatively affected by a 2% drop in body weight due to fluid loss during exercise. Unfortunately, thirst is not the best indicator of when you should consume fluids. You may lose as much as 2-4% of your normal fluid levels during exercise before you will start to crave fluids. A thirsty athlete is already dehydrated and therefore performing below optimal levels. Environmental temperature and humidity, intensity and length of play, breathability of equipment and overall fitness level all affect how much fluid a player will lose during a practice, game or workout. Even though hockey is traditionally played in a cold environment, some of the ice arenas are quite warm, especially in the South and during summer league play. Some hockey players are also heavy sweaters (I have witnessed a professional hockey goalie lose 15 pounds in one triple overtime playoff game!) As a result, the one-size-fits-all approach to hydration is inadequate. In order to establish your sweat rate, it is important to weigh yourself before and after every workout, practice and game. Each player has to have their own hydration protocol based on their sweat rate. In order to calculate your sweat rate and fluid replacement needs during exercise, use the following equation:

Initial body weight =_______ lbs

Post-exercise body weight =_______lbs

Fluid loss = Post-exercise body weight – Initial body weight

Percentage body weight loss = Fluid loss / Initial body weight X 100%

Any percentage body weight loss greater than 2% signifies dehydration.

Every pound of body weight lost equals approximately 1 pint (16 oz.) of fluid.

Fluid loss (pints) = Total body weight loss (lbs)

Total sweat loss = Fluid loss (pints) + Amount of fluid consumed during the exercise (pints)

To stay hydrated within 2% of initial body weight, the athlete has a minimum fluid replacement rate.

Maximum allowable body weight loss = .02 X Initial body weight

The maximum allowable body weight loss can be converted into the maximal allowable sweatable fluid loss as 1 lb. = 1 pint

Minimum fluid replacement rate = Total sweat loss – Maximum allowable fluid loss x 16oz. / Duration of exercise (mins) X 15 mins

The minimum fluid replacement rate is the minimum amount of fluid that needs to be consumed every 15 minutes to maintain adequate hydration (maintain body weight within 2% of pre-exercise weight)

Maximum fluid replacement rate = Total sweat rate X 16 oz. / Duration of exercise (mins) X 15 mins

The maximum fluid replacement rate is the maximum amount of fluid that needs to be consumed every 15 minutes.

The minimum and maximum fluid replacement rate equations give the athlete a fluid consumption range every 15 minutes in order to maintain adequate hydration levels.

The following example will illustrate how the sweat rate and fluid replacement range is calculated:

Mario plays hockey for 2 hours and drinks a 16 oz. bottle of water during the game. He weighed in at 180 lbs. before and 176 lbs after the game.

Fluid loss = 180 – 176 = 4 lbs

Percentage body weight loss = 4 / 180 = 2.2% (dehydrated)

4 lbs of body weight loss = 4 pints of fluid

Total sweat loss = Fluid loss (4 pints) + Amount of fluid consumed during the exercise (16 oz. or 1 pint) = 5 pints (80 oz.)

Maximum allowable body weight loss = .02 X 180lbs = 3.6 lbs = 3.6 pints of sweatable fluid loss

Minimum fluid replacement rate = 5 pints – 3.6 pints x 16oz. / Duration of exercise (120 mins) X 15 mins = 2.8 oz. every 15 minutes

Maximum fluid replacement rate = 5 pints x 16 oz. / 120 mins X 15 mins = 10 oz. every 15 minutes

The recommended fluid intake for Mario during his hockey session is 2.8-10 oz. of fluid every 15 minutes.

This gives the player a range of fluid replacement to strive for every 15 minutes in order to maintain adequate hydration. Each athlete should have their own clear fluid bottle so that they can measure their individual fluid consumption as the exercise progresses. Proper hydration has to be practiced so that each player knows how much fluid intake is right for them during each workout, practice and game. Once you get your hydration intake right, you will reap the benefits of optimizing your performance in the weightroom and on the ice.

ELECTROLYTE REPLACEMENT

The major electrolytes lost in sweat during exercise are sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl). 4 liters of sweat contains 3-7 grams of sodium. The average North American consumes 6-9 grams of sodium per day! Sweat is relatively hypotonic compared to the body’s cellular fluid which means that you lose a lot more water than electrolytes when you sweat. There are 3 conditions where electrolyte replacement should be considered:

1)     Exercise lasting longer than 1 hour

2)     Excessive heat during exercise

3)     Salty sweaters (athletes who notice that their sweat is salty as it usually tastes salty and leaves white marks on their skin and clothing)

A lot of hockey players meet at least one of the 3 conditions for electrolyte replacement. Another factor affecting hockey performance is maintaining adequate carbohydrate/sugar stores in the blood and muscles. A sports drink should not contain more than 8% carbohydrate/sugar. Many sports drinks on the market contain sugar and electrolytes in adequate proportions to satisfy most players’ sugar and electrolyte needs. Unfortunately most of them also contain artificial colors and flavors to make them more marketable. I like to use the following home recipe modified from Nancy Clark’s Sport Nutrition Guide, 2^nd edition:

Dissolve 4 Tbsp. raw organic sugar and ¼ tsp. sea salt in a ¼ cup boiling purified water. Then add ¼ cup raw organic orange or lemon juice and 3 ¾ cup cold purified water and chill in the refrigerator.

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

10 Tips for Optimal Recovery after Workouts

We have identified ten things that an athlete can do to assist their body in regenerating between workouts. This is a crucial element in a training regime, because the quicker you can recover between workout sessions, the more frequently you can train with a higher intensity.

1)     Drink water before, during and after exercise. This seems like a no-brainer but most athletes simply do not consume enough water. If you did nothing else but consume more water, recovery rate would significantly improve.

2)     Eat fruit upon completion of exercise. This brings blood sugar back to normal levels and provides sugar for conversion to muscle glycogen. Athletes need to eat a lot of fruit. Some of my pro players eat more than 10 pieces of fruit per day!

3)     Rest after meals when possible. This will optimize digestion. Food is fuel, so you need to let it digest make it’s way to your body’s cells for energy.

4)     Sleep as much as you desire. Athletes need more sleep than non-athletes. Remember, exercise does not provide energy, it requires energy Unfortunately, an athlete’s busy schedule can sometimes lead to sleep deprivation and subsequent poor ability to recover.

5)     Drink diluted sports drinks during practices and games. This will provide sugar and water needs while on the ice.

6)     Monitor water loss. Use a scale to measure weight before and after exercise. Make sure you replenish your water stores by consuming water before, during and after exercise.

7)     Eat as many of your foods raw as possible. Raw foods provide maximum nutrients for minimal calories encouraging most rapid recovery. They also contain the most nutrients, water content and energy.

8)     Develop a habit of going to bed earlier. Again sleep is crucial for recovery.

9)     Keep meals simple for optimum digestion. Vary meals to  insure optimum nutrition.

10) Consistently use soft tissue work and hot/cold contrast therapy. Getting a massage is great for recovery. Also going from a warm bath to a cold bath every 3 minutes will help speed recovery after workouts.

      Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

T

AND THE WINNER IS......................................

The winner of our "follow our blog contest" is............

Lucia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations......you will be contacted via email to claim your prize. 

Keep checking back to take advantage of all the free information on strength and conditioning as it relates to the game of hockey! We will also have a new contest coming soon, so stay tuned! 

The Best Warm-up for Your Team

            I’ve been seeing a significant increase in young hockey teams using what is called a dynamic warm-up prior to games.   I definitely applaud this new trend. It is a great way to stimulate the central nervous system and prepare the muscles for a dynamic activity like hockey. It can help improve game performance and reduce injuries. With that being said, many coaches are simply turning the warm-up over to the players to organize. The following table outlines the dynamic warm-up we use for the Hockeyot.com track workouts. Use this as a guide for your pregame warm-up and watch performance improve!

DRILL	DESCRIPTION	DISTANCE (M)
INCHWORM	WALK HANDS OUT THEN CATCH UP WITH FEET	15
KNEE-TO-CHEST WALK	DRIVE KNEE UP TO CHEST AND THEN STRIDE FORWARD	15
TOY SOLDIER	DRIVE STRAIGHT LEG UP TO HANDS	15
HEEL-TO-BUTT WALK	DRIVE HEEL UP TO BUTT AND THEN STRIDE FORWARD	15
LUNGE WALK	ALTERNATE LUNGE STEP	15
FORWARD SKIP	SKIP FORWARDS	15
BACKWARD SKIP	SKIP BACKWARDS	15
LATERAL SKIP	SKIP TO THE SIDE	15
SKIP WITH FORWARD ARM CIRCLES	SKIP FORWARDS WHILE ROTATING ARMS FORWARD	30
BACKWARDS SKIP WITH BACKWARD ARM CIRCLES	SKIP BACKWARDS WHILE ROTATING ARMS BACKWARDS	30
ALTERNATING SIDE SHUFFLE	SHUFFLE TO THE SIDE AND ALTERNATE EVERY 3 STEPS	30 x 2
CARIOCA	MOVE LATERALLY WITH AN OVER-UNDER PATTERN	30 x 2
BACK PEDAL RUN	BACK PEDAL RUN	30
SUMO SQUAT TO HIP RAISE	SQUAT  AND THEN STRAIGHTEN LEGS WITH FLAT BACK	5 REPS

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

Only 5 Days left for your chance to win a signed Ethan Moreau jersey

To enter either all you have to do is "Follow" this blog! All  followers at 12pm Thursday, September 30th will be entered to win. So follow us today for your chance to win a signed Ethan Moreau jersey!

In addition to entering our contest you will get great off-ice training information from former NHL Strength and Conditioning coach, Dr Chad Moreau and our guest bloggers.

An Underestimated Training Tool. The Jump Rope.

A tool that we like to use for training is the jump rope. It is a low cost, portable and highly effective piece of equipment. A good plastic speed rope will cost you approximately $12. If you are going to be away from your local training facility for a period of time, the rope is easy to pack along.

Jumping rope is easy to add to any workout. It can even be used between sets of a strength training exercise to keep the heart rate at a certain level. In a recent study, this has been shown to improve muscle recovery.

            If you think jumping rope is just for kids on the playground, I challenge you to try this workout. We use this for beginning hockey players and it’s called the 3D jump rope sequence. As with any exercise make sure your physician has cleared you for vigorous activity.

Perform each of these drills for 15 seconds, getting as many jumps as you can.

1. 2 foot normal jump
2. 2 foot side-to-side jump
3. 2 foot twisting left to right
4. Rest for 45 seconds
5. 1 foot alternate skipping
6. 1 foot high knees alternate skipping
7. 1 foot skater hop alternate skipping
8. Rest for 45 seconds
9. Repeat 1-8 one more time.

I guarantee this 3D jump rope sequence will get your heart rate up. You will also experience the added benefit of working on your foot speed and coordination. You won’t get this kind of workout sitting on a stationary bike!

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

Win a signed Ethan Moreau jersey

Everyone that is a "follower" of our blog at midnight on 9-30-210 will be entered to win a signed Ethan Moreau jersey. So start following us today and get instant access to all of Dr. Chad Moreau's weekly posts with information about proper off- ice training that will take your game to the next level. 

Off-Ice Training during the season to take your game to the next level

What Should I Do For In-Season Training?

                 You worked hard all summer with off-ice training, and finally the season is here. “Do I need to keep up with the off-ice work  now?” The answer is definitely yes. Over 60% of a hockey player’s time is spent in-season, so if you are not training with weights in-season, you will not reach your potential. You can get stronger as the season progresses; in fact you must get stronger to separate yourself from other teams and other players. HockeyOT.com provides the perfect program to optimize your in-season training. The key is to design a training schedule that has you workout at optimal times during the week while avoiding fatigue on game days. The following table can be used as a guideline to set up your training program.

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
WORKOUT 1	OFF	PRACTICE	PRACTICE	WORKOUT 2	PRACTICE	GAME
WORKOUT 1/ PRACTICE	PRACTICE	WORKOUT 2	PRACTICE	WORKOUT 3	PRACTICE	GAME

         

    In example 1, the player has hockey practice Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday with a game on Sunday. If we assume that this is a young or early-teenage player, then we will schedule workouts on Monday and Friday. In example 2, the player has practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and a game on Sunday. We will assume that this is a mid to late-teenage player and we will schedule workouts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Participation in HockeyOT.com will guide your in-season training schedule and workout. Maximize your potential. Separate yourself from the others. Train in-season and see the difference. Remember, it’s the way that makes the warrior.

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Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com

HOW TO STAY COMMITTED TO A HOCKEY FITNESS PROGRAM by Dr. Chad Moreau

Many players begin an exercise program but very few actually stay committed. We all have our reasons for starting a fitness program. Some adult players tend to aim for weight loss and reduced body fat, while others target a healthier lifestyle or minimizing injuries. Youth hockey players often aim to get stronger and faster to enhance on-ice performance. Unfortunately, many players work hard to find more reasons for quitting an exercise program instead of making a dedicated effort to complete an exercise program. Despite all the excuses that contribute to players quitting their exercise routines, I believe the primary reason is that players get bored and lose focus on their stated goals. Once this happens failure is inevitable.

           

HockeyOT.com develops personalized off-ice training routines for male AND female athletes ranging all skill levels, intensity levels, and levels of access to training equipment. Our innovative online program develops custom routines for hockey-specific training goals (for example shot power, skating speed, and endurance) to properly train and motivate hockey players across a wide range of access to training equipment.  In an effort to capture the appropriate amount of focus and player commitment to the hockeyot.com training system we have implemented 4 tools known to increase training compliance:

            1. Hockey-specific testing sequence

Fitness training is more fun if there is a feedback loop to measure progress. HockeyOT.com uses a unique testing sequence to help athletes gauge their level of fitness compared to their peers. Each of the 12-16 tests (depending on the age of the player) in the HockeyOT.com testing sequence has a gold standard score that the player is striving to meet. Every 4 weeks we have our athletes repeat some portion of the testing sequence so that we may provide feedback as to their progress. In this way, the athlete is motivated to stay compliant with the fitness program as they know their strengths and weaknesses and are given feedback as they progress.

            2. Hockey-specific exercises

Exercise specificity is more exciting for the hockey playing athlete and will increase their commitment to the fitness program. Once an athlete enters their testing data onto HockeyOT.com they are given the choice of which fitness goals they want to focus on. For example, one of our players might select “Faster First 3 Steps” and “Shot Power” as their fitness training goals. The HockeyOT.com routine generator will identify exercises proven to obtain those specific goals. Rather than just exercising for the sake of exercising, our players work towards their hockey-specific goals. This is more rewarding and also more fun.

            3. Exercise Variety

Variability is a critical ingredient component of fitness. If you perform the same 10 exercises each workout you increasingly run the risk of achieving boredom instead of results. HockeyOT.com has over 350 exercises that make up the exercise program. As a result, every workout has a different look and feel. Furthermore, HockeyOT.com offers multiple exercises within the same fitness goal featuring a variety of customized activities that are used for each workout. As a result, the athlete’s body is not able to adapt to a set of familiar exercises and will continually feel challenged by the workout routine. Physical challenges are very stimulating to the brain and ensure that the athlete will stay excited and motivated to maintain the fitness training program for extended periods.

            4. Hockey training community-

Establishing a community of athletes that compete with and motivate one another is an important component of fitness compliance. As professional trainers, we recognize that the customized training programs developed on HockeyOT.com require hard work. We also recognize that can be comforting to know that there are other athletes just like you out there committed to the same goals and trying to get better. At HockeyOT.com, we have athletes that sign up as groups or teams - and even leagues. We offer athletes a significant discount as compared to the individual subscription rate for signing up as a group. We often find that if the athlete is participating with their peers there is a higher compliance rate and overall level of commitment. Just as importantly, athletes participating with their peers are also more likely to have fun!

           

Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com