By Karl Orishimo MS, CSCS and Tak Fukunaga DPT, ATC, CSCS
Summer is an important time for hockey players. It is a time to recover from the tough battles of last season, as well as physically and mentally prepare for the next season. This is the perfect time for getting adequate rest, revamping your fitness, and working on strength and power. To help you make the most out of your summer, we have created an off-season workout program. These exercise programs have been designed to develop your strength, coordination, power, and cardiopulmonary fitness.
During breaks away from games and team practices, you need to keep up with your fitness, so that you can remain strong and healthy. These exercise programs have been designed to maintain your strength, coordination, power, and cardiopulmonary fitness.
Your training consists of two programs:
- Strengthening and plyometric training
- Interval training
These two programs are outlined in charts below. Each program should be done 2 times per week. Ideally, the two programs are done on separate days, meaning you would have 4 workout days per week. In a busy week, both the strengthening and interval training can be done on the same day (in this case, interval training must be done before strengthening).
Strengthening and Plyometrics
This chart on the right shows your strengthening and plyometric training program. It starts with a warm-up (yellow), then goes through plyometric exercises (red), various leg strengthening exercises with core strengthening interspersed (blue), and finishes with a cool down with stretches (green).
Instructions on each exercise can be found below, with video or photo demonstrating each exercise.
Push-up circuit refers to doing push-ups with hands on a step, flat ground, and feet on a step. Do one set of each.
Some of the exercises in this program may be substituted with other exercises. These are examples of other exercises depending on your access to gym equipment:
- Bike/jog → stairmaster, elliptical
- Single leg squat → lunge, split squat, goblet squat, front squat
- Pull-up → lat pull down, seated row, reverse fly
- Diver → deadlift
- Push-up circuit → bench press, dumbbell press, fly
| WarmUp | |
| Bike/Jog | 10 minutes |
| Lunge Walk w/ High Knees | 10 yds and back |
| Side Lunge | 10 each side |
| Carioca | 10 yds and back |
| Plyometrics/ Hip Mobility | |
| Skater Jumps | 3 x 10 (5 each side) |
| Single-Leg Bridge | 3 x 15 each side |
| Side-Side Push Off | 3 x 10 (5 each side) |
| Rest: 2-3 minutes | |
| Strength A | |
| Single-Arm Push-Press | 3 x 10 each side |
| Single-Leg Squat | 3 x 8 each side |
| Pull-up | 3 x max |
| Plank | 3 x 60 sec. |
| Rest: 30-60 sec. | |
| Strength B | |
| Diver | 3 x 8 each sde |
| Push-up Circuit | 3 x 24 |
| Trunk Twist | 3 x 20 |
| Rest: 30-60 sec. | |
| Strength C | |
| Slider | 3 x 10 each side |
| Standing Hip Flexion | 3 x 10 each side |
| Standing Hip Abduction | 3 x 10 each side |
| Sidelying Hip Adduction | 3 x 10 each side |
| Side Plank | 3 x 30 sec. |
| Rest: 30-60 sec. | |
| Stretch | |
| Groin | 4 minutes |
| Hip Flexor | 4 minutes each side |
| Spiderman | 4 minutes each side |
| Knee-to-Chest | 4 minutes each side |
| Hip Internal Rotation | 4 minutes |
| Figure 4 | 4 minutes each side |
Interval Training
This chart on the right shows your interval training program. Please pick one option (treadmill, bike, outdoor 1, outdoor 2) per day depending on what you have access to during the break. The goal of each program is to alternate between getting your heart rate up high, and resting to bring down your heart rate.
Again, this interval program should be done on a separate day from strengthening exercises, or done prior to strengthening exercises if done on the same day.
| Treadmill: |
| Warm-up 5 minutes Level 6 Increase to Level 10, run for 1 minute Decrease to Level 6, run for 2 minutes Repeat 8-10 times |
| Bike: |
| Warm-up 5 minutes, low/moderate resistance Increase resistance to highest level, sprint for 30 seconds Decrease resistance to low/moderate, pedal slowly for 90 seconds Repeat 6-8 times |
| Outdoors: |
| 1) Place 2 cones/markers 25-30 yards apart Set stopwatch to beep every 30 seconds At the beep, sprint from one cone to the other Rest for the remaining time Sprint back at the next beep Repeat for 6 total sprints Rest 2.5 minutes Repeat for 6 sets 2) Place 2 cones/markers 25-30 yards apart Sprint out and back 3 times (should take about 45-50 seconds) Rest 2.5 minutes Repeat 6 times |
Exercises
Lunge Walk with High Knees
Walk down a straight line, with each step bringing knee up to waist high, then lunging forward. Keep knee in line with foot and maintain good balance.
Side Lunge
From upright position with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, lunge down to one side, come back up, then lunge down to other side.
Carioca
Skater Jump
Side-Side Push Off
Stand with one foot on step (~10 inches high), jump over to other side of step, landing with one foot on step and other foot on the floor. Continue for 30 seconds.
Single-Arm Push Press
Hold the dumbbell at shoulder level in one hand. Lower down into a ¼ to ½ squat. Explosively extend at the hips, knees and ankles while pushing the dumbbell overhead.
Single-Leg Bridge
Lie on your back with both knees bent. Straighten one leg and lift your buttocks up from floor. Lower down slowly. Keep your abdominals tight for the entire time. Complete a set on one side then switch to other leg.
Single-Leg Squat
Stand with one foot at edge of step and other foot hanging off the edge. Squat down on one leg. Keep your knee in line with the foot.
Plank
Lie on your stomach. Prop yourself up on your forearms and toes. Hold this position without arching your back or holding your breath.
Diver
Make a loop with the theraband, anchor one end under your foot, and hold the other end with your opposite hand. Pull up to upright position, then lower down slowly. Keep upper body rigid and pivot at your hip, using the other leg to counterbalance.
Trunk Twist
Lie on your back and hold a medicine ball (or any weight) with both hands. Lift both legs and your upper body up from floor, balancing on your buttocks. Twist your upper body from side to side in smooth motion.
Slider
Lie on your back with both knees bent. Lift up to a single leg bridge, then slide the heel of your supporting foot out slowly until the knee is almost straight. Once all the way down, slide the foot back up before lifting up to a bridge again.
Standing Hip Flexion
Loop the theraband around both feet. Stand with your feet slightly apart. Lift your knee up to waist height against the resistance of the theraband. Complete a set on one side then switch to the other leg.
Standing Hip Abduction
Loop the theraband around both feet. Wear a sock or wrap a towel around one foot. Get down to a semi-squat position and slide the foot out to side for one set, then diagonally to side and back for another set. Switch to the other leg.
Sidelying Hip Adduction
Lie on your side with your top leg propped up on a chair/step (about 10 inches high). Support your upper body on your forearm and elbow. Lift your hip up, then lower down slowly.
Side Plank
Lie on your side. Prop yourself up on your forearm and foot. Hold this position without letting your hip drop or holding your breath.
Groin Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on one knee, keep upper body upright, push hips forward until stretch is felt at the front of your hip.
Spiderman Stretch
Start on your hands and knees. Straighten and lift up both knees. Bring one leg forward so the foot comes next to your hand on the same side. Drop your hips down to reinforce the stretch.
Knee-to-Chest Stretch
Hip Internal Rotation Stretch
Lie on your back with knees bend and feet wider than shoulder width. Let knees fall in towards midline until stretch is felt on both hips.
Figure 4 Stretch
Lie on your back with both knees bent. Put one foot on top of other knee to make a “figure 4.” Pull up on the bottom thigh to reinforce the stretch.