3-Week Summer Hockey Conditioning Program
Summer is the perfect time to build your hockey conditioning. Even though you aren’t on the ice, you can still prepare for your first practice and game of the season with a three-day per week conditioning program.
The workout is performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for three weeks. It consists of five blocks performed in sequential order. The level dictates how many sets and reps you will perform for every exercise in each block.
Complete each exercise block like a mini-circuit. You will perform exercise one, exercise two, exercise three and then the conditioning sequence, with no rest between exercises. Once you complete the circuit within a block, start over again and complete as many sets as the day calls for. I emphasize again that you should not rest at any point during this workout. It is 45 to 60 minutes of continuous intense work.
To maintain a high tempo throughout the workout, set up as many blocks as you can beforehand—i.e., load up bars, find dumbbells, etc. Choose weights that allow you to perform each exercise for 15 reps, regardless of what level you start at. The point is not to lift heavy weight, but to get your body used to performing a lot of work in a short amount of time. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to get through the workout. The next time you work out, try and beat that time if you do the same level, or equal that time if you go up a level.
If you get through this workout and you don’t find yourself lying on the floor, you wasted your time. It is a sprint from start to finish. When I use this with my pro hockey players, they race each other to see who can get through all the blocks first. They literally run to the bike to do their sprints to try and beat the other guys. The loser buys lunch. Find a training partner and challenge him to a race. You might even get a free lunch!
Hockey Conditioning Levels
- 1×10, Conditioning: 10 sec.
- 1×12, Conditioning: 10 sec.
- 2×10, Conditioning: 15 sec.
- 2×12, Conditioning: 15 sec.
- 2×14, Conditioning: 20 sec.
- 3×12, Conditioning: 20 sec.
- 3×16, Conditioning: 30 sec.
Block One
- Dumbbell Step-Up
- Lat Pulldown
- Dumbbell Bench
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Two
- Dumbbell RDL
- Dumbbell Incline Fly
- Dumbbell Curl to Press
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Three
- Pistol Squat
- Triceps Push Down
- Full Bench Curl-Up (Abs)
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Four
- Physioball Hamstring Curl
- Overhead Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- V-Ups (Abs)
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Five
- Dumbbell Row
- Dumbbell Floor Tricep Press
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
For more great hockey conditioning workouts, check out Triphasic Training: A systematic approach to elite speed and explosive strength performance. You can also find great training advice and tips from elite athletes and coaches on Facebook and Twitter (@TriphasicTrain).
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3-Week Summer Hockey Conditioning Program
Summer is the perfect time to build your hockey conditioning. Even though you aren’t on the ice, you can still prepare for your first practice and game of the season with a three-day per week conditioning program.
The workout is performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for three weeks. It consists of five blocks performed in sequential order. The level dictates how many sets and reps you will perform for every exercise in each block.
Complete each exercise block like a mini-circuit. You will perform exercise one, exercise two, exercise three and then the conditioning sequence, with no rest between exercises. Once you complete the circuit within a block, start over again and complete as many sets as the day calls for. I emphasize again that you should not rest at any point during this workout. It is 45 to 60 minutes of continuous intense work.
To maintain a high tempo throughout the workout, set up as many blocks as you can beforehand—i.e., load up bars, find dumbbells, etc. Choose weights that allow you to perform each exercise for 15 reps, regardless of what level you start at. The point is not to lift heavy weight, but to get your body used to performing a lot of work in a short amount of time. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to get through the workout. The next time you work out, try and beat that time if you do the same level, or equal that time if you go up a level.
If you get through this workout and you don’t find yourself lying on the floor, you wasted your time. It is a sprint from start to finish. When I use this with my pro hockey players, they race each other to see who can get through all the blocks first. They literally run to the bike to do their sprints to try and beat the other guys. The loser buys lunch. Find a training partner and challenge him to a race. You might even get a free lunch!
Hockey Conditioning Levels
- 1×10, Conditioning: 10 sec.
- 1×12, Conditioning: 10 sec.
- 2×10, Conditioning: 15 sec.
- 2×12, Conditioning: 15 sec.
- 2×14, Conditioning: 20 sec.
- 3×12, Conditioning: 20 sec.
- 3×16, Conditioning: 30 sec.
Block One
- Dumbbell Step-Up
- Lat Pulldown
- Dumbbell Bench
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Two
- Dumbbell RDL
- Dumbbell Incline Fly
- Dumbbell Curl to Press
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Three
- Pistol Squat
- Triceps Push Down
- Full Bench Curl-Up (Abs)
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Four
- Physioball Hamstring Curl
- Overhead Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- V-Ups (Abs)
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
Block Five
- Dumbbell Row
- Dumbbell Floor Tricep Press
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl
- Conditioning: Bike Sprints or Bodyweight Squats
For more great hockey conditioning workouts, check out Triphasic Training: A systematic approach to elite speed and explosive strength performance. You can also find great training advice and tips from elite athletes and coaches on Facebook and Twitter (@TriphasicTrain).