About Punch Expertise Ask about coaching drills, junior hockey, team work, statistics, fitness, tactics, winning and I will take a shot at it, increasing our likelihood of getting a goal met.
Experience Overseas coach/player, university player and leagues below that.
Organizations Coaching Association requirement to mid level.
Publications Newspaper
Education/Credentials Uiversity degree
Awards and Honors some, but getting them has its pros/cons
Question I was wondering if you could come up with a elite hockey training program with weights and also cardio condtioning. i am willing to goto the gym every day 6 days a week minimum.
Id like the gym split to be like chest/Tricepts,Back/Bicep,Sholders,Legs
I try to do abs everyday
Answer To: Craig Landry
Going to the gym is only a part of your hockey preparation.
This summer, get outside and do the cardio described below. Then go the gym and do some selected strength exercises.
Your sprinting will be just minimal now, but increase to 3 times per week a month before camp. Careful of plyometrics until the month before camp. Sub a plyometric day for a sprint day at that time. Take what suits you, and try to do your best.
HOCKEY FITNESS
GOAL SETTING
Set goals that encompass a variety of areas in your fitness. Work on areas needing improvement and on individual strengths. Write down 3 goals for the off-season.
My goals:
1.
2.
3.
INTRODUCTION
The common thread with most hockey players is that they work at their game year-round in one way or another. Throughout the summer, some players skate 15 hours per week, some only 15 hours the entire summer. They all, however, engage in off-season workouts ranging from golf to intense weight training. After being cooped up in an arena all year, there are clear benefits both psychologically and physically to being active outdoors throughout the summer. Every player's off-season routine will vary with their age, ability, desire, level of commitment, and long term hockey goals. A couple of pre-workout recommendations: buy a good pair of running shoes to limit knee and ankle impact, stretch for 5-10 minutes before and after each workout, Balance your work-outs so you are fit in all areas. If you need to, change your workout routine to maintain interest. Consult your physician if you have any medical conditions. If you can, attend a professional technical skating and conditioning instruction camp.
Know your own reasons for training and write these goals down and your program steps to achieve your goals. Set realistic goals. This is directly related to your motivation. Be positive and enjoy it. Work on your strengths and also your areas needing improvement in your game. Plan regular training times. Work out with others if you want to. Consult others to get an objective view of your areas of improvement and strengths. Stick with your program. If you need some change, add some variety. Perform interval training after endurance running for at least a few weeks. Do only simple bounding or one leg bounding, or the skaters stride jumps laterally towards the end of the off-season. The objective of every off-season training routine should be to develop skills, condition hockey specific muscles, and provide a chance to participate in activities outdoors.
Aerobic conditioning allows you to recover better and perform for an entire game at maximum intensity. This training enables you to utilize oxygen as an energy source. Anaerobic exercise trains you to be able to work at > 85 % maximum effort for short periods of time. Lactic acid is produced as a byproduct that accumulates in the muscles. Most teams ride the bike after games and practices to counter the lactic acid effect. Anaerobic work of between 0 and 120 seconds has a rest time of 3-6 times the work time.
When you exercise, it's important to work at an intensity level that's right for you. This is defined as your target heart rate. The target heart rate is what your pulse rate should be to exercise safely and receive the maximum cardiovascular benefits. It is recommended that you maintain this rate for thirty to forty-five minutes, at least three times a week.
Method: Count your heartbeats (pulse) for 10 seconds using your watch, and then multiply this number by 6 to get your bpm. You can feel your heartbeats in several ways, such as by placing your fingers lightly but firmly over the inside of your wrist or on your neck just below the angle of your jaw. You can also place your palm over your heart and count the number of beats that you feel. If your heart is beating faster than your target heart rate, you are exercising too hard and should slow down. If your heart is beating slower than your target heart rate, you should exercise a little harder. When you begin your exercise program, aim for the lower part of your target zone (50 percent). As you get into better shape, slowly build up to the higher part of your target zone (75 percent).
Caution: Be careful not to put too much pressure on the neck; this can slow the heart down and can be dangerous in people with blockages of blood vessels in the neck. Remember, your target heart rate is only a guide, so listen to your body for signs of injury or overexertion. If you have any questions or concerns about your exercise regimen, including your target heart rate, consult a doctor.
In off-season dryland conditioning, incorporate both hockey-specific conditioning as well as activities that improve your athleticism. These activities can include balance and coordination, hand and foot-eye coordination, throwing and passing, reading the play, agility, mobility, kicking, read and react drills, vision skills, and other components that help define a well-rounded athlete. There is no doubt that the top overall athletes possess a higher ceiling of improvement potential for hockey. Players have come to rely on the summer as an exciting time period to improve their abilities. Legs are a priority. Paul Coffey emphasizes "legs legs legs" for skating development! This includes leg endurance, strength, power and speed. Solid skaters like Jyrki Lumme and Bret Hedican would agree but also key in on torso strength. They know that stronger legs will not improve one aspect of your game without a strong core. Both are very important to support all hockey actions.
A typical summer is split into the off-season and pre-season. The first half of the summer encompasses the off-season. This time period is spent building an aerobic base, improving overall strength and lean muscle mass, and enhancing flexibility. Continuous training leads to cardiovascular improvements - the lungs and heart can take in and deliver more oxygen to the skating muscles. Aerobic intervals in specific movement patterns are needed if the player hopes to be able to extract more of the oxygen out of the blood stream and into the skating muscles where it is used in the energy production process.
The pre-season defines the second half of the summer and leads right into training camp. Players can progress slowly from limited interval work at the beginning of the off-season, to the point 4-6 weeks before training camp where interval training is being used twice a week. The pre-season phase is characterized by high intensity anaerobic work - speed endurance, quickness, agility, and explosive power, and presents an ideal time for player development. Pre-season conditioning must be sport-specific to harness the physical tools you develop and transfer them onto the ice to enhance skills and improve game performance. Select the exercise you are going to do, write out a plan, and work at it.
Selecting from an assortment of creative and effective workouts must be stressed to increase motivation.You might find that the most difficult part of an off-season training schedule is getting started. The secret to getting ahead is getting started! Set attainable goals and remember, if the workouts are not challenging, you will not get results. Each person can determine:
1. Choice of exercise
2. Order of exercise
3. Number of Sets/Reps
4. Intensity
5. Rest between reps/sets
6. Frequency of training (ie. number of days/week)
7. Progressions (ie. planned variations in training)
8. Integrating other conditioning factors
Off-season Weekly Program Minimum
In the off-season until July, perform more cardio endurance exercises than interval training.
As the pre-season approaches increase the interval. At the most in the late off-season, you could do one session of basic plyometrics per week. However, prior to performing any plyometrics, work on building overall leg strength. One or two days per week add or substitute a basic activity (ie.quick feet, running stairs, slide board, jumping rope). Monitor your heart-rate (beats per minute: count # in 10 secs X 6) before, during and after workouts.
After 3 weeks good effort, do 1 light week of activities. Include more exercises depending on your motivation, strengths and areas needing work.
WARM UP
Jog, skip rope, or run on the spot to gradually raise the body temperature (3 to 5 minutes). Carefully rotate each joint from the top of the body down (i.e., neck, shoulders, wrists, trunk, hips, knees, and ankles). Do rotations in both directions.
Arms circles: forwards, backwards, big and small circles
Arm raises - forward, lateral,circles, reverse circles
Arm raises -one arm one way, other arm opposite direction
Hip circles - front,right,back,left - both directions
Torso circles - front,right,back,left - both directions
Trunk twists slow -left-center-right; hands on hips
Trunk twists - arms out to sides
Head and shoulder ducking side to side like a boxer
Arm rotations - as if holding a stick out front circular motion.
Other exercises include:
Walking or jogging a square
Walking briskly or increase moderate speed jogging
Jogging forwards and some backwards
High knees on spot, hands up to chest
Knees up jog slow, turn four directions facing one direction only
Do a light calisthenics series (10 to 15 repeats) that includes each of the major muscle groups(i.e., push-ups, sit-ups, bench tricep dips).
Shuttle run 4-5 meters: forwards, backwards,right,left -facing front.
3 to 5 short sprints (50 meters/yards) with a walk back.
FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility programs, for the sake of improvement, are best done off-ice. Some stretching can be done on-ice as part of a warm-up or cool-down, but hockey equipment and the slippery surface interfere with good flexibility training. The following flexibility-training program takes 10 to 15 minutes as an improvement program and about 5 minutes as a maintenance program. Do whole body stretching. Stretch more legs if your workout is mostly leg work. DO NOT OVERSTRETCH. The feeling should be of gentle stretch not pain. Warm up prior to stretching. Stretches should be held for between 7 and 20 seconds and repeated 2-3 times.
CARDIO ENDURANCE
A. Cardio Endurance
Running -outdoor or treadmill, outdoor cycling, spinning, cross-trainer, stationary cycle, public skating, biking, rowing, or skipping, indoors or out 25-45 minutes, 3 times per week. If you run around an arena concourse, change direction halfway through total time. In the summer you could run every other day. Your heart rate levels should be in the optimal range for a conditioning effect.
B. Fartlek 'Speed Play'
You need a stopwatch with a sweep second hand or digital watch chronometer. If you're really fatigued, jog slow in some of the quick phase. Stick with it until the full time is up to develop the endurance and staying power.
Jog 5 minutes slow
Jog 7 minutes quick
Jog 5 minutes slow
Jog 10 minutes fast
Jog 5 minutes slow
Jog 7 minutes quick
Jog-walk 5 minutes cool down
C. Jog Run Mix
Jog 30 seconds slow
Run 2 minutes
Jog 30 seconds slow
Run 2 minutes
Alternate the two paces for 15-40 minutes of activity in total in the recommended heart rate range.
INTERVAL TRAINING
While players certainly capitalize on the summer time period to drive up their conditioning, they also look to the off-season as a time to improve their hockey abilities. In the months before training camp, the following methods of training (in order of preference) are recommended: skating, running or in-line skating (don't just do inline, mix it with sprints), slideboard training, stationary bike. Any of these methods can be used with interval training. Interval training is a system of conditioning in which the body is subjected to short but regularly repeated periods of work, alternated with periods of rest. Interval training is most effective when done in a range slightly below and slightly above the average demand on a player. Energy systems for hockey make considerable use of the anaerobic system, the energy system responsible for shorter bursts of energy. Theoretically, you can train for this by breaking down the game into its average shift times.
Assuming an average demand of 45 seconds, a straightforward method of training is to sprint for 20 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, or 30:30, or 45 seconds and rest for twice that time (ie. 1 minute and 1/2 ). For each individual player, one period in a game consists of 7-10 sprints of 45 seconds or less, in a 20 minute period followed by a rest of 15 minutes. Multiply by three for a regular game. Simplified, a typical three line rotation means 1 shift on and 2 shifts off. Counting stoppages in play it's probably a work to rest ratio of 1:3. One work (1), one rest, another rest = 1:3. There are times within these shifts when quick bursts of energy for powerful skating occurs as well as some gliding. For interval work, warm-up and cool-down with a several minutes of jogging, stretch, then do a few short sprints to warm up. You can perform them continuously for time or in sets with a short rest break between sets. Build up from short intervals to longer.
Off-Season: 1 Interval Trainings per week Pre-Season (4-6 weeks before camp): 2 Interval Trainings per week
Wisconsin Drill
Sprint Rest
Warm up
100 metres Rest 3 times the number of seconds of the 100 metres.
100 metres Rest 3 times
200 metres Rest 3 times
200 metres Rest 3 times
200 metres Rest 3 times
200 metres Rest 3 times
400 metres Rest 3 times
400 metres Rest 3 times
Cool down
'Sprint' Drill (total time: 15-30 minutes)
Use a playfield of lined gym floor. Sprint a sequence of distances. Rest. Repeat.
Example: From start position sprint and then walk back to start or rest 1-3 times the work.
Level 1. Use lines that allow a 10- second effort. Repeat 4 to 6 times.
Level 2. Use lines that allow a 20- second effort. Repeat 4 times
Level 3. Use lines that allow a 30 - second effort. Repeat 3 times
STRENGTH
You go through challanging seasons that require you to be in outstanding shape. The way you accomplish playing day in and day out is through strong on and off-ice conditioning programs. On the ice, you must be able to give your best on every shift. To achieve that goal, you must work hard not only on the ice, but also off-ice. A good off-season training program will improve your performance on the ice. You need a combination of muscle strength and endurance, usually with slightly more emphasis on the strength portion in the off-season. Select resistance and repetitions toward the end of the range that is closest to the element you most want to develop ie. strength or endurance. If you want more strength use more weight and fewer repetitions. Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle or groups of muscles to produce a large amount of force a few times. In the off-season focus more on strength. Design a program to work at 80% to 90% resistance for up to 3 sets of 5 to 10 repetitions and do such training 3 or 4 times per week.
A second method is to perform 1 set of 12, 1 set of 10 and 1 set of 8 reps. When you can perform the last set with relative ease, add a small amount of weight the next time. You can do lower body twice a week, upper body twice or select a total body workout in one session 3 -4 times per week.
Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or groups of muscles to work for an extended period of time. In the pre-season integrate more endurance (higher reps, lower weight). Select a training level of 50% to 60% resistance for 30 repetitions and 2 to 3 sets. Do this for 3-5 days per week.
A. Strength Exercises
Warm up and stretch first 5-10 minutes
Seated Leg curls
Leg extensions
Lunges
Squat (proper technique and warm up first)
Calf raises
Lateral Crossover Box Step-Ups
Bench press (spotter)
Dumbell Flys
Military press above head
Seated behind neck press (spotter)
Seated Rows
Lat Pull-Downs
Close grip chin ups, palms facing in or out
Tricep dips
Push Press Upright Rows
Rowing
Calf raises with more than body weight
Standing Barbell Curls
Z bar curls
Reverse curls
hammer, straight or twisting dumbell curls
Tricep pushdowns
Barbell curls (biceps)
Wrist curls with barbell
Wrist rollups: round roller and rope attached to weight
Abdominals
Quite possibly the most neglected muscles in a hockey player's body are those that control upper body positioning and control, the stomach and lower back. Abdominal exercises such as sit-ups are great for strengthening your abdominal muscles, yet sit-ups alone aren't the best calorie burner. It takes aerobic exercise, like walking, running or cycling, to expend the kind of energy necessary to lose unwanted fat. To rediscover the abs of your youth, you'll need a three-pronged approach: eat a low-fat healthy diet, do some kind of continuous aerobic activity at least four times a week for at least 30-45 minutes and do sets of sit-ups at least three times a week. Our quest for power and speed focuses on developing our legs and arms, overlooking the importance of well conditioned abdominal and lower back muscles. Every shot, change of direction, and all body contact stems from your midsection. Exercise for 5-10 minutes each day. A mat is good for ab work.
Suggestions:
On training ball (Swiss ball) do abdominal crunches
Normal Crunches (_____reps ______sets)
*can vary difficulty eg. feet on floor, feet raised up, feet on wall, hands by ears, hands out front, slow, two counts, etc
Cross-over crunches twisting upper torso (_____reps ______sets)
Neck strengthening exercises
* Isometric exercises. Maximal contraction of each neck muscle group is held for six seconds against resistance.
* Sideways turn head, 6 seconds, reverse direction.
* Sideways lower head, 6 seconds, reverse direction
* Tilt head forwards, 6 seconds, reverse direction
* Tilt head backwards, 6 seconds, reverse direction
Cool down stretch
QUICK FEET TRAINING
Very short sprints and quick-feet training can improve agility and starting speed. The exercises are performed as a rapid sprint 5-20 metres distance. Walk back or provide adequate rest between activities, but try to keep moving around.
A. Activities
Run backwards
Knees up
Knees up and guarding boxer style
Side shuffles, foot to foot
Side shuffles, 1/2 shuffle
Cross-over stepping sideways -foot crosses in front
Cross-over stepping - foot crosses behind
Cross-over stepping - alternating front/behind
180 degree turns
360 degree turns
180 degree turns - do twice as fast
360 degree turns - do twice as fast
Zig-zag running 2-3 left, 2-3 right slalom weaving jogging – forwards and backwards
Several short, rapid steps backwards
Several short rapid steps backwards, then turn 180 degrees and run forwards
Several short, rapid steps backwards, then side shuffles, foot to foot or 1/2 shuffle
Knee turn-outs walking: lift knee up and inwards, then flare out to side in air, lower and repeat with other leg as you walk forward.
Side shuffles quickly sideways , pivot to shuffles, facing opposite direction
360 degrees spins jogging: both ways
Figure 8's – forwards, backwards, and forwards/backwards facing one way all the time
Backward to forward pivots – cross-over and not crossing over
Lunge walking
Start on ground, get up, quick start
˝ squats walking
Single and double faking while running
Crossover striding – extend left leg, return under midline, then crossover with right
Sprint carrying a small weight or bag or partner
Run forward and change direction to right, to left
INLINE SKATING
Your primary objective should be to reinforce correct skating techniques. Anytime you are in skates, hockey or inline, correct skating motions should be performed. This will develop good habits, not bad ones. Assuming you do this, enjoy a nice sunny day on your blades and remember to wear an inline skating helmet and sufficient protective equipment. Vary your workouts to include distance training and technical skills training. Train on your inline skates 2-3 times per week. Perhaps you can inline skate to work and back. To avoid dehydration and sun burn, skate in the morning or evening and drink plenty of fluids. Select a safe, newly paved surface. You should supplement your inline skating with sprints and if possible actual skating using your game skates.
A. Distance Training- skate a 50% speed for 20-30 minutes maintaining a 90 degree kneebend. Try to find a route with changing scenery.
B. Technical Skills Training- Work on your skating and puck control skills for 30-45 minutes. Create drills to develop your forward and backward strides, crossunders, turns, stickhandling, passing, and shooting.
SLIDE BOARD
A training tool widely used by international speedskaters and competitive hockey players to develop leg strength, correct striding, and to provide a challenging cardiovascular workout. Make your own. Remove the knob and hardware from a regular 7 foot door. Glue a piece of smooth Formica or Arborite product 7 feet long by 2 feet wide to one side of the door. Take two, 2 foot long pieces of wood by one inch high, and glue and screw one to each end of the door at approximately a 75-80 angle. A small padding glued to the inside edge of the sticks is advisable to act as bumper for the skater sliding back and forth. A silicone spray on the surface of the Formica, and a pair of sweat socks worn over light shoes will minimize friction. Powerful leg thrusts and upper body control must be maintained throughout. Use the slide board twice a week.
A. Endurance - stroke a steady effort 20 minutes maintaining a good kneebend and a consistent head level. Swing your arms back and forth to involve your upper body and to finish the transfer of body weight. Carry a stick with gloves and if you can stickhandle a ball out front.
B. Interval 40 secs.-Pick up the tempo of your strides to approximately twice that of your distance training. Three sets of three 40 seconds at 80-90%. Rest 80 seconds between reps and 2 minutes between sets.
C. Interval 20 secs. - Pick up the tempo. Three sets of three 20 seconds at 80-90%. Rest 60 seconds between reps and 1 minutes between sets.
PUCK CONTROL/SHOOTING DRILLS
On a smooth surface, build a shooting board from arborite or other slippery surface. Using a ball or puck, make-up creative stickhandling and shooting drills 2-4 times per week. Make up a net size target 6 feet by 4 feet. Paint the border red. Paint the important corners and five hole to shoot at. Practice 50-500 pucks a day if you want to improve!
Suggestions-
A. Place pucks in a triangle or square or any other random pattern and work on your reach and "soft hands". Develop a soft feel for the puck/ball using controlled wrist and arm motions.
B. Hang durable plastic bottles from a hockey net and practice hitting the targets from different angles both on the forehand and backhand. Change your foot position to face directly, stand side-on, and stand 45 degrees to target. If you are a left hand shooter, shoot off the left as well (opposite for right handers). Learn to look at and focus on hitting your target, never settle for just getting close. Have contests with your friends and family or keep track of your accuracy percentage. Make those hanging bottles dance. Use:
a. wrist shots
b. snap shots
c. slap shots
d. back hand shots
e. flip shots
Try a rapid shot drill as well, shoot 10 pucks as fast as possible.
C. Shoot weighted pucks only 20 % of the time compared to regular pucks.
D. Stickhandle a golf ball on a slick surface to develop soft, quick hands. Pay special attention to the sounds of the ball hitting the stick blade. There should be little or no sound. Work on range of motion, reaching the golf ball around your body, even using your feet. To develop 'feel', close eyes and stickhandle.
VARIOUS OFF-SEASON ACTIVITIES
The nature of the game draws us in and consumes us. We eat, breathe, and sleep perfectly taped sticks, and game-winning goals. Many of us play year-round and are at risk of burning out. Burnout is very real and happens to players at all levels. Here are examples of off-season activities.
With hockey stick, passing ball back and forth with a friend/teammate.
Stickhandle with hockey ball and control a soccer ball with feet
Attach strong rubber tubing to waist, anchor and stickhandle moving ahead
Shooting tennis or hockey balls against targets/goals on dryland
Mini-games street hockey, grass hockey with friends.
Tennis to develop eye-hand coordination
Lacrosse
Soccer pick-up games or kick around with friends.
Baseball games or just play catch.
Wrist roller small light weight tied to a round wooden roll; roll up and down under control
Tape 2-4 pucks to the stickblade and stickhandle without a puck to strengthen wrists.
Wrist grippers strengthening or other wrist strengthening equipment.
Summer public skating or hockey.
Cycling outdoors if you have a bicycle
Instructor at hockey schools.
Ping pong (table tennis) - especially for goalies
Reaction training for goalies
a. Partner exercise: one person throws ball off wall, goalie faces wall with glove, blocker, mask
b. Partner hits tennis balls at goalie in a goal off-ice from 25-40 feet.
Pre-camp conditioning on ice is optimal. Skating ability remains the key determinant that differentiates elite and recreational players, between first line players and third line players - at all levels. Professional skating instruction can be expensive but a strong skating stride, dynamic balance, explosive quickness, lateral movement and agility separate a top player from an average player. At all levels, smooth mobile skaters not only win one-on-one situations, but also re-gain their position quicker. They also use up less energy during complex skating maneuvers because they skate with a greater mechanical efficiency. Poor skating mechanics are very inefficient as it takes much more energy to cover the same ground or fulfill the same move.
When more fuel is consumed to meet on-ice demands, fatigue sets in and fine motor control is inhibited, further curtailing skating performance.
NUTRITION
For hockey players, nutrition is an important part of their training. A balanced diet helps athletes to get nutrients quickly to muscles that are in need of replenishing. It is important to have a balanced diet that consists of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Athletes should make sure to get their daily servings from all the food groups. Also, when you are working out regularly, it is important to intake more calories than the normal population because hockey players are expending a lot more energy. Overweight players working out hard and eating balanced meals who lose weight too quickly should be careful. Choose wisely the foods you eat because they do affect your performance. Water is also very important in hockey players' diets. The body should always be properly hydrated. Sports drinks help to hydrate the body quicker during practices and games.
OFF SEASON HOCKEY TIPS
Get Out and Do Some Training.
A. Stay Physically Fit
When the season is over, you want to keep active and not get too far away from being physically fit. Tony Amonte recommends that you do a lot of leg-work and concentrate on your lower body in the off-season. That's going to get you where you need to go on the ice. Do a lot of leg conditioning in the off-season, whether it's riding a bike, running or weight-training. Amonte has a new strength and conditioning coach in Chicago, and he has us doing a lot of jumps, single-leg squats and lunges. It doesn't matter how old you are. You can go out and do things like jumps and plyometrics.
B. Strength Training
Strength training has become big in hockey during the last 10 or 15 years. It's important to do some weight training because it will help you get stronger and win more battles for the puck. But remember to train properly.
C. Get Outside
Be active. Sitting at home watching videos, going to the coffee shop, or working on the computer (unless you're doing school work or work related activities), can be a reward after working out.
D. Play Other Sports
Playing other sports besides hockey will help you improve different parts of your game. It's fun playing soccer, baseball, tennis, golf, etc. In the summertime consider taking a little time off and play hockey maybe once, twice or three times a week.
E. Watch out for the burnout factor.
That can come into play when you concentrate on only one sport or activity all year around. Don't push yourself to play hockey 365 days a year. If you enjoy it play as much as they'd like. If you don't seem to enjoy it, back off a little bit.
BASELINE FITNESS EVALUATION SELF ASSESSMENT
Complete self-assessment and compare results in each month. Mark it on your calendar.
Name
Height (inches)
Weight (lbs.)
A. Push ups until the movement is forcibly strained
B. Sit ups in 60 seconds
C. 2.4 km. run (6 laps of 400 meter track or measure distance using car odometer)
Push-ups ___________
Sit ups ___________
Time 2.4 kms.______________
MOTIVATION
Success is the sum of small efforts-repeated day in and day out.
Pre-planning and preparation prevents poor performance.
Things that come easy are of little value, valuable things like championships require hard work. All decisions we make in life are no different than shopping. All you have to do is make sure you can pay the price.
People who don't achieve their goals are divided into two classes----those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought. --John Charles Salak
"The ones who want to achieve and win championships motivate themselves." -Mike Ditka
There are three kids of persons; there are those who make things happen; there are those who see things happen and there are those who arrive and ask, what happened here?
Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off of the goal. Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're probably right. Can't is something capable people say, to excuse themselves from trying. Don't say you can't. It's either you won't or you will.
Tomorrow's battle is won during today's practice. - Samurai maxim
There are two roads that touch success. One is through determination and hardwork, and one through luck. To take the first path you will get TO SUCCESS from an ineffective solution. To take the second you will come FROM SUCCESS to an ineffective solution.
When your opponent defeats you, ... train harder.
A graduating university hockey player...a rookie that worked hard.
You can't reach the top unless you start climbing.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
If it works for you, use it. If it doesn´t, lose it.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
Act to overcome your weakness, and your weakness will become your strength. Hockey is like a brick wall. You're only as good as your foundation.
The extra mile is the stretch of road that is never crowded.
Japanese Proverb: "ichigo ichiye" Meet everyone as if it may be the last time you meet them. This proverb can mean: Always do your best.
The secret to getting ahead is getting started. GRB
