As a middle age rec leaguer, I'm pretty fit and can skate pretty well. But I feel like my play with the puck is far worse than it should be given all the games and classes I've done.
I know I need to devote more time to just stickhandling in the basement. But aside from that, any suggestions on how to improve my play with the puck, especially receiving hard passes?
Caveats: While I have a basement area where I can stickhandle, I cannot set up a shooting area. Wish I could.
Also, despite the countless rinks in Ottawa, Stick and Puck does not exist here. So simple time on the ice won't happen. (until the outdoor rinks open)
Coachdoig posted
this excellent video in the "Teaching The Modern Snap Shot" thread. This is the kind of stuff I'm talking about.
Work Out.
There are two things that will make you a better hockey player in any area of the game. Practice the skill and work out.
Simple as that. Believe it or not. Working out using compound exercises like squats, deadlift, cleans, box jumps, pull ups. wall balls and more can significantly improve your bodies physical capabilities or in other words athleticism. Honest. I feel as though its obvious but I have heard people argue that doing squats does not make you a better hockey player. I for one know it does because I see the change in my play when I do and I dont do my work outs. Front squat for example is a great thing for hockey players. Real ones that have you really have your butt touch your ankles is great to improve your center of gravity, your balance, your strength, power and how to generate force. Controlling your body like that can make you faster, stronger skater especially with the puck.
You need to develop your core strength too. Biggest misconception is that our core is just our abs or abs and back... however it is mostly the muscles in between like the ones along our spine that help us keep balance even when lifting like say a luggage around an airport. And focusing on medium-high (mostly high) intensity exercises because they serve to be more efficient. With a proper warm up, stretch, HIIT work out and coll down you really dont have to be dedicated to it more than an hour. And according to the Tabata experiment, 4 minute high intensity interval training has served to be greater for your overall fitness and VO2 than doing a 60-minute medium interval training. Yes.
However I worry that because your middle aged, you probably brush off the "work outs" and say hockey is mostly my form of fitness. Well whether your a business man, father, just a regular guy trying to get through the day then I would still recommend HIIT training. Gary Roberts page really explains it well
http://www.fitnessinstitute.com/gary-roberts-hpc/executive-programs/
I would recommend that you look into work out classes like Crossfit or MMA especially jui-Jitzu and who knows maybe both. Heck, you may even find a whole new hobby.
I would also highly recommend do your own research and practices. There is the world - wide web and Crossfit for example has done a GREAT job in providing an easy open source of fitness and nutritional information.
If you cant join one of these places for whatever reason, look into signing up for P90x or Insansity. Also very efficient. But I would call it second class to MMA training or Crossfit. I would look into your diet. A lot of bad habits when doing an athletic event like hockey can stem back to your diet. There are tons of studies and research done on the effects of eating Gluten or a grain-rich diet which is true for even non-allergic or celiec people. And much more.
You can very well buy your own weights or join a gym yourself. Howvever I would still recommend being open minded and looking into the journal entries and youtube videos of Crossfit to gain proper knowledge of what is fitness and health. I havnt joined a CF gym or a MMA gym yet but I do a lot of their training daily at my own gym and I see the benefits in all the sports i play especially hockey.
I am not suggesting that you have to all of a sudden train like Sidney Crosby or a professional athlete. You dont have to devote your life to diet and training. But the more you put in, the more you get out. Stay active.
if there is one last thing I can mention it is this.
Imagine when your walking. You are efficient in this to some degree. Now hold a heavy luggage on one side of your body and walk and you will see you have a tougher time. Like hockey, you can be a decent skater but it will be harder to do something when your asked to have 2 hands on a stick and focus on carrying a puck. You will need great core strength, better flexibility and hip mobility. And yes skill.
So indulge into some good functional work outs weekly or whenever you can. you will see a benefit
