From the Trainer’s Room

Simple to complex – Building a program from the ground up

When building a sports performance program, rehab protocol, or even a sports practice, there has to be a start and finish. Where does it start? How does it progress? What are the goals?

These are only a few questions that need to be answered when establishing proper protocols. Compete Sports Performance and Rehab has always been committed to building the athlete first and then fine tuning the athlete. Just like the old adage, you walk before you run.

The first thing to look at when putting a program together is to evaluate the athletes. What are their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, etc. The demands placed on the body in competition may be greater than the body is ready to accomplish. For instance, a hockey player may be asked in practice to skate on one leg in a squatted position.

If the athlete can’t maintain a onelegged squat on solid ground, how can we ask him or her to balance on a skate blade on ice?

number of sets. Once basic exercises are mastered, then a load can be applied. This load can be anything from dumbbells, medicine balls, weight vests or any other outside force.

As simple exercises are mastered, the program can be progressed to be more complex. Do this by tweaking exercises to make them harder. For example, convert squats to lunges, then change the angle of the lunge, perform the lunge on an unstable surface. Modified sit ups can be progressed to sit ups on a physioball and then sit ups on a physioball with the hands overhead. Progressing a program can be infinite, the designer just has to be innovative and stick with quality over quantity.

Chris Phillips

Designing a program can be put simply: “begin with the basics.” Use simple bodyweight exercises such as squats, push ups, pull ups and modified sit ups, for example. Begin performing a couple of sets of each exercise at low repetitions. As the training sessions continue, increase the number of repetitions and then the

Every training program, rehab or practice must have goals. There should be short term goals and long-term goals. What results do we want now and what results are we looking for in the future? Goals can be as simple as build strength and endurance to being quicker and more powerful to increasing core stability and reducing injury. Goals should be dependent on the athlete’s abilities and the demands placed on them by their sport or activity. Exercise prescription should again be progressed toward obtaining the goals being set, as long as it is in a safe manner and that exercises are being performed properly.

Successful programs are based on progression. Begin simple and challenge the athlete to master an exercise. Once the athlete succeeds, challenge him or her with something more demanding to obtain your goals.

Post-season rest, recovery in hockey

As many junior, college and youth hockey seasons come to an end, it’s time to step back and take a look at the year, recover from the harsh demands both physically and mentally, and set goals for the coming offseason.

Hopefully, you are playing in the USA Hockey National Championships, NCAA Frozen Four or junior playoffs, but if you aren’t, sit back and enjoy watching the games.

See what those players are doing and what you need to improve on to get there next season.

As you look back at your season, look at both the positives and the negatives. Break these things down into a team aspect and personal aspect. Although you may not be re- turning to the same team next season, look at how you made an impact on your teammates.

Think about what you did to make the team better. This could be anything from working hard on the penalty kill that led to high PK percentage rate or scoring goals not only in numbers, but important goals that changed the game.

Look at your leadership off the ice. Did you focus in meetings, work on the little things to make yourself and your team better?

Hockey seasons can involve anywhere from 25-80 games. The physical demands of playing tournaments, showcases, travel, practices, lessons can not only take a toll on your body physically, but also emotionally.

Take some time off the ice and out of the gym to let your body recover and to be a kid or young adult again