By: Sam Chapman
Hockey season is officially underway leaving little time for workouts between practices, games, and being on the road. So whatever workout an athlete manages to squeeze in must maximize time and productivity. That means, trading in endless sessions of pumping iron and aerobics for efficient workouts done twice a week.

These workouts should incorporate multi-joint strength movements combined with interval conditioning like strong man (aka strength athlete) maneuvers that work the entire body done medley style. Medley style, or circuit style, is when several targeted exercises are done one after the other with little rest time in between to build endurance.

Heavy leg training isn’t always necessary because hockey players suffer the most losses in the areas of the upper body pushing and pulling strength while the legs manage to maintain their power. Therefore, the legs should only receive minor attention.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when training during the season, the eccentric or lowering portion of a lift can cause increased soreness. So as a preventative measure, consider replacing eccentric motions with partial lifts and sled training.

Finally, make sure to supplement main lifts with injury prevention work to protect vulnerable areas like shoulders, rotator cuffs, the lower back, groin, and forearms.

POWER

Medicine Ball Rotational Throw 2 x 4 each side	Standing Broad Jump 2 x 6	Explosive Push-up 2 x 6	Medicine Ball Slam 2 x 6
Take a stance parallel to the wall and explosively throw the medicine ball against it from waist-level.	Stand with your legs hip-width apart and dip explosively into a quarter squat (knees at a 20 to 30 degree angle)	Standard clapping push-up	Raise a heavy medicine ball over your head, throw it explosively against the floor, and catch it on the rebound

STRENGTH

COMPLEX A
Dumbbell Clean and Press 2×5	Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift-Bent Row 2 x 5
Hang a heavy set of dumbbells at arm’s length. Dip slightly, jump up, and shrug explosively	Take a single dumbbell, and on one leg, keeping the back neutral and the chest and head arched, hinge at the hips, bending the knees slightly to lower the dumbbell to mid-calf. Then perform a bent-over row with your knees slightly bent, hinging at the waist, and pulling the dumbbell up to your chest.

COMPLEX B
Single Leg Dead Lift 2 x 5 each side	Wide Grip Towel Pull-ups 2 x 5-10
Using one dumbbell, squat down as if picking up a box with your head down, back arched, and extending one dumbbell in front of you, then lift up.	Complete a regular pull-up with your arms extended further than chest-width, gripping a towel draped over the bar.

COMPLEX C
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press 2×5	Lateral Shoulder Raise 3 x12	Rotator Cuff Raise 3 x 12
Traditional bench press, but with the bench at a 45 degree angle to work the shoulders	Keep the elbows at a 90 degree angle and raise them laterally to try and touch the shoulder to the ear	With the dumbbell at your side, raise it to eye level, and rotate it perpendicular to the body.

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT
Angle Lunge 3 x 8	Adduction and Abduction 3 x 10	Glut-Ham Raises 3 x 10
Simple dumbbell lunge out to a 45 degree angle and back	Loop a resistance band around the ankle of one foot, stand perpendicular to an anchor point, and then pull and push against the band with that ankle.	Kneel on the floor and then lower and raise your body using the muscles in the gluts and hamstrings.

CORE COMPLEX
Hanging Leg Raise 3 x 10	Turkish Get-Up 2 x 5
Hang from a bar with your knees locked, and then raise your legs to a 90 degree angle with as little momentum as possible.	Using one hand raise a dumbbell over your head while lying on the ground, do a sit up using your free hand, rise to a lunge, then stand up. Return to first position in reverse.

CONDITIONING MEDLEY complete these exercises in succession, 3-5 rounds
Sled Push-Backpedal	Tire Flips (set of 6)	Farmer’s Carry
Push a weighted sled for a set distance, then drag the sled in reverse while running	Squat in a dead lift position, pull the tire up to waist height, then flip it over using the hands and knee of one leg to explosively push it forward	Grab a set of heavy dumbbells and walk a set distance, and come back.