This is a guest post from Kevin Neeld

In my 18 years as a player and on-ice instructor and now as an off-ice specialist, I have seen countless players get cut and/or lose their competitive edge because they can’t keep up with the speed at that current level. While everyone’s speed potential is a little different, the truth is that every player can improve his/her speed if they train the right way. Below are 5 off-ice training tips to help you develop game-changing speed on the ice!

 Tip # 1: Focus on Short Distances (10-15 yards)

Hockey is a game of quick bursts of speed and changes of direction. It’s more about acceleration and deceleration than max speed. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you win the race around the rink; it matters that you win the race from the front of the net to the corner. Short distance sprints will help you develop an explosive first step and powerful leg drive, two key components in improving acceleration. The body positions during these distances also more directly replicate the forward lean or “acceleration angle” that you want on the ice, meaning there’ll be better transfer.

 Tip # 2: Train Quick Movement NOT Quick Feet

One of the first things every player is taught is to look at the chest of his/her opponent. This allows you to better track the player and not get mesmerized by puck movement, which will give you a better opportunity to separate the player from the puck. As a necessary byproduct of this, it means that the offender would be more dangerous if they were able to displace their trunk faster. In reality, this is just another definition of speed, but it contrasts the idea of “quick feet” being important. Many of the world’s fastest skaters don’t have quick feet. They have powerful strides. In contrast, I’ve seen a ton of players that move their feet really quickly, but don’t move very fast. When most people say they want quick feet, they really mean that they want speed (or acceleration, as noted above). It’s not just semantics; understanding the difference will affect your training. For example, many players default to using agility ladders as a means of developing quick feet, and they will. But the next time you’re around someone doing agility ladders, watch their chest as you would on the ice. It barely moves at all, and most people stare at their feet while they go through to make sure they’re placing their feet in the correct places. Quick feet, but not moving very fast and staring down-not exactly the best habits to develop! Tap dancers need quick feet. Hockey players need powerful legs. Toss your quick feet exercises in favor of some resistance training and your on-ice speed will skyrocket.

 Tip # 3: Don’t Confuse Speed Work with Conditioning

Explosive; not tired. That’s what I tell all the players I work with. Most players are taught to sprint, jog back to the starting line and sprint again. Unfortunately, this practice is very counter-productive. The goal of speed training (or acceleration training) is to perform maximal efforts to improve the maximal capacity of that physical quality. It is physiologically impossible to perform at your max if you don’t give your body adequate rest. Maximal efforts deplete stores of two substrates called ATP and Phosphocreatine that help rapidly produce energy. Max efforts also put a strain on your nervous system, which is a driving force in producing speed and power. All of these things need adequate time to recover between sprints. As a general rule, you’ll want to rest about a minute between sprints of 10-15 yards. You’re breathing should be fully recovered before you start the next rep, so if you feel like you need time to catch your breath, take it! Just keep reminding yourself, the goal is to increase MAXIMAL capacity through all-out efforts. If you’re breathing heavy through your sprints, you’re officially conditioning, not speed training.

 Tip # 4: Incorporate Lateral Starts

Hockey is not a linear sport. Even when players skate in a straight line, their legs are driving on a 45 degree angle to the side and their arms are swinging in a somewhat diagonal line. This is the major pitfall of simply stealing a track and field sprint program and applying it to hockey; it’s the correct preparation for the wrong sport. One way to make your speed training more hockey-specific is to incorporate lateral starts. These teach explosive leg drive in lateral/diagonal directions, very similar to what you need to do on the ice. A few examples are the side lunge(pictured below), lateral standing, lateral standing on outside leg, and lateral standing on inside leg.

 Tip # 5: Progress to Transitional Patterns

Building on the ideas of multi-directional movement and explosive direction changes, you can progress your speed training to include what I call transitional speed exercises. With these, you can transition in direction and/or movement pattern. These allow you to directly replicate many of the body positions and transitional movements that can make or break your expression of speed on the ice. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. 5-Yard Lateral Shuffle -> 10-Yard Forward Sprint
2. 5-Yard Backward Shuffle -> 10-Yard Forward Sprint
3. 5-Yard Lateral Back Pedal -> 10-Yard Forward Sprint
4. 5-Yard Forward Back Pedal -> 10-Yard Forward Sprint
5. 5-Yard Forward Sprint-> 5-Yard Backward Back Pedal -> 10-Yard Forward Sprint

Note that all of these are still performed within 20 yards of total distance, and most are within 15. The goal with these is to focus on being explosive through the starts AND transitions.

Following these tips will help you make more progress in less time and ensure that you’re off-ice training transfers to on-ice results. If you have any questions, feel free to post them below. If you’re interested in more tips like this, I encourage you to check out the three FREE hockey training videos available at http://Ultimate-Hockey-Training.com, which cover transitional speed training for hockey, hockey conditioning, and complete off-ice hockey training.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

Kevin Neeld is the President, COO, and Director of Athletic Development of Endeavor Sports Performance in Pitman, NJ and the author of Ultimate Hockey Training, the most comprehensive off-ice training resource available today. Through the creative application of innovative training and injury prevention techniques, Kevin specializes in guiding athletes to optimal health and performance. For more information on training with Kevin, visit http://KevinNeeld.com

We just published a face-off video and article with a tonne of great tips for winning more faceoffs, check it out here how to win faceoffs in hockey

This is a guest post from Jeff Serowik, former NHL’er and owner of Pro Ambitions Hockey, Inc.

A former teammate of mine Yanic Perreault who had a brilliant NHL career made millions of dollars because he’s one of the leagues premier face-off guys. NHL GMs value these guys like goal scorers because the more face-offs your team wins the more puck possession the team has thus creating a winning environment.

Face-offs are all 5 guys (I refer to guys in this article but I haven’t forgotten about the girls) responsibilities. Each guy on the ice has a job and needs to pull his weight. The center is the leader on the ice and needs to make sure all guys know their responsibilities each and every time a face off is taken.

In the Offensive Zone the center has 3 options:

1. Win the puck back to defenseman for a shot and all forwards hold up/get in the way of their opponent (without taking a interference penalty) keep your feet moving and crash the net for screens and rebounds. Defense get your shot to the net even if it is a wrist shot 4-5” in the air.
2. Push the puck forward and trying to either get a shot on net off the face off or put it in the general vicinity of the net and crash for rebounds.
3. Tie the opponents stick up and have your winger come in and get puck 

   Typical alignment on these face offs is wingers on either side of center. The guy in front of the net holds up his guy and then goes to net for screens.The winger on the boards is assisting the center for loose pucks and going into corner to fight for puck if the center loses the draw.

In the Neutral Zone the center has the same types of options listed above, but is ultimately trying to win the face-off and gain possession of the puck. Wingers must hold up and then get open for a pass from defenseman.

Defenseman must be ready to receive puck and either move it to your defensive partner, pass to the wing or center,or dump it in. (If you dump the puck in, it must be either a soft dump-a chip in so the wingers can chase after it, or a hard rimmed dump that the goalie can’t stop behind the net. If you dump the puck in and the goalie stops it and gains possession it’s a give away). Transition is very important to your offensive attack.Put the puck in the forwards hands as fast as you can so they can pressure the other teams defense with speed.

Tip: It’s imperative that wherever the puck is you must support the puck.This means you must always face the puck, open up your body and be ready for a pass with stick on the ice. You never want to have your back to the puck because if a pass comes you won’t see it or you will get your bell rung. Communicate and learn to catch passes on forehand and backhand. Give a nice target.

In the Defensive Zone possession is vital. The center must make sure his line mates know their responsibilities. The center has the same3 options listed above but wingers can have several different alignments.I generally like to have the wingers on each side of the center.The winger’s job if the face-off is lost is to get out to the defense and prevent them from shooting the puck. You have to battle through hold-ups, stick on the ice and take out your defenseman. If the defenseman knows he is going to get punished every time he shoots the puck he will rush the shot and get it blocked or it will be a soft shot. I broke my nose 2 different times shooting the puck from the point in games as a pro. The forwards came at me so hard and try to intimidate you. I broke my beak when the forward threw his shoulder or stick in my face after I shot the puck. Needless to say, I rushed my shot and paid the price. Forwards must also get “Big” and be in the shooting lane so you can block a shot. Always line yourself up with your net so you know your in the shooting lane.

If the center wins the face-off the defenseman grabs the puck and goes behind the net with breakaway speed and hits his winger on the far side. This is an art and needs to be worked on with the coach putting pressure on the defenseman to simulate game situations. Defenseman should always stay tight to the net and use it as a deterrent from the opponent. After you pass the puck the defense must skate up ice as hard as he can to try and create offense as a 4th attacker or if the puck is turned over the defense has great gap (right in the face of the other team)

PS

REMEMBER INTIMIDATION AND PERCEPTION IS VITAL IN HOCKEY. WHEN YOU GO INTO THE FACE OFF CIRCLE, LOOK LIKE A HOCKEY PLAYER. KNEES BENT, 2 HANDS AND A SCOWL ON YOUR FACE. IN A 1 ON 1 BATTLE ONLY ONE PERSON CAN WIN MAKE SURE IT’S YOU.

Tennis and sqaush are great sports to participate in because you really only need two people to play. You can also play by yourself if you really want, however you will not be challenged quite as much. I like squash a bit more because you are constantly changing direction, and you must move fast in order to get to the ball. I find with tennis if you are not that good you will spend more time getting the ball, rather than actually playing. Squash is a great sport you can start with your child and you will both benefit from the extra activity.

Skills that will transfer to hockey from Tennis and Squash

• Lateral movement
• Foot speed
• Importance of following through with shots
• Stop and starts and explosive movements
• Hustling to complete a play
• Hand eye coordination
• Strategy
• Building quick decision making

I have listed a number of skills that tennis and squash will help build that will also be important in the game of hockey, however there are many other sports that you can participate in that will help your game in hockey. You can read some of my articles to find a whole list of sports that you can play that will not only make you a better athlete, but also a better hockey player!

Photo credit J Brealow

Thanks for reading