Hockey Champions Are Made in The Off-Season

There’s no better way to prepare for a hockey season than to use the off-season to get stronger, faster, and more explosive. For most hockey players, seasons are long. Typically the summer is a time when there is a bit of a break in the regularly scheduled programming which means it’s on the athlete to make a training plan when practices aren’t in session. There are many benefits to dedicating some time to rest and recovery, however here are some ways you can increase your performance during the off-season.

Create A Workout Schedule

Commit to an off-season training schedule that will help increase agility, strength, and flexibility. Below you will find seven exercises that are demonstrated and explained by Damian Parker, CSCS Certified Personal Trainer (Boston, MA). These movements were chosen with the athlete in mind and designed specifically for athletes looking to stay dedicated during the offseason.

Find A Workout Buddy

Another way you can get better during the off-season is to find a teammate or friend you can workout with. Finding a buddy you can hit the rinks with when the season is over will help you stay sharp. Feel free to lean on the TeamSnap app to schedule additional workouts or send a message in the chat feature to see who wants to workout!

Set Goals

Don’t wait for the season to start to build out your list of goals. During the off-season you can also practice goal setting. Figure out some areas of your hockey game that you want to improve and write it out. Every day check in with your goals and see where you are at. This is a great baseline to hold yourself accountable even when practices aren’t in session. Some of your goals may even carry over into the regular season. [Read more: How Setting Goals Can Keep Kids Motivated During Time Off]

Stay Connected

Staying connected to your teammates and coaches is important during the off-season. A team sport is all about attaining individual goals, but also reaching team goals. Keep an open dialogue with your teammates about how their training is going and express excitement about the season ahead. The more connected you stay, the better the on-the-rink chemistry there will be. Learn how teams stayed connected during COVID-19.

We hope some of these tips will be a useful starting place for your hockey training and mindset during the offseason. And, just remember: Champions are made in the offseason.

Have an Athlete Interested in the NCAA Recruitment Process?

With your summer training humming on all cylinders, the time is right to start thinking about the college recruitment process. TeamSnap has partnered up with Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) to help you through the recruitment journey. NCSA offers comprehensive recruiting tools to help you through the college recruiting process that is completely customized to you. For more information or to take advantage of NCSA’s great resources, click here!