ramping up

It’s almost time to start serious training for next season.  Everyone knows about the soreness when you first get back to the gym, it happens to everyone, you just have to get through it.  I like to have my athletes get back in phases.  What this means is- start back to lifting, save the running or do light tempo runs(70% intensity) 2-4 times per week for 2-3 weeks.  Once the body has adapted to the lifting stress, then you will add the higher intensity runs that will build acceleration and strength.

A recent study I read shows that VO2 max in tests was increased in subjects participating in a sprint training program.  Speed and acceleration, however, are not enhanced in a long distance running program.  I said it before, but it bears repeating with summer training season upon us- hockey is an acceleration sport, not a distance running sport.  Don’t spend precious summer training time working on qualities that are not going to directly enhance your on-ice performance.

Check Mike Boyle’s StrengthCoach.com website for a super article on that subject.