training with an eye on pre-season testing
With between 4 – 6 weeks before pro training camps open, what should be the emphasis of the last training block or 2?
Hopefully, speed has been addressed. The difference between NHL players and career AHL guys oftentimes is speed. Sprint speed, really acceleration, has been addressed in my columns. I’ll reiterate in a subsequent post, but for now- if you haven’t addressed pure acceleration- it isn’t too late. I’ve had athletes increase footspeed significantly in that short a time.
Back to the task at hand. With camps coming up, find out what testing will be done at the training camp you’ll be attending. If your training is optimal for hockey, and the tests are testing hockey specific qualities, then there is little need for “training for the tests.” Hockey specific qualities being upper and lower body explosive power, some test for core strength and core stability, possibly an agility test, a speed endurance test, such as the wingate. If you find a test component that you’re not comfortable with, practice it, get a comfort level with it. e.g. If you’re bad at pull ups, work on pull ups- get off the lat pulls, like NOW!!
I don’t believe in training for the VO2 max test- it is not a good test for hockey, it is an excellent test for marathon runners and Tour cyclists, remember hockey is a sprint/ acceleration sport. It takes time away from training for maximal on-ice benefit- no room in it in my programs. If that’s your worst test, you got no worries.
2 of my athletes recently completed preseason testing for the KHL- almost all the tests covered areas that we had addressed daily within the training program. I was thrilled to see that they tested actual hockey specific qualities, and I knew they’d test near the top based on the system we used to train.
So to conclude, check the tests, adjust your training if you need to. And keep building acceleration and speed!!
