Some of the Nation's Top Hockey Strength Coaches Coming Together In Michigan
This April, hockeystrengthandconditioning.com and Advantage Strength and Conditioning are teaming up to host the second annual Great Lakes Hockey Strength and Conditioning Clinic, taking place at Advantage Strength on April 23rd, 2016. This 1-day clinic is a chance for coaches, strength and conditioning professionals, trainers, therapists and hockey families to hear from some of the best hockey strength coaches in the country and discover how to create more effective players on the ice by training intelligently off the ice.
Off-ice training is an essential part of developing hockey players. Today's players are faster, stronger, and more athletic than ever before, and we want to be sure coaches have the best information so they can help young players meet their potential. For this year's clinic, we have brought together speakers who are experts in the fields of hockey strength and conditioning, physical therapy, and skill development. We are very excited about this year's lineup which includes the following presenters and topics.
Monitoring for the Masses- Devan McConnell, UMass Lowell Director of Sports Performance: Coach McConnell will speak in detail about the performance monitoring which is an integral part of the UMass Lowell Hockey Performance Program, as well as break down simple, easy to execute monitoring strategies coaches at all levels can and should be implementing to improve the on ice performance of their teams.
Power Development for Hockey- Joe Maher, University of Michigan Hockey: In this hands-on session, coach Maher will demonstrate and coach some of the lifts he uses to give the Wolverine players an explosive first step on the ice, as well as instructing plyometrics and other power development strategies. Training for power is a key to many team sports, especially hockey where much of the game relies on a player's ability to repeat sprints throughout the game.
Bridging the Gap- Science to Injury Prevention in Hockey- Greg Roskovensky, Physical Therapist and Return to Play Specialist: Greg's presentation will discuss the current research on the field of injury prevention, popular thoughts on injury prevention methods, the current needs of our athletes, and how to use injury prevention methods within your training system. We will also discuss other aspects of injury prevention and recovery such as nutrition and hydration strategies that can be easily conveyed to your athletes in order to maximize health and performance.
Building a Well-Rounded Goaltender- Dave Cencer, Ferris State University Hockey: Goaltending is a unique position in ice hockey. Do goalies really need to train differently? If so, what exactly needs to be different? In this presentation, coach Cencer will discuss ideas for shaping a healthy, athletic, well-rounded goaltender. This will include videos of strength and power development, as well as conditioning of the Ferris State goaltenders.
Stride Mechanics and Strength Training- Sean Perkins, Asst. Director of Hockey, TPH: Great skating mechanics place a very specific demand on the legs, hips, and core of hockey players. Coach Perkins will discuss the Total Package Hockey approach to teaching proper stride mechanics, and take a closer look at the training that can produce a stronger, more efficient stride.
Free Pre-Conference
Strength Training Essentials for Hockey- Brian Sipotz, founder, Advantage Strength: This free per-conference session will be held on Friday, April 22nd from 7-8:30pm, and is open to anyone who would like to attend. Coach Sipotz will talk about the most important aspects of a well-rounded strength training program for hockey players, including improving power, single leg strength, and core strength. In addition to the lecture, he will provide a number of ideas for pre-practice strength training at the rink, which is the only time many coaches will have to train the team.
This will be a great way to kick off the weekend for any coaches in town for the clinic, or a stand-alone event for local coaches looking to learn more about what they can do with their team.
This spring, we are looking to top last year's clinic by providing even more ways for coaches to develop strong, healthy, efficient athletes. For more information or to register for either the per-conference or the clinic, visit the Great Lakes Hockey Strength Clinic page at greatlakeshockeystrength.com. Please feel free to contact me at bsipotz@advantagestrength.com if you have any questions about the clinic or even general questions about training your hockey players. Hope to see you at the clinic!