If you want a comprehensive hockey training program but don’t know where to start, Nike put a program together in conjunction with Gary Roberts and Matt Nichol. It’s thorough and easy to follow. I’ll share my thoughts on it in greater detail below.

Here is a link to download the PDF.

The entire workout is on Youtube, as well.

About the Program:

Created by big league veteran Gary Roberts and pro trainer Matt Nichol, The Program gives you the tools to crush anyone who stands in your way. It focuses on building a solid foundation of speed, strength, agility and quickness, and adds explosiveness to your game. Your coaches and teammates will take notice, and you’ll earn that extra time on the ice

Program Structure

Weeks 1-4 – Speed and Power

This is the beginning of your journey. Here we take the momentum you have from finishing off last season, and push it to another level in the gym. You’ll have two days of Active Recovery every week, and that’s your chance to get out of the gym and play any sport you want.

Week 5 – Active Recovery

This is an Active Recovery week. It’s not a week off.  Customize your workout schedule by playing sports or doing other workouts you enjoy. Take your bike, rollerblade, or go for a sustained run. Get out there every day of the week. Try to break a sweat.

Weeks 6-9 – Explosiveness

You will be feeling stronger and quicker. And it’s time to push even harder. We’ve added field exercises to a more intense gym workout. Weeks 6-9 are where we work on the explosiveness and quickness you’ll need when you’re back on the ice. These are the most intense weeks.

Week 10 – Active Recovery

Once again, this is a recovery week. It’s not a week off. There are plenty of other exercises outside of your normal schedule that will really enhance your performance. Try quick reaction games like soccer or basketball which balance lateral movement and power.Keep pushing.

Weeks 11-12 – Training Camp

The drills you’ll find here will complement your Training Camp on-ice workouts you’re already getting. You can work out any two days of the week, but try to keep 48 hours between The Program workouts. If you’ve come this far, your coaches and teammates will definitely notice.

Takeaways:

• The PDF is very thorough (as mentioned), and very hockey specific. Hip mobility is a focus, as is stability through the core and shoulders.

• This is one of my favorite core exercises, and it should be a staple of any sports-related program. It challenges the core, shoulders, and hips, and it doesn’t put your spine into flexion like sit ups and crunches do.
• The recovery weeks are important – improvements are made during your rest time. Overtraining is as bad as under training, and for long-term, sustainable changes to be made, the body has to be given enough time to recover and repair.
• This program is obviously general, but slight modifications can tailor it to most people. What I like is that the essentials are covered, it provides proper progressions, and the directions are clear, consistent, and easy to follow.

A lot of the exercises are on Youtube at the Nike Hockey account, so if you are struggling with form, watching the exercise performed properly should help.

Again, if you are looking for a hockey-specific training program to follow – I’d highly recommend this one. If you have any questions about equipment or exercise modifications or variations, let me know.