The first hurdle was submitting and being approved for my content proposal, then comes the dread of "will anyone show up?" After a group of around 25-30 showed up, then starts the micromanaging in the moment. Self-censoring things that I wanted to say or do, for fear of sounding stupid. Trying to guess what the group wanted to hear. Imposter syndrome is real, put yourself out there anyways!
Remind athletes and coaches to focus on what's important and tune out all of the noise. We are constantly inundated by this and that new gadget which claims to help our vision, or reaction, or make our feet faster, or our recovery better. The problem is much of what we are being sold on is unproved, invalid or outright dubious.
"DO WORK. NO EGO" This is written on the board in the gym. A reminder that we all are there for a purpose and that purpose has nothing to do with making others feel inadequate, or comparing our progress to others. Applying this mindset to our training environment allows us to recognize strengths and weaknesses freely, as a way to improve collectively,
The third tell tale sign that a clean or snatch needs some attention is through excessive lateral displacement of the feet during the catch. Or as I like to call it, the Starfish.
Athletes, are you taking responsibility for your own development, or are you relying on external factors? What tools and processes have you put in place to make sure your are maximizing you performance and recovery?
For coaches this means going beyond the textbooks. Beyond the blogs. Beyond the YouTube and Instagram videos. This is understanding the practical implications of what you've learned in theory about periodization, energy systems, force production, etc., and how to best adapt and apply it for the benefit of the athlete. Want your athletes to Olympic Lift? Go learn HOW to properly execute and coach the lifts. Want to incorporate sprinting into your programming?
The number one complaint I hear from hockey players and coaches regarding the clean is, "we/I don't do them cause they hurt your wrists." This is the by-product of a poor upper body catching mechanics, which leaves the elbows down at the sides, and places the full momentum of the bar down onto a flexed wrist.
"It'll stunt their growth," "only do bodyweight," "they will get hurt!" Ultimately whether or not to incorporate traditional 'resistance' training depends on the individuals emotional maturity, NOT biology.
Olympic Lifting, or Weightlifting, refers specifically to the disciplines of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. These movements are highly technical and the ultimate expression of power! DISCLAIMER: First things first. Coaches, if you don't know how to perform and coach the lifts, DON'T! There are plenty of other ways to program for power development. … Continue reading Olympic Lifting For Hockey: Why I teach the catch
As the beginning of another hockey off-season is here, and all of the athletes are returning to regular training; I find myself speaking with potential new clients (athlete and parents). Usually that conversation starts with me asking, "what is it I can do for you?"
THE ATHLETE DEFENDER! 