Hockeyperformance

Training Philosophy and Methodology

A SCIENCED BASED LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL THAT PROVIDES SAFE AND APPROPRIATE AGE SPECIFIC TRAINING AND RECOVERY

Stieg Theander is the Founder of HOCKEYPERFORMANCE.com, a premier sport performance and educational platform directed towards any level ice hockey enthusiast including athletes, coaches, physical therapists, athletic trainers, teachers, personal trainers, fitness directors or parents. Learn to train from one of the most recognized coaches in the hockey world using proven and time-tested training methodologies.

 

HOCKEYPERFORMANCE.com trains professional and elite athletes/clients, teams and organizations to attain maximized performance and lifestyle through in-house and satellite web-based programs. Our Web Based System, provides individualized on-line assessment and implementation of rehabilitation, return to play, and strength and conditioning programs, which allows our athlete/clients personalized attention and ability to access world-class strength and conditioning programming anywhere in the world. 

 

Our On-Line programs follow a Long-Term Developmental Model (LTDM). Each program is personalized based upon the athletes’ abilities, specific to the age, both changing and progressing each year. We begin with 12U all the way thru Collegiate and Professional players. We provide In-Season and Summer Programs as well as yearly (Month/Month) programs thru our Elite Group Training. Remote Personalized Training (1v1) and Team/Organizational Programs are also available.

 

Our Programs will include some or all of the following Training Protocols based on our LTDM:

 

Soft Tissue Management

  • Foam Roll, Hydro Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage

Stretching

  • Dynamic, Static

Dynamic Warm-up

  • Muscle Activation, Dynamic Movement, General Mobility, 
  • Lateral, Linear, Weight Room, Shoulders, Hips, T-Spine

Rotational Power

  • Horizontal, Transverse, Flexion, Extension

Plyometrics

  • Vertical, Rotational, Lateral, Linear
  • Jumps, Hops, Bounds, Depth Drops, Snap Downs

Neural Activation

  • Ladder Drills, First Step Quickness, Line Drills

Speed Mechanics

  • Max Velocity, Acceleration, Crossover, Curvilinear, Sled Drills, Timed Sprints

Strength Training

  • Total Body Lifts, Lower Body Lifts, Upper Body Lifts, Olympic Lifts, Posterior Chain, Grip Strength, Core Work
  • Conjugate Method: Max Effort, Dynamic Effort Lower/Upper Body, Repetition Method

Conditioning

  • Slide board, Assault Bike, Shuttles, Tempo Runs, Heart Rate Monitored, On Ice

 

FOLLOWING THE LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL (LTDM)

The Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model has become the developmental standard for several countries and youth sports related organizations including Sports for Life Canada, Hockey Canada, and USA Hockey. All have adapted the LTAD model as their framework. LTAD is a multi-stage training, competition, and recovery pathway guiding an individual’s experience in sport and physical activity from infancy through all phases of sport. The seven stages or youth USA Hockey’s age classifications within their LTAD model are grouped every two years for this very reason. Each stage provides a synergistic program using an elite and successful LTAD model is the goal. This ensures that developmentally appropriate skill development, training, competition, and recovery programs are provided throughout an athlete’s career. 

 

Children of the same chronological age can differ by several years in their level of biological maturation (Relative age). The difference between chronological and relative age related to athletic performance is very real. 

 

Growth, development, and rate of maturation is the result of a complex interaction of genes, hormones, nutrients, and the environments (physical and psychosocial) in which the individual lives. This combination of factors regulates the child’s physical growth, neuromuscular development, sexual maturation, mental, cognitive, and emotional development, and general physical metamorphosis during the first two decades of life.

 

The start of date of Peak Height Velocity (PHV, or commonly referred to as “Puberty”) can fluctuate over 2-3 years between players of the same age. Throw in an early birth date for one athlete and a late birth date for another and that difference in physical development may be more than THREE years. That is significant.

 

Size usually triumphs over Skill in competition during an athletes’ growth cycle. The tempo of a child’s growth has significant implications for athletic training because children who mature at an early age have a major advantage over average or late bloomers. However, after all athletes have gone through their growth spurt, it is often the “late bloomers” who have greater potential to become top athletes provided they experience quality coaching and training throughout that period. Children that overcome relative age are often the highest performers at the elite level. 

 

In the past, the Long-Term Athlete Development model required the identification of early, average and “late bloomers” to design appropriate training and competition programs in relation to optimal trainability and readiness. The beginning of the growth spurt and the peak of the growth spurt (Peak Height Velocity) were significant landmarks for Long-Term Athlete Development applications of training and competition design.

 

Although chronological age is a poor guide to segregate adolescents for competitions, currently, most athletic training and competition programs are based on chronological age. It’s a simple and easy model to implement and regulate. And it’s not going to change. Our goal is to help blend the two by developing strategies that will encourage late maturing athletes to remain in sport until they have caught up developmentally, without holding back early maturing peers, who, because of their increased size and strength, have a competitive advantage.

 

DO NOT rush the process. Success is built on a solid foundation. Just as earlier stages of On Ice Skill Development are focused on fundamentals, physical training is no different. Developing the proper physical attributes doesn’t happen overnight. Proper off-ice programs must incorporate multiple layers of movement progressions based on an athletes’ athletic maturity, including but not strictly regulated by an individual’s performance and ability. Failure to adhere to a “slow cook” performance model is one of the biggest reasons for an increase of 200% in youth performance related injuries. Athletes are often asked to perform movement patterns too early in their athletic maturation. Just because you can perform a certain exercise doesn’t mean you should. Don’t be fooled by all the hype. It will take years of consistent dedication using properly thought-out programs specific to a player’s needs and specific maturity level before true physical potential is realized.