Last Updated on Thursday, 07 August 2014 11:01
By Diane Ness
As I am finishing up my four-week stay in New Jersey, I got to pop in to one of the players’ workouts after a power skating session. It was great to see all the exercises and movements and how they are very specific to skating and hockey in general. Strength training has come such a long way and can be paired really well with effective on-ice training.
Looking at the photo, you are able to see each player in the classic skating position. Not only are the players bending their knees, they also have their hips and glutes dropped as well. Look at the photo closely. You will notice that some of the players are in a better position than others. This photo was taken and the end of a ladder workout. The players that fatigued early came up out of their fundamental hockey position.
This is one of the hardest things to get younger skaters to accomplish. It’s one thing to bend your knees; it’s another to be able to drop your hips and fully engage your legs. This is why professional hockey players need to have such a strong lower body. The only way to add power to each and every push you make is to use your glutes and hamstrings and not just your quads.
If any younger skater ever gets the chance to watch a NHL skater train or practice, it would be very beneficial. Working hard is a prerequisite, it’s expected. Watching the off-ice session I was able to see just how hard these sessions are. During the session, not one word was said as each player was dripping wet with sweat. The focus of not only surviving the workout but executing is what separates professionals.
Diane Ness has been a full-time professional skating coach for over 35 years. She has coached both figure skaters and hockey players alike and is a former U.S. gold medalist in figure skating. She is the Director for the Pro Edge Power hockey camps and the Learn to Skate program at Highland Park Arena. Ness is the skating coach for the New Jersey Devils, the University of Minnesota men’s and women’s hockey teams and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. She has trained players in the NHL, AHL, NCAA, USHL and NAHL.
