Building Leg Strength

[DMan]

Hi,

We have a team of high school age players with a chronic shortage of leg strength. I'm looking for suggestions on how to build strength DURING the season. We ask them to train in the off-season but there is very little follow through.

Do we have weight training or plyo sessions during the season, or is it too late at that point?

Thanks in advance…

[Coachy]

I would do both plyo's and leg work with weights during the season, just not the day of or the day before a game.

[DMan]

Thanks for the input. With games on Fridays and Saturdays (but not every week) I was thinking workouts on Tuesdays would be fine on game weeks, Tuesday & Saturdays on non-game weeks. I do worry about lack of recovery time though. Some of these kids play other sports and might not get the rest they need in between.

Any other feedback? More than anything I'm trying to develop the strength to skate and play with deep knee bend.

Thanks

[Coachy]

In the video section I have seen a good core strength plyo demo " Core strength for hockey" that shows examples of what can be done in season.

[coach Mike]

Russian Box works for my team

[DMan]

Thanks for all the input…..

coach Mike:

We are hoping to get a Russian box. How often do you use it and how can you keep a whole team busy? Do you have more than one? What kind of work/rest intervals do you use?

Thanks again.

[CoachKeeps]

I like…
plyos once per week.
Squats & power cleans… less during the season.
4x work up to 7x hill run. 45-60 sec to sprint up good hill.
good luck.
JK

[Claude Trudel]

It is very easy to work on leg strenght during the season.
Remember: There will be no gain if you do not exercise 3 three times a week.
You can ask the kids to exercise once a week at home with easy to do exercises.
Then you had a session off ice and a 30 minutes session after your practice.

Keep everything simple.

Running uphill
Running uphill with a kid of the same weight in the back
Walking very slow downhill.
Squat on one leg, one hand on the wall
Calf push on one leg, one hand on the wall
Very slow walk with knee bent at 90 degrees
Squat position, full extension, jumping in the air
Use of stairs, going up and going dowm, slow and fast.
Jumping from one side of a bench to the other ( pre-ski exercise)
etc, etc.

On ice:
Play!
A race with a kid sitting on the ice with a stick in each hand and the other one holding the two sticks and sprinting from one goal line to the other. Skating forward and backward.

A relay race with two teams, pushing the goal from one goal line to the other.

Have fun!!!

[Author]

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