From Maria L. Mountain, MSc,
Certified Exercise Physiologist,
Founder, HockeyTrainingPro.com
In the next few minutes I am going to show how an undersized 12-year old hockey player went from feeling like a weakling getting dominated along the boards to winning puck battles against players 23lbs heavier.
It is how any young player can improve their speed and win battles in the corner without increasing their risk of injury. The first step is to train like a young pro.
Ask any hockey player what they did when they were 10, 11, 12, 13 years old that helped them become a better player and more than 90% will tell you that they just loved playing the game and that is what fueled them.
Most of those guys will say that they played different sports throughout the year and that helped them become better athletes.
I bet not a single one would say ‘I went to the gym and lifted heavy weights to bulk up’.
Why?
Because that is NOT how 10-13 year old hockey players make it to the next level.
But…there are some things you can do at home to improve your athleticism as a hockey player specifically.
I Was Wrong…
I was contacted by a friend of a friend who has an 11-year old son who plays rep hockey. Let’s call him Aiden. He is a good player, but he barely made the team this year because he was getting knocked off the puck all the time.
Aiden is a little smaller than the other players on his team, but not THAT small. At first his Dad (and the coach) thought maybe he just needed to get his skates sharpened differently, but Aiden knew that wouldn’t help.
So when in fact that did not help at all, his Dad reached out to me.
And I shared my philosophy with him – just let him ‘play’.
I remember playing for hours on end outside with my friends. Road hockey in the spring, summer and fall; Ice hockey in the winter on someone’s backyard rink.
Hours and hours playing, winning, losing and yes even sometimes fighting – got my first bloody nose arguing goaltender interference with my friend Rob.
I want to see kids up and down the street ‘playing’ hockey for the pure love of hockey, so that is always my first suggestion because I think it is the best thing you can do.
But…when I got a message from Aiden asking if there were just one or two things he could do so he would not get left off the team next year, I could not refuse his request.
So I created a couple simple workouts that he could do at home that were going to be safe and effective program specifically for a player his age.
I sent them off, half expecting that he would not have the discipline to follow through and heard nothing back.
Until 8-weeks later when I got an email from Aiden’s Dad…
He HAD been following the workouts – they were exactly what he needed since he could do them at home and they only took about 20-25 minutes to complete.
His Dad was proud to report that Aiden was now able to win puck battles along the boards and even though he was quick before, he was visibly faster on the ice after just the first 3-weeks.
That was all great to hear, but the best part was how his Dad spoke about Aiden’s attitude toward hockey since doing the program. He was excited to go to practice, he was still nervous before games, but not scared that he would get badly hurt like he used to be and he was even more vocal on the ice supporting his teammates. The coaches even noticed a difference in his attitude.
I have no problem admitting when I am wrong and I WAS WRONG.
So to make it right I created the PUCK BATTLE DOMINATION program for hockey players 10-13 years of age…
Puck Battle Domination – teaches young hockey players to use their Core Chain Strength – how to link the muscles of your ankles, knees, hips and core and use them to be more stable on your feet and play like a player 15lbs heavier.
I’ve had the great pleasure of working with lots of you over the years, but for those of you who are new to my off-ice goalie training systems, I am Maria Mountain, MSc, a Certified Exercise Physiologist and hockey strength and conditioning specialist.
Don’t worry; I’m not some self-styled internet guru who has never trained anyone besides their Mom and their best friend just before dropping out of college.
In my 20+ years as a trainer I have had the opportunity to help them achieve their goals and live their dreams. For some this has included Olympic gold medals, a Stanley Cup win, and World Championship medals.
Parents Please Read This…
I was hesitant to create this program because I felt like so many parents were pushing their kids too hard, too early. So if you are a parent reading this, please DO NOT BUY IT UNTIL you have spoken to your child to determine if it is something they want to do.
If you are a hockey parent looking for a program that will leave their child doubled over and gasping for air – keep on looking – this is not for you. Seriously, please do not buy it!
I created this program for the hockey Moms and Dads out there who want to help fuel their child’s passion and stop the frustration and disappointment their kid feels every time they step on the ice because they want to be better. This program is for you.
I created this program so you could have a safe and effective program from a trusted source, rather than finding something that looks good on paper, but it exactly wrong for a young hockey player. This program is for you.
Sincerely committed to your (your child’s) success and happiness,
Hockey players who are 10-13 years of age, are not the same as pro players, they have a different physiology and a completely different training background. You could do the exact same training program as Sidney Crosby and a I guarantee you would probably end up injured in the first 6-weeks, because you do not have the training background nor the physical development of Sidney Crosby.
He can do that program BECAUSE he is so great, the program did not MAKE him that way – although it helps him progress and reduce his risk of injury.
So right now, you are on the ground floor. Sid the Kid? He’s up in the penthouse so you’ve got a lot of steps to take before you get there.
Your training right now is like learning a second language. You have to learn the simple words and phrases first.
Where’s the bathroom?
What’s for dinner?
Did the Leafs win last night? (okay, maybe not that one)
Over time you develop more vocabulary, a better accent and eventually you become fluent.
Training like a pro is a myth. Young hockey players need to focus on developing their Core Chain Strength so they can play bigger on the ice and win more puck battles even if they are undersized.
It is actually quite simple, which is the beauty of Puck Battle Domination; you don’t need any special equipment, gizmos or ‘As Seen On TV’ DVDs.
Essentially, there are specific exercises that help you tap into the chain of muscles that give your body both strength and stability. By doing the exercises (just like practicing your phrases in French) your brain creates new motor pathways.
As a 10-13 year old hockey player you have a huge advantage because you possess more NEUROPLASTICITY, which basically means your brain can learn things faster.
So as you complete your PBD workouts, your brain and your muscles are working together to lay down new more efficient pathways. Your big prime mover muscles learn how to recruit more or fewer muscle fibers to handle a load and your stabilizers are much quicker at finding a solid base from which you can push, pull and shoot.
There is less lag time in your body’s ability to find a strong balance point when you are perched on one skate, digging for the puck with your other foot and holding your stick in one hand. This decrease in lag time means less of a window for your opponent to dump you on your butt.
Here’s How It Works…
Your Puck Battle Domination training manual gives you a calendar to track your workouts – you will do your strength training 2-4 times per week based on YOUR schedule.
Each workout has customized training log pages, so you can record each workout (do this part like the pros).
Get 6-weeks of workouts
A $225 value.
The key to success with ANY training program is to do it. I don’t want you to miss out on your workout just because you went to Grandma’s for holiday or something.
This program uses resistance bands and bodyweight training exclusively.
This type of training actually helps develop your Core Chain Strength and you don’t have to worry about dropping heavy weights or dumbbells on your toes, face, etc.
You can find a set of resistance bands at almost any sports store or order them online (I actual saw some at my local grocery store).
That’s okay, I know you are not a professional trainer (that’s my job) and quite a few of the exercises are kind of different than what you see at the local gym anyway.
Just click on the image or name of the exercise in your manual when you are viewing it on your desktop or mobile device (it works great on my iPhone, but as you know tech changes quickly, so I cannot say if it works on your specific phone or tablet) for a video tutorial showing you how it is done and what to technique flaws to avoid.
Library of every single exercise.
A $67 value.
I have built my business by delivering results and exceptional quality, so it is very, very easy to put all the risk squarely on my shoulders and offer this 60-Day 100% Money Back Guarantee.
You don’t have to email me and quote the terms of the Guarantee back to me (as if I have put a loop-hole in there somewhere). I know what the terms are and if you are not thrilled, you get your money back. We can still be friends – unless you are a jerk in which case I don’t want to be your friend.
Read the fine print below 🙂