Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight

A decade ago, it was the Olympic lifting craze.  A technical model ensued based on Olympic lifting competitors and coaches respectively.  Today, it’s the track and field - sprinting craze.  A technical model also has now ensued based off competitors and coaches alike.  Are they both appropriate tools for team sport athletes such as hockey players?  Perhaps, and perhaps not!  A few of the filters that I consider prior to programming for hockey players:

Filter #1.     Training age:  How long has the athlete trained? 

Filter #2.     Injury Profile:  Has the athlete been hampered with chronic soft tissue strains?

Filter #3.     Time:  How can we keep “the goal, the goal” pending training age? Can I get a similar training effect without overcoaching? 

Filter#4.     Resources:  Do we have access to ice? 

The Swiss Army Knife and The Sniper

Young athletes (Swiss Army Knives) need variety and progressive overload. Advanced athletes (Snipers) thrive in refining skills in the target environment.

 The Swiss Army Knife

We follow the same 1/N philosophy for Swiss Army Knives (young athletes) and snipers (advanced athletes).  1/N states that we diversify our stress portfolio during the training week (strength, speed, power).  This enables us to minimize adaptational risk while upsizing gains.  If we make a programming mistake, it’s not as large as putting all our stress eggs in one basket. 

So, olympic lifting vs loaded jumps?  Sprinting vs COD?  For Swiss army knives refer to bullets #2 and #3.  Program accordingly.  Caveat:  remember team sports rely on multiple bio-motor abilities, not just linear sprinting! The Swiss Army knife needs a well-rounded, balanced approach. 

The Sniper

The Sniper (advanced athlete) needs a targeted approach!  Refer to bullet #4!  Do you have access to the target environment?  The BEST way to refine a skill is to PRACTICE the skill in the target environment!  PRACTICE is key.  Random, blocked whatever floats your fancy.  The Sniper needs to focus on the goal being the “goal”.  This comes at the expense of other non – specific modalities. Skill refinement is crucial.

 Wall Work - Rims

Puck Protection

To Olympic lift, or not to Olympic lift?  To sprint, or not to sprint?  That’s not the question!  The goal is to understand the difference between Swiss Army Knives and Snipers and the filters that dictate their programming.  Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.