NORTHEAST COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
                               2010-2011 Final  
  
Patriot WEST                                   Patriot EAST
1. UMass-Amherst                         Northeastern University
2. RPI (Porbationary member)    Bryant University
3. Keene State                              UConn 
4. Univ. of Maine                           Endicott  College           
5. UVM                                           Boston College      
                         
                    AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
                                        2011-2012 Standings
                                        www.achahockey.org

Go to the Men's Division Two Page and then select rankings. Scroll down to the Northeast Page 

        

Summer Training Program

 

This program is designed to provide the trainee with the necessary information to train properly over the summer vacation. The program includes jogging, stretching, weightlifting and shooting pucks. If this program is followed through the summer months, the trainee will be in shape for the upcoming hockey season.

Warm-up

 

Warming up prior to any type of physical activity or training is essential to remaining injury free. Before performing any of the activities outlined in this training program, it is important to warm up the muscle groups being affected by the workout planned. Warming up your body can take anywhere from five to ten minutes. Breaking a sweat is usually a good indication that you have warmed up sufficiently. Light jogging in place, jumping rope, riding a stationary bike are all good methods of warming up. Conclude any warm-up period, with the stretching exercises found later in this program. It is important to remember to stretch fluidly (avoid bouncing). This will help prevent injuries from occurring.

Nutrition

 

Any discussion involving physical training would be incomplete without mentioning nutrition. Proper eating habits in the off season will not only provide for a healthier life, but it will also assist the trainee to have the energy, stamina and resources that are needed by the body while training. Avoid McDonalds and other fast food eateries. They will literally slow you down. If you have any questions about nutrition, please ask a coach.

Injuries

 

Do not treat injuries lightly. Injuries sustained at any time, whether at school or at work, need to be treated properly in order to insure a healthy recovery. Consult someone in the medical profession to learn how to treat any injury sustained while participating in this program. It is also important to remember that this training package, if executed properly, will condition your body for the upcoming hockey season. This training program should not cause any injuries if proper technique and common sense are applied.

Jogging/Running Program

 

Aerobic fitness is very important to playing the sport of hockey. This means that having an efficient cardiovascular system that can transfer oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream and hence the muscles are paramount. Running is one activity that helps condition the aerobic capabilities of the body. This program is designed to increase your cardiovascular efficiency.

Program Requirements

 

This program assumes that each participant is capable of jogging/running 1.5 miles to start. For this program, the amount of time it takes to do each distance is unimportant. Each participant should strive to complete the prescribed distance using about 75% of your maximum heart rate in a continuous manner. This will help to reach a level of fitness that will help sustain continued aerobic development later in the jogging/running regiment.

This program is designed for twelve weeks and starts off by jogging/running 1.5 miles the first week. Each week after this will see another half mile added to the distance. A week consists of running Monday through Friday and resting Saturday and Sunday. Here is the schedule that should be followed:

 

During the last month of jogging, please add interval type training to the distance being run. This means that each participant will need to add short bursts of speed followed by running at a normal pace. Make this change so that it emulates playing a hockey game such that a player would play a shift and rest two or three shifts. This will help promote the efficiency of the cardiovascular system to a larger degree than just jogging at approximately 75% capacity.

 

It is also very important that each participant remember to hydrate their bodies while participating in any of these exercises. Water should also be taken before participating in these exercises. A cup or two of water will help replace what is depleted by the body sweating. The summer months are hot and will deplete the athlete of water very quickly.

 

Each participant should also make every effort not to run during the hottest parts of the day. Earlier in the morning or later in the evening is a much cooler time to run and will help avoid maladies such as heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke.

Weight Training/Shooting Pucks

 

These exercises will take place Monday through Friday just like the jogging/running program and should start the same week as the jogging/running schedule. The purpose of this program is twofold: one to develop a general base of strength not focusing on any one general muscle group but trying work as many muscle groups as possible and two to develop stronger, quicker wrist, snap and backhand shots.

 

Weight Training Program

 

The purpose of this program is develop a base of strength and fitness that will prepare each participant for the upcoming hockey season. This program will work the larger muscle groups first moving successively to smaller and smaller muscle groups. During the first six weeks of this program, each participant will concentrate on using light weights and high repetitions per set concentrating on proper technique. During the last six weeks, each participant will reverse the previous order of execution and use heavier weight and lower repetitions per set. This program has been designed so that each participant will be able to move at their own pace and avoid the potential injuries that occur if heavier weights are employed too early and if the exercises are done without regard to using proper technique. Each participant will need to rest approximately 2 minutes between each set. These exercises should be done on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Exercises (sets/reps):

Shooting Pucks Program

 

The purpose of this program is to improve each participant's wrist, snap and backhand shots. Each participant will need pucks, the more the better, a place to shoot the pucks and something to shoot the pucks off of. Some suggestions for a place to shoot and what to shoot into are the basement of your house shooting into a sheet or blanket hanging from the ceiling or rafters, a garage with the same sheet or blanket arrangement or a baseball field's backstop. All shots should be taken from a rough surface like a piece of plywood or paneling or a concrete floor. Another great item to shoot into is a real hockey goal, but for most participants it is not possible to obtain one of these so the other items mentioned earlier will suffice. Goaltenders should also participate in this exercise since the main benefits to this workout is increased strength of the arms and shoulders as well as increased grip strength. These exercises should be performed on Tuesday and Thursday of each week starting the first full week of June.

Exercises:

 

These exercises can be broken down into whatever training intervals desired. For instance, a participant may decide to shoot half his required shots on Tuesday morning and the other half Tuesday evening. Another variation would be to shoot pucks four times on each day.

 

It should also be mentioned that if the participant is feeling ambitious, he can shoot the one thousand pucks right from the very first week. The program listed above will give the participant time to become accustomed to shooting pucks in this manner, but should not preclude the participant from taking the full benefit that shooting pucks in the off season provides! This program can also be extended a third day shooting pucks on Saturday.

Stretching Exercises

 

Stretching is very important to increasing flexibility and range of motion. This program does not dictate to the trainee what stretches are important. Each trainee should pick a subset of the listed stretches to do before, during and/or after the major segments of this program. Stretching can be to warm down after any of the major activities such as jogging or weightlifting. It can also stand alone as its own activity. Whatever way the trainee decides to employ stretching within this program, he should remain consistent in performing these exercises. The list of available stretches are:

Static Stretches

1. T-Stretch
2. Wall Stretch
3. Arm Across Back Stretch
4. Triceps Pulled Across Chest Stretch
5. Biceps Grip On Frame Stretch
6. Lateral Seated Trunk Stretch
7. Lying Knee To Chest Stretch
8. Abdominal Push-Up Position Stretch
9. Lying Gluteal Stretch
10. Lying Forward Lean Gluteal Stretch
11. Seated Hamstring Stretch
12. Standing Quadraceps/Hip Flexor Stretch
13. Seated Groin Stretch
14. Kneeling Leg Stretch
15. Standing Calf Stretch

Dynamic Stretches

1. High Leg Swings
2. Outward Rotations
3. Trunk Rotations
4. Arm Swings
5. Wide Stick handling

Summary of Program

This section can be used as a helpful sheet to remind each participant what is required from this off season training program.

The program is designed to be executed Monday through Friday with Saturday and Sunday off to rest. The July 4th holiday is also given as a week off to rest and enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

Jogging/Running Program - Five Days a Week

Weight Training Program - Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Shooting Pucks Program - Tuesday, Thursday (optional Saturday)

Stretching

 

Each participant chooses a subset of the stretches listed in the Stretching sessions. Stretching should be perform Monday through Friday.