The truth about shoulder checking in hockey is that most young players think theyâre doing it right simply because they make contact, but real shoulderâtoâbody checking is a technical skill built on timing, posture, and controlled force. A proper shoulder check isnât about throwing your weight around or trying to âblow someone up.â Itâs about using your shoulder and upper body to legally bump a puckâcarrying opponent and separate him from the puck without losing your own balance or taking yourself out of the play.
Follow along with Dave as he shows you how to use these bands to train your body for more strength and endurance…
One of the most important but often overlooked skills in youth hockey is communication. Many players spend hours working on skating, shooting, and puck control, but very little time is spent learning how to talk to teammates on the ice. The truth is, strong on-ice communication can make an average team much more effective, while poor communication can cause even skilled players to struggle.
Stickhandling in open ice can feel comfortable, but the game becomes much harder when space disappears and pressure increases. This is where the âquiet handsâ technique becomes one of the most valuable skills a player can develop. Quiet hands refer to calm, efficient, and controlled puck handling that allows players to maintain possession even in heavy traffic.
Follow along with Dave as he shows you how to use these bands to train your body for more strength and endurance…
Using a mini-band and a single 41″ Quantum band, follow along with Dave as he shows you how to use these two bands to train your lower body strength endurance. You are going to be surprised at how challenging this workout will be. Complete 50-reps per exercise before moving on to the next exercise. Scale Total Reps and Quantum Band Resistance to fit your fitness level.
Better puck support is one of the most important team habits young hockey players can learn, yet it is often one of the most misunderstood. Many young players focus almost entirely on the puck carrier, thinking the job is done once someone has control of the puck. In reality, hockey is a game of constant movement, spacing, and decision-making. Strong puck support gives teammates options, reduces turnovers, and helps young players feel more confident when they have the puck on their stick.
Tempo is the speed and rhythm of the game, and learning how to change it at the right moments can separate smart players from players who only rely on speed. Hockey is not played at one constant pace. The best teams know when to attack fast, when to slow things down, and how to control momentum during a shift, a period, or an entire game.
Do you struggle doing lunges due to knee or hip pain? Using a horizontal hip attached band setup allows you to do lunges that reduce ground contact forces on your knees and hips. Scale starting band resistance to make lunges work for you. This is also a great way to work on stride mobility…
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is one of the most effective ways to build conditioning that matches the fast, explosive, stop-and-go nature of hockey. Instead of long, steady cardio sessions that donât reflect how hockey is actually played, HIIT uses short bursts of intense movement followed by controlled recovery periods, giving players a way to mimic real shifts and prepare their bodies for the constant changes in intensity that happen during a game.