Articles by Jack Blatherwick

Super Compensation

Super compensation refers to the ability of our bodies to adapt to, and eventually overcompensate for the stress of exercise

Over-Speed Skill Development

The benefit of practicing at a higher level of effort to improve performance

Skating Simulation

Correct methods for improving the skating stride

A Time for Sprints & Jumps

How using various kinds of sprinting and jumping will improve skating performance

Organizing an Over-Speed Practice

Strategies for coaches to increase the tempo of a practice

Uncommon Passion - Asset #1 for Hockey Players

Having a real passion for hockey can help you develop as a hockey player

"Loading up" - Before Your Extension

An article on the importance of loading your leg before the skating stride...so bend your knees!

Quick Hands, Quick Feet - It's a European Thing

Making the important skills like stickhandling and skating part of your regular practice develops correct habits

Invest in Hockey and You'll be Rewarded

A solid work ethic will go a long way to developing your hockey talents

Analysis shows how Wasteful We can be with Ice Time

A lot of time is wasted in amateur hockey, and with the price of ice-time can you really afford this type of waste?

Is this Your Comfort Zone?

With skating you need to bend your knees...here is a diagram of what your skating comfort zone should be

How You Practice Might Determine Your Improvement More Than What You Practice

Remember the saying practice makes perfect...it should read perfect practice makes perfect.  With our training we improve on what we teach ourselves to improve.  Here is a great article on how to improve the quality of your practices.

Russian Box Skating Jumps

The use of Russian Box Jumps can be very valuable to your training...here is a preview of this training method

They Just Don't Get It!

It is the job of every coach to know the latest information and science on training and conditioning (or have an expert who does know)...when this doesn't happen then injuries or more serious training mishaps can occur

Hockey is a Game of Frustration

How you get over obstacles in hockey will go a long way in determining your ultimate success

Anaerobic Training is "Highly Aerobic

Endurance training is not the only way to build aerobic power...with drills in hockey that are interval in nature it will surely build great aerobic endurance

Leave the Jogging to Adults

Training for hockey should not involve jogging or edurance running.  This is old school thinking that is hardly sport specific

Periodization

All training should have periodization plan for training.  Essentially this means a strategic build-up over a season to prepare the body for peak performance at the end of the year

Hockey Endurance is Developed on the Ice

One of the most important things in training is to be as specific as possible.  You can do many things off-ice but ideally you want to improve your performance with lots of skating and drills to improve your hockey conditioning

Age-Specific Training Programs: Development v. Maintenance

At what age do you push athletes to improve and when should you back off and maintain conditioning?  This article talks about many facets of training and what may be helpful in the career of a hockey player

Age Dependant Development of Athleticism

When is it time to start strength training and conditioning?  This is dependant on your age (or training age) as this article will examine

Constructive Approach Determines Improvement

Coaches must maintain a constructive approach to training players to see improvements in development

Goal Scorers Hear a Different Drummer

Goal scorers do not see what normal players see...here's what they look for and what we should strive to see when we play

Stickhanding, Skating, Shooting: The "New" Game

Training the basics in all methods of training helps to reinforce and develop these skills

Groin Injuries are Preventable

A great article on methods to reduce groin injuries with focused training

Mental Rehearsal is Critical in Developing Skills

Using a mental rehearsal will go a long way to developing and improving hockey performance

The Late Jim Baxter:  The Ultimate Rink Rat

A tribute article to the ultimate rink rat

Teaching Beginners to Skate

A great article for coaches to learn the basis of teaching young players to skate correctly

Speed of Mind

How to improve the speed at which your mind works...like a Gretzky

Defencemen more than Mark on a Wall

Skill level rather than height is more critical component to selecting players in hockey

The NHL Leads the Way Towards Skillful Hockey

With the changes in the NHL hockey is once again a skill oriented sport

Elevating Comfort Zones for All Skill Levels

We must push ourselves in practice to improve various skills for games

The Center of Gravity & "Loading Up" Your Weight Before Extension

You must bend your knees and load the leg during the skating stride...here's why you do it

Training Priorities: Why not put Hockey at the Top?

We tend to put dryland conditioning at the top of the list of activities for hockey...maybe it's time we got back to what got you here in the first place...on-ice training!

Physiological Comfort Zone:  Play the Way You Practice

Hockey is a high speed game...why not train this way during practice?

Skating Improvement:  A Dual Approach

Skating and dryland training are a two pronged approach to maximize skating development

Game Warm-up Could use a Little Thought!

The current type of pre-game warm-up is not scientifically up to date and perhaps responsible for many early game injuries.
Here is a article that takes apart the pre-game warm-up and offers a different rational of thinking.

Cheating by Any Name is Still Cheating

By letting the players showcase skills rather than interfering or cheating we will start to see a higher caliber game in North America.

Wolfpacks are Great Examples of Synergy

Working together adds up to more than just 5 players on the ice.

It's Not the Size of the Dog in the Fight

Train Athletic Movement - NOT Isolated Muscles

Why is Hockey Treated Differently?

Train Fast for a Fast Game

Does Our System Encourage Creative Play?

Unfocused Development

Stretching is NOT Warm-up

Smart Muscles - NOT Just Strong Muscles

Coaches Win by the Way they Conduct Practice

Where Have All The Hogans Gone?

Learning Rink Sense: What Works, What Doesn't