Our future hockey stars can’t be trained like adults. Their bodies are still growing and they haven’t been exposed to all of the different methods of exercising, some of which can be complex. While adult workouts typically involve gaining muscle or losing fat, young athletes need to focus on becoming familiar with the basic patterns of strength, conditioning, and hand-to-eye coordination.
The holistic approach also involves child psychology and classroom learning, allowing students to learn about motivation and goal setting, as well as develop social skills like leadership and team building that they can use after the program.
Competitive Thread acknowledges this and uses holistic-based child development as the basis for each workout. Ignoring these fundamentals can lead to future injuries that prevent athletes from doing their best during a game. Consequences like burning out, a loss of confidence on the ice, and not being able to keep up with their friends are common problems that can be easily prevented with the right training. By becoming familiar with these core exercises, students can take what they’ve learned and apply them to their games and other sports.
But they don’t need to be on the ice to master these movements. Competitive Thread’s dry land workout gives students the foundation to increase athleticism and prevent future injuries from happening. These movements, most of which involve bodyweight training, are natural to the body and promote a holistic approach that works to improve their strength and conditioning.
Taught by Joel Jackson, Competitive Thread’s strength and conditioning coach, the workouts are based on tried and true fundamentals of physiology and exercise science. Joel has fully immersed himself in hockey; his passion for the sport has led him to pursue a PHD in kinesiology and sport sciences as well as a position with the University of Alberta’s Bears and Pandas. Given his knowledge and background, Joel knows what’s best for every student attending Competitive Thread.
Schools do a great job of teaching kids, but there are some areas that deserve more focus. Subjects like nutrition, body mechanics and goal setting are often neglected; we think every child should be able to develop skills and habits they can use for the rest of their lives. When your child participates in a hockey development camp from Competitive Thread, know that you are giving them an opportunity to be the best version of themselves by turning them into leaders, both off and on the ice. To attend one of our camps, head over to http://www.competitivethread.com/hockey-development/edmonton/register/ and sign up for the course based on your child’s age range and skill level.
