While the 2019-20 hockey season was forced to an early end due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no reason why the focus cannot begin to shift to next season.

One positive of social distancing is the opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to focus on improving away from the rink.

Off-ice training is just as important for hockey development as being on the ice. It allows for athletes to focus on other ways to enhance their on-ice skills. 

Let’s break down the ways to improve at home to make sure players are ready to lace up the skates in the fall.

PART 1: SPEED | PART 2: POWER | PART 3: STRENGTH | PART 4: FLEXIBILITY | PART 5: CONDITIONING

PART 6: NUTRITION

This week, Active with Adam becomes Fueling with Fulton with special guest Emily Fulton, a registered dietician and sports nutritionist who won gold and silver with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship in 2010 and 2011.

No training program is complete without the proper nutrition to support it.

Hard training sessions naturally cause muscles to break down, resulting in muscle soreness. It is a natural process that allows the body to repair and rebuild muscles. Protein is the building block of muscle and without adequate protein (chicken, yogurt, eggs, tofu, etc.) the body can’t repair its muscles. In the end, the hard work doesn’t lead to improvement.

Muscle protein synthesis, a fancy term for building muscle, is optimized when the body has small “protein pulses” throughout the day. To be more precise, the body’s ability to build muscle is maximized when we consume 0.25 grams of protein per kilogram of body-weight every 3-4 hours. In simple terms: If you weigh 60 kg (132 lbs) it would require 15 grams of protein at each meal or snack. Unfortunately, many forget about protein with breakfast and tend to spread the protein between lunch and dinner.

Instead of jumping right to an 8 oz steak for breakfast, there are simple ways to include protein in the morning. Try a Greek yogurt parfait, eggs, tofu scramble, nuts or protein powder smoothie. Or try a couple of go-tos – Mini Frittatas and Protein Pancakes!

RECIPES

Mini Frittatas

1. Spread three-quarters of a cup of your favourite chopped vegetables into 12 greased muffin tins.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 10-12 eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and a splash of milk. Pour over the chopped veggies to fill the muffin tins three-quarters full.
3. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
4. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Tip: Store the protein-packed frittatas in the fridge for five days or in the freezer for two months.

Protein Pancakes

1. Combine a half-cup of oats, three eggs (or a half-cup of egg whites), a half-cup of cottage cheese, one large banana, one tsp of baking powder and one tsp of vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until the ingredients are evenly combined or until the oats are your desired consistency.
2. Cook the pancakes (recipe yields eight) over medium heat, flipping them over when the underside has turned a golden brown.
3. Store in the fridge or freezer and pop in the toaster throughout the week.

Tip: Personalize your pancakes with your favourite toppings, like blueberries, chocolate chips or peanut butter.