strength and flexibility movements

The following workout will help improve your quality of life through strength and flexibility movements.

Click Here to view the workout!

Testing Core Stability

Recently I received an email asking me if there was a difinitive test for core stability.  The very real truth is that I think there is no single test, but a combination of tests should reveal a lot about what we want to know.

Personally, I’ve been heavily influenced by Stuart McGill and Shirley Sahrmann.   I’ve also taken some great ideas from bright guys like Mike Robertson,  Bill Hartman, and Gray Cook to formulate some of my core testing tools.

To start let’s just address the fundamentals.  Strength is the ability to produce force and stability is the ability to control it.  So doing crunches on a stability ball with a hundred pound dumbbell on your chest might make you strong (although I think it makes you look ridiculous), it isn’t going to improve your core stability.  To be stable you must be able to RESIST the applied force without movement.

Going hand in hand with this notion is the idea that is currently being promoted by many educated coaches and trainers that repeated spinal flexion is a bad idea because it increases the risk of spinal disc injury.  In other words, crunches suck!

Finally, lets remember that the core doesn’t just include the rectus abdominus or the anterior core muscles.  It essentially forms a belt around us and includes more muscles than I’d like to count at this very moment.  Knowing this, it is essential to investigate the muscles all around the core to determine stability.  More importantly, we are not going to test the strength of these muscles, but the ability of them to support the core under load.  In the case of the lower back, endurance is actually far more important than strength for injury prevention.

Here is a quick little protocol that I like to use as a starting point:

1. Front Plank
While doing this movement I like to place a dowel on the person’s back and have them maintain 3 points of contact.  The dowel should remain in contact with the glutes, upper back, and head.  If one of those points is lost then the timer stops.  (Note: I swiped this tip from Mike Robertson)
You should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes.


2. Side Plank – Should be able to hold for 90 seconds
This is as easy as it sounds.  The body should be held straight in a full side plank position for 90 seconds per side.  Note any assymetry between the sides as this is a strong predictor on injury risk.  Work on bringing the weaker side up to match the stronger side before trying to increase the overall time.
You should be able to hold this position for 90 seconds.


3. Back Extension Hold
Set up at though you’re going to do a back extension and hold yourself in the extended position.  As with the front plank, use the dowel along the spine to ensure proper alignment by maintaing 3 points of contact.
You should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes.


4. Double Leg Lower
To perform this test you want to lie on your back and raise both legs straight up into the air.  From here, I’d suggest placing your hands on your external obliques or crossed over your chest.  They cannot be on the floor.  Now slowly begin to lower your legs while concentrating on keeping your lower back flat on the floor.  (Note: a hard floor is more effective than a mat for determining success on this test)
If your feet hit the floor before your lower back raises you have passed.  If not, you suck and you should check yourself into the wimp hall of fame.  Just kidding, but your ability to control your core is probably lacking in this respect.


5.  Rotational Stability
I also like to assess rotational stability by using a test from the functional movement screen.  If you’re going to fail only one of these tests, this will probably be it.  You can check it out HERE.

Again, these only serve at starting points and there are obviously other factors affecting stability of the core, but these tests should be enough to get you rolling.

In the coming weeks I’ll be releasing an audio interview series that will detail how some of the world’s leading experts test and train the core for performance and just plain looking sexy.  Keep your eyes peeled for that.

In the meantime, drop me a note in the comments to let me know how you make out on the tests above.

The Secret of S.H.I.F.T

More Articles at Built for Hockey!

This one is quite straight forward. You need to be getting quality sleep if you even think of being called a champion at the end of the road. It’s been proven time and time again. Lack of sleep leads to lack of energy, and lack of energy leads to lack of intensity and increases the likelyhood of getting injured. Ever notice how injuries happen more in playoffs? Sure, it’s because the games are more intense and everyone is playing hard. But it’s also because everyone is tired, and their bodies are more vulnerable to little pulls, strains, or fractures.

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With playoffs around the corner and them being started for some, there’s no more crucial time of the season in terms of being at your 100% efficiency level. That means physically AND mentally.
We’ve touched briefly in the past on things a player can do to make sure he’s ready for a gruesome playoff run, but this post looks to go into a little bit more detail as to how exactly one can do that. We’ve came up with an acronym that all players should live by when playoff time comes around. This will help you remember what’s important & what needs to be taken care of in order to perform at your best.
The acronym we’ve put together is S.H.I.F.T., or quite simply:

SLEEP-HYDRATION-INSIDE-FUEL-TRAINING

These 5 things, if taken care of and taken seriously, will greatly improve your efficiency during your last home strecth of the season. It’s something you’ll definitely be greatful for if you end up making it to the very end, where the difference lies in which team can last just a little bit longer than the other.

S is for SLEEP

Our bodies need sleep to re-energize and grow. When we leave it all out on the ice and then only get a 5-hour night of sleep afterwards, our muscles don’t have time to recover. Next thing you know, you’re 5 games into the playoffs already all beat up and in pain, playing way below your potential. Sleep shouldn’t be neglected for ANY reason during playoffs.
Find a way to get some quality sleep. Make sure your room is dark, your bed is just how you like it, and you sleep on a pillow you’re used to. If you’re on a roadtrip, bring your pillow. A word from the wise - bring some ear plugs if you’re staying with a roomate. You never know if he’s gonna keep you up by snoring or because he’s sick and coughing all night. It’s better to be prepared than end up having a miserable night of sleep.
Also, try not to watch tv or work on your computer right before bedtime. This has been proven to affect people’s ability to fall asleep soon thereafter. This may not affect you, but if you’re having trouble, try reading an hour before bed instead of watching a movie or playing videogames – it might be whats affecting your ability to fall asleep.

H is for Hydration

If you haven’t read our post on how important hydration is for athletes, you should definitely check it out here.

Your body needs water to recover. Plain and simple. Take away that water and you’re doubling recovery times which lead to useless injuries, lower energy levels, and slow decisions out on the ice. This is another thing you can control, so don’t overlook it., if you’re not getting proper liquid intake before, during, and after your games, you’re starting off your playoffs with two strikes against you already.

I is for INSIDE

You might be a little thrown off by this one…that’s good! What we mean by inside is anything that’s going on inside your head needs to be under control. Further more, your inner emotions need to be in check. If there’s stuff going on in your personal life that’s affecting your concentration, it’s going to have a direct affect on your performance.

You need to realise this and learn how to shut it out and turn it off. We’re not saying to forget about your problems; problems always need to be faced. What we ARE saying is that hockey should be a getaway for you; you should be able to shut everything out the moment you step on the ice because nothing else matters. Your debt, your bad relationship, your bad grades – none of it matters when you lace up the skates and take to the ice.

Learn how to master this and you’ll be that much better off. Same goes for when your coach or linemates are getting on your nerves or the referee isn’t doing a good job…just tune it out and focus on what’s in your control at that specific moment in time. There’s no past, there’s no future…just you and the guy standing in front of you fighting for that puck.

F is for FUEL

Another straightforward one. Food is your fuel. Without fuel, you can’t produce. Your body is a car. A car can’t do what it’s meant to do without fuel. Same goes for a hockey player and his need for proper nutrition. You might feel OK sometimes, but if you haven’t been eating enough or eating properly, you might be missing that extra bit of energy that will make all the difference in the third period.


It’s playoff time – stay away from the junk food for a while. Be strong and make the sacrifice. Eat healthy foods and eat often. It’s not just what you eat the day of or the day before a game that counts; the week leading up to your game is equally important. As an athlete, carbohydrates and protein are your friend. Fruits & vegetables should be common place at every meal in order to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to sustain a high level of performance.

T is for TRAINING

At this stage of the game, you shouldn’t be killing yourself in the gym, but you shouldn’t be avoiding it altogether either. After games, make sure you do a light cooldown – go for a jog, ride the bike, or skip for a few minutes to get the lactic acid buildup out of your legs. A good stretch is always good to prevent any injuries or stiffness the day after.

On off days, a light bike session is best with low to moderate intensity for a few minutes – Just enough to get a little sweat in and activate your legs. You don’t want to be inactive the day before a game. The worst thing you can do is lounge around in bed or on the couch all day.

Take this seriously. It can mean the difference between having an excellent start to your game or coming out soft – or as we like to say in the hockey world ‘ coming out flat-footed‘.

So there’s our SHIFT playoff mentality. Implement just a few of those and you’ll see success. Implement them all and your on your way to preparing like a professional. Remember, you always have a choice when it comes to SHIFT, so make the right choice!

Good luck with the rest of your season and in the playoffs!

Exercise: Weighted Bear Crawls

Who’s Doing It

• Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox 1B

Muscular Benefits

• Increases back strength, specifically the lats
• Improves core and hip stability

Sports Performance Benefits

• Improving back strength and upper-body stability prepares you for baseball's repeated throws and swings, or the rigors of other sports
• Moving through a full range of motion increases upper-body mobility so muscle tightness won't limit your natural throwing and swinging motions
• Engaging the entire body strengthens hip and core muscles, helping to connect the lower and upper body, increasing overall power and reducing the chance of injury

Backward Weighted Bear Crawl How-To

• Assume push-up position with hands on weight plates
• Pull weight with right arm toward right foot and step back
• Perform same motion on left side
• Continue bear crawl for specified distance

Sets/Reps: 3x10 yards

Coaching Points

• Get full range of motion with each pull
• Keeps hips low and body flat
• Perform in slow, controlled fashion
• Increase distance over time

To See Video demo - Click Here!

Switch Up Your Workout Routine

There are tons of people that go to the gym and either do the exact same routine or switch between two or three. Here are a few tips so that you know when it’s time to switch things up!

1. You’re bored: I get that for most people working out isn’t exactly a great time but how crappy is being bored and not enjoying what you’re doing? Hitting the same workout routine a few times over is a great way to see progress (lifting more weight, faster time ect.) and also make sure you have your technique down. But once you find yourself “going through the motions” it is probably best to switch things up. Make it so you have to think during your workouts. You should always be trying to perform the exercise properly and identify what muscle groups you are hitting.
2. You are not seeing results anymore: Your body is amazing! It only takes anywhere between 4-8 weeks before your body will begin to adapt to your workout and you will stop seeing as many results. The key is to always keep your body guessing. There are a 100,000,001 exercises out there try different ones out!
3. You are no longer being challenged: If you ran 5km everyday it would not take long for it to become more of a Sunday stroll then a workout. Make your workout challenging, try some exercises that you have seen other people do at the gym, up the weight your lift or throw a quick aerobic exercise between your strength exercises.

Changing up your workout routine will help keep you motivated and your body guessing which is key for you to reach your goals. Play around in the gym and have some fun! Coming up with new exercises is something that keeps us passionate at Blitz.

Instant Exercise Motivation

Article from Healthy Habits!

The decision to munch on a cookie while watching tv at night instead of sipping on a protein shake after going for a jog is driven by your unconscious habits.

And those habits are controlled by the Basal Ganglia region of your brain.

For more info on your basal ganglia and all the how, why and what can I do about it….check out The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It gets a little wordy at times, but it covers a lot of the science as well as offering a plan for modifying the habits you want to modify.

Top 10 Ways of Sneaking Exercise into your Daily Life

More Articles at Revive Wellness!




If your day is anything as hectic as mine is with appointments and various events to go to it can become quite difficult to make some time for yourself let alone get a solid workout in!  It is also difficult sometimes to find time to travel to a gym or a studio for a workout.
Here are some great strategies to sneak some exercise into your daily life:

1. Engage Your Core: When you are sitting at your desk, standing up, or any activity for that matter, practice engaging your core.  Flex those abs or suck your gut in and get proper posture.
2. Live Locally: many of us usually go to shopping malls and big grocery stores to purchase our goods but take a look around your neighborhood and your work places at shops that are walking distance.  
3. Start Small: exercise is about small incremental changes, try 5 – 10 minutes of exercise a day for the first few weeks; this can be on the order of a 5 – 10 minute walk, or you can try out one of our workout regimens on the Blitz Conditioning website like this one here.  It’s all about making it a habit first and then finding more time.
4. Take the Stairs: enough said here, choose the stairs over the elevator and you will be burning those calories!
5. Less drive throughs more walk throughs:  walk into a store to get your coffee or lunch.
6. Take Breaks:If you are sitting at a desk working for most of the day, stand up and take a walk every hour.
7. Squat and Lunge Often: on the phone for a conference call?  or cooking?  Fire off a couple of squats while you are standing around!
8. Play More!  all too often we simply go from one task to another, but if we make chores games, then we increase our level of activity.  Try speed cleaning your bathroom and timing it, or think about running from one task to the next instead of walking.
9. Turn your office into a gym: stock your office with stability balls, resistance bands and weights and find a few variations of exercises that you can do with them.
10. Make your dates active: whether you are hanging out with friends, or going on a date with your spouse or someone you just met, make it an active date and do something that gets you sweating!