weightlifting

[Cavs019 702]

Isolate each muscle group on separate days. Ie) legs/back one day, chest another. Doing all of that in the same day is not only overkill, but you would be in the weight room for 3 hours.

[2048 0]

leg day should be the worst day of your life each and every week.

...and the best :) I look forward to it. Squats, Stiff-leg deadlifts, leg press, lunges, I LOVE LEGS. before u add serious weight make sure ur form is PERFECT.

Truer words have never been spoken. That and the fact that the days after leg days are just brutal. Ever try skating after doing SLDLs, squats, leg presses and some calf work? It doesn't happen.

-Edit: QandA, avoid the smith machine at all costs and just get your squat form perfect, even if it means just using the bar alone for a while. The strain that machine puts on your back unless you start out with your legs in front of you just isn't natural. The only time I ever use the smith machine is for decline bench presses, and even then I dont' really like it.

[sniper94 0]

leg day should be the worst day of your life each and every week.

It sure is for me! It is a hate love relationship. Love the results hate doing the workout.

And by the way I don't workout, I kill myself! :D

Sniper94

[hocckey77 0]

Truer words have never been spoken. That and the fact that the days after leg days are just brutal. Ever try skating after doing SLDLs, squats, leg presses and some calf work? It doesn't happen.

I concur, i tryied skating on Tuesday after I did legs on Monday. I could barely even skate. And my legs still hurt a little now.

[hocckey77 0]

And if nobody said this, lunges. Those things are good, add like 2 dumbbells too to make them harder.

[QandA 0]

Really appreciating the input. Yeah, with the Smith machine theirs a pad on it, but it's killer on the back, I'll take your advice. I'm going to go to the gym tomorrow and work my legs, I find theirs not enough emphasis in that programme.

[2048 0]

Really appreciating the input. Yeah, with the Smith machine theirs a pad on it, but it's killer on the back, I'll take your advice. I'm going to go to the gym tomorrow and work my legs, I find theirs not enough emphasis in that programme.

No no, it's not the bar that puts pressure on you. It's the fact that you're moving straight up and down so you have to crunch your back in more. You realyl don't want your back doing too much work while you squat. You want to just push up through your heels and have your quads do the work.

For hamstrings, do stiff leg deadlifts, but have someone show you proper form before you put on weight.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Really appreciating the input. Yeah, with the Smith machine theirs a pad on it, but it's killer on the back, I'll take your advice. I'm going to go to the gym tomorrow and work my legs, I find theirs not enough emphasis in that programme.

No no, it's not the bar that puts pressure on you. It's the fact that you're moving straight up and down so you have to crunch your back in more. You realyl don't want your back doing too much work while you squat. You want to just push up through your heels and have your quads do the work.

For hamstrings, do stiff leg deadlifts, but have someone show you proper form before you put on weight.

not true, your back should work while doing squat. it's in the Complete conditioning for ice hockey, which is a great book for hockey training.

[2048 0]

Kovy, I think what you mean to say is that Squats are beneficial for your back, legs, gluts. But when conducting them, you do want to maintain a pretty straight back.

Exactly. YOu don't want to lower the weight by bending your back. You want to lower the weight by going ass to heel while making sure your knees don't go past your toes.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Kovy, I think what you mean to say is that Squats are beneficial for your back, legs, gluts. But when conducting them, you do want to maintain a pretty straight back.

Thanks Theo, that's exactly what I mean and I did not understand 2048 at first.

[sniper94 0]

Also don't forget to do something for wrists and shot. Here is what I do.

Barbell Wrist Curls

Take barbell and sit on bench with legs spread shoulder width apart.

lean over and rest elbows on the middle of thighs with the bar hanging off at the end.

Fully extend your wrist down and pull up with an explosive movemet. Hold slightly at the top to tighten forearm. Then slowely lower down.

Do about 5 sets of 15 reps. Your arms should be tight after this.I do this 5 times a week.

I also take the squeezers (don't know what they are called) and squeeze them 30 times as fast as I can. Helps with explosive wrist power and speed.I do them in between the sets of curls.

You can also do the curls backwards (knuckles up elbows down) use a lighter weight though.

I'm working my shooting muscles (wrist) and your skating muscles(legs/polys) the most because I am a finess foreward and I use them the most. Also because I put on upper body muscle like crazy so even one workout a week will keep me in stable or gaining condition up there.

Good luck man, you'll sure notice it on the ice! :D

Sniper94

[QandA 0]

I tried the Squat without the Smith Machine, but the bar, and I can do less with the bar, therefore I was doing something wrong. The Gym dude recommended me to take Creatine but I'm iffy about that. I just started going to the gym and it's worthwhile, I just hope it pays dividents come hockey season.

[Flyerguy91 0]

no thats normal with a smith machine, usually with smith you can do more weight because it removes the stablizer muscles. This is the whole reason why you should use free weight squats. You want your lifts to be as complex as possibly NOT isolated.