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Fitness for High Performance Hockey: Special Edition

by Dr. Howie Wenger

71 pages; black coil; includes illustrations; catalogue #99-0087; ISBN 0-9684517-0-5; US$12.50, C$14.95, EUR9.80, £7.50

Presents the different components of fitness and nutrition that are necessary to play effective hockey and gives the why and how of training for hockey fitness. Features easy to understand descriptions and illustrations for ages 13 to 19 year-olds.

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about the book      about the author      excerpts      reviews      catalogue info

About the Book

PREFACE

This book is written for young players from 13 to 15 years and 16 to 19 years of age and is an adaptation of my first book by the same title.

It is fundamentally important that kids have fun playing hockey and also have fun in acquiring the fitness levels to play the game to the best of their ability. Most would agree that you get more fun and enjoyment out of a game when you are skilled enough to play the game well. It is our belief that in order to learn many of the skills in hockey, you need to have sufficient fitness to do them well and to practice them regularly. For example, you need leg strength to use your skate edges for speed, to do outside drives, and to change direction. You need flexibility to stick handle or make a great pad save and you need upper body strength to establish position in front of the net, to battle for the puck in the corner, or cycle down low to keep possession of the puck. Good acceleration, braking, and agility are necessary to get open, to capture space, and to be effective in the transistion from offense to defence and vice-versa. And, along with all of this, you need good aerobic fitness for recovery between shifts, between periods, in back-to-back games, and over the long season. Coupled with all of these is the proper nutritional strategies so that you can have the fuel to work and lay hard, the nutrients to bild strength and faster muscles, fluids to replace sweat losses, and the proper balance to keep you healthy.

In my experience with Olympic teams, Canada Cup teams, NHL teams such as the New York Rangers for whom I presently work, and my experience as an educator and coach of young people, I have learned so much from teh coaches, trainers, management, and, especially the players. This book attempts to bring together this knowledge to help young players gain the fitness necessary to be the best they can be and have fun doing it.

Howie Wenger

About the Author

Howie received his Ph.D. in exercise physiology in 1971 and has been teaching exercise physiology at universities since then. He has received outstanding teacher awards and was honoured by the Canadian Association of Sport Sciences for his work in applied sport sciences. He has also been awareded the Gordon Juckes Award fro mthe Canadian Hockey Association for contributions toward advancement of amateur hockey in Canada.

Howie played Junior A, Senior A, and university hockey, and was a level 4 coach in the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. He has been a featured speaker on fitness for hockey at numerous national and international conferences, he lectures at the National Coaching Istitute in Victoria, BC, and has written numerous monographs on fitness for hockey and two books - Fitness: The Key to Hockey Successand the 1st edition of Fitness for High Performance Hockey. He has co-edited and wrtten chapters in Physiological Testing of the High Performance Athleteand has been a consultant to many National and Olympic Teams. These include the Canadian National Hockey Team, National Rowing Team, National Alpine Ski Team, and many others.

In particular, Howie has been a consultant with many National Hockey League teams including the Edmonton Oilers, the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings, and presently the New York Rangers. He has also worked directly with the Canadian team in the Canadian Cup.

His recent venture is the "Train to Win" video with Wayne Gretzky which inspired this special edition - to be used on its own or as a supplement to the video.

He brings his academic background, excellent teaching skills, and his vast experience and success in the physical preparation of high performance hockey players to this book which features the why, how, and what to do in preparing to play hockey at the highest level.

Excerpts

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Reviews

"At the highest level of hockey you have to be able to use all of your skills at all times in every shift, every period, and every game. As well, in such a fast-paced game you must be able to make correct decisions in split seconds. If you are tired, you lose the ability to do both. That's why high levels of fitness are fundamental to personal and team success. Howie Wenger's programs have certainly made a difference for me and the New York Rangers."
- Brian Leetch

"To be able to perform to your potential in any field requires not only hard work but a sound approach. As an NHL goaltender my conditioning is the foundation of my game and therefore finding the best training program is crucial to my success. Dr. Wenger's approach to conditioning works because it is based on proven scientific principles designed specifically for the unique demands of ice hockey. Anyone interested in playing their best needs the best conditioning program available. Howie Wenger has the answer."
- Mike Richter

There is no doubt in my mind that fitness both enhanced and prolonged my NHL career. I was always willing to work hard but didn't know how to work smart and get the best leveles of fitness for the time invested. Howie Wenger made the differene for me by putting together the whole package of training, maintenance, nutrition, rest and hydration that allowed me to continue to play at the highest level in the NHL."
- Dave Taylor

I look back on the Stanley Cup year, 1994, not only with great memories, but as an awakening as an athlete. It was then that Howie Wenger introduced me to the fitness program that I feel contributed greatly to our team becoming Stanley Cup champions. Since that time, Howie's programs have given me the opportunity to be the best I can be through thorough physical preparation."
- Mark Messier

To check Dr. Wenger's first book please visit Fitness for High Performance Hockey.

Catalogue Information