Interesting piece today by Ryan Kennedy in The Hockey News online (I skim the mobile app whenever I’ve got a few moments…) He relates how Tampa Bay Lightning’s 51-goal scoring sensation Steven Stamkos spent time again this summer training with the legendary Gary Roberts, renowned during his playing days as the NHL’s fittest man.
Roberts: peerless, ageless & tireless
Roberts’ regime includes unorthodox weight-training routines, endurance work like running while pulling a 120-lb sled, and giving up the Baskin-Robbins for healthy organic meals – delivered right to the gym. You get the feeling that the term “boot camp” doesn’t half do it justice – this doesn’t sound much like spin class in the back studio at the local Lulu Lemon. And yet there’s Stamkos, back for another go-round. Maybe that Rocket Richard trophy helped convince him that Roberts’ tough conditioning gives a guy a leg up over regular NHL training camp. Other young pros have signed on as well (Toronto Maple Leafs notably absent…).
All of which brings up a perplexing question, namely: if your aim is to become the Best Player in the World – or to coach someone to that vaunted status – how much time do you spend on fitness, v, say, pure skills? Yeah, everyone’s going to say “do both.” But that’s an easy answer. We at BP have watched too many Tyke and Atom hockey practices at which the kids don’t see a puck until 30 mins into a 1 hr session. Until that time it’s suicide drills: red line, blue line, red line, centre line, and so on ad nauseum. Sure, the kids’ cardio is decent, and in the weekend games they’re first to the puck – but many have only limited ideas of what to do when they get there. Dump & chase is often a popular choice…
At the other extreme you have the Indian and Pakistani field hockey teams of the 80s, which boasted guys with otherworldly stick-and-ball skills but whose cardio was on par with your average MLB relief pitcher. India and Pakistan spent decades at the pinnacle of international field hockey employing the same style – in the 70s, Pakistani winger Samiullah Khan was the Guy Lafleur of his sport, scoring goals almost at will coming in off the wing. But the fancy futzing around with the ball stopped working when the game shifted to artificial turf and the staid & portly Indians lined up against the Aussies, the Germans, or the Dutch – who were big, almost as skillful and three times as fit.
In this, as in so much else, the via media – balance – is king. So train, future BPs, train. Hit the cardio, slug the weights, choke back the organic chicken wraps – do all of it, but don’t spend valuable team practice time on it. Team practice time should mostly be spent on what is likely to occur in a game – be it the need for individual skills, teamwork, or group cohesion. Have some fun in team practice, too; and save the heavy slogging for when you’re off the ice/field/court.
And if you’re free next summer, go see Gary Roberts.
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