What does the day to day of a high performance skill coach look like? Joining me once again is Troy Smith, the owner of Hockey IQ! With his extensive experience as a player and a coach at both the amateur and professional levels, he’s sharing his must-haves for coaches to take their players to the elite level. Our conversation will cover everything you need to know about the life of a skill coach, including Troy’s approach to skill training, his recommended do’s and don’ts for the off-season, the secret to training processing speed in your athletes, and more. We go over how to handle communication not only with your athletes, but with staff members, as well as Troy’s take on the software of the game that got his community talking. We also take a lens to the current NHL playoffs, our first impressions, and the style of play we’re seeing—most of all, what it’ll take to get to the third round.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Welcome back to the podcast, Troy Smith, owner of Hockey IQ!

01:40 How has Hockey IQ evolved as a business?

04:15 What are your must-have fundamentals for players?

09:35 How to communicate with your athletes as a skill coach.

13:05 The do’s and don’ts of off-season training.

20:30 What is the best way to coach younger vs. older players?

24:20 How do you approach the software of the game?

28:05 The best tool to train processing speed.

32:45 The top three athletes to watch for elite processing speed.

36:05 What are your biggest takeaways from the playoffs so far?

41:35 What it’ll take to make it to the third round of the playoffs.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Hockey IQ on YouTube | HockeyIQca

Follow Hockey IQ on Instagram | @hockeyiqcan

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

Get ready to geek out on everything from stride mechanics to off-ice training strategies. In this episode, I sit down with Joel Becker, lead performance coach of GameChangers. Joel brings an incredible background from speed skating and hockey. We break down the nuanced world of speed development, discussing how understanding force application, time, and direction can transform an athlete's performance. Joel shares some killer insights on off-ice imitation exercises that'll revolutionize how strength coaches approach hockey training - think deep, uncomfortable isometric holds that build incredible hip and leg strength. We explore game speed, hockey IQ, and the subtle art of translating linear speed into on-ice performance. If you're a coach looking to understand the intricate details of skating mechanics and athlete development, this episode is an absolute must-listen. Trust me, you'll walk away with practical strategies you can implement immediately with your athletes.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Meet Joel Becker, expert in the world of skating and hockey biomechanics.

01:45 How can lessons from speed skating biomechanics improve your hockey game?

03:45 Hockey Stride and Biomechanics.

09:30 The importance of foot strike and how it affects skating technique and speed.

28:00 Off-Ice Training and Pattern Specific Work.

28:15 How do you elevate your game speed and hockey IQ simultaneously?

34:30 Joel’s integrated training model, including off-ice exercises and on-ice work.

37:18 Off-Ice Imitation Exercises.

51:00 Ankle Mobility and Skating.

55:45 Where can we connect with you and learn more?

RESOURCES + LINKS

The ABC of skating imitation exercises,

Game Changers Training, 15 Minute Off-Skates Dryland Workout, Plyometric Workout

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

As we wrap up the season, it’s time we highlight the importance of programming. Today, I unpack the 3-day rollover programming — AKA, the Gain, Go, and Grow model — we use at Donskov Conditioning to train and prepare our athletes. I’ll walk through the main pillars and foundational principles of the model, what to expect from the program, and how it benefits hockey players of all demographics (young or advanced levels). Most of all, I share how we instill important skills all athletes need to keep evolving and produce results when game day comes.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 What I tell my young athletes for off season training.

03:55 The origin + main pillars of the Gain, Go, and Grow model.

06:55 Who is the rollover program for?

09:10 What to expect from the 3-day program.

14:05 How the Gain, Go, and Grow model benefits the athletes.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players