November 1, 2011
Circuit Training
Q&A with ... strength and conditioning coach Mark Powell and athletic trainer Joe Huff of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch
by Lyle Phair/Correspondent
Joe Huff
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Each month, New York Hockey Journal takes you around the region for training tips from the top athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches.
Mark Powell is entering his seventh season as strength and conditioning coach with the Syracuse Crunch, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. He has also been a full-time athletic trainer at East Syracuse-Minoa Central High School in East Syracuse, N.Y., for 25 years.
Powell is a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
Joe Huff is beginning his second season as the Crunch’s athletic trainer after spending the 2008-09 season serving in the same capacity for the Anaheim Ducks’ then-AHL affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa. Prior to his time in Iowa, Huff spent the previous three seasons (2005-08) working as the athletic trainer for the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL.
What are the first things you tell players who are working with you for the first time?
MP: I try to show them some things they haven’t seen before that will help them on the ice. I sell my program by explaining how each thing I ask from them will benefit them on-ice. I tell them that I’m trying to add tools to their S&C toolbox, try my ways of doing things, players will find things that I do that they like.
I also find out immediately if they have physical issues that do not allow them to do certain exercises. You have to be able to work around injuries and pre-existing conditions, and still get the work done that’s required.
What are the biggest changes a player new to the AHL faces from an athletic training standpoint?
JH: First, I would say that the biggest changes depend on where the player is coming from. It could be a lower level of professional hockey like the ECHL, a junior league or college.
If a player is coming from junior, he is going to notice first he is playing with men and not 16- to 20-year-old. These players are bigger, faster, stronger and smarter.
There will not necessarily be a big difference in the number of games played, but in the intensity level at which those games are played. They are most likely not the best players any more and have to learn to work harder and smarter.
Former college players will notice the number of games played is sometimes double than what they had played previously and that introduces things like three games in three nights. With this type of increase you need to really pay attention to things like diet and recovery -- also, taking care of little things so they don't turn into big things. Their bodies don't have a full four to five days to recover from games like they do in college.
The group with the smallest adjustment would be the players who have worked their way up the ranks from lower levels of professional hockey. They all will have to learn that they will be held accountable for everything they do, on or off the ice -- from treatment times, and other various appointments and public relation requirements.
What about from a strength and conditioning standpoint?
MP: The physical demands of the player changes. They have to deal with not only playing, but playing against older, physically stronger and faster players. They must play and practice at a higher intensity, and then add the off-ice conditioning requirements.
Add travel, more games in less time (three games in three nights sometimes) and taking care of themselves nutritionally. This is probably the first time they’ve had to shop and cook for themselves. Nutrition is such a key component to recovery.
If you had a list of a few top exercises to help young players improve their conditioning and injury prevention, what would they be?
MP: For injury prevention, activation and mobility exercises. Glute activation and hip mobility are areas of concern, so various drills to address those areas are part of our daily program.
I’m also big on scapular stabilization exercises; the shoulders take a lot of abuse in this game and posterior shoulder work has helped our guys tremendously. As far as lifts, we do a lot of single-leg squat variations and explosive leg work, and I’m a big fan of sled drags.
For core stabilization we use plank variations and the TRX. And with upper body, shoulder pressing, we use barbells and dumbbells, and pull-ups. We do pulling exercises with every pushing exercise to maintain muscular balance and flexibility.
What’s a part of a good strength and conditioning regimen that’s often overlooked?
MP: Three areas come to mind: 1) Activation and mobility work; 2) Proper warm-up. It makes a big difference in preparing to get on the ice; a lot of young guys neglect this or haven’t been exposed to a good warm-up routine; 3) Soft tissue work with foam rollers, massage sticks, and rolling on lacrosse and softballs to target specific hot spots. When players are introduced to these modalities, they see immediate benefits.
What are some of the most common mistakes players make when lifting/working out on their own?
MP: Many players don’t understand power and speed development. To develop on-ice acceleration, running must be short and high-intensity, with almost full recovery. If the distance is too long, the volume is too high or there’s not proper recovery time, then the workout becomes conditioning -- which is fine, but developing acceleration speed or maximal strength is sacrificed.
As far as weightlifting, lower reps with higher weights are needed to develop explosive power. Also, players will gravitate toward the exercises they like, or are good at, when they may need other exercises to improve their overall game. I always say that the thing you like the least is probably the thing you need the most.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in your field over the last five years?
MP: Two things: First, most hockey players were doing “body-building” work when I first started; now, most players are doing more explosive power and acceleration development, which is what they need most on the ice.
The other thing would be more concentration on mobility, activation and core stabilization exercises.
Nutritionally speaking, what are your biggest do’s and don’ts?
MP: The biggest do is getting a recovery drink in the first 30-45 minutes after activity. A carb/protein source ingested within this timeframe has been shown to aid recovery dramatically.
Also, it’s important to get a protein source at every meal. I think many, if not most athletes, don’t get enough protein. Then, for guys who need to lose weight need to even out their carb and protein intake, their diets tend to be out of balance as far as the carbs to protein ratio.
What are the biggest dangers, conditioning-wise, to players preparing to begin a new season?
MP: We slowly ramp up the intensity of the weightlifting as the season begins. We will lift during training camp, but players need to be sharp on the ice, so the exercises I choose will be lower intensity and not as demanding, so as not to create a lot of muscle soreness, which may lead to nagging injuries.
Once we begin the regular season, we will squat, clean and hit our upper body with heavier weights. The preseason may be more core and unilateral exercises. The key is that they will be working hard on the ice and need to recover from that effort each day, so piling on super-intense lifting at this point may lead to injury.
