I had a consultation last week with an 18-year-old hockey player that reminded me why I love coaching.

He was determined to make it to the next level, but as he described his training routine, I could see the frustration and confusion in his eyes.

When I asked him about his training, he told me:

“I’m trying to do a lot of strength and power workouts. Usually four sets of 8-12 reps, and hitting the gym as much as possible,” he explained.

Then came the guilt.

“I’m only making it 3-4 times a week though. I know I should be going six days like everyone else.”

The irony?

He was already training too much.

And like most athletes, in completely the wrong way for his goals.

Today, I will show you exactly how much you need to train to achieve (and maintain) elite performance, whether you’re a competitive athlete or just want to train like one.

Once you get this right, you’ll find yourself stronger and more explosive than ever.

My athletes consistently see better performance in their sport, eliminate injuries, and have more energy for practice and games.

Unfortunately, most athletes never figure this out because they’re trapped in old-school thinking about training.

“More training means better results”

This mindset leads to several mistakes:

• They think building muscle leads to athleticism, so they copy workouts designed for looks, not performance.
• They think soreness equals progress, so they chase fatigue.
• They feel guilty taking rest days, leading to burnout.
• They never give their body time to adapt and get stronger.

There’s a better way to train - one that maximizes your performance while minimizing unnecessary stress on your body.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1: Train With Blocks

Your priority should be training quality, not quantity.

After working with hundreds of athletes, I’ve found that organizing training into focused 15-minute blocks is the key to consistent athletic progress.

Each block combines four elements:

• A heavy strength movement (3-5 reps at 85-90% max)
• An explosive exercise (like a jump or throw)
• A strength-speed movement (like a med ball throw)
• A pure speed drill

If you missed last week’s newsletter on French Contrast Training and how to build these blocks, you can read that here.​

It breaks down exactly how to structure each piece for maximum results.

Once my athletes switch to this method, they see better performance in just weeks and reduce their gym time by more than half.

Step 2: Find Your Sweet Spot

Here’s where most athletes go wrong - they train too many days a week and never give their nervous system time to recover.

Even my pro athletes only train 2-3 times per week, mixed in with their sports practice and games.

Start with two 15-minute blocks per workout, 2-3 times a week.

Focus on making every rep explosive and powerful.

When you notice your speed dropping, that’s your signal to end the session - not to push through more sets.

Step 3: Match Your Season

This is where everything comes together into a sustainable system.

Your training should shift based on where you are in your season:

Off-Season:

• Train 3x per week with 2-3 blocks per session
• Focus on building strength by lifting heavy, without the pressure of game performance

In-Season:

• Scale back to 2x per week with 2 blocks per session
• Maintain the weights but reduce the volume
• Let your game performance guide your training intensity

The Game-Changer

Remember: Training isn’t about grinding yourself down - it’s about building yourself up.

Quality beats quantity every time.

The best athletes aren’t the ones training the most; they’re the ones training the smartest.

Want to see exactly how this works? Start with last week’s guide to French Contrast Training to learn how to build these performance blocks.

Then check out my complete workout programs for both in-season and off-season training.

These are the exact blocks I use with my pro athletes, designed to keep you explosive when it matters most. Check them out here.​