Now that summer’s here, we’ve officially kicked off our off-season plan.

Every year I get asked the same question:

What should I be doing in the off-season?

I give every player some version of this plan. It’s the same structure I’ve used with my pros for seven years. It’s launched big seasons, built faster skaters, and helped wipe out injuries that hold players back when games pile up.

The biggest mistake I see? Unstructured training.

Players jump between random TikTok workouts. They follow a bodybuilding split that has nothing to do with hockey. Or they skip the gym altogether and stay on the ice all summer.

Here’s What Happens When You Get Off The Ice

Hockey wears down your hips, knees and tons of other muscles. Stepping away for a few weeks lets them recover so you don’t carry nagging pain into next season.

This is when real strength happens. You rebuild muscle, protect your joints, and add the speed and power you can’t fully develop just by skating.

It’s also your mental reset — a break from constant games, a chance to work on skills without pressure, and time to come back sharper.

If you want your best season yet, don’t guess. Use this window to build what you need for a demanding season.

Here’s how.

Phase 1: Build Your Base (Weeks 1–2)

Every great off-season starts the same way — by slowing things down.

When you lower weight slowly, you’re teaching your body to absorb force the right way.

This does two things:

1. It rebuilds tissue that broke down during the season.
2. And it makes you stronger in positions where injuries usually happen — when you stop, plant, or change direction.

Most players miss this. They rush reps, bounce through lifts, and never train the part that keeps them strong when it counts.

So for two weeks, own the lowering phase.

Control every rep.

Take 3-5 seconds down, drive up smoothly.

The exercise doesn’t matter as much as the pattern. Do this for all your main movements (squats, bench, hex bar lifts, rows…).

You’re laying the base that your speed and power can stand on.

Lock In Stability (Weeks 3–4)

Once you’ve built strength, the next step is learning to control it when things get intense.

You’re not just moving the weight — you’re forcing your body to hold it steady where it’s toughest.

During your main lifts (whether it’s a squat, lunge, row, or press), pause and hold at the most challenging position for 5 to 10 seconds before finishing the rep.

That pause trains your muscles and joints to handle real force under pressure.

When you stop on a dime, fight for position, or absorb a hit, this is what keeps you stable.

It sounds simple, but it’s harder than you think — and that’s the point.

How to do it:

• Add a 5–10 second pause at the toughest part of any main lift (squat, lunge, row, press, etc.).
• Try single-leg or single-arm versions to challenge your balance.
• Pick a weight that feels heavy and challenging, ideally around 80–90% of your max, but always prioritize form.

Phase 3: Turn Strength Into Power (Weeks 5–6)

You’ve built strength and control — now it’s time to move it fast.

This phase trains the concentric part of the movement: the lifting part of each rep. Standing up from a squat, pressing overhead, driving out of the bottom strong and quick.

The goal is simple: move the weight as explosively as you can.

Stick to your big lifts, like squats, deadlifts, and presses, but focus on intent. Use loads you can push fast, usually 70–85% of your max.

This is how you train your Rate of Force Development — how quickly you can produce force when you need to sprint, hit, or fire off the line to win a loose puck.

Keep sets to five reps — and rest enough to stay sharp.

You’re teaching your body to produce force quickly, not grind through slow reps.

This is how gym strength becomes real on-ice speed and power.

It’s the bridge between building strength and using it when you need it most.

Phase 4: Peak with French Contrast (Weeks 7–8)

This is your final push before camp.

Where all the strength, control, and power you’ve built gets sharpened into real, game-ready explosiveness.

French Contrast sounds complicated, but it’s simple when you break it down: four moves, back-to-back, one circuit.

Each piece primes your body to hit max power and react fast.

1. Heavy lift — like a squat or deadlift — fires up your nervous system.
2. Plyometric jump — like a box jump — turns that force into real lift and explosion.
3. Speed lift — lighter, like a jump squat — teaches you to move weight fast.
4. Assisted jump — like a band-assisted vertical — pushes you to react quicker than you could alone.

Heavy, jump, fast, faster.

One tweak I’ve added this year (inspired by Cal Dietz) is pairing agonist–antagonist movements inside the same circuit.

That means mixing a push and a pull, or a quad move with a hamstring move.

So you might front squat heavy, then hit Nordic curls for your hamstrings. Or press heavy, then row hard.

Why?

Balancing opposite muscle groups keeps your body stable and your power output high.

It also helps your nervous system fire more efficiently, so you move better and feel more explosive when the game gets fast.

Rest 20–30 seconds between moves, 2–4 minutes between circuits.

Run this 2-3 times a week for your last two weeks. Taper down right before camp.

Pick movements that match hockey: like hex-bar squats, box jumps, band jumps, rows, and presses.

If you run this right and take a small break before camp, you’ll step on the ice feeling faster, sharper, and ready to dominate.

Lock It In

Each phase builds on the last. You start with control, layer in stability, then turn it into power and finish by sharpening it with speed.

It’s a simple plan, but when you follow it step by step, it works. Keep track of your numbers, stay consistent, and trust that every rep is setting you up to stand out when the season starts.

If you want the full version — complete workouts, tracking sheets, and short coaching videos to guide you through it — you can check out the Pro Hockey Academy Here.

Hope this helps.

Talk soon,

Tony