If you look how people process information, they typically will use one or a
combination of the 5 senses, Sight (vision), hearing (audition), taste (gustation),
smell (olfaction), and touch (somatosensation). As a long-time hockey coach,
one of the first things an instructor learns is that players learn in many different
ways.
Some need to hear how a drill has to be done. Others need to see it being done.
In most cases it’s a combination, hearing, seeing and then doing. Visual learning
can be extremely effective in skill acquisition if it’s followed up with practice
repetitions, trying to replicate what was seen.
Some of the best teachers are NHL players. If you want to stickhandle like the
pros, why not watch them and see what they’re doing for hockey stickhandling
training? They have to be doing something to have the hands they have, so
watch and learn.
The next time you go to an NHL game, hone in on one of the team’s skill guys
and watch them in warm-ups. Each player has their own way to prepare their
hands and mind for the game in addition to the teams drills. If you want to find
some creative hockey stickhandling drills and tricks, watch the masters as
they prepare for competition.
Here’s a clip with Austin Mathews from the Toronto Maple Leafs
https://youtu.be/pfJnnMVldJw
Here’s a clip with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
https://youtu.be/1PLUYXzAO2w
If you were able to watch one player during warm-ups for 10 straight games, you’d
quickly see that they are almost exactly the same. From where their place in line is
when entering the ice, going right or left on their first lap or shooting right post or
left post for the first shot. This is how players prepare their brain and body to be
ready to compete at a very high level.
Start taking parts of highly successful hockey players warm up routine and add it to your own. Keep tinkering until you find the right combination that makes you feel like you’re going to dominate once the game starts.
Best of Luck and Remember to Work Hard and Dream Bigger than Everyone Else!!
February 02, 2018 — Jason S

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