Everybody needs a plan...

Yesterday morning I spent a while reading and thinking about how I am approaching my off/pre-season conditioning/training program.  In particular, the next 'phase', being a stepping up from my present forcus on strength training to one that includes my aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.

I am 'phasing' the lead-in to the pre-season and its concentration upon skills and teamwork with a four-phase program, encompassing strength, energy systems, agility and quickness.  All going well, it would be good to make the leap (!) to pylometrics before I change gears entirely into the season proper.  As pylometric (hopping and jumping drills) should only be approached when one is otherwise in good condition, this gives me a good goal for this aspect of my training.

I have made the assumption that the off-/pre-season will last twelve weeks.  I have nearly completed two weeks.  If I wish to achieve some significant physical payoff, regenerate the strength of my right leg, increase my upper body and core muscle power (though not much if any mass) I will have to keep up the present intensity on this front for at least a month, ideally two.  By the end of the second month I would like to have transitted to the increasingly hockey specific phase of 'agility'.

Thus, my periodic off season schedule for the coming weeks gains greater clarity:

Wk 1   S(trength) I
Wk 2   S II
Wk 3   S II, Ae(robic) I
Wk 4   S II, Ae II, An(aerobic) I
Wk 5   S II, Ae II, An II
Wk 6   S II, Ae II, An II
Wk 7   S II, Ae I,  An II, A(gility) I
Wk 8   S II, Ae I,  An I,  A II
Wk 9   S I , Ae I,  An I,  A II, Q(uikness) I
Wk 10 S I,  Ae I,  Q II
Wk 11 Pre Season
Wk 12 Pre Season

S I    = Core and arms staple drills off season (upper body only during season)
S II   = SI + rotating extra drills legs and core
Ae I  = Minimal Aerobic workouts (eg, 2 of inline game or training, jog)
Ae II = Ae I + additional aerobic workout activity
An I  = Minimal Anaerobic workout (eg. 2 of inline game or training)
An II = An I + High Intensity Workouts
AI     = Agility I *to be determined* (thoughts of Mt Lofty come to mind)
AII    = AI + *to be determined*
QI     = Quickness drills
QII    = Q1 + Pylometrics

Through it all, I'll have to also re-establish contact with the ice (public skating, shinnies, knight's training, academy are all options).

It's a plan, anyway...