RUN FORREST RUN: THE CHEAPEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE FORM OF DRY LAND TRAINING from past NHL pro Jeff Serowik and now hockey director at Pro Ambitions

Spring is finally around the corner, the days are getting longer, hockey season is coming to an end, which means it is a great time to hit the pavement. Running is not something that comes easily to me but it is something I always did and for good reason as you will read below. It is free, it does not require joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer and it is so very important for hockey players and all athletes for training purposes. I believe it is the best form of conditioning for all athletes. Many parents ask me when kids should start weight training. This is a tricky question because all children go through puberty at different times. When beginning a weight training regime especially for the first time, consult your pediatrician and a licensed trainer. My best advice to parents is to get the kids running.  This is the first step-and the most important step.
A couple of stories which will make things clearer on the importance of running…
My first day of hockey practice as a freshman at Providence College. 6 am wake up call. We had team physicals, had to give blood without breakfast and then run 3 miles in 21 minutes(that at least was the goal). It was early September and already blazing hot in the morning.  We had five groups of guys. My coach, Mike McShane, was running behind us while yelling through an orange pylon. I only had one lap to go thankfully in the middle to top of the pack because I had been running all summer to train. I will never forget one of my teammates breaking down on the track with a few laps to go. I will quote, “ I can’t see, take my scholarship…I can’t do it.” Almost in tears and throwing up. We laugh about his dramatic finish to the run to this day but it is the best story to encourage hockey players or any athlete who is serious about improving conditioning to hit the pavement and RUN!
Another story, early in my pro career….hot summer morning about 11am on Cape Cod. My buddy and NHL all star, Jeremy Roenick and I belonged to the same country club. I was on the driving range hitting balls and I saw JR, RUNNING not jogging over the hills and valleys of the course. He was moving at full steam ahead and dripping wet with sweat. Don’t get me wrong, there was nobody that trained harder than me in the summer but it was a huge wake up call to me that EVERYONE successful trains HARD.  Jeremy was a first liner in the NHL and I was a solid player in the AHL at the time trying to crack the NHL line up. Note- in talking to fellow players over the summer-most would claim to be “ out of shape” and worried that they did not train enough during our time off. This was pretty much not true in every case. We were all keeping tight lipped about how hard we worked all summer. Everyone wants an edge over the next person. First day of training camp-99% of the guys were in impeccable shape and clearly worked their butts off all summer to prepare. While playing for the Penguins, we were required to ride the bike after every game 20 minutes and lift weights for 30 minutes. As tired as we were this helped in getting the lactic acid out of our legs and was another CONDITIONING tool. The NHL season is long and hard and we needed to maintain muscle strength as losing too much weight and muscle mass is a problem for most guys.
Flashback to my middle school years. I ran every day for three miles in the summer.  Regardless of the heat of a hot July or August day, it did not matter-I got it done. Spring was busy for me with school and baseball, I would get my runs in as much as possible. Once summer came-I did not miss a day. Push ups-I remember doing them every day as well to try to be able to do 50 in a row without stopping. I broke my leg playing basketball in my driveway when I was fourteen. I started some light weight training at home as I remember consulting with my doctor my concerns of missing so much time with my injury for sports. After I got my cast off I joined a gym for the first time and started weight training, again with consulting my doctor on what was appropriate for my age and body type. This is a tricky avenue as kids all develop and grow at different times. Parents need to use caution and consult their child’s pediatrician.
Along with running, try running up and down stairs.  Stadium stairs are the best work out.