LOAD EXPLODE, LOAD EXPLODE, LOAD EXPLODE.

After finishing my 411th virtual training session in the yellow garage last night (WOW), I realized I say LOAD EXPLODE more than any other cue when working with players. I must say it at least 50-100 times per hour long session.

It doesn’t matter whether we’re working on the explosiveness of their shot or stride, or if we’re working on their ability to explode coming out of fakes when stick-handling or fire a pass across the ice to an open teammate, this phrase comes up time and time again. It is an essential concept for players to grasp and it can be easily taught OFF the ice with proper speed, strength and skills training, as well as ON the ice.

So here are a few short clips of me “loading and exploding” out on the outdoor rink.

You load and explode with every start & every stride you take.

You load and explode with every shot as well – that load up is smaller & faster with a snapshot or backhand and longer & slower with a wrist or snapshot – but it’s the same idea.

And last but not least, to effectively explode around opponents in a 1v1 situation, you have to load up your stick-handling fakes and explode out of them.

So whether you’re training on or off the ice, always have that LOAD EXPLODE mindset. It’s the foundation of all your ON-ICE skating, shooting, stick-handling and passing skills, and it should be a major focus of all your off-ice speed, strength and skills training.

Work Hard. Dream BIG. First Things First.