Simple Yet Effective Hockey Conditioning for Girls

Hi Krista,

(This question is from a 13 year old high level female hockey player who only has about 5 weeks left in her off season training and has no access to traditional gym equipment and machines).

I would like to know how to build my stamina and strength but I don't have any machines to use.


At this stage, including simple yet effective strength and conditioning movements to your workouts will be a great addition.

Here are some examples that require no equipment but build strength and power that carry over well to hockey.

Step up - Pushup - Squat Combo

Step ups onto the 2nd step or your stairs. Hands behind head "prisoner style". Step up onto 2nd step with all 1 leg (ie Left) for 15 reps. Then do the right leg for 15 reps. REST 30 seconds. I recommend you purchase a 3 or 4 different pairs of dumbells from 5 to 15 pounds and each workout, add weights to the step ups. Hold them at the sides of your obdy or at your shoulders. Each week, hold heavier dumbbells.

Then perform as many pushups as you can with good form. REST 30 seconds. Go for quality of reps rather than quantity. If you cannot perform very many full pushups (less than 10), then use a modified style with your knees bent and touch the ground. Once you are able to perform 30 modified pushups, you should be able to do more than 10 full pushups. You can also do as many full pushups as you can then drop down to modified style and complete the set to safe failure (form does not break severely).

Lastly, do 15 to 30 jump squats (squat down, jump up as high as you can). Each workout aim to add 2 to 5 additional squats. REST 2 minutes. You can also use the dumbbells for the jump squats.

Perform these 3 exerices 3 to 5 more times, in that same sequence (with the rest outlined).

Then do bike or skipping intervals for 20 minutes. Bike or skip hard for 30 to 60 seconds, then at a slow pace and low intensity for 1:30 to 2:00. Repeat these high / low intervals 5 to 8 times, then cooldown. Follow this up with your required stretches (lying hamstring, "figure four" hip stretch ect...).

If you would like to book a session with me to go through your sample hockey conditioning program (if you attend a gym or have access to standard gym equipment), let me know and we will arrange an ideal time.

If you would like to purchase a pack of training sessions for August to help prepare you for the season with some one-on-one personal training, then you can also let me know and arrange a regular schedule.