Athletes run on different settings than most the population. A dedicated athlete has elite focus, competitiveness, and work ethic in everyday life that can’t be matched by non-athletic populations. The mindset of an athlete is a double edged sword that can be used in pursuit of excellence or if not wield properly to their darkest corners. Athletes need structure, routine, leadership and community that helps focus their efforts and mindset towards their specific goals.

“The athlete mindset is my greatest attribute, but also one of my hardest challenges. During my years as a high level hockey player, it was important for me to have routine and a community with similar values to me. As I entered High School, many of my childhood friends experimented with drugs and alcohol. Hockey gave me focus and purpose that led me to step away from that group and find a new community of teammates who saw the same future as I did.
I progressed through high school with average grades; school is hard on kids who learn better through hands on expeirience. However, I remember thinking to myself, ‘I have got to pass this test and finish these assignments to play University hockey’. I studied hard and used the work ethic, time management skills, and structure I developed on the ice to finish assignments early, study for weeks before exams, and reach out for extra help after classes. I was obsessed with hockey and with the skills I had built I could hyper focus and succeed on anything I set my mind too.
Unfortunately, I lacked guidance in the areas of nutrition and fitness and my hyper focus took a dark turn into obsessive exercise and disordered eating. Our team workouts were always focused on dryland training consisting of endless running and burpees (likely the product of lack of resources for youth sports and women’s hockey). The goal always to see who they could make puke first. Our training lacked structure and we didn’t have access to expert resources to educate us on fuelling our bodies for performance. I took what I knew and I spent endless hours in the gym. Looking back, it was mostly wasted time without a focused hockey specific program. I would abuse my body and leave the gym in pain with the pursuit of better athletics. I would drastically under consume calories because I thought that would lead to an athletic body. I did long term damage that still effects me to this day. This is where the double edged sword of hyper focus and drive hurt me as I drove myself to hyper focus on the wrong things.
Looking back, I realize that Jolt Fitness wouldn’t exist today without my hockey experience. I learned many of the skills I need to operate a small business through sport. High level hockey produced attributes that developed me as a creative and dedicated entrepreneur. I am so grateful for my expierience, but now I have clarity in how to manage my drive and dedication. The double edged sword of hyper focus and commitment needs to be developed and led with care.
That’s why we believe at Jolt that a structured Off Season Hockey program is so important. Yes, the athletic development is necessary to push athletes to the next level, but the mindset and community it fosters creates athletes who are successful in all levels of life.
- Siggy, Mount Royal University Women’s Hockey, Owner of Jolt Fitness.

Athletes are a special type of human. Their ability to push their limits and step outside of their comfort zone is unmatched. Athletes know how to work hard, but they need guidance in how to work effectively. At Jolt, we help athletes tap into different zones of training. We go beyond “beast mode” and build athletes that peak heading into their season. We spend time building healthy knees and hips (6 weeks), creating fundamental strength (6 weeks), and transferring that movement into hockey specific performance (4 weeks). This structured programming helps lead athletes into tryouts feeling their best. Peaking too early, in the off season could lead to injury, burn out and fatigue, and overall lack of performance early in the season.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OFF SEASON HOCKEY PROGRAM

Why do athletes need off season programming?

STRUCTURE
Athletes thrive on structure and routine. Without athletic structure and routine, we look elsewhere for that stimulation or we simply shut down. The athletes who are successful in-season plan ahead. They use their off season wisely to take their body through phases of training. At Jolt we build our hockey off-season program, so that you enter the season at your peak condition. Over the course of 4-5 months, we structure training to take you through phases of rebuilding and reprogramming, functional strength, and athletic power.
A structured Off-Season progressive program lays the foundation for athleticism that seamlessly translates into powerhouse performance. Swapping aimless, grueling workouts designed solely to induce physical exhaustion for purposeful, progressive training is key. Unstructured routines not only breed burnout but also pave the way for potential injuries during gameplay. It's time to replace training with ego at the forefront and dig into a new era of educated, structured programming that propels athletes towards their goals effectively. Athletes inherently possess the drive to work hard and push their limits, but true success lies in mastering the art of working intelligently, efficiently, and peaking at precisely the right moment for optimal performance.
At Jolt, we place paramount importance on fundamental aspects such as structural integrity, injury prevention and rehabilitation, nervous system recovery, sport-specific stability, mobility and energy transfer, as well as developing transferable explosiveness, speed, and power. This transcends conventional exercises like burpees, box jumps, and bicep curls; our focus is on cultivating well-rounded athletes who are primed to excel.
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY
As sports performance coaches, our mission extends beyond shaping athletes for a successful season on the ice – it encompasses preparing them for all facets of life. At the core of our approach lies a holistic focus on nutrition, recovery strategies, and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits, even beyond the confines of game days. Our training environment is not just about physical gains; it's a crucible for fostering camaraderie, competition, and mutual inspiration among athletes striving to elevate their performance.
Central to our methodology is empowering athletes with the 'why' behind their training programs, instilling in them a profound understanding of how their actions directly impact their performance outcomes and physical expectations. While hockey undoubtedly holds immense importance, we recognize that an athlete's life extends far beyond the confines of the season. Thus, we cultivate qualities of leadership, community engagement, and a tenacity for continuous learning to shape individuals who transcend the boundaries of athletes, evolving into lifelong champions both on and off the ice.