BLOG: Blackhawks Challenge Prospects in New Offseason Workouts

With a few shakeups in the prospects' routine in the Blackhawks development camp, the team challenged the players to a new workout to add in their summer training.

Head coach Luke Richardson and the Blackhawks development staff introduced boxing classes to the group as a new form of workout in the offseason. For players like Ryan Greene, this created a new environment that brought competitiveness and excitement within the camp.

"It was my first time giving that a try and I know the rest of the guys loved that as well," Greene said. "The coach was extremely nice and helpful as well, so it was really cool to get in there and kind of compete with each other and learn the basics."

Richardson brought in his former NHL strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan to development camp this year because of the way he trained players throughout his career. In his 28-plus career in hockey, he worked with Richardson and other top NHL players to present a different challenge and workout for his clients.

For Brennan, he used his boxing training as a different form to condition players that can help both their off-ice and on-ice routine. While some players focused on lifting weights, sprinting or bike riding, this provided a new aspect of workouts for the prospects to help with their balance.

"I wanted to focus on was their balance and the rotational torque because then that can carry over to on ice," Brennan said. "[For example,] if they stay low in their stance on their skates then they are able to explode forward with little mini plyometric movements, so that's what we emphasize through the week."

Richardson noted that Brennan's style of training benefitted the players because he defined how boxing could help their game on the ice that doesn't include a fight, but rather how to become a better athlete.

"He really explains the transitions in the benefits of boxing can bring to your game," Richardson said. "We're not trying to train guys to be brawlers or fighters here. We're trying to train them to be good athletes and changing up their workouts in the summer."

With large groups of prospects, coaches spilt the players up into four groups to help with each session. This allowed Brennan and Richardson to provide one-on-one lessons that range from different techniques from combinations or a proper way to fix their balance.

By the end of camp, Brennan noticed that the players understood the different styles he threw at them and started to teach more difficult combinations earlier than he expected.

"I had them throwing multiple combinations," Brennan said. "We went so in depth, that towards [the end of the week], I just didn't expect we'd get that far. Some of the combinations that we're throwing were pretty intense and pretty complicated and these guys pick them up perfectly."

As groups took part in the 45-minute sessions each day, Brennan and Richardson tried to change the style of the class depending on what stations each prospect came from whether from the gym or target practice with pucks. From there, they could decide how much they wanted to challenge the players that day.

The group also implemented the new breath work they learn from former Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya. Nick Lardis described how the skill conserved their energy during the difficult workouts.

"We're doing some pretty challenging stuff, and then kind of in between, we did some breathing work," Lardis said. "I think it really helped myself and all the guys gain more energy from doing those combos. So, I think just doing that, and implementing not just in boxing, but even hockey and training in the summer, too, so I think it'll help a lot."

While some of the prospects want to continue boxing this offseason, Brennan notes that the breathing technique will only help with their training. As they move from shadowboxing to punching bags, they can use the new approach to their benefit to become less winded in their workout.

Not only can it help in their off-ice workouts, but Alex Pharand also states that it can help with their on-ice training as well.

"It's awesome like the way you can kind of focus on it and dial in and then get your head and your mind back to where you want to be between shifts and between boxing," Pharand said. "So, I think that helped a lot and it's something that we're going to be able to apply to our games in the future."

It also created different conversations among the prospects throughout the week. With the callouts of different combinations, it allowed players to feel comfortable in the groups and learn more about each other.

While some prospects already knew of each other, the boxing sessions allowed the group to truly come together and place the players outside of their comfort zone.

"Some guys have never met each other ever before," Richardson said. "I think boxing is just another way to help bring them together and talk about things and have some fun with it."