STEVEN SPINELL
It’s no secret that hockey players get an edge on the ice when they take the time to prepare themselves in the off-season. This summer PPC-Chicago played host to a young man by the name of Steven Spinell, who with the support of his family and complete trust in Strength Coach Mike Bystol, took his game to the next level.

PPC Athlete Profile

Starting Date: May 10, 2006

Name: Steven Spinell
Age: 15
Height: 5’-11”
Weight: 173.6 Lbs
% body fat: 12%
Sport: Ice Hockey
Position: Defensemen

Ending Date: August 10, 2006

Height: 5”11
Weight 200
% body fat: 9%

Total weight gained = 26.4 pounds
Fat Loss = 2.83 pounds
Muscle gain – 29.24 pounds

Coach Mike Bystol prescribed a training program tailored to maximize results within a short time frame (about 12 weeks) meanwhile addressing the nutritional needs specific to Steven to pack on some lean mass and create a respectable presence on the ice. Did he become a presence on the ice? You better believe he did!

Poliquin Performance Knows Hockey!

Poliquin Performance has over 25 years experience training hockey players. PPC has trained players on over 25 teams in the NHL. At the Salt Lake City Olympics, 9 of the gold medalists from Canada and 4 of the Silver Medalists from the USA Hockey Teams trained with Poliquin Performance.

Over the past 5 years we have scene a distinctive pattern in younger hockey players, they skate way too much. Athletes need an off-season to recover from injuries and physically prepare them for the next season. Every sport hosts its own list of repetitive stress injuries caused by muscles continually doing the same work. Some muscles become overdeveloped while other muscles become weak and tight. Do to the nature of the game and the incredibly long season, hockey players suffer from an extended list of problems. Some of the more common overuse injuries we see are tight hip flexors, weak lower backs and core, weak VMO’s causing instability in the knee, internal rotation of the shoulders leading to shoulder impingement and increase risk of shoulder separation.

Steven was no exception to the rule. During our initial lower body testing we discovered that Steven had weak VMO’S both sides, IT band syndrome, tight piriformis, hip flexors and hamstrings. His upper body evaluation revealed a severe imbalance between his chest and upper back muscles and weakness in his shoulder stabilizers muscles relative to his strength.

During the first 4 weeks of Stevens program we focused on structural balance training. We restored flexibility through our unique dynamic pendulum flexibility program and strengthen unbalanced muscles with specialized weight room exercises developed by the Poliquin Performance staff.

Within 4 weeks we had fixed Stevens imbalances and where ready to move onto the SPEED, POWER AND ACCELERATION PHASES. During these 3 phases we wanted to put on as much muscle as possible while dramatically increasing his speed and power. During these 3 phases Steven trained 4-7 times per week and some days he trained twice in one day to allow sufficient rest and recovery between training sessions.

The type of training we do at PPC is not something you will see at the local health club or skating rink. We don’t believe in devices like skating treadmills, stationary bikes, speed ladders, etc. We are opposed to any long distance running and endurance work. Of course we do like squats, deadlifts, chins and most other traditional weight room exercises but you will also see our athletes dragging sleds, pushing and pulling trucks, swinging sledgehammers, throwing medicine balls, flipping 500 pound tractor tires, performing farmer walks, super yokes as well as many other untraditional forms of training.

Here is a sample an AM – PM training day.

AM: LEGS		Sets	Reps	Tempo	Rest
A1	Trap Bar Dead Lifts from Floor	5	6,6,4,4	3011	120s
B1	Atlantis Kneeling Leg Curls Feet Inward	4	6-8	40X0	90s
B2	Low Pulley Split Squats	4	10-12	3010	90s
C1	Low Bench Steps Ups w/ DB’s	3	10-12	3011	75s
C2	Back Extensions	3	8-10	2015	75s

PM: ENERGY SYSTEM TRAINING		Sets	Reps	Tempo	Rest
A1	Farmers Walk	6 x 50yds	-	25-35s	120s
A2	Bent Over Sled Drag	6 x 50yds	-	45-50s	120s
B1	Reverse Sled Drag – Nose to Sky	6 x 100yds	-	40-60s	180s

Nutrition
Nutrition also played a major role in Steven’s success this summer. He would have easily been categorized as the typical teenager who has a hard time gaining weight. After evaluating his initial food log we found plenty of ways to make improvements in his daily eating habits. Steve first had to work on increasing his quality and consumption of Protein. At 170 pounds he has to eat a minimum of 170 grams of protein but preferably 250-300 grams a day. Second we worked on pre and post exercise nutrition that would make a huge impact on how fast he could recover and grow. Third, we filled in the gaps with healthier carbohydrate choices, good fats and nutritional supplements to balance out his diet. Here is a sample day of Steven’s prescription to nutrition.

Breakfast: 2 Bison Burger patties w/ cottage cheese, oatmeal, Vitamins, Fish Oil
Snack: 2 turkey sandwiches, piece of fruit, Fish Oil
Pre and Post Workout Shake - Protein, special blend of carbs, BCAA
Lunch: 1 pound of Grass Fed Beef “Rib eye” with Steamed Vegetables, Potato Vitamins, Fish Oil
Snack: Chicken Burrito, Fish Oil
Post Workout Shake - Protein, special blend of carbs, BCAA, nutrients
Dinner: Steak, pasta, vegetables, Vitamins, Fish Oil, Magnesium
Bedtime: Protein Shake, magnesium

When asked how training with Poliquin Performance effected Steve’s overall outlook, on and off of the ice his father Steve Spinell replied, “ Besides being bigger and stronger which applied directly to his style of play, he was a better skater as well. But the major change that I believe is the take home for Steven is that he learned how to eat properly, moreover, how to eat like an athlete.”

There are other accomplishments that deserve attention when referring to Steven besides the remarkable gains he obtained in the gym this summer. He was drafted by the “Barrie Colts” in the OHL Spring 2006 Draft, making him one of only 9 defensemen from the U.S. to be drafted by the OHL. Then he marked his 3rd consecutive year being invited to the Select 16 USA Hockey Development Camp and was selected to participate in the 3 Nation Tournament held in Rochester, N.Y. where his team took the championship. Later, he was selected to play for Team Illinois Midget Majors 2006-2007, which is an AAA Hockey Organization in the Midwest Elite Hockey League.

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