An inside scoop into hockey off-ice training with Mitch Marner
We sat down with NHL All-Star Mitch Marner to find out how he stays at the top of his game with off-ice training, why off-ice training is important, and more.
Entering his ninth season in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner is no stranger to putting in the work. The veteran forward has been one of the premiere playmakers in the league since first throwing on the blue and white in 2016, but how does he keep up with the evolution of the game and the skill of other players?
For any athlete in any sport, the drive to get better can be the difference between reaching your full potential and struggling to keep up with everyone else around you. And while Marner undoubtedly has a natural ability, his drive to continue to get better is what keeps him at the top of his game.
The game of hockey is faster and more dynamic than it’s ever been. It demands a level of physical and mental fitness that’s unique compared to any other sport, with players needing to excel in areas like speed, agility, endurance, strength, balance, and IQ.
So how does an elite player like Mitch Marner stay elite? We had the chance to sit down with Mitch to chat about off-ice training for hockey players, including strength training, injury prevention, staying focused, and more.
Why is hockey off-ice training important as a player?
Mitch Marner:It keeps your body in shape, it keeps your body moving and active. I feel like, as hockey players, you can get bored just sitting at home. It helps with your body, your preparation and just getting ready for what’s ahead.
What do you focus on off the ice to help improve speed and agility?
Mitch Marner:It depends on where you are in the season and what month it is. I do a lot of single-leg stuff and try to be explosive with moving weights, but yeah, a lot of focus on single-leg exercises since it’s so common to be off balance on the ice.
How do you mix in different strength training exercises to off-ice workouts?
Mitch Marner:I'd say my trainer does that very well, Dan Noble, who I’ve worked with for a long time. He knows my body very well and knows what to focus on after a season or coming back after an injury to get me back and feeling good. It might be more of a question for him, but he always has a plan for me to be at my best.
There’s a lot of strength stuff that we really try and work on, since in hockey there are lots of different movements and moments in games where you’re off balance, which is where your single-leg strength comes into play. We really try and emphasize a lot of that stuff.
What are some of the best off-ice exercises to help with your shot?
Mitch Marner:That’s a tough one, but just constantly working on your shot and working on accuracy. From there you can work on your power but that can come in different ways, like from doing work in the gym or on the ice.
Do you ever mix in any cross-training activities, like swimming or tennis?
Mitch Marner:Tennis for sure and swimming in a bit of a different way. Swimming isn’t really part of a training regimen, but I spend a lot of time on my boat and surf a lot and like to be out on the water, so I can mix in some sneaky workouts while I’m out there.
Tennis is just a fun one to keep active with your buddies running around a court for a couple hours, so it’s conditioning but it doesn’t feel like it.
What kind of recovery techniques do you use and what would a normal recovery day look like?
Mitch Marner:I guess it depends on whether or not I’m in season or out of season. Usually, if I’m in season, we have a lot of cold tubs and steamers and stuff like that around, so I try to use all the stuff we have in the locker room as much as I can. Steam a little bit and sweat out some extra stuff and then hop in the cold tub to kind of refresh your body, and do a couple cycles of that.
Then I feel good getting home and from that point on it’s getting ready for the next day, walking [my dog] Zeus, getting some fresh air, grabbing a great meal and then relaxing for the evening.
Is there anything you do off the ice to help with injury prevention?
Mitch Marner:That’s a hard one because sometimes injuries can happen in sports and there’s nothing you can do about it. But I’d say my trainer has been very, very good with implementing new strategies and different positional things just to strengthen your body when you're in uncomfortable positions.
Sometimes freaky stuff just happens, but we do a lot of movement stuff before workouts and a lot of strength exercises for different parts of the body that I think other people don’t [typically] do.
I try to focus on the stuff that I can control and let everything else be
What about on the mental side of things? What do you do off the ice to help stay focused?
Mitch Marner:I just always try to stay in a good state of mind and talk to people if I need to. I have great resources around me and great family and friends that I can talk to about anything going on at all times.
Especially in our job [as hockey players], there’s a lot of outside stuff that goes on, so I try to focus on the stuff that I can control and let everything else be. I just try to be the best I can be.
What recommendations would you give to hockey players to get started with off-ice training?
Mitch Marner:Be open to all sorts of different movements and different training. Try to get active as best you can and get into those uncomfortable positions that you’re not used to. That way you can build up strength in those positions so then when it happens in a game, you can bounce back from it and feel good in your body and know that you can make a play out of it.
That’s the stuff we try to work on a lot in the summer, just being in uncomfortable spots so you can become comfortable in them eventually. Also, try and build up your strength with single-leg exercises and try to be explosive with them.
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