text: does anyone know any really effective workouts for hockey?   jumping rope workout suggestions- change workouts to include jumping with both feet, one foot, and alternating feet. jump rope 2-4 times per week. alternate between the following two workouts:   1) quick bursts- 30-45 second intervals at the fastest tempo possible without breaking your rhythm, with 1 minute rests between each repetition. try 3 sets of 3 reps. with a 2 minute rest between each set.   2) endurance- jump 20 minutes at a moderated pace, alternating your foot patterns throughout the workout. set goals of 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes without a "miss". jump with a walkman on, listening to your stereo, or while watching tv.    muscles worked- primary: wrists, ankles, calves. secondary: shoulders. soft feet.   inline skating your primary objective should be to reinforce correct skating techniques. anytime you are in skates, hockey or inline, correct skating motions should be executed. this will develop good habits, not bad ones. assuming you do this, enjoy a nice sunny day on your blades and remember to always wear a helmet and sufficient protective equipment.   workout suggestions- vary your workouts to include distance training and technical skills training. train on your inline skates 2-3 times per week. to avoid dehydration and sun burn, skate in the morning or evening and drink plenty of fluids. select a safe, newly paved surface.   1) distance training- skate a 50% speed for 20-30 minutes maintaining a 90 degree kneebend. try to find a route with changing scenery.   2) technical skills training- work on your skating and puck control skills for 30-45 minutes. create drills to develop your forward and backward strides, crossunders, turns, stickhandling, passing, and shooting. this is a mental workout, rather than a physical workout. the emphasis is on precise execution, not power or speed. skills must be practiced at a learnable rate. again, for technical skills training ideas and effective drills, call 1-800-320-7545 for our latest hockey skills training video.   muscles worked- quadriceps, hamstrings, cardiovascular.   slideboard training a training tool widely used by international speedskaters and competitive hockey players to develop leg strength, correct striding, and to provide a challenging cardiovascular workout.   workout suggestions- vary your workouts to include distance training, quick burst training, and technical skills training. incorporate slide board workouts 2-3 times per week.   1) distance training- stroke a 50% thrust for 20-30 minutes maintaining a 90 degree kneebend and a consistent head level. swing your arms back and forth to involve your upper body and to finish the transfer of body weight. adjust the slide board to a challenging length.   2) quick burst training- adjust the board to a shorter length. maintain controlled strides, pick up the tempo of your strides to approximately twice that of your distance training. three sets of three 30 -45 second bursts at 80-90%. rest 1 minute between reps and 2 minutes between sets.   3) technical skills training- complete, explosive leg thrust and upper body control must be maintained throughout any workout involving striding motions.    muscles worked- quadriceps, hamstrings, cardiovascular.    running steps/stairs this could very well be one of the best cross-training activities, one that simulates game-like situations, challenges you mentally and physically, and allows you to breathe fresh outside air on a nice summer day. step training will develop explosive leg strength and quick burst speed.   workout suggestions- go to your local high school or stadium and run 2-4 sets of 3 reps, 1-2 times per week. each repetition should involve a 20-30 second burst up the steps, with 45 second rest intervals between each rep. concentrate on exploding off deep kneebend, swinging arms front to back, and maintaining a level head position. change your step workouts to include running every other step, or using only 