Nike Training en_CA Blog

WORLD JUNIOR DEV CAMP. RED vs. WHITE. WHO WON?

niketraining_CA — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:38:56 GMT

The stage was set. After training hard all summer, 45 of Canada’s best young players descended on St. John’s to make their mark at this year’s World Junior Development Camp. They were divided into two teams – Red and White.

Steve Dangle was there to find out what it takes to make Team Canada.
What’d he learn? Well, you could tell these guys weren’t spending their days lying out in the sun eating greasy burgers. If they had a tan, it was a result of hours of dryland training. And there was less body fat out there than at a model convention.

So, what does it take to make Team Canada? Well, you could tell these guys weren’t spending their days lying out in the sun eating greasy burgers. If they had a tan, it was a result of hours of dryland training. And there was less body fat out there than at a model convention.

The players were fit and focused.

So who stood out? How about Team White’s Louis Leblanc. Not only did he show as the fittest participant with the highest <SPARQ rating score > but he led the camp in scoring with four points in the two intrasquad games. It’d be hard for him not to be part of Selection Camp in December.
Tied with Louis was Kyle Clifford of the Barrie Colts, also with 2 goals and 2 assists.

When the dust settled we had a few winners.
Team Red – for having the highest cumulative score in the SPARQ rating event.
Team White – for winning both intrasquad games by a scores of 6-3 and 5-2.
And three lucky folks who entered our Facebook contest and won a trip to see Team Canada face off against Team Sweden on New Year’s Eve.

Next stop is the World Junior Selection Camp in December, where the final roster of Team Canada will be decided.

Check out Dangle’s Angle for videos and pictures from the camp and see what it really takes to get there.

RED vs WHITE: THE BATTLE IS ON!

niketraining_CA — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:09:00 GMT

This is intense! And we’re only getting started.

Steve Dangle is in St. John’s with forty-five of Canada’s best under-20 players for the World Junior Development Camp -the first step in winning back World Junior Championship gold. The players have been split into two teams – Red and White. And each player will be trying to make his mark as he tries to make the team. Now is when we find out if off-season training has transformed them into world-beaters.

The players’ goal is to be a part of the World Junior Championships 2011 in Buffalo. And you could be there to see it live.

Pick a side to back – Red or White – and you could win a trip to join Team Canada in Buffalo on New Year’s Eve as they face the Swedes.

The competition starts with a SPARQ showdown. Nike testers are on the ground in St. John’s and they’ll be rating each of the Dev camp invitees. The team with the best cumulative score wins. From there, Team Red and Team White will face off in two intrasquad games.

Dangle is a walking, talking hockey Wikipedia. He’ll be in the arena and around the city capturing, and commenting, on everything he sees.
So what’ll it be? Team Red or Team White? Click on Dangle’s Angle to pick your side and get your chance to see hockey glory in Buffalo.

SPARQ: TRAINING RE-INVENTED

niketraining_CA — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:46:28 GMT

Summer’s coming, and athletes know: How you train in the summer is how you’re going to perform in the winter.

But it’s not just about training hard. It’s about training smart. Enter SPARQ.

Nike SPARQ Training is about more than just drills: it’s about proof. We’ve re-launched the SPARQ site, with a full suite of online tools and resources to help you measure your progress as you train. The only way to know if you’re getting better is to know where you started.

The first step is to GET YOUR SPARQ RATING . This is the number that defines your overall athleticism. This is also the number you’re going to work your butt off to improve.

But it’s not all about you. With your SPARQ Rating, login to COMPARE yourself to other hockey athletes. Find out where you’re strong, and more importantly, where you’re weak.

Then, using SPARQ’s downloadable training tips and drills, focus your training where you need it most so you IMPROVE. If you’re good, you’ll get better. If you rock, you’ll rock harder. And you’ll have the number to prove it.

So this summer, replace your skates with a pair of NIke Free TR Trainers, and get ready to work the turf so you can dominate the ice.

So, you ready? Start by getting your SPARQ RATING now.

SPARQ: THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE

niketraining_CA — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:24:33 GMT

What you can measure, you can improve.

With SPARQ’s revolutionary rating system and new online tools, you track your progress and compare your performance to others to see how you rate. Then set up your program to take your training — and your game — to the next level.

GET RATED NOW!

BRAD BOWDEN: NO EXCUSES

niketraining_CA — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:26:16 GMT

No one knows better than Brad Bowden that there’s a lot to overcome if you want to control your destiny. Bowden’s success hasn’t been simply about overcoming physical barriers: it’s his focus on overcoming the mental barriers that makes him an elite athlete.

BRAD BOWDEN: MAN ON A MISSION

niketraining_CA — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:57:46 GMT

He's tasted Olympic gold before.
Twice.
For two different sports.
And he wants it again.

At age 11, Brad became absorbed by the steady hum of a basketball dribbling next to his speeding chair. This confirmed two important things to Brad: He loved sports and liked going fast. Just two years later, Brad would discover hockey and going even faster.

Bowden traded his wheelchair for a sled, a basketball for a puck and a net for a hoop, but kept the same drive and determination he developed in Wheelchair Basketball and poured it into Sledge Hockey. He played the two sports simultaneously -two schedules, two sets of skills, two surfaces- but excelled at both.

In 2004, Brad’s seemingly never-ending energy and determination took him to Athens where he won a gold medal in Wheelchair Basketball. Two years later, he struck gold in Sledge Hockey at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Turin - even scoring what turned out to be the gold medal-winning goal.

So what’s Brad’s trick? Training. Even when he doesn’t feel like it.

Brad emphasizes, "You could make up so many excuses - your back hurts, you're not feeling well, you don't feel like getting out of your chair to train - but getting rid of those excuses, is what you need to be doing to become an elite athlete, especially if you're disabled."

Having been born with Sacaral Agenesis (similar to Spina Bifida), Brad was faced with some big challenges. But he never let it stop him from playing sports and following his dreams. His dedication to training and desire for a new challenge is what makes Brad a constant threat on the ice.

“One of my goals is be faster than I’ve ever been and take the speed of the game where it’s never been.” Brad says.

And no one who shares the ice with Brad would doubt it.

BRAD BOWDEN: NO GUARANTEES

niketraining_CA — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:00:46 GMT

Sledge ice hockey player Brad Bowden has no time to waste with “what ifs?”. He sets his goals, and then does whatever it takes to attain them. And right now his goal is the Gold Medal. Don’t bet against it.

2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS: THE CANADIAN GOLD RUSH

niketraining_CA — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:01:25 GMT

The Games are now history. The medal tally is in and so is the verdict.
It was the most successful Winter Olympics for Canada. Ever.
The first gold won on Canadian soil. Ever.
The most gold medals for Canada in any Winter or Summer Olympics. Ever.
The most gold medals at a Winter Games for any country. Ever.

Canada was determined to take control of their own destiny. And that's exactly what they did.
Heroes and future icons of Canadian sport were made.

Alexandre Bilodeau's flawless mogul run to win the first gold medal on home turf.
Charles Hamelin's dramatic win on the last turn in the Men's 500.
Jarome Iginla and Men's Team Canada scoring a nail-biting overtime goal for gold.
Women's Team Canada, fuelled by the triple threat of Jayna Hefford, Jennifer Botterill, and Gillian Apps, imposing themselves throughout the Games in a display of pure domination.

This was Canada's Olympics in every sense. Canadian athletes embodied the concept of
Force Fate: nothing was given to them, nothing was taken for granted. Their complete dedication
to training, their determination to overcome adversity, and their tireless focus on eliminating chance from the outcome meant that they succeeded on the world stage like never before.

And now Canada serves notice as we look forward to Sochi 2014. We're coming.

ROLLING IN GOLD: DANGLE'S OLYMPICS

niketraining_CA — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:27:48 GMT

Ah, that was awesome. From the Canada Couch to ball hockey with Team Canada to riding in a gold Caddy with Alex Bilodeau, check out some of Dangle's favourite Olympic moments. View all the insider videos and photos from the Olympics here.

NIKE IIHF PLAYER NAME & NUMBER SPECIAL EDITION OLYMPIC TEES

niketraining_CA — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:19:19 GMT

Team Canada's Olympic spirit is calling.

Nike has teamed up with the IIHF to bring you special edition Olympic T-shirts of some of the best hockey players in the world - this includes a full 23 player roster of Team Canada T-Shirts. Your favourite Team Canada player is now available for you to wear with pride.

On the front, these 100% cotton T-shirts are emblazoned with the 2010 Team Canada Olympic crest designed by Musqueam artist Debbie Sparrow and Nike designer Stuart Iwasaki. On the back, your favourite player's name and number boldly declares your allegiance. So whether you're a fan of Iginla, Brodeur, or Niedermayer, there's a Team Canada Tee ready to be paraded with patriotism.

As host of the Games, Canada has welcomed people from all over the world to enthusiastically support their athletes. So if you're cheering for another Olympic hockey team, not to worry, many of the world's top players from other countries are also available:

USA's Kessler, Kessel, and Kane.
Russia's Kovalchuk, Malkin, and Ovechkin.
Czech Republic's Kaberle, Sweden's Sedin and Finland's Kiprusoff.

Now there's no excuse to hide your national pride.

NIKE TRAINER 1 LOW SL MMX: HONOUR THE PAST. DOMINATE THE PRESENT. FORCE THE FUTURE.

niketraining_CA — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:47:28 GMT

Team Canada. Nothing embodies Canadian’s passion and excellence better than the group of individuals that represent our country every four years. Nike has commemorated Canada’s storied past by designing the Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX - a training shoe honouring every gold medal winning team going as far back as 1920.

To honour the present day elite athletes carrying on this winning tradition, each player selected to the 2010 National Team was given a pair of Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX training shoes. They were presented in a beautiful Team Canada box and the special edition shoes were wrapped in gold tissue as seen above.

The Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX is the ultimate tribute to Canadian hockey and a harbinger of FORCE FATE. Symbols adorning the upper pay homage to the seven gold medal-winning Canadian hockey teams. But make no mistake, the Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX has both feet planted firmly in the present. To address the needs of athletes and the demands of today’s dynamic training, the Nike Trainer 1 Low LS MMX incorporates all the latest technologies to enhance performance, but more importantly, to Force Fate.

1920
The number “20” is included on a Falcon representing the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons. The Winnipeg Falcons played in the first modern Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, soundly beating their opponents and winning the first Olympic Gold Medal in Hockey for Canada.

1924
The number “24” and the “T” carved in granite represent the 1924 Toronto Granites, who dominated the 1924 Winter Olympics unlike any other ice hockey team in history, outscoring their opponents 110-3. The team was composed of ex-servicemen from World War I.

1928
A graduation cap, diploma and the number “28” represent the University of Toronto Varsity Graduates, the gold medalists in the 1928 Olympic Games. The Varsity Graduates were founded in 1891 and are the longest continuously-operated ice hockey program in the city of Toronto.

1932
The 1932 Winnipeg Hockey Club won gold in Lake Placid, USA after winning a string of championships within Canada, including the Allan Cup. The number 32 and a W represent this gold medal winning team.

1948
An airplane labeled “48” represents the 1948 RCAF Flyers who won gold in St. Moritz. After the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association decided they could not put together a team, the Royal Canadian Air Force assembled a team of airmen to compete and win gold.

1952
“52” is emblazoned on the size of an automobile, representing the 1952 Edmonton Mercurys, who not only won the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships in London, England, but also skated to victory in the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo Norway. This would be the last Olympic Gold in ice hockey for Canada for the next 50 years.

2002
The Canadian Ice Hockey team decided to trust their luck to a secret weapon - a shiny gold loonie buried at center ice for good luck. It worked like a charm, as Captain Mario Lemieux swiftly tapped the loonie with the blade of his hockey stick before the puck was dropped in the final game. The 2002 team went on to win gold for the first time in 50 years in Salt Lake City, USA.

FORCE FATE FEATURES:

SOLE
In addition to the symbols on the upper, the heel, the sole and the sockliner feature roman numerals “MMX” and the Canadian Maple Leaf representing the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. The mid-sole features a Nike Max Air unit in the heel to provide impact protection and comfort. The clear outsole, representing ice, includes the visual of the “Lucky Loonie” under ice and a hockey puck sliding across a redline. It definitely has an off-the-scale cool factor, but first and foremost, it provides traction and grip for those killer off-ice drills.

TECHNOLOGY
The Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX can’t just celebrate gold, it has to capable of producing gold. Which is why it features Nike DiamondFLX, a patent-pending outsole system that provides flexibility and support through multi-directional movement – ideal for any training regimen. A lightweight upper, with midfoot and forefoot overlays, connects to the lacing system to provide a secure, glove-like fit and the lock-down support a foot needs.

FInd the Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX at a store near you here.

See more details about the Nike Trainer 1 Low SL MMX here.

LUNAR KAYOSS MMX: CULTURE SHOCK

niketraining_CA — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:30:54 GMT

Culture for the diverse cultural mosaic it represents.
Shock for how well it performs.
The new Olympic-edition Nike Lunar Kayoss MMX weaves national pride with innovative design. It draws its inspiration from the 2010 Team Canada Olympic Jersey designed by Musqueam artist Debbie Sparrow and Nike designer Stuart Iwasaki. Ultimately, it's a celebration of Canada's storied Olympic hockey history of 7 Olympic Gold Medals, and a gateway to winning more.

The Nike Lunar Kayoss MMX is designed specifically for athletes looking for cutting edge technology and forward-thinking design. As the physical and technical demands of training increase, so does the technology in each Nike design. The Nike Lunar Kayoss MMX offers the most advanced midsole foam system to-date with Nike Flywire technology - creating a very lightweight and responsive shoe that provides the stability and support needed for dynamic training. In other words, you'll reach your own limitations before you even test the Lunar's.

And it doesn't stop there.

This symbolic trainer also incorporates the patented Nike LunarLite cushioning system - tuned specifically to meet the demands of even the most challenging training regimen. The platform is ultra responsive and light, yet solidly stable. Made with environmentally preferred rubber, the sole incorporates a "training-specific delta-node pattern" in high-wear areas to ensure optimal durability and traction for off-ice training like strength, endurance and agility drills. If you're going to Force Fate, you're going to need a trainer that's up to the challenge.

Find the Nike Lunar Kayoss MMX at Sport Chek, The Nike Store and select sporting goods retailers.

Check out the Nike Lunar Kayoss here.

KRISTINA GROVES: NO SECRETS TO SUCCESS

niketraining_CA — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:30:27 GMT

Leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics, Kristina Groves has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and set a new world record. There is no doubt Kristina is at the top of her game and the #1 threat at the Olympics, especially in the 1500m.

Groves makes it look almost too easy - but that graceful, powerful and fluid stride is the culmination of intense training and Zen-like concentration. Kristina knows that visualizing her goals is the first step to controlling her fate, but pushing her body well beyond its humanly limits, is what turns those goals into a winning reality.

So what does it take to become successful?

"At the beginning of a season, I do 60 to 80 laps in a workout...so we're talking 30 kilometres. As I get closer to individual competitions, my workouts are short and intense.” Besides on-ice workouts, Groves spends time in the weight room building her core power and leg strength.

Groves’ diet is also reflective of what it takes to be on top of the world. Kristina can consume 4,000 calories a day when she’s training intensively, eating carbohydrates like pasta, brown rice, veggies and proteins like eggs and whey protein. Like many elite athletes, Kristina treats her body like a temple, eating only what will help her performance and overall health.

Is there a "secret" to her success? “Not really,” says Groves. “In the end, it’s not rocket science. It’s just a lot of hard work."

DANGLE: OLYMPICS OR BUST

niketraining_CA — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:34:37 GMT

He’s energetic.
He’s unpredictable.
He’s a breath of fresh air.
But most of all, he’s a hockey insider.

Hot off the heels of the World Junior Championships, YouTube hockey blogger and Nike field reporter Steve Dangle, is back. This time he’s off to the Olympics to give us the inside scoop as Team Canada takes their final step to Force Fate in Vancouver.

Who’s Steve Dangle? Check out some of Dangle’s World Junior posts over here.
You just never know what Dangle’s going to do, or where he’ll pop up as he searches for the story behind the stories. Stay in the loop with Dangle’s video blogs, athlete interviews and live-at-the-game twitter posts.

Count on Dangle being at the top of his reporting game in Vancouver and slicing and dicing hockey in a way only Dangle can deliver. Vancouver, you’ve been warned.

FORCE FATE APPAREL ARRIVES AT SEARS

niketraining_CA — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:05:26 GMT

The message of Force Fate — that you alone control your destiny as an athlete — plus Canadian's relentless passion for hockey, are brought to life on this new line of apparel now available at Sears stores and online at Sears.ca.

These stylish hoodies, toques and t-shirts were inspired by Nike's Force Fate online video, and celebrate Canadian's obsession with our national game. Check them out!