Bobcats Hell Week | Video

Lee Timmerman | 8/28/2012

For years it was simply known as dry land training, that`s still what it is, but the Bobcats have taken it a step farther and now it`s known as "Hell Week." The veterans and rookies spend most of Hell Week at Healthways in Bismarck where Mike Salwei puts the team through some difficult physical drills.

"I do think it is a good test. I think it`s a good way to find out what people got inside when it gets down to that 3rd period and we need to go who`s going to be there you know," said defenseman Jeremy O`Keefe.

"We do hockey-specific things whether it`s quick feet agility drills it`s not just weight training we`re not trying to push a big amount of weight we`re working on cardio, we`re working on simulating a shift in hockey 30-40 seconds as hard as you can go. He does a nice job of simulating whether it`s quick movements we need for a skating stride and stuff like that," said head coach Layne Sedevie.

Hell Week has become a tradition with the Bobcats and Sedevie says they`ve developed a points system to determine a champion. All of this is designed to refine the skills needed on the ice.

"I think it`s pretty important. Hockey`s not a game you can just go out and play. You have to be in shape you have top be strong. It`s a mixture of all the sports. You don`t just need a strong upper body. It`s kind of the least important thing. It`s more about legs and different agility and all that," said forward Mike Dockry.

The Bobcats will start the season at the NAHL Showcase, which is less than two weeks away.

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