Ashley ready for Camp
Ashley Ready for Camp
-Dennis Leary for www.halifaxmooseheads.ca
What happens when you convert an old potato warehouse into a gym? When you let a determined individual with a desire to increase his strength and quickness train there under the guidance of a strongman competitor, you get a stronger Darcy Ashley.
Ashley returned home to Alberton, PEI and trains in Elmsdale over the summer, because lets face it where else can you find a potato warehouse converted into a gym? Before you start getting visuals of Ashley wearing a Rocky like jogging suit and punching bags of potatoes until his knuckles bleed its best to know who his trainer, Alex Wallace is.
Wallace is training to be an international strongman competitor like Quebec’s famous ball of muscle, Hugo Girard. For Wallace a normal day at the office is lifting 240lbs stones and flipping 1200lbs tractor tires as fast as he can. Here’s a Q and A with Darcy Ashley about his summer training and his mindset as the season approaches.
Q- Any funny stories from training this summer?
A- When I tell someone where I train and they either find it hard to believe, or say you can’t train in a warehouse you’re not working out properly. Working out is all what you put into it, and doing what you know is going to strengthen your strengths and weaknesses.
Q- Does Alex Wallace make you do any unique exercises?
A- We do a lot of unique exercises. Stone lifts, which is just picking up stones up to your chest. They weigh anywhere’s from 180-240 lbs. We flip tractor tires, I flip the 800lb tire 5-10 times in a row (it’s not as hard as you think). Alex flips the 1200 lb tire…that’s impressive. We do a lot of similar training to what Hugo Girard does. Hugo Girard is a strongman competitor from Quebec that trains Daniel Briere. We do lots of sled drags and harness pulls. We do a lot of explosive movements which helps improve quickness. Olympic lifts and power cleans. Our workouts are heavy but only an hour in length.
Q- What made you want to increase on your strength?
A- I wanted to improve my strength to become a better hockey player for the team. I’m a highly competitive person and I don’t like being knocked off the puck. I felt i needed to increase the strength in my legs so i could be faster and quicker on the ice. These are areas I need to improve to get better and pursue my hockey career.
Q-Where do you think you will see the biggest improvements in your game because of your training?
A-I feel I have gotten a lot stronger, I gained 15 lbs of muscle. From being on the ice lately, I feel quicker and stronger on the puck. I feel that four solid months of training, will make me be harder to contain on the ice.
Q-What off season moves excite you the most about the Mooseheads coming into camp?
A- This is an interesting question. I’m sure everyone is excited about the offseason moves the team has made this summer. I think the best thing we have is the majority of our team is returning. The core is coming back and the team has great chemistry. We’re young and all going through everything together night in and night out.
Q-Where do you think people will notice the biggest difference in the team, this year compared to last year?
A- One year of maturity will bring a huge difference in all the little things of the game. We know what to expect from each other and are able to keep each other accountable while staying positive. With the addition of some great young players, this is going to be what allows us to win a championship in Halifax.
Q- What are some of your goals for this season?
A- I have 3 main goals for the season. I’ve had one losing season in my hockey career…last season. That is about to end there. My goal is to do what I can to contribute to allow this team to win. Teams at the next level want players with a winning pedigree and I want to get to the next level. Another goal is to be a leader in the dressing room and on the ice, with a lot of young players on the team I feel ready and more mature after playing 2 years of junior to make sure I give some advice and look out for the younger guys on the team, someone they look up to and can come to with any questions. Another goal is to finish my opportunities, if I’m expected to score then that’s a responsibility I need to fulfill and to do that I need to make sure I’m quicker around the net and score more. Plain and simple.
For more pictures of Darcy Ashley’s summer training facility visit the Mooseheads on Facebook (Insert link here)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150733309565144.706409.338062230143&type=1
Tickets are available at Antlers in the Metro Centre for upcoming pre-season games as well as at the Forum Box Office:
1. August 20th vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles @ 4pm
2. August 26th vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan @ 7pm
3. September 3rd vs. Moncton Wildcats @7pm
All pre-season games are at the Halifax Forum.
