The Official TBL Practice Thread

gakrek · Post by **gakrek** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:23 am

YAY!!! Dankies!!

Panjar · Post by **Panjar** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:57 pm

I have everyone practice fitness intensive all the way up to the playoffs. I've never needed to use skating at intensive for anyone, and setting skating at intensive just seems to tire out my players for no reason.

Harper · Post by **Harper** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:31 pm

bruins72 wrote:
B. Stinson wrote:I don't think I have ever had two years in a row where I've used the same practice philosophy. I always change it around as new ideas come to me, etc., etc.

Though, I think my newest setup is the one I'm going to use for a while. It's with Ottawa 67's, and here's how it looks:

(Main "focus" are the things I most often/constantly have set on Intensive.)

General = All medium. Only occasionally used.

Fitness = Used mainly in pre-season, and mid-season. Focuses only on Conditioning and Skating.

Goalies = Focuses on Goaltending and Skating.

Defense = Used for all defensemen. Primarily focuses on Defense, and Skating or Conditioning.

Center = Used for all Centers. Focuses on Offensive and Defensive skills. Alternative focus on Tactics and Skating.

Forward = Used for all wingers. Focuses on Offensive skills and scoring.

Youth Academy = Used for all youth players only. Focuses on Conditioning, Skating, and Tactics. *All players 17 and younger(age depends on the league) have to go through here, and cannot leave, or graduate, until they're 18.
Interesting setup. I wonder if it would apply well to an NHL team? I've been using a 3 INT/3 MED practice setup I found in a forum (here or SI I'm guessing) back when the 2005 version was out. My problem is, my top two lines are wiped out by January and can't practice most of the time.

Maybe you should think about knocking it down to two intensive and three mediums, and one light.

My system goes something like

General - All Medium
Fitness - Skating, Conditioning, Tactical - Intensive; the rest - Light (usually for older players/pre-season)
Shooters - Skating and Shooting - Intensive; Conditioing, Tactical, Off. Skills - Medium; Def. Skills - Light
Off. Skills - Offensive Skills and Tactical - Intensive; Conditioning, Skating, Shooting - Medium; Defensive Skills - Light
Def. Skills - Defensive Skills and Tactical - Intensive; Conditioning, Skating, Off. Skills Medium; Shooting - Light
Goalies - Goaltending - Intensive; Conditioing, Skating, Tactical - Medium; the rest - Light

The last three I use for random training of individuals to new positions or an alternative regime in the middle of the season.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:54 pm

I'll give this setup a shot. I'm going to make one change though. For the Def Skill regimen, I'm going to make Off Skill training set to light and Shooting set to medium. I like my defensemen to shoot the puck a lot, so I want this skill worked on more than regular offensive skills.

CrockerNHL · Post by **CrockerNHL** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:32 pm

Shadd666 wrote: Conditioning-style coaches are better for fitness and skating programs, while tecnical-style suits best off.skills, def.skills and shooting programs.

How about General-style coaches? I cannot find anything about it. What is the best way to use them? I have 2 general-style coaches (including my Head Coach), 1 of Conditioning-style and 2 of tecnical-style. All my coaches have impressive attributes in different areas.
I have some problems to improve significally my players' skating and shooting attributes.
Do I have to axe my general-style coaches and to hire all 5 to be of Conditioning and Tecnical-styles only in order to get best results? To put it simply, is it so critical to use 1 Conditioning +1 General-style coach for skating, instead of 2 of only conditioning-style? And the same about shooting and technical-style.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:56 am

General-style coaches are competent for both conditionning and technical schedules. They are not specialists in either, but can do both with good results.

Having a more specific coach (cond. or tech.) could improve things, but it will of course depend also of the other attributes!

For example, a general coach who prefers an attacking style and has 17 in coaching forwards would be a better coach than a technical coach with an attacking style but only 12 in coaching forwards for a shooting practice. He would also be better than a technical coach with 17 in coaching forwards but who prefers a defensive style of play.

Then, there are many things that influence how well your players progress. Man management, determination, and motivating are attributes that have a solid influence (but not a crucial one). Judging player ability and potential is helpfull too (so the coach knows exactly the level of the player, and what kind of improvements the player still has in hand). Working with youngsters is obviously very important for young players. Adaptability is also important, especially for newly hired coaches. Then, the practice intensities are important too. And last but not least, a player will progress if he wants to! (and if he can, of course) So determination and work rate of the players are really important attributes. The quality of the practice facilities has to be take in account too.

Like in every other aspect of the game, there are many parameters that influence the results. It's nearly always impossible to have everything perfect, so you have to find the best compromises. It's not always easy, but that's what makes the charm of being a GM

Two little rules for every aspect of the game:
- if your team is a winning one, don't change anything! Even if you think you could have better results with some changes, don't take the risk to break the team chemistry that makes it win
- if your team struggle, identify the problem. Once it's done, try to correct it. Sometimes you can't (serious lack of talent in the lineup, for example). When you can, try to find the best solution. If you have no clue about what could be the best, well...try different things and see which work!

Post by **batdad** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:47 pm

My thought is for Crocker. Crocker...please read the 2005 EHM guide in its entirety. Then once you have read it, when you think of a specific question, go back to the guide and make sure it is not there. The guide is listed here in these forums, just above the Game Knowledge Discussion area.

It was a heck of a helper for me for things I could not find, and saved me from posting all over the place to find out new things when I went and looked for it in the guide to see if I missed it.

Next up is to use the magnifying glass in the top right corner..it is the search function and will help you find even more information on this site. Then if you find nothing...ask

Lumpylo5 · Post by **Lumpylo5** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:14 am

I can't find anything on the game guide that explains which skills are improved by which types of practice. My practices tend to be inadequate in improving accelleration, balance, and speed, but I don't know whether to increase work on fitness or skating. My team also struggles with positioning (more than any other skill in fact), but I don't know if this is improved by tactics, offensive skill, defensive skill, or what.

Could someone please explain what skills are improved by each practice type, or direct me to an existing post that explains this?

Post by **Tasku** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:07 am

I tend to use practice more as a way to influence the way the players perform on a short term, rather than paying too much attention on their long term development. Say for example, if my team is having trouble scoring, I put my forwards on intensive off. skill and / or shooting practice. Or if my defenders seem out of place and disoriented, I put my defenders into intensive def. skill and / or tactical training.

I have no official knowledge on the long term effects of practice, but I've always figured acceleration, balance and speed being under the influence of skating-practice, while positioning, to my knowledge, is defencive skill.

Oh, and welcome to The Blue Line!

Post by **Shadd666** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:20 am

From my memory, here are the skills worked in each practice area:

fitness: agility, stamina, strength
skating: acceleration, balance, speed
off. skills: deking, passing, stickhandling
def. skills: checking, hitting, pokecheck, positionning
shooting: deflection, slapshot, wristshot
tactics: teamwork (+ learning the tactics!

)
goalies: blocker, glove, rebound control, recovery, reflexes

Other attributes (especially the mental ones) are more likely linked to experience rather than practice.

Hope that helps

vocquat · Post by **vocquat** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:40 am

the "getting open" and the "teamwork" stat of my players always decreases. How do i change that?

My practice is rather simple.
For every skater:
Intensiive: Off. Skill, Def. Skill, Skating, Shooting
Medium: Conditionning, Tactics

And they always are at +90% condition.

but "getting open" and "teamwork" always goes down. Any ideas?

Post by **Shadd666** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:59 am

teamwork deals with tactics... getting open is more likely to be under tactics and/or off.skills...

Have a close eye on the attribute of the coaches that coach tactics and off.skills, especially the 'tactical knowledge' (for your tactics coaches) and the 'coaching defenseman/forwards' (best one is used...) for your offensive skills coaches.

white knight · Post by **white knight** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:00 pm

I have been tryin' out a new kind of training schedule. It's based on the classical EHM training schedule using specific groups for (1) Goaltenders, (2) Defensemen, (3) Pivots, and (4) Wingers. During off-season and pre-season I have a fifth group which only focuses on fitness training. You know, cross-country running in the italian alps and so on...

I then place all my players in their specific group, however, during the season I use two more groups specially configured to work with my (6) PP-lines and (7) PK-lines. In this groups I only place players that play together in special teams. I usually give the lines 'bout two weeks each to work together. For me this have been extremely good as I have had PP numbers steady at the 26 percent figure while my PK have been rock solid at 28% (give or take) all season long.

I really recommend everyone to try this out. But the important thing is that you can't train them on the special teams groups too long because their other skill deteriate quit fast so about 2 weeks p/line will due... Then but the players back into their original groups. I try and do this about 3-4 times a season, depending on how good my special teams play.

Post by **CatchUp** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:24 pm

What specific setups are you using white knight?

harmonica · Post by **harmonica** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:52 pm

A rotating practice schedule is the best. All of my players get rotated all season long, either once or twice a month.

Depending on the coaches skills, my practice schedules range from 2-4 intensives, which goes down as the season continues. I also try and keep my best forwards off of the PK to keep their condition as high as possible. I have found the lower number of intensives the faster those skills grow. Keeping a 100% condition is my goal for each and every game. I try and give all players at least a day or two off every month, not including the resting in between consecutive games.

I give a lot of conditioning to older players, young guys and guys with poor fitness levels.

Skating is probably the most tiring, so when this is on intensive I will cut down the routine for practices.

During the off season I do conditioning with none to medium on the rest. I still don't feel 100% comfortable with training during the summer, some people do a full load all year. When August and the tired condition comes around I let most players get back to >90% before I take them off resting. Those players with bad fitness levels, I start them out after they are at 95%.

white knight · Post by **white knight** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:52 pm

For my PP mode I use Intensive on Tactical, Shooting, and Offensive Skills. Medium on Skating and Light on Conditioning. I put both my forwards and defensemen in the same group.

I don't train Defensive Skills and Goaltending in my PP mode.

In PK mode I use Intensive on Tactical, Defensive Skills, and Conditioning. Medium on Skating but from time to time I change between Skating and Conditioning. I found that having both on Intensive is too tough on the players and they break down. This is of course different from team to team and some players might pull it off but It's not something I recommend...

I don't use Offensive Skills and Goaltending in my PK mode.

harmonica · Post by **harmonica** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:08 pm

Skating and conditioning is really rough on most players, especially if they are playing games.

I also use a all intensive training for players that are not on two way contracts and may get taken on the waivers. Two way contracted players get sent to the AHL when not playing, even older guys. Gotta save money for the board.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:51 pm

white knight wrote:For my PP mode I use Intensive on Tactical, Shooting, and Offensive Skills. Medium on Skating and Light on Conditioning. I put both my forwards and defensemen in the same group.

I don't train Defensive Skills and Goaltending in my PP mode.

In PK mode I use Intensive on Tactical, Defensive Skills, and Conditioning. Medium on Skating but from time to time I change between Skating and Conditioning. I found that having both on Intensive is too tough on the players and they break down. This is of course different from team to team and some players might pull it off but It's not something I recommend...

I don't use Offensive Skills and Goaltending in my PK mode.

This is a very interesting training technique. Do you adjust the %'s on the side for General/PP/PK to go along with this? What do you do with your players that aren't on special teams during this time? Also, what do your regular practice setups look like? If you could do a full breakdown of all your practice regimes and how they're all used, I'd like to give them a shot in my game (probably in the next season because you have to try it from the start to really see how something like this works).

white knight · Post by **white knight** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:21 pm

Conditioning - Skating - Tactical - Shooting - Offensive Skills - Defensive Skills - Goaltenders

During the regular season I use these groups:
Goaltending
M - I - L - N - N- N - I
Defensemen
M - M - I - L - L - I - N
Pivots
M - M - M - M - I - I - N
Wingers
M - M - M - I - I - L - N
During the off-season and pre-season I set all my players to:
Fitness*
I - I - N - N - N - N - N

* This is mainly to get the guys into shape early on. Sometimes, during long stretches and in the Playoffs, I might refer some of the older players or the once who needs a rest to this schedule so that they don't break down on me

During the season I then use my Special Teams mode and refer one line at a time (i.e. PP1 and PK1 first and then PP2 and PK2 - which lines depends on who needs it the most) to their respective group. I like to keep them there for 1 1/2 week or so (no longer than 2 1/2 weeks though as it would mean that their other skills would start to deteriate) and then switch with the other two.
Special Teams - Power Play**
L - M - I - I - I - N - N
Special Teams - Penalty Kill**
I - M - I - L - N - I - N

** While using the Special Teams groups, the remaining players that aren't involved in special teams stays within their original groups. I always like to change my % settings to 45 General, and 25 or 30 on PP and PK. If my Penalty Kill needs work there will be 30% on PK and vice versa.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:49 pm

Awesome! Thanks! I'm going to use this in my next season and see how it works out for me.

Post by **CatchUp** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:56 pm

I'm switching over right now at around 40 games. Most of my players are improving steadily, but I've got some big issues with a few players - namely Blunden and Holmqvist. Neither of them have had any stats move AT ALL. Up or down. They are both exactly as they were when I took the wrapper off. Very odd.

I guess it's better than stats plummeting, which is what I have going on with Cullislug. I guess I know who the first to be dropped from my core will be.

Post by **Danny** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:20 pm

Hmm, I usually use about 7-8 schedules, only have 4 coaches and everyone is in the green for pretty much every attribute, except for my goalies because I forgot to switch skating from none to medium on their schedule.

I usually keep players for about 6 weeks on every schedule. I use 2 intensive and 4 medium for every one. Never have to rest anybody and everyone always goes with 100% conditioning into games. The most used schedules are off. skill, def. skill and offensive D.

harmonica · Post by **harmonica** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:24 pm

For those of you who have never training goalie skills for all of your players, I suggest 'trying' it out. The defensive benefits are what make your players truly amazing.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:29 pm

I've always had trouble with training, so I use one someone posted here before. I can't be bothered to go look back and find out who posted it originally. I've been using a 3 intensive/3 medium set of schedules for quite a while now. It features two different conditioning or preseason type of schedules, one for defense and one for forwards. Then it features 2 different offensive schedules (on top of the two I mentioned) and 2 different defensive ones. Plus it has the goalies one and the general one with all mediums. It works okay, I guess. I do end up running into trouble with some players though. There are usually a couple of my top line guys that I have to drop onto the general schedule after a while because I get the "tired" message in their conditioning.

So maybe it's time for me to try this other system out? I'm thinking for starters, only having 2 things on intensive might be good.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:31 pm

harmonica wrote:For those of you who have never training goalie skills for all of your players, I suggest 'trying' it out. The defensive benefits are what make your players truly amazing.

Seriously? Can you give an example of what you've seen it do? Did you just assign some of your skaters to the goalie training schedule or did you add some goalie work into one of their other schedules?

The Official TBL Practice Thread

Coaching style

Which skills are improved?