WHEN A COLLABORATION TAKES OFF
For years, Monark Exercise has had a collaboration with Djurgården Hockey, with a main focus on performance and development. In a close, intertwined dialogue, we’ve delivered equipment that has made a difference in their distinct sports environment and everyday life.
Being an elite athlete is about passion, hard work and good habits. Much follows a given planned schedule and pattern, where a lot of training hours are required to be able to deliver a good result on the ice.
The basis for Djurgården’s daily operation is located in hidden catacombs in the Globen area of Stockholm. In direct connection to Johanneshov’s ice stadium, there is among other things, a complete gym facility for fitness training and strength. This is an important base and platform when it comes to qualified training. Every day, all year round, intense activity takes place, for men’s and women’s teams, as well as older junior teams (J20, J18).
Jimmy Ölvestad is one of the most legendary players in the club in modern times. He made 27 international appearances in Tre Kronor and was celebrated as an NHL professional in Tampa Bay Lightnings.
Since 2017, he has been employed in the important role of a fitness coach at the club. He says that the demands are high if you are a player in the association that has won a total of 16 Swedish Championship golds throughout history, which is the most of all hockey associations in Sweden. To succeed as a player in today’s fast hockey with a lot of skating requires technical excellence and exceptionally good physical strength and conditioning.
“When I was a player in Djurgården, the bikes from Monark Exercise became a good way to ensure my physical status. As I continue as a leader, I see the benefits in a larger perspective, where bicycles become a tool for each individual in their development. They have a large and wide area of use for us, with a high utilization rate, summer and winter, even for rehab when needed. And with our cycling programs, we can do the necessary tests of the players, to know exactly where they are in their physical status.”
William Eklund is one of the star players in Djurgården Hockey, he is also one of Sweden’s most promising hockey players.
“During the season, I want to keep my conditioning and leg strength. I get help with that from our Monark bikes. I often use the bike before the regular training, and afterwards with a lighter load to get a good cool down for my body. I would say that the Monark bike is the single most important training tool we have because there is so much you can do with it, such as conditioning, strength, and also lactic acid training.”
