Meet Josh Van Unen.
Hockey player, kinesiology graduate and performance coach focused on making off-ice training more structured, practical and easier for athletes to understand.
Hockey Has Always Been Part Of It.
I’ve played hockey my whole life. I recently completed my fourth year of U Sports hockey and am now in my first season playing professionally in Europe.
Alongside hockey, I studied kinesiology to better understand how the body adapts to training and how physical qualities such as strength, speed and power can be developed.
I also hold NASM certifications as a Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist. That combination of playing experience, education and continued learning shapes how I approach training through Aretel.
Kinesiology
University education in human movement and performance.
NASM-CPT
Certified Personal Trainer.
Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM performance-focused specialization.
Professional Hockey
Currently playing professionally in Europe.
Training Shouldn't Be So Confusing.
Athletes now have access to more training information than ever. The problem is that more information does not always make training easier.
Social media is filled with new drills, exercises, workouts and conflicting opinions. It becomes easy to chase variety, copy individual exercises and lose sight of the major physical qualities that actually need to be developed over time.
I built Aretel Performance to simplify that process. I want athletes to know what they are training, why they are training it and how it fits into the bigger picture.
That means prioritizing the major pillars, speed, strength, power and capacity, and selecting exercises because they contribute to the goal of the program, not simply because they look difficult or hockey-specific.
Perform With Purpose.
Good training does not need to be complicated. It needs to be appropriate for the athlete, organized around clear goals and progressed over time.
Train The Big Qualities
Build the physical qualities that support hockey performance rather than trying to make every gym exercise look like the sport.
Progress Over Time
Training should evolve as the athlete develops. Volume, intensity, exercise selection and emphasis should not remain identical all year.
Make Every Exercise Earn Its Place
Exercises should be selected because they serve a purpose within the program, not simply to create fatigue or add variety.
Ready To Start Training?
Explore Aretel programming or get in touch to find the training option that fits you best.
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