Dark Horse Performance Overview

Better Athletes Become Better Hockey Players.

Strength and conditioning is an essential part of the development experience. Dark Horse Performance helps athletes build the physical abilities behind better on-ice performance through individualized programming, regular testing, and professional coaching.

The Relationship

The Performance Training Provider for MAP and FHIT Hockey

Dark Horse Performance provides strength and conditioning for MAP and FHIT Hockey members. Performance coaches collaborate within the athlete’s broader development environment, connecting off-ice preparation to the physical demands athletes experience in training and competition.

This integrated approach allows athletes to develop more completely:

  • MAP and FHIT coaches develop hockey skills and game application.
  • MEGA Goaltending provides specialized instruction for goaltenders.
  • Dark Horse Performance develops the athlete’s physical capabilities.
  • MAP Hockey IQ develops decision-making and game understanding.

Rather than treating strength training as an unrelated activity, each component contributes to one connected development process.

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Dark Horse Performance Services

Small-Group Training

Flexible, small-group hockey training designed to accelerate individual skill development one session at a time.

Team Training

Individualized programming delivered in a motivating small-group environment. Athletes receive personal coaching and an individual plan while benefiting from the energy and accountability of training alongside others.

Personal Development

Testing, individualized programming, and professional coaching for athletes who want a more targeted approach to their physical development.

Remote Programming

Customized training options for athletes who cannot consistently train at a Dark Horse Performance facility.

Program Philospohy

Test. Individualize. Train. Measure. Adjust.

Dark Horse Performance is built around a continuous development process.

01 - Assess the Athlete

Advanced testing establishes an objective picture of the athlete’s current strengths, limitations, and opportunities for improvement.

02 - Build the Individual Plan

Testing results are used to create a workout plan based on the athlete’s needs, development stage, and performance goals.

03 - Coach Every Session

CSCS-certified coaches teach proper technique, monitor execution, and help athletes train with the appropriate intensity and purpose.

04 - Repeat and Adjust

Athletes are tested bi-weekly throughout the training cycle. Coaches use the new results to measure progress and adjust programming as the athlete develops.

This means a group of athletes may train together while following different workout plans. The environment remains energetic and competitive, but the programming is specific to the individual.

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Performance Testing

Training Decisions Backed By Real Information

Dark Horse Performance uses state-of-the-art testing technology to measure the physical qualities that influence athletic performance.

Regular testing helps coaches:

  • Establish meaningful baselines
  • Identify individual strengths and limitations
  • Create more targeted workout plans
  • Measure whether training is producing the intended results
  • Recognize when an athlete’s needs have changed
  • Make informed adjustments throughout the program

The value is not simply collecting data. The value is using that information to make each athlete’s training more precise and effective.

Locations

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Blaine Campus

1850 105th Avenue NE
Blaine, MN 55449

(612) 804-6365

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Hudson Campus

1820 Hanley Rd
Hudson, WI 54016

(715) 808-9566

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Plymouth Campus

3650 Plymouth Blvd
Minneapolis, MN 55446

(612) 804-6920

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STMA Campus

5898 Lachman Ave NE
Albertville, MN 55301

(612) 804-6920

Training For Full Members

Individual Development For Competitive Athletes

Full MAP and FHIT members receive structured strength and conditioning designed to complement the demands of their hockey development.

Training may address:

  • Strength and power
  • Acceleration and multidirectional speed
  • Mobility and movement quality
  • Stability and body control
  • Conditioning and work capacity
  • Recovery and physical durability

Regular testing allows programming to evolve throughout the training cycle. Athletes are not assigned a generic hockey workout; they receive training based on what will most meaningfully support their individual development.

Training For Futures Members

Building Capable, Confident Young Athletes

Futures performance training is designed around the developmental needs of younger athletes. The emphasis is not on maximizing weight or specializing too early. It is on teaching athletes how to move well, train correctly, and build a broad athletic foundation.

Training emphasizes:

  • Coordination and body awareness
  • Balance and stability
  • Acceleration and agility
  • Foundational strength
  • Mobility and movement mechanics
  • Confidence in a training environment
  • Positive and consistent training habits

These abilities support hockey development while also helping young athletes become more capable across multiple sports and physical activities.

Why Performance Training Matters

Hockey Development Requires More Than Hockey Skills

As athletes advance, technical ability must be supported by the physical capacity to execute those skills with speed, power, control, and consistency.

Effective performance training can help athletes:

Accelerate and change direction more efficiently
Produce greater lower-body and rotational power
Improve balance, stability, and body control
Maintain performance as fatigue increases
Move through effective ranges of motion
Better tolerate the physical demands of training and competition
Build confidence in their athletic ability

The objective is not simply to make athletes stronger in the gym. It is to develop physical qualities that support how they move, compete, and perform.

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Coaching and Environment

Professional Coaches.
Personalized Attention.

Dark Horse Performance athletes train under CSCS-certified coaches in convenient, state-of-the-art facilities equipped with modern performance technology and training equipment.

Small training groups allow coaches to:

  • Teach and reinforce proper technique
  • Understand each athlete’s individual plan
  • Make real-time training adjustments
  • Maintain appropriate intensity and accountability
  • Build meaningful relationships with athletes
  • Create an environment that is demanding, positive, and enjoyable

The result is the attention of individualized training combined with the energy of a team environment.

Who Can Train With Dark Horse Performance?

Dark Horse Performance supports MAP and FHIT members, but its services are not limited to hockey players or program members.

Training opportunities are available for:

MAP and FHIT Hockey members
Futures athletes
Individual hockey players
Goaltenders
Teams
Athletes from Other Sports

Frequently Asked Questions

Find quick answers to common questions. Need more help? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Strength and conditioning through Dark Horse Performance is included in applicable MAP and FHIT membership programs. The amount and format of training vary by membership type, age, and program.

No. Futures training is designed specifically for younger athletes and emphasizes movement quality, coordination, speed, agility, foundational strength, and proper training habits. Full Membership training provides more advanced and individualized programming based on the athlete’s testing results and development needs.

No. Dark Horse Performance uses testing and ongoing evaluation to create individualized workout plans. Athletes may train together in a small-group environment while completing different exercises or progressions based on their needs.

Full members are tested bi-weekly throughout the training cycle. This allows coaches to measure progress and adjust each athlete’s programming as their abilities and needs change.

Dark Horse Performance instructors are CSCS-certified, providing athletes with coaching grounded in established strength-and-conditioning principles and professional standards.

Yes. Dark Horse Performance offers small-group, team, and individualized training opportunities beyond MAP and FHIT Membership. Availability varies by program and location.