FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
While video games were designed for fun, the IntelliGym was built as a workout room for the mind. Would anyone compare a jungle gym to a nautilus machine, even though they both provide exercise?
The IntelliGym™ training program was designed from the bottom up – with the sole goal of improving hockey sense, and is based on solid scientific grounds. This SaaS (Software as a Service) product cognitively simulates the game in real time at your home computer, but there is no storyboard and no fantasy graphics; the goal is to integrate the details of the game into a player’s barest attention, until anticipating plays becomes deeply instinctive for him. Most importantly, the program is individually tailored to each player’s strengths and weaknesses, tracking progress and adapting to his new level of play as he develops his hockey mind.
The IntelliGym® program has shown great results on the ice after about 10-15 thirty-minute training sessions (2 sessions a week, for about 5-8 weeks.)
Many of the skills developed by the training program do indeed have a bearing on other aspects of life such as studying or driving. Many parents reported improvement in their children’s school performance, as well. However, these results have not been scientifically measured yet, so we don’t advertise these benefits.
The IntelliGym® is part of a player’s ongoing training regimen, just like weight training, and because of that, there is no “end” to the training program. As long as an athlete works with it, his sharpness will be maintained and further improved by more challenging levels over time.
Two-to-three times a week throughout the off-season and one-to-two times a week during the hockey season. A minimum of one sleep is recommended in-between training sessions. Training in the off-season will benefit young athletes greatly and will reduce the time it takes to adjust to the ice when the season starts. Training during the season is also very effective provided they avoid training on game days.
No, The tool has been proven to improve performance at all ages and skill levels provided the athletes have solid fundamentals in place. A trainee that is new to the game can benefit, as will athletes at the professional level, as well as forwards, defense, and goalies.
The IntelliGym® is effective for males and females from the as young as 10 years old to juniors and professionals. Training on the platform improves skills such as awareness, anticipation, and decision-making, which translate into performance improvements at any positions. Goaltenders need fast reflexes and back-door awareness, while the defense need to make heads-up transitions, and forwards need to find open ice for scoring opportunities. Therefore, the Hockey IntelliGym® is highly effective for all positions on the ice.
Both! An individual athlete training with the Hockey IntelliGym® will see improved performance for themselves, while an entire team that trains will see benefits both individually and as a unit. The dynamic competitive environment that a team provides also helps to keep young athletes motivated to train and outperform their peers! If a team is using the platform, a coach has access to every individual’s performance and progress reports, while a parent will only see their own child’s performance.
The training data is collected on the IntelliGym® servers and is available for the athlete, parent, and coach by visiting www.usahockeyintelligym.com and choosing the Members Area link at the top. Here all of the athlete’s progress and performance data are kept.
Yes. It should be noted that the hand played on the ice is not necessarily the one used to write or to be dominant in brain workout. It is important that the athlete would feel comfortable handling the controls of the training environment. The program allows right-hand mode (default) as well as a lefty mode for the keyboard and mouse settings. The keyboard setting for both hands can be found here.
A large variety of personal computers with a standard operating systems (Windows, Mac) will work fine. Here are the system requirements for running the program:
Windows
- Operating system: Microsoft® Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Classic or Windows 10
- Processor: i3-2xxx 1.4GHz (2nd generation) or equivalent (minimum PassMark score: 1700)
- Memory: 4GB of RAM
- GPU: HD Graphics 3000
Macintosh
- Operating system: Mac OS X Yosemite – version 10.10
- Processor: Intel Core™ Duo 1.83GHz
- Memory: 4GB of RAM
Other Requirements (for all computer types)
- Internet Connection
- Monitor of 14″ or bigger, supporting screen resolution of 1024 X 768 or higher.
Yes. Since the account details are kept on the server, the user can sign in from any computer with his user name and password. The number of installations is unlimited. To install the program, use the Hockey IntelliGym® Installation Page.
No. The Hockey IntelliGym is not a game, it is a software-based training program. Due to the nature of cognitive training, a keyboard and mouse must be utilized to increase the effectiveness of the training, by stimulating the brain further with complex motor skills in addition to visual cues and variable objectives. As of this time, the platform has only been developed to run on Windows or Mac computers/laptops.
Yes, the system continuously updates the server and the server updates the application to optimize and personalize the program for the athlete. All of this information is uploaded to the member’s area where the athlete, parent, and/or coach can track progress.
Launching the IntelliGym® is done just like any application on your computer. The simplest way is to keep the Hockey IntelliGym icon on your desktop or in your menu bar/dock. If you cannot find the Hockey IntelliGym® after install, please:
On a PC: Start -> Applications/Programs -> The Hockey IntelliGym
On a Mac: Finder -> Applications -> The Hockey IntelliGym
Online, via the online store. After purchase, the account is created and access details are sent via email, much like any other online membership. The customer then downloads and runs the application, entering the activation code provided and answering some preliminary questions to optimize the program.
The annual plan is pre-paid once for the year. A 60-day money back guarantee applies for this plan. The seasonal plan is pre-paid for a 6-month period and comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. The monthly plan is paid via recurring monthly payments which are collected starting at the date of purchase. The monthly subscription can be cancelled or converted into the annual plan anytime via the member’s area.
The Hockey IntelliGym® cognitive training program includes a series of unlimited levels with which to train the brain. Each level include multiple sub-levels which alter the objective and provide extra challenge to the user. The IntelliGym® tracks each individual athlete’s performance and adapts to their optimal training needs using artificial intelligence.
The IntelliGym® serves as an ongoing training program, just like weight lifting or a personal trainer. Serious athletes add it as a standard element in their training regimen and gain ongoing benefits over multiple years. The more committed ones, those who train all year round, work out with the IntelliGym® on an annual basis, while others, who choose to rest or do other sports during the off season, tend to go with the monthly or seasonal option.
At least 6-8 weeks are needed to see initial results on the ice, which is beyond the limitations of a free trial. Therefore, we offer a 30-day and 60-day money-back guarantee on our seasonal and annual plans, respectively, to let the users have a longer time to try out the platform. If you are not fully satisfied, a full refund is offered. If you prefer the monthly subscription, this can be cancelled at any time.
Yes. Details and pricing are listed in the Store’s page under “Team License” tab.
Each account is for one player. The platform tracks individuals needs, progress, skill development, and improvement, adapting the training program personally using artificial intelligence. The account is protected using a username and password.
The license type can be changed (e.g. switching from a monthly subscription to an annual license) or canceled altogether through the personal Members Area, under the “Account” section. For changing or updating the credit card details, one should visit the ‘License’ tab and choose the ‘Change Credit Card’ button.
If, when trying to run the IntelliGym®, an error message is presented that says “You are Offline”, please follow these steps:
(a) Verify you have a stable internet connection
(b) Open your firewall manager. If it has a black list – make sure the Hockey IntelliGym is not in that list. If it has a white list – make sure the Hockey IntelliGym is part of it