Physical Examination
If you are over forty and are just beginning to play hockey or
have any risk factors such as diabetes, obesity or high
cholesterol you need to get a physical examination. Be sure to
tell your physician that you are playing in a no-check league
and are playing with others of similar ability (hopefully that
is the case). A physician can assist in identifying physical
conditions that may place you at risk of injury. The physician
can also assist in recommending an exercise program to correct
those conditions.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic capacity is basically how long a player can go without
“running out of breath” and how quickly the player can recover
from physical exertion. Aerobic training conditions lungs, heart
and the circulatory system for the stress of physical activity.
Aerobic conditioning supplies the energy for low intensity
exercise over a long duration. Good aerobic conditioning allows
a player to recover more completely between shifts. A player is
relying upon aerobic capacity after their shift in hockey, while
sitting on the bench breathing heavily, taking in more oxygen
and then recovering to go back out on the next shift.
To build aerobic capacity start simply. If you have access to a
stair stepper, stationary bike, rowing machine or a ski machine
you can build your aerobic capacity as well as leg or arm
strength. Of course you can run, skip rope or skate too. Assess
your starting level and build-up your capacity from there. Keep
a record on a 4 by 6 cards or in your calendar. You can also
assess your capacity by the amount of time it takes to run or
bike a certain distance or during a timed period. This
assessment is a good starting point for recognizing progress in
increasing aerobic capacity.
Jogging or running is excellent in building aerobic capacity. In
bad weather, try a treadmill. Of course, recreational ice
skating or in-line skating is excellent in building aerobic
capacity while improving your skating ability as well. Bicycling
can also build aerobic capacity and uses muscle groups very
similar to those used during skating. A bike (regular or
stationary) is also less harsh to your knees.
For aerobic conditioning to be effective, the heart rate must be
raised to at least 150 beats per minute and maintained at that
level of intensity for a minimum of twenty minutes. An age
specific guide is calculated by subtracting your age from 170;
this should be your target rate and as your conditioning
increases, subtract your age from 200 beats per minute. After
five minutes of exercise you should be close to your target rate
and should try to maintain it for the duration of the exercise.
Rest breaks (slower jogging or pedaling) are permitted until the
athlete is able to achieve a higher level of conditioning.
Aerobic conditioning of 20 minutes four or five times a week
creates an excellent base for anaerobic exercise.
A reminder—stretch your muscles after exercise. Light stretching
before exercising is helpful, but stretching after exercise is
critical for several reasons. It reduces muscle soreness and
increases your flexibility which helps prevent injury. We will
discuss stretching techniques and their importance after a
hockey game later in this chapter.
Anaerobic capacity
What is it? Anaerobic means literally “without air.” It is
important to increase it because it conditions your body for the
short bursts of energy needed while playing hockey. Your body’s
anaerobic capacity supplies most of the energy needed for
hockey. Hockey players are constantly fighting fatigue both
during a hockey shift and as a game progresses. That is why the
average hockey shift should be 45 to 60 seconds in length. You
will notice a significant decline in energy levels and skill
execution the longer the shift.
Fatigue is caused by lactic acid which builds up in the muscles
and blood. Lactic acid builds up in both the upper and lower
body and leads to slower movement and the burning sensation in
the muscles that is sometimes felt at the end of a shift.
Anaerobic conditioning enhances stamina which allows a player to
compete for a longer period of time before the accumulation of
lactic acid in the body exceeds its ability to remove it. In
addition, the body becomes more efficient and produces less
lactic acid and fosters lactic acid toleration. You become used
to it and helps you to “gut it out” at the end of a shift or
during a key moment when additional reserves are needed.
Interval training is an effective anaerobic conditioning
technique because it alternates intense physical effort with
periods of rest. Interval training mirrors what a player
experiences while playing hockey. Intense (full-out) wind
sprints followed by a rest period of two to three times the
exercise period is an example of interval training. Run as hard
as you can for forty yards and then walk for a few minutes (at
least until you stop panting). Then run a one hundred yard dash
et cetera. Again with a two to three time interval rest period.
Interval training prior to the hockey season is an excellent
anaerobic conditioning program.
Another interval training exercise is to run up and down stairs.
Run up and down a staircase three times and then rest a few
minutes. Continue to repeat. Stair exercises have the added
advantage of improving the dexterity of your feet.
Strength Training
Building strong leg, arm and abdominal muscles along with other
muscle groups will assist in the execution of hockey
fundamentals and the enjoyment of the game. All strength
training involves the microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers
by exceeding their capacity to move a weight or resist a force.
As the body rebuilds the fibers, strength increases.
Strong leg and arm muscles will increase a player’s ability to
maintain balance on their skates and increase the force exerted
while skating. Strength is also useful in the corners when you
are pushing an opposing player in order to get the puck. Many
times you may wonder how a player can shoot that hard slap shot
or skate so fast ?—much of it has to do with muscle strength.
There are innumerable types of strength training equipment
available including machines, bar weights and dumbbells to the
simple pushup and chin-up. Some hockey programs have embraced
certain strength training systems and have had success on the
rink. For example, a few years ago Nautilus was used by the U.S.
Olympic Hockey team and more recently the national champion
Boston University Terriers used the air pressure system called
Kaiser.
The best approach is to consult with a personal or weight
trainer at the gym for assistance in designing a strength
training program.
Whatever system or equipment chosen, start out with an aerobic
workout first to warm-up and to stretch all muscles groups. Jog,
bike or stair step. Then start strength training with the
largest muscles groups—the legs and buttocks. Do leg lifts, leg
pushes, quadriceps lifts and so on. Then move to the upper
body’s muscle groups. Be sure to alternate muscles groups—if you
work the hamstrings be sure to work the quadriceps and if you
work the abdominal muscles be sure to work the back muscles.
These muscle groups complement each other and working one group
without the other leads to weakness, instability and injury.
The basic principles of strength training is the amount of
resistance or weight chosen for specific muscles, the number of
repetitions, and the numbers of “sets” and how often you train.
Again, there are innumerable strength training
philosophies—everything from one set to three sets to every day
to a rest day between.
Our philosophy is to keep it simple and to force yourself to
continually progress in adding more weight or resistance and
increasing the number of repetitions and sets. A day of rest
between working muscle groups is a good idea.
A simple method is to begin with eight repetitions at a weight
or resistance that is a challenge but not overwhelming. Do two
sets. If you are able to complete two sets of eight repetitions,
then increase to nine repetitions and when twelve repetitions is
achieved for two sets, then increase the weight or resistance. A
rest or recovery period between sets is helpful and can also
help your attitude.
Try to include all of the muscles groups that are used in hockey
in your strength training program. These include abdominal, back
muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, chest/shoulder, upper back,
calf, biceps, ankle flexors, triceps, wrist flexors, and wrist
extensors.
In-Line Skating
In-line skates were invented in Minnesota by a hockey player who
was looking for an off-season/off-ice training skate. In-line
skating and in-line hockey have exploded with interest. They are
wonderful for strength training and have one of the exercises
with the highest aerobic potential (right up there with
cross-country skiing). One caveat for ice hockey players,
in-line skating limits your ability to perform rapid leg
movement due to the drag of the wheels and the non-ice surface.
In addition, the skating technique for in-line skates is
slightly different than ice skating. As the ice hockey season
draws near and during the season, we don’t recommend in-line
skating training for this reason.
In the off-season, in-line skating is an excellent training
exercise. A player can practice skating while enhancing aerobic
capacity and leg strength. Turns, cross-overs, swizzles and
other maneuvers can be practiced on in-line skates. The inside
and outsides of the wheels mimic the inside and outside edges of
ice skates.
Backward skating can also be practiced with in-line skates. Be
careful and practice backwards skating on only the most smooth
surfaces, like a parking lot. The skating chapter also includes
information on in-line skating.
For aerobic training, skate sprints and then skate slowly.
Maintain a 3 or 4 to one ratio of slow skating to sprint
skating. Strength training can be practiced by skating up hills
or inclines. Skating longer distances will also increase leg
strength.
Speed and Quickness
Speed and quickness are essential to the game of hockey. A
player’s ability to get to a loose puck first and move up the
rink are a key skill. Wrist quickness in shooting or
intercepting a pass and for goaltenders good hand and foot
quickness are all assets that can be improved through training.
Speed and quickness training is very specific because the
athlete is teaching certain muscles and nerve pathways to
respond in a new way—quicker and faster.
Speed Training
Speed training involves an all-out effort for thirty to ninety
seconds and the work to rest ratio should be 1:1 or 1:2. The
speed training exercises should be repeated five to ten times
and should be utilized on an every other day basis.
A good off-rink speed training exercise is to run as hard as you
can for a distance which is timed at forty to ninety seconds.
Start with thirty seconds and then walk back to the starting
spot during the rest period and start again.
The same exercise can be achieved on the hockey rink utilizing
marks on the rink. Skate as fast as you can for thirty to sixty
seconds and skate back slowly to the starting point during the
rest phase and repeat the exercise.
Quickness Training
Quickness training requires an “all out effort”, an exercise
duration of five to ten seconds repeated six to twelve times
several days a week. The rest interval between exercises should
be five times the exercise period.[2]
An off the rink leg exercise program for quickness consists of
running up an incline—it could be a hill or stairs in which the
athlete runs up the incline as quickly as possible for ten
seconds and then takes a fifty second rest before beginning the
exercise again.
Arm quickness can be enhanced on the rink by shooting a puck or
ball rapidly at a target on the boards for ten seconds and then
again rest for fifty seconds and repeat.
Stretching and Flexibility
Stretching muscles increases a player’s flexibility which
enhances range of motion and prevents injury. Before stretching
muscles, a player needs to warm-up the muscles. A cold muscle
does not easily stretch and is more likely to be injured. The
best time to stretch is after exercise or a game because the
muscles are sufficiently warmed up. Stretching after a hockey
game or practice also helps prevent muscles soreness and injury.
Hockey players are in special need of flexibility - especially
the lower back and legs. Due to the bent leg nature of skating,
many hockey players are unable to fully extend their hamstrings
muscles which leads to tight hamstrings. Tight hamstrings can
lead to their injury or injuries to the lower back and to the
groin. Special attention should be paid to the hamstrings,
groin, lower back and hips. These muscles and joints are under
stress while skating and executing the maneuvers required by
hockey. Good flexibility in those areas will enhance a player’s
ability to play hockey.
There are several types of stretching including static, dynamic,
stretch-resistance, stretch relaxation and ballistic.[3] The
discussion here is limited to static stretching because it is
simpler. The average adult hockey player who in our experience
rarely stretches either before or after a game is more likely to
do static stretches.
The following stretches should be made after a hockey game or
practice:
· Upper Hamstrings
· Quadriceps
· Hamstrings
· Lower Hamstrings
· Lower Back and Gluts
· Groin
· Groin & Hamstrings
· Groin
· Ankles, Achilles, groin and lower back
· Upper Calf
· Lower Calf, Achilles
· Arms, shoulders, and back
Follow these rules while performing a static stretch. First,
don’t over stretch—a good stretch is one where you feel a slight
tension but it is still comfortable. Two, hold the stretch for
twenty to thirty seconds. Third, move slowly into and out of the
stretch in a fluid motion. Fourth, progressively move into the
next stretch.
After the initial stretch of a muscle, back off and then
progress a bit farther. Finally, always stretch a warm muscle.
Warm it up - even five minutes of movement is better than
stretching a cold muscle.
The biggest challenge for adult hockey players is finding a
space large enough after a game to stretch. It seems as if most
locker rooms were constructed for children and when you get ten
or fifteen adults in there with all their equipment, it is next
to impossible to find the space to stretch one’s hamstrings.
"I am always amazed when I see hockey players who skate around
the rink once and then are along the board “winging” on their
hamstrings. If they would only skate around a bit and warm up
their hamstrings and then do their pre-game stretch they would
substantially reduce their risk of injury." - Mark
Nutrition
Overweight hockey players are not effective and don’t have as
much fun. This isn’t softball folks! A balanced diet is
important. Consider a low fat diet—stick to low fat foods and
stay away from most fast foods. A balanced diet of equal
percentages of fats, carbohydrates and proteins is excellent.
Limit sugar and caffeine intake, especially deserts and candies.
Keep hydrated—several glasses of water a day. Your body needs
water significantly before you feel thirsty.
Pre-Game
What do you eat and drink before a game? How close to game-time
can you eat? What stretches and warm ups should you do?
Food and Drink
Hydration is the key to pre-game conditioning. Drink several
glasses of water or fill a water bottle and drink from it on the
way to and before the game. Sufficient hydration will enhance
the body’s ability to rebound from the stress during the course
of the game.
A pre-game meal is an individual choice. Some players are able
to eat a meal or a sandwich right up to game-time without
apparent adverse effects. A prevailing view among players is
that food should not be eaten any later than two hours prior to
a game.
Eating food any closer to game-time may affect your ability to
play in several ways. First, an upset stomach or heartburn is a
possibility which is an unpleasant experience while you are
being pushed to your physical limits. Second, the blood supply
is directed to digesting food which takes it away from the
supplying the muscles needed to play hockey. A meal close to
game-time will deprive a player of needed energy for the game.
Stretching
Pre-game stretching enhances flexibility and helps prevent
injuries. Until muscles are warmed up, aggressive stretching is
counter productive. Pregame stretching to loosen up muscles can
be performed in the locker room before putting on equipment.
Consider the stretching exercises illustrated below.
Try pre-game stretching on the ice as a substitute or as a
supplement to stretching in the locker room. Before stretching
on the ice, skate several times around the rink first to warm-up
arm and leg muscles. A mistake many hockey players make is to
begin stretching their hamstrings before warming up their
muscles. A cold muscle cannot be easily stretched and risks
injury.
Exercises on the ice include hamstring stretches on the boards.
This exercise is risky depending upon the player’s physical
size, the height of the boards, the player’s ability to balance
themselves on one skate, and the slipperiness rink’s surface. It
is safer to stand on the bench side of the boards and stretch
the hamstrings on the players’ bench or the boards.
Stretch the legs first then the arms. A good groin stretch is to
place one leg behind while maintaining balance on the skate of
the other leg. Leg kicks and calf stretches (pull one leg up by
the ankle toward the torso while balancing on the flats of the
other skate) are good pre-game stretching exercises.
A good back stretch is to go to the knees and bend backwards
stretching the back and neck. Arms and wrists can be stretched
by spinning the hockey stick like a baton in a twisting action.
Another back and arm stretch is to place a hockey stick behind
the back in an arching and uplifting action.
Goaltenders have an entire regiment of pre-game stretching which
is outlined in Chapter 9 on Goaltending.
Post-Game
Most hockey players are unaware of the secret of post-game
stretching. Stretching after an athletic event, especially a
hockey game is the key to minimizing injury and reducing muscle
soreness. It is surprising how few players know this.
Once the equipment is taken off, the same pre-game stretching
routine should be followed. Sometimes this is difficult due to
time constraints or the size of the locker rooms. At a minimum
stretch the legs. Make sure to do a groin stretch, a calf
stretch, and stretch the hamstrings.. This becomes more
important over time as a player becomes older and less able to
bounce back from the stress and strain of hockey. Continue to
drink water after the game. Fill up the water bottle and drink
it on the ride home!
Injuries and Treatment
Hockey players are prone to certain types of injuries due to the
type of movement inherent in the game of hockey. These include
back muscle strain or back ligament sprain, groin strains which
could include a variety of injuries including hip flexor strain,
adductor strain, and tendonitis condition in the hip, pelvis,
and groin; hip injury, knee injury, shoulder injuries, wrist
injury, hand and finger injuries, head and neck injuries
including concussion and contusions, and dental injuries. Many
of these injuries are common, e.g. “groin pulls” and others are
rare, e.g. concussion.
"In the twelve years that I have played in the league, the only
major injuries to a teammate of mine were two shoulder injuries
from crashing into the boards. One player fractured and
separated his should and the other separated his. Neither player
was wearing shoulder pads at the time of the injury." - Mark
Bruises
Bruises can occur from a variety of different types of contact
including hockey pucks, sticks, collisions, and boards. Treat
using a cold pack to the bruise and after twenty-four hours, a
warm and moist compress can be applied to the area.
Sprains
You can remember how to treat Sprains with the acronym RICE:
Rest
Ice (keep ice on the strain for the first xx hours)
Compression
Elevation. (keep the strain area above the heart)
Stay Fit and Play Great Hockey
Some days your team will not do well as a team. During these
games you will have to rely on your individual skills and
fitness to enjoy your time on the ice.
In other games, you will close in the third period. Your fitness
edge will keep you sharp and help you win - even against better
players who are starting to breathe hard! |
