Training is important to athletes no matter what sport they play and for all levels of skill. Training can help increase strength, mobility, and lessen the chance of injury. Hockey players are no exception to this, and as such hockey training is an absolute must for anyone that wants to be competitive in the sport. With that in mind, training can be a little bit challenging for some people. It can be hard to know exactly where to start and what you need to focus on to make sure that your training is as effective as possible.
People have been playing hockey in some variation for centuries, and everyone that has played the game has had to make sure that they were in good enough physical condition to do so well. Playing hockey requires a lot of strength and a high level of fitness to make sure that you’re able to get through the game without any serious issues. That’s why it’s good to follow some of the tips that we go over on this list so you can make sure that you’re always in tip-top shape to play your favorite game.
Stay Hydrated at All Times
Drink water, drink water, drink water. When you train, you sweat. When you sweat, your body is losing water. Without that water, your body isn’t able to act as effectively, which means that you need to replenish the reserves of water that you’ve lost. It’s especially important for people that exercise to drink water because of this. There is no standard universal amount of water that anyone should drink. Some people say that everyone should drink a gallon or four and a half liters of water every day. Other people say that you should drink one ounce of water for every pound you weigh.
For that latter requirement, that means that if someone weighs 150 pounds they would need roughly 150 oz of water or a little over a gallon. This gets tricky if you live in a place that doesn’t use the imperial system because 1 ounce is 29.5 milliliters, which makes for some confusing math. As a general rule of thumb, just make sure that you’re getting at least a gallon or four and a half liters of water every day, and if you’re still thirsty make sure that you drink more water later on. Staying hydrated is a great way to make sure that your training is working as well as possible.
Stretch Before and After Training
Stretching is important for making sure that your muscles are ready for whatever you plan on throwing at them. It doesn’t matter if you’re about to hit the bench and do some heavy lifting or you’re just going for a light jog. Stretching allows your muscles a chance to be limber enough to do whatever they need to do during your training. Stretching after has been shown to reduce soreness as well as improve general results from strength training. Those are just a few of the reasons why stretching is so important, and we haven’t even gotten to the most pressing reasons yet.
The biggest and most important reason why you need to stretch is that it improves your range of motion. A solid range of motion is going to help your hockey game in a lot of ways that you can’t imagine, but it can also help mitigate the chance of injury both on the rink and off. Having stiff, inflexible muscles can cause a lot of problems both in the short and long term, and injuries from not stretching enough could even result in not being able to play hockey anymore. It’s super serious business, so much sure you limber up.
Hit the Weights
The stronger you are, the more of a threat you’ll be on the ice. You don’t want to be easily overpowered by your opposing team, and you don’t want to get stuck because they’re more well trained than you in this area. The solution? Hit the gym and lift some heavy weights. You can also do bodyweight workouts, it all depends on what works best for you. The most important thing is that you’re strong enough to be formidable to your opponents on the ice so they can’t get any points off of you, regardless of what position you’re playing.
It’s easy enough to get the kind of muscles that you need to play hockey, you just have to make sure to do the training. It can take time to see the results that you want, but that’s all part of the process. Sitting for hours at the gym lifting weights is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re strong enough to keep up with the games that you have coming up in the future. There are many different exercises you can do, and a little research is required to do them, but it’s not too difficult to find that information.
Train on the Ice
You’re not going to win the Grand Prix if you don’t drive enough, and you aren’t likely to win hockey games if you aren’t on the ice enough. Getting on the ice, in skate practice is a great way to ensure that you feel comfortable enough on the ice to get through the games without much issue. Some people underestimate the value of getting on the ice training, but it’s a core mechanic of the game of hockey, so the more comfortable you are on the ice, the better off you’ll be in general.
This can be easy or hard depending on where you live. Some places have permafrost that might help you get on the ice training, but most places do not. If you aren’t so lucky, you could try going to a local skating rink or looking into a synthetic ice that you can set up in your home so you can get that ever-important off-season training while in your skates. That will help keep you sharp while you wait for the colder months to roll around.
Consistency is Key
One of the most important things about working out is consistency. Of course, doing it correctly is more important, but you won’t see results if you don’t stick to it. It can be hard if you aren’t motivated, but just remember that you’re training so you can be a fierce competitor in the next hockey season. Most people recommend 4-6 days a week of exercise to make sure that you get results. Make sure that you do include a rest day because that is going to help your body recover from the punishment that you’ve already given it.
Master the Fundamentals
If you’ve ever seen the film Karate Kid, you know about Mr. Miyagi making Daniel do chores until he finally complains about it and is shown that he was secretly training all the time. We still think that Mr. Miyagi was just trying to get some chores done on the cheap, but in any case, getting the fundamentals down to a science will help you a lot when you’re playing hockey. After all, you do have to walk before you can run.
There are a lot of fundamentals to learn in hockey. Stickhandling, maneuvering on the ice, hitting the puck. You should be practicing these things until you can do them in your sleep. That will help you be sure that when it’s really time for a serious match you aren’t thinking about the basics, you’re just doing them. That leaves more brainpower to think about more complicated tactics that will help you score enough to win the game and bring home the gold for your team.
Know Which Drills are Best for You
Drills are important for all athletes, but the specific ones that you do depend on the sport and position that you play on the team. The goal with drills is to get things into muscle memory so your body just does them naturally. If you aren’t sure which drills you should be doing to improve, ask your coach or trainer. They’ll be able to tell you exactly where you’re struggling and what you need to practice. Every position has different drills that they have to worry about, so asking one of these people will yield you the best results because they know your position as well as your strengths and weaknesses in said position.
Get the Most Out of Your Training
Training is hard, let’s face it. It takes discipline, determination, and pure grit. Fortunately, having a plan and knowing how to set both long and short-term goals can help you out a lot. Whether you just play with a local league or you’ve made it to the big times, training is important year-round to make sure that you’re a force to be reckoned with on the court. People in the hockey community always respect those with the determination to make sure that proper training is done regularly.
