If you dream of achieving glory on the hockey rink, it’s time to put your PS3 down, get off the couch and get down to business. Fitness, skills and strategy are vital to your game. So get fit and start honing your strengths.
Get the basics right
Eating healthy will go a long way towards your hockey career. He puts down the chips and coke and starts eating vegetables. A good night’s sleep is also vital to the health of any player. Don’t lose your REM sleep and kick the habit of watching movies or playing video games before bed. Action-packed visuals keep your mind racing long after you’ve fallen asleep. Getting you out of Halo can be a monumental task, but in hockey, you win something and you lose something.
The key to a good physique is the right training program. Follow the rest and recovery routine and instead of sprints, run shuttles or kills. Mingle; get plenty of rest between exercises so your body can easily adapt to extreme situations.
train to win
Quickness is an important trait in hockey. The track isn’t big enough for long moves, so you have to be great at short, fast moves. Practice short sprints and diagonal movements to increase your speed on the court.
Strength isn’t about how strong you are, it’s about how much you can take. Develop your stamina, it will add to your stride and forcefulness during the game.
As a hockey player, you should pay special attention to the muscles of the femur. Performing overhead squats will loosen up your hip flexors and improve pushup posture. Include static and dynamic stretching exercises in your training program as they will open up your muscles and give them a wider range of action.
A six-pack may be nice to look at, but having a set of washboard abs means low body fat. So your body has less fuel to burn and you risk running out of gas in the middle of a game. So don’t sacrifice your performance for an aesthetically appealing physique.
You need to cool down after a heated training session. Riding a stationary bike helps regulate blood flow and prevents cramps. End your workout with simple stretching exercises.
improve your skills
Reading the ice correctly and understanding the game is just as important as playing it. Play as much as you can, with friends, family, coaches, teammates, and even alone. This will help you tune in to the intricacies of hockey and speed up your reaction time.
Shooting is a skill you simply must possess, how else are you going to win those games? Practice shots from different angles and positions; See what works best for you. The trick is to practice and practice so much that shooting comes naturally when opponents are chasing you in the middle of a stressful game.
Play to your strengths, maintain a sportsmanlike spirit, and most importantly, play for the love of the game.