Fitness Training Tips to have a better Hockey Performance

Hockey is all about intensity so to be able to enjoy it; you must be able to play it with intensity. Therefore, you should make some time for hockey fitness training to enjoy the game to the fullest. Your fitness commitment will depend on your level of play and your own desire. You can choose to work out twice a day if you want to make a living out of it, or two to three times a week if you see it as a recreation.

Here, are five tips to hockey fitness training:

• Hockey requires strong legs. Skating, shooting, passing, explosive starts and crunching checks all start with powerful legs. If you want t have strong legs, stand to the right of a 12″ square box and jump over it sideways and then jump back from the left side. Do 4 sets (eight jumps) in succession as fast as you can. Work your way up to 10 sets (20 jumps) as you alternate between side jumps and front and back jumps.
• Endurance is a must to last in the game. Start at the goal line and race to the near blue line and back again. Turn and race to the red line and back again, then to the far blue line and back and finally the full length of the ice to the opposite goal line. Rest for 2 minutes and then repeat. This whole drill must be performed at top speed.
• You need to build your strength to play hockey better than the rest. Include some weight training in your workout to help you get stronger and enable you to win those battles for the puck. More weight and fewer repetitions build strength while more repetitions with less weight will improve endurance.
• High intensity interval training (HIIT) is ideal for hockey. This can be done through ice skating, in-line skating, running or biking. Begin with a 5 minute warm-up then do 6 sets of 40 second sprints with a 120 second rest.
• You would need a strong core and balance in this game. Use medicine ball as a way to strengthen your core and improve your balance. The medicine ball workout must be done one a week in your routine. Opt for a ball that is not heavy, but can still give you a resistance. Stand with your legs shoulder widely and hold the ball in front of your belly. With both hands pull the ball over your head then throw it directly to the floor in front of you. Bend forward to catch it on the bounce. Repeat 8 – 10 times. Do six sets.