Staying Healthy and Fit for Hockey Tips
Read these 9 Staying Healthy and Fit for Hockey Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Hockey tips and hundreds of other topics.
Avoid Sweets Before a Game
Many players enjoy chocolate bars and candy before games. When preparing for a game stay away from these items because they are not reliable sources of energy. Foods such as pasta are good sources of energy as well as fruits and vegetables. Have both protein and carbohydrate in your pre-game meal, with only a little fat.
Hockey Helps Keep You Fit
Many people think that if you play a sport, you'll be in shape in no time. This is partly true, but with hockey, like any other sport, you need other exercise as well as healthy eating to develop a stronger build.
Play Nice, Boys! Famous Hockey Fights
It is difficult to determine the worst fight in the history of hockey. There are so many great ones to choose from! Any fights containing Tie Domi, Joey Kocur, Bob Probert, Stu Grimson, Georges Laraque, or Rob Ray would top the list. However, one of the worst overall fights that "wowed" hockey fans took place in the "1997 Brawl in Hockeytown" between the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings. A year previous to the game, the Av's (Avalanche) Claude Lemieux hit the Wings' Kris Draper from behind and smashed his face into the boards, causing extensive cuts that needed surgery to repair. Everyone knew that eventually there would be payback for this. On March 26, 1997 at Joe Louis Arena, it finally happened. The game was full of big hits and scrums at every whistle. During a scuffle between Detroit's Igor Larionov and the Av's Peter Forseberg, Darren McCarty blind-sided Lemieux square between the eyes, dropping him to his knees. After a couple of upper-cuts, McCarty dragged him to the boards where he smashed his face a couple of times with his knee. Patrick Roy, the goalie of the Av's, skated to Lemieux's aid. Halfway down the ice, he was met by Brendan Shanahan's flying forearm. Detroit's goalie, Mike Vernon, then squared off at center ice with Roy, before finally taking him down. A bloodied Lemieux was helped off the ice as he could barely skate, or stand for that matter!
Off ice training for young players
At this early stage it is important to develop the entire athlete. I would play a lot of soccer football, handball and basketball with passing rules and good habits like facing the ball, give and go, everyone cover one opponent from the goal side etc. Then I would have them do a lot of gymnastics activities where they have to be coordinated, strong and agile to move their own body In various ways.
Hockey specific I would play a lot of ball and floor hockey and practice stickhandling with a ball and shooting about 50 shots per day for the very young and 100 per day for the 12 and up.
The players 11 and over can learn basic team play concepts after they understand how to do a proper 1-1 to 3-3 on offense and defense. So first work on developing general fitness, small situation skills,good playing habits and athleticism and then become more hockey specific after the onset of puberty.
The inline hockey is also a good idea. The skills are the same and a lot of the skating technique is the similar (but the centre of balance is different on the rollers)
Good luck,
High Carbohydrates
So you're looking for some foods that are high in carbohydrates? The best foods to eat would be pasta, or rice and steamed vegetables. Make sure you have these at least 3 hours before you play so you have time to digest.
Avoid Soda Pop
When it comes to drinks before a hockey game, water is the best, with Gatorade or juice coming in second. Whatever you do, stay away from sodas.
Elbow Inflammation
Inflamed elbows are not to be messed with. If you injure your elbow, always ice it and make sure the swelling goes down before you play again. Falling on it could risk greater injury of the career-ending type.
Water is the Key
So you're wondering what can keep you going when it comes to stamina. The best thing to do is always take in water during a hockey game as well as before you play.
