We all know how fun and enjoyable ice hockey can be to play, but what most of us do not realize is how taxing it can be on our bodies, especially if you play at a high competitive level. Hockey requires a full spectrum of physical abilities which includes speed, strength, agility, hand-eye coordination, and balance. While playing hockey at games or practices certainly helps us develop these skills, if you want to be a complete player and maximize your abilities on the ice, you are going to need to put in extra work with some on and off-ice exercises and workouts to keep your body in optimal hockey form. Let’s take a look at some of these exercises and how they will help you round out your game.
Strength Training for Speed, Explosiveness, and Shooting
Perhaps the single factor that can help so many different parts of your game, strength training is a key part to any hockey player’s workout regimen. Increasing your strength can improve your skating, your puck control, your shot, and your one on one battle levels. This does not always have to include lifting weights or hitting the bench press either. In hockey, it is not always the biggest muscles that get the job done. A strong core along with your upper legs can make it nearly impossible to knock you off of the puck, and you will find that your skating will have more power behind each stride as well.
Lunges, squats, and swings are an excellent way to build up leg strength and can be done anywhere you have a bit of room. Try doing different variations of these which can include weights, tension bands, or even on top of an exercise ball. The more resistance you feel, the more your core will work to help keep you balanced.
Look to other exercises like deadlifts and box jumps to help build explosiveness in your legs and glutes. The more strength you build in these areas, the faster and more powerful your first couple strides will be when chasing a loose puck or trying to get away from a defender. Do not think that explosiveness in skating is just for players either. Goalies can benefit from this as well when kicking off from side to side, or standing your ground inside your crease.
Finally, try to work in some arm and upper shoulder and back workouts to increase the power you get in your shot. You are not necessarily aiming for huge biceps here, but adding that explosive power into your back can really give you leverage when you lean into a shot and learn to use your stick flex to whip the puck. Shooting is just as much about form as it is strength, but providing that extra power from your back and shoulders will go a long way in improving your shot.
Cardio for Endurance and Energy Levels
Look, all the strength training and muscles in the world will not help you on the ice if you do not have any endurance. If you want to be a productive player you are going to want to take short and explosive shifts, rather than longer shifts where you just coast around the ice. Cardio training will help you with this and ensure that you have the same energy levels throughout an entire game.
Best of all, cardio exercises usually do not require any equipment and can be done throughout the year, indoors or outdoors. Running or jogging is the obvious way to build up your cardiovascular health and stamina over periods of time, but try to mix in exercises like intermittent sprints or running up stairs. These changes of pace exercises will give your heart and lungs a more accurate feel of what an ice hockey game will be like and explosive sprints from a stopped position provides excellent muscle memory for your legs. If you have access to one, a skating treadmill can also be a tremendous way to build endurance while also working on your skating form. Try skating for intermediate periods of time, and then add in a stick and puck to help work on your stickhandling and coordination as well.
Reaction and Agility Training
Hockey is an extremely reactionary sport with split second decision making that comes at you at a very high speed. Anticipation and reactions are built into a hockey player’s mind with enough training, muscle memory can take over a player’s hands and feet as we coordinate all of these motions while on the ice. Agility training can look like a lot of different things. Whether it is side to side lateral sprints or lunges or having a trainer or teammate throw you a tennis ball while balancing on an exercise ball, improving your reaction time can go a long way in helping your on-ice decision making.
Stickhandling drills are also a part of reactionary training so do not shy away from these basic forms of exercise. Handling the puck through pylons or using an off-ice sheet that can simulate the feel of a puck on ice can drastically help make the puck on your stick feel natural when stick handling during a game. Try adding some wrist weights to your stickhandling practice to improve the strength in your wrists and forearms.
As you can see there are countless exercises and routines you can add to your training regimen that can improve your performance on the ice. Practices can provide you with excellent opportunities to hone your in-game skills while testing your abilities against your teammates, but continuing that training off the ice is where players can really set themselves apart in the actual games. Improving your strength can provide explosiveness on your skates while also maintaining control of the puck and fending off opposing players. Let us not overlook perhaps the most important part of a good training regimen: injury prevention. The more you are able to strengthen and continuously build up power in your legs and core to improve your body control, the better chance you have at avoiding serious injuries on the ice.
Every hockey player dreams of reaching the NHL and playing in the world’s largest stadiums. Everyone wants to be watched and cheered-on by millions of sports fans as they play their favorite game at the most elite level. The NHL dream is a huge reason why hockey players turn up to practices and games and try their hardest week-in and week-out.
The problem is that only the best of the best players rise to the top in the hockey world. It takes a special kind of athlete to reach NHL-stardom—just attending your team’s weekly practices and games isn’t enough.
Of course, many players know that hockey success takes extra work, but they don’t know where to start. Don’t worry! Here are the top 10 ways to improve at hockey, so you can start improving your hockey skills right now.
1. Play More Often
One of the best ways to improve at hockey is to play the game as much as possible. Show up to every single team game. Invite your friends to play shinny in the winter. Set up road hockey games every night in the off-season. The point is, get a stick in your hand and get the puck in the net. Even without the direction of a coach, playing hockey will train your muscle memory and all the other skills you need to succeed at the game (speed, endurance, reaction time, agility, balance, etc.).
2. Play Other Sports
Many of the skills you build by playing other sports are also helpful for hockey. If you can’t always play hockey, find another sport to play—almost every activity will help you in some way!
For example, tennis will train your endurance, hand-eye coordination, and arm power. Soccer will train your footwork, agility, and tactical sense. Even a “sport” like chess will improve your decision-making ability and strategic thinking. Having another activity can also help prevent hockey burnout, so you’ll be more motivated to get back on the ice every week.
No matter what you choose, find a sport other than hockey and go all-in!
3. Train at Home or in the Gym
There are endless ways to train for hockey off the ice.
You could do a simple home workout to build strength and get your body used to intense physical exercise. You can do anything from push-ups, to jogging, to weightlifting. Simply getting some exercise throughout the week outside of hockey practice and games will put you ahead of most of your competition.
If you have access to a gym, even better. With the equipment offered at a gym, you can target specific muscles and activities that will make the biggest difference on the ice. For hockey players, having strong legs, good endurance, and a powerful core is crucial.
Even better, you can perform hockey-specific drills either at home or at the gym. Most off-ice drills only require a stick and some balls/pucks or some agility cones. Some don’t require any equipment!
There are a ton of simple and effective drills and workout routines available online, made specifically for hockey players who want to improve!
4. Get Private Instruction or Attend a Hockey Camp/Clinic
Private instruction and hockey camps can be expensive, so don’t worry if you can’t afford them—the other items on this list will still work wonders for you. If you can afford them, however, they can provide massive improvements to your hockey skills.
Private instruction will allow you to work closely and thoroughly with a skills coach to figure out exactly what you need to do to improve at the game. A private coach will often be able to identify weaknesses in your game that your regular coach might miss because they have so many people to manage at once.
Hockey camps will allow you to work consistently on specific skills under the eye of expert coaches. If you find yourself weak in a specific skill, like skating or shooting, you should be able to find a camp for that skill in your area!
5. Stretch
This is the simplest item on the list, and it takes the least time, but it can still make a huge difference in your hockey performance.
Try to stretch for at least ten minutes before and after every practice and game. Stretching warms up your muscles for physical activity, reducing the chances of getting injured and having to take time off. Stretching also improves your flexibility—if you regularly stretch, you’ll be able to take longer strides and faster shots. Stretching will also help your agility—you’ll have the flexibility to quickly switch directions and always stay on top of the action during a game.
There are tons of simple stretching routines available online, including many made specifically for hockey players!
6. Practice Mindfulness (Meditation and Visualization)
Mindfulness is one of the most underestimated aspects of being a successful athlete. Many professional hockey players meditate, and almost all athletes visualize their success in some way.
Meditation will allow you to control your breath and your thoughts. If you meditate just once a day, you’ll be able to focus and make better decisions on the ice. Meditation involves sitting in a silent environment, closing your eyes, breathing calmly, and clearing your mind for a short period of time. For beginners, meditation usually only lasts a few minutes. Once you have some practice, meditation sessions can last up to half an hour.
Visualization is a method of maintaining focus on and motivation for your athletic goals. As often as you can, picture yourself taking a perfect shot. Picture yourself winning a faceoff. Picture yourself getting drafted to the NHL and skating out on the ice for your first game. This visualization process will help you keep your eye on the prize and will keep you hungry for victory and success. It also helps give you confidence to make risky plays and to give it your all in every game.
7. Study Hockey (Watch More, Read More, Learn More)
Even if you’re not playing hockey or physically training in some way, you can still mentally train for hockey.
First, watch as much hockey as you can. Whether professional, college, or local games, soak in as much of the action as you can. Pay attention to the flow of the game and try to determine why a team or an individual player makes certain decisions. The more hockey you watch, the better you’ll understand what you need to do and where you need to be to get the puck in the opponent’s net.
Second, read and research the game. There is endless content available in books or on the internet that talks about hockey nutrition, training, strategy, lifestyle, and mindfulness. Simply pick a topic of interest, say, “the habits of hockey pros,” and read everything you can about it.
Then, you’ll be able to combine your theoretical knowledge with your muscle memory and playing experience to be an unstoppable force on the ice.
8. Eat Healthy and Drink Plenty of Water
NHL-level hockey training doesn’t just happen on the ice or in the gym—it happens all the time. Keeping your body in top shape is a crucial part of being a high-level athlete. Make sure you’re eating and drinking as healthily as you can, and that you’re never dehydrated during the day, whether you have a game or not.
For food, try to stay away from anything fried, salty, sugary, or processed. Of course, you can have treats every once in a while, but do your best to stick to fruits, veggies, breads and grains, lean protein, and dairy.
For drinks, try to have as much water as possible. A glass of milk every so often will also keep your bones strong and your blood pressure low. For workouts, practices, and games, drinks like Gatorade with a lot of electrolytes will keep your energy levels high so that you can perform at your best.
9. Get Proper Sleep
All the other items on the list won’t be effective if you’re not getting proper sleep.
If you don’t sleep enough (or, in some cases, if you sleep too much), you won’t be able to focus during practices and games, and you won’t be able to train as hard off the ice because you’ll be tired.
When it comes to sleep, there are two simple rules. First, sleep enough. Most teenagers and young adults need somewhere between 7 and 9 hours each night. Find the amount of sleep that leaves you happy and well-rested and aim to get that every night. Second, sleep consistently. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day. It’s much harder to get enough sleep if your bedtime jumps around like crazy each night. Pick a time that works for you and stay consistent!
10. Take the Game Seriously
If you want to play in the NHL, you need to take the game seriously.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t joke around or have any fun—hockey is supposed to be fun, that’s why millions of athletes dream of doing it for a living. Taking the game seriously just means pay attention and try your hardest.
Pay attention to your coach. Listen to every bit of advice he has for you (and for other players) and try your hardest to fix your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
Pay attention to your teammates during practices and games—keep track of where they are and what they’re doing. During a practice, you might pick up helpful tips and tricks just by watching other people run drills. During a game, you’ll be more aware of where everyone is on the ice, so you’ll be able to make better decisions.
Pay attention to your body. If you feel sore or in-pain, stop and take care of yourself. If you feel tired, take a break. If you feel exhausted or sick, eat healthier and take a break. Try your hardest to stay in peak condition so you can always perform at your best.
Pay attention to your goals. Stay focused on improving and help your teammates improve, too. Try your hardest to remember that you’re ultimately competing with everyone around you, but stay confident that if you work hard and play harder, you’ll do well!
It’s important that hockey players acquire mental toughness. Mental toughness enables hockey players to perform at their best during games. Developing mental toughness, will also help players face other facets of their lives with confidence! Below, are some tips that will help players develop a mental edge that will win games!
Be Positive no Matter What Adversity you Face
It’s important that hockey players keep a positive attitude irrespective of the situation that they are in. For example, players with injuries should take the proper and necessary steps to heal. They should stay positive that in “no-time” they will be on the ice again, ready to battle. When facing a difficult opponent, players should also stay positive that they will find an opportunity to counter-attack. Players need to learn to play games with a calm demeanor which will help them limit mistakes and not make rash decisions. Additionally, hockey players should remember that they can use their emotions to their advantage.
Be an Encourager
A hockey player’s demeanor can change the entire atmosphere of a room. Players should not be afraid to assume leadership roles and ensure that the words they say are uplifting. Having the ability to speak positively to others and even yourself, during a difficult game or season, can be the boost that a they or the team needs to make a comeback.
Don’t put too much Pressure on Yourself
Hockey players may feel that they have to live to the expectations of their family, teammates and coaches. While it’s great that players want to perform well for others, that expectation can bring anxiety as well. Players should always be in an encouraging and supportive environment where mistakes are allowed. Too much anxiety can affect a hockey player’s performance and ability. They shouldn’t be too harsh on themselves when mistakes and disappointments occur, however, they should always be willing to receive constructive criticism / feedback and make adjustments to their game when necessary.
Focus and Cancel out Distractions
Hockey players should learn to tune out distractions and perform irrespective of the crowd’s response. Players must be able to focus on finishing the game in a professional manner and not let past upsets get in the way of upcoming games. Additionally, players shouldn’t be fixated on past wins as well. They should constantly be evolving and moving forward with focus on executing all the techniques and skills that were taught in previous practices.
Be Uncomfortable
Hockey players should intentionally put themselves in situations that make them uncomfortable. Coaches should also facilitate game scenarios that will require players to make swift decisions. Creating various game-plays will enhance a hockey player’s ability to make decisions under pressure. Overtime, players will become mentally and physically stronger.
Set Short and Long-Term Goals
All hockey players should set short and long term goals. Goal – setting will help athletes look at the bigger picture and where they need to go. Goal – setting will provide motivation for players to adhere to diets, workouts and practices.
