With the Hockey Season Officially Under Way

Excitement builds in the air among the fans and especially the teams, both professional and amateur. As with football, hockey creates its own collisions and as it is a full-body sport, demanding speed, agility and balance, the entire body should be in prime physical condition to withstand the rigors of the sport. Muscles are put into action in multiple movement patterns and the proper training and maintenance of these muscles are essential if the player wants to perform at the top of his game.

The core should be strengthened first as this is where movement begins. The muscles in the lower body most in need of training include the lower back, thighs, inner thighs, hamstrings, the rectus abdominis (the major muscle in the center of the stomach) and hip flexors. These are the muscles responsible for acceleration in skating, stopping and twisting and the change of direction on the ice, and are important because often during the game you perform many of these actions simultaneously.

Since proper warm-up is the key, one of the most effective procedures to prepare the body for the ice is the foam roll. The benefit of the foam roll is that it massages the trigger points - or muscle knots. Working these trigger points helps to improve the blood flow to the muscle tissue and readies the muscles to perform quickly, which is vital with the hard contractions that occur in hockey. In addition, foam rolling addresses muscle imbalances, increases range of motion, increases long-term flexibility, and can help a muscle recover after exercise and aid in recovery.