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One of the first things you should master when you learn how to play hockey is how to tape your hockey stick. Although it can be done a few different ways and once you play more you might find a better way to do it but there are a few basic things to remember when you tape your stick.

When you tape the butt end of you stick the first thing you need to do is to determine if you like to have a knob at the end of the stick and what size. The size of the knob is personal preference and up to each individual player.

To make a knob at the end of the hockey stick you need to take some hockey tape and wrap it around the top of the stick to make a knob. Wrap it more times for a larger knob and less times for a smaller knob. Once you get the knob to the size you like without breaking the tape roll out about one foot of tape. With the sticky side facing out roll the tape into a small rope and then wrap it around the stick in a spiral fashion about 1 inch apart. This will form a rib along the shaft. If you need it to go farther down the shaft pull out more tape, roll it and wrap it some more. The ribs will form a grip and traction for you when you have your gloves on so it is up to you as to how long and how much space you want in between each rib. Once you finish making the ribs with the twisted tape you should then wrap tape over it covering the ribs and tape. It may take one or two coats of tape but make sure that the tape is tight and has a good bond to the stick.

Now that you are done with the butt end of the stick it is time to move on to the blade.

First you need to tear off an 8 inch piece of tape and attach it to the bottom of the blade. It should be on the bottom of the blade and straddle both the front and back side of the stick. This gives extra protection to the bottom of the stick where it meets the ice. Next you need to begin wrapping the stick from the blade to the heel overlapping each piece of tape as you go. The closer the overlap the more cushion for the puck and the farther the overlap the less cushion. If you like a more firm surface for the puck on the stick spread the tape out. Remember to make sure that you should apply the tape tightly and avoid any wrinkles. The tape should end at about inch from the toe of the stick and the end of the tape should be on the backhand side.

One trick that some players use to prolong the life of the tape is to wax the bottom and sides of the tape. This helps protect against moisture and water and help keep your tape job last.

Author: Davey Brown
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You do it because you love the game. Collecting game worn hockey jerseys is more than just fun for you, it’s your passion.

The jersey represents a snapshot in time, a possible physical connection to immortality.

USA 4, Russia 3.

Sakic finally hoisting the Cup.

Hockeytown.

Game jerseys are mounted and framed in display cases to show your allegiance to a certain player or team. Appreciating the history of the game is what seperates you from the casual fan, and you will go the extra mile to prove it.

To have a game worn jersey from someone who held the Cup, played for your favorite college team or connected to you on some level is an item you can pass down from one generation to the next.

Game-used hockey jerseys are available from all different eras and leagues. You can purchase a jersey worn by Hilda Ranscombe, who played in a female hockey league in the 1930’s. Hilda would later be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Coaches who were once players have game worn jerseys available. So do athletes who went on to fame in other professions and those who you might meet on your next trip to the grocery store.

For those who prefer college hockey, game worn issues from such powerhouses as Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota are available. Own the jersey of your favorite player or team in the International Hockey League or the Canadian Juniors. What you purchase depends on what you love about the game.

When you purchase a jersey, you can see where the burns came from a cross-check into the boards. The jersey cuffs will be marked by the wear and tear of the leather gloves. Jerseys from “enforcers” like Schultz and Domei will have blood spills all over them. Jerseys may be ripped and shredded from the fighting, but that is exactly why you love them. You relate to the sweat and blood because those are symbols of success, even for a player who was just there for one fleeting moment.

Unlike sports cards, a game worn sweater cements the reality of the event. Lemieux on a breakaway or Gretzky sniping his shot; those are the moments you live for.

You may want a game used jersey that signifies other events, like a Penguins ‘82-’83 model with a black armband that was attached after the death of their beloved general manager.

A Crosby jersey from the Olympics would say it all, “Crosby shoots…he scores! Canada wins the gold medal!”.

Buying a game worn jersey; was it worth it? Yeah, it was worth it.

Author: Richard Mueller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Some people think that putting on hockey equipment is very difficult. Lets face it; there is a lot of padding that you have to put on, so I see where some people could get tricked. I am going to tell you seven easy steps to putting on hockey equipment.

First thing is first you need to put on proper underwear. Long sleeve shirt, jock shorts or pants, and socks. This helps prevent you from getting any bacterial infections from your hockey equipment.

It is now time to start putting on your pads. Grab your shin guards and place them on each leg, each pad will indicate witch leg the guard should go on. Once you have your shin guards on place your hockey socks and over the guards and hike them all the way up covering the shin guards.

The next step is to grab your hockey pants and put those on. All you have to do is slide them up, nice and easy task.

It is now time to put on your skates. It does not matter which one to put on first. For now put your left skate than your right skate. Make sure you tie them tight so your foot does not slide around on the ice.

Now that your lower half is on it is time to put on your upper half. Slide your elbow pads on one by one. Once your elbow pads are on it is time to put your shoulder pads on. Slide the pads on and strap them on. Once you have everything in place slide your jersey on.

It is now time to put your gloves on and grab your hockey stick.

Before you step out onto the ice make sure you put your helmet on last.

You now know how to put on hockey equipment. It is now time for you to hit the ice and start playing.

Author: Chris Orlowsky
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Field Hockey

Did you know- Field hockey is extremely popular sport in the nation and despite many problems Pakistan is one of the few places in the Third World with one of the best field hockey teams. In the 60s, this country was the only one to challenge the Indian supremacy. Between 1971 and 1994, Pakistan won the hockey World Championship four times. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the men’s hockey tournament was won by the nation for the third time, having also been champion in Rome’60 and Mexico City ‘68. In Rome’60, Pakistan was the only Asia’s team to win an Olympic gold medal. By 2008, Pakistan’s hockey player Zeeshan Ashraf was the flag-bearer for the nation’s Olympic delegation in the 29th Summer Games in the People’s Republic of China.

Asian Games

Did you know- The nation competed in the Asian Games since 1954. During that event (Manila, Philippines), it won 4 gold medals and took fourth place in the unofficial team championships. Subsequently,at the IX Asian Games in Seoul (South Korea) in the mid- 1980s, the national team finished eighth in the medal count, with a total of nine medals (2 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze), outpacing Indonesia, Hong Kong and Qatar. But more than two decades later, it reached 23rd in Busan (South Korea’s second-largest city).

1980 Olympics

Did you know- Because of the Pakistani government boycott of the Moscow Summer Olympics in the early 1980s, the men’s field hockey team -which had won the bronze medal at the 1976 Games in Montreal (Canada), behind New Zealand and Australia– could not compete in the Olympic tournament.

Volleyball

Did you know- By the early 1960s, the men’s volleyball team finished third place, behind Japan and India, in the Asian Games of Tokyo, Japan. It was the first time the national squad had won a medal.

National Idol

Did you know- The greatest name among Pakistani athletes is Abdul Khaliq, who was known as the “Fastest Man in Asia” in the 50s. Mr Khaliq won the 100m and 200m at the 1954 Asian Games and the 100m at the 1958 Asian Games. In the Melbourne Summer Games in 1956, he set a new national record of 10,4s in the 100m; this record was not broken until 2001.

Cricket

Did you know- Cricket is another popular sport in Pakistan. Abdul Khaliq Khan, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee, once said, “The most popular sport in our country is, in fact, a non-Olympic sport. Cricket is widely played and very popular with the youth who hero-worship the elite players and there is a lot of sponsorship, commercial activity and media coverage around the sport…”

Author: Alejandro Guevara Onofre
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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While writing my recent article on the 7 skills every player needs to improve on, I used the notes I took while watching the women’s teams from University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota-Duluth, face-off against each other in a double-header. I went back to my notes this week while I was thinking about drills to run at this week’s practices and I realized that I had a few more key points that I wanted to share with you after watching these two elite teams play and execute at such a high level.

So I created a new list of “4 More Skills Player Must Improve On” based on my observations during these two games.

1. Forwards Look To Feed The Defense:

This skill was one that I saw both teams use extremely effectively in these games and made me realize that it is not used nearly enough at the minor hockey level. Moving the puck back to the points while in the offensive zone forces the defensive team to have to adjust the positioning which quite often opens up holes in their defensive coverage. You don’t want to blindly throw the puck back to your defenseman, but you are probably not using them as much as you could to create opportunities on offense. One extra point on this – once you make the pass to the point, make sure you move to get open so that you are either in a position for a pass or a rebound.

2. Defense Picking Up Bodies In Front Of The Net:

This is something that has been an even greater challenge for players ever since obstruction and interference were removed from minor hockey. What this usually leads to are forwards gaining inside position on the defenseman and getting opportunities to score in tight. All too often, defensemen get caught staring at the puck in these battles for position in front of the net instead of finding their player. This is one of the key skills that scouts and coaches at the next level are looking for from their players and it is one that you will need to learn to do properly (without taking a penalty) in order to compete at that level.

3. Find Open Ice To Support Your Teammates:

I believe this is the biggest difference between bantam age (13-14 year olds) and midget age players (15+). While there can be a significant difference in overall skill levels between these two age group, at the higher levels, most bantams and midgets have the same relative skill level. Most players at both age groups are very good when they have the puck – but the midget players do a much better job of getting open and supporting their teammates than the bantam players do. This can certainly be taught but it also comes with years of experience. As the game continues to become faster and even more physical, players cannot rely on skill alone. They need to develop their hockey sense and understand where the space is on the ice and how to use it effectively.

4. Every Pass Is Hard, Fast & Made With Authority:

This is something that you don’t really recognize as a player until you start playing with and against players who pass as hard as you normally shoot. This happened to me the first time I played out with the national team girls out in Calgary. I spent the first few weeks getting used to the fact that I thought my stick was going to break every time I was passed to. As the game gets faster, the passes get harder and faster too. The earlier you start passing with authority, the sooner you help yourself and your teammates get used to the speed and strength of passing you will encounter in the future.

By improving in these 4 areas, as well as the 7 we covered last week, and focusing on executing every skill to the best of your ability, you will take a step closer to becoming an elite player one day too.

Author: Kim McCullough
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Team Canada has not always had the easiest time of it in the Olympic games. You’d think a country rabidly devoted to ice hockey would skate through the Olympic games to a gold medal, but as their past has shown the Canadian hockey team doesn’t always fare as expected.

Canada’s big problem standing in the way of gold has always been the opposing team’s goalie. The most painful losses Canada has experienced in the Olympic games have always been due to Olympic caliber goalies. In 1984 Sweden made four shootout stops with goalie Tommy Salo to win the gold medal from Canada. In 1988 at the Nagano games the Canadian Dream Team lost in a semifinal shootout against the Czech’s Hasek. Wayne Gretzky didn’t even get a chance to shoot. In 2006 at Turin every goaltender seemed to give the Canadian team problems, but the Swiss goalie Gerber was memorable because he shutout Canada.

How will Canada do in the 2010 Olympics? Here are some goalies that will give Team Canada fits. Henrik Lundqvist is with Team Sweden again, the defending gold medal winners from the 2006 Olympic games. A fellow Sweden teammate on the Senators NHL team claimed that Lundqvist was the best shootout goalie in the NHL. Canada will certainly experience problems with this world class goalie.

Russia brings Bryzgalov one of the NHL’s best in the first quarter of the season. He has already defeated Canada last year in the gold medal 2009 world championship game. The Czechs have Vokoun from Florida with experience and Pavelec who has been brilliant with the Atlanta Thrashers. The United States goalie Ryan Miller from Buffalo has already smoked Canada in these Olympic games. Finland has a reputation for strong goalies, but hasn’t looked so hot this year with Kiprusoff.

Canada had a surprising loss against the United States with Ryan Miller goalie. The United States wore their 1960 replica jerseys commemorating the US first gold medal in hockey. That was also the last year the US had beat Canada at Olympic hockey, until now. Now with the stunning upset Canada has to face Germany next which will not be so bad, but the team after that will be. If Canada beats Germany in the next Olympic game, then they will face Russia. Martin Brodeur the Canadian goalie will have to fix some problems before their next hockey game. He’s continuing to have problems and he struggled in weeks coming up to the Olympics.

Author: Christine M. Breen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Canada are always the favorites, in almost any hockey tournament (with the exception of field hockey of course). but this year at the 2010 Hockey Tournament, it might be worth having your money on a team that doesn’t wear the Red and White of the Canucks. The teams from Europe have always been underestimated as medal contenders, even this year the USA and Team Canada have dominated the betting with sports books around the globe. But if you look to the North (No…the Other North), you’ll find some real value in placing a bet with the Nordic Teams at this year’s Olympic Tournament.

Finland and Norway both have good stats, but it’s the Swedes that we feel offer up the best odds for winning in 2010. Sporting the NHL’s leading points scorer (Hendrik Sedin) as a 3rd, yes folks, 3rd line player must give you some indication of the depth in the Swedish Squad. Pairing him with his brother is almost a certainty which means that straight up you’ll have 2/3 of the NHL’s most productive point getting line on Team Sweden. No mean feat.

But it doesn’t stop there. Does anybody know the name Zetterberg??? You’d better. The Red Wings star forward has been out for a few weeks with several injuries but since returning for the Wings has put up some impressive numbers. His domination of Pronger and Neidermayer this season would suggest that if it does come down to a Sweden Vs Canada showdown at some point, the Blue and Yellow’s will have a definitive edge in scoring.

That’s about the scope. What more do you need? Add some terrific depth in goals and a Blueline that averages over 230 lbs and you have the makings not just of medal contention but of outright domination at the Olympic tournament.

If your olympic hockey betting includes some money on the Swedish Team, we’re pretty sure you’re heading in the right direction.

Author: Timbo Slice
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Playing ice hockey at an elite level can be very difficult, but if you play goaltender at a highly competitive level it can be incredibly difficult to be successful on a consistent basis. I have played and watched hockey for many years and over the years I have observed one common trait among the goaltenders that are successful at any level. In order to be a good goalie I think that it is a little known fact that confidence (bordering on cockiness) is an essential trait to being elite. Obviously I do not mean that you have to be cocky to other people and that you have to talk trash to other hockey players. When I say that you need to be incredibly confident, I mean that in your own mind you need to know that you can stop any shot that you face and you need to also know that you are superior in skill to the opposing team and goaltender.

The position of goalie in ice hockey is just as much a mind game as it is a skill game and if you do not go into each and every game and practice with the right frame of mind, then you can easily shatter your confidence and go into a competitive slump. Some people consider playing goaltender to be one of the most difficult positions in sports. I would have to agree and say that goalie is probably most comparable to a quarterback in football and a pitcher in baseball. The reason why all of these positions in these various sports are so comparable and similar is because they are relied on so heavily and without a good performance by any of these athletes could mean the difference between a win and a loss. As with pitchers and quarterbacks, goalies need to have a very strong mind and will in order to achieve success at a high level.

It truly takes a special person to strap on the goalie pads and stand in the net. With playing goalie comes the benefit of getting a lot of praise when you win, but on the flip side if you lose as a goaltender you often shoulder too much of the blame. It is a very emotional position in an incredibly intense sport, and in order to keep growing as a goaltender it really is crucial that you have the mental strength to push through any adversity and struggles that you come across. While many goalies should simply focus on having fun and enjoying themselves while they play, for the small percentage of goalies who have the skill to play at the next level I would suggest for them to focus as much on their mental skills as their goalie skills.

Author: Robert Probert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Are you an avid hockey player who wants to be taken serious about the game that you love? Knowing how to tape your hockey stick is very important so you will want to learn how to do it the right way. Nobody wants to be the person hanging out on the side of the rink fumbling with their stick trying to get just the right amount of tape on there the right way. Here are a few tips that will help you learn to tape hockey sticks the right way.

The first thing that you will want to do is make sure that you have a roll of black cloth tape handy to use. Next, you will want to remove any old tape that has been previously applied to the blade of your stick. Then you will want to apply a strip of tape along the bottom of the blade of your stick. Make sure that you fold any excess tape up on each side of the blade. Next, you will want to do a single wrap of the tape by beginning at the end.

You will want to make sure that the tape is as flat against the blade of the hockey stick as possible. Do this for the inside of the stick where the blade curves and on the outside of the stick as well. You will want to keep wrapping your tape until you have reached the part of the stick where the blade starts to turn into the handle.

Lastly, you will want to wrap tape around the top of the stick. Hockey sticks may become slippery so you will want to make sure that you have enough on the handle. You want to tape the first six inches of the handle and build up a big knot of tape at the very top so that the stick does not slip out of your hand. It may take a little bit of practice to get this process exactly right, but you will be looking like a pro in no time if you follow these tips and other tips that you will find.

Author: Joey Honka
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Workout routines for hockey should focus on power and explosiveness, period. Now having said this, yes there should be an element of conditioning involved, but that goes without saying. As a strength and conditioning professional I have to recommend that you incorporate kettlebell training into your hockey strength and conditioning workouts if you want to edge out the competition and become the “king of the ice!”

As an athlete you may have heard of the ancient kettlebell by now, but if not then continue reading. Kettlebell training is an ancient art form of strength training that has been around for centuries. Its origins are based in Russia and this device has been used by some of the world’s greatest athletes and strongmen. So what makes this style of training so special? The key to kettlebell training is that it is “movement based” in nature rather than being a style of training that focuses in on targeting “specific body parts.” This is the very reason that kettlebell training translates so well over into the realm of ALL athletic competition, especially hockey.

As a hockey player you have got to have tremendous hip power, core strength, speed, explosiveness, and the conditioning of a race horse. Kettlebell training will provide you with all of this my friend. The most basic strength endurance lift you can perform with the kettlebell is the swing and this single lift incorporates hundreds of your muscles at one time and prepares your body for just about any physical task at hand. This is hockey strength and conditioning at its best my friend. Just by implementing the swing lift and a few other basic kettlebell lifts you can have yourself a fully effective off season hockey strength and conditioning program in place.

If you haven’t taken the time to learn about kettlebell swings and other kettlebell lifts to include into your strength training drills then you are falling behind my friend. If you are serious about dominating the competition and getting your body tuned in for the rigorous season ahead then you have to start now. I will even make it easier for you by inviting you to access the rest of my articles on the matter for free. Remember that most anyone can train hard, but only champions train smart!

Author: Brandon Richey
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Every season, I speak with hundreds of hockey players, parents and coaches, from dozens of teams who are all looking for ways to get an edge on the competition and everyone has the same solution for gaining that advantage.

When I look at teams’ plans for the season, it seems that adding more ice with more practices, more games, and more tournaments is the only way to get ahead. But if that were true, the team that had the most ice time at the end of the season would always come out on top. And they rarely do. It’s true that players and teams have to do MORE to succeed. But simply adding more ice time is the easy answer, and not the right one.

Every successful hockey coach will tell you that it’s what you choose to do OFF the ice that sets you apart ON the ice. The reason that’s true is because most players and teams aren’t willing to make that choice. They make the EASY choice – adding more ice time – instead of making the HARD choices like: doing off-ice training, working on the mental game and implementing nutrition strategies. These aren’t nearly as fun or exciting as heading off to another
tournament or adding another exhibition game to the schedule, but they are the REAL secrets of in-season success.

Can you get away with not addressing these critical areas this season? Absolutely. That’s what most teams and players do. They don’t train off-ice in-season, they don’t have nutrition strategies in place and they don’t work on the mental side of their game. They may still have pretty successful seasons, but I guarantee you that they won’t be able to play their best during all those extra ice sessions they’ve booked.

The truth is if you want to be like everyone else, do what everyone does. Stack up your ice time and hope that you don’t get bitten by the injury bug, have the dreaded slump or suffer from burn-out. I’m guessing that you don’t want to be like everyone else though. You want to be the best. You want MORE. And in order to achieve more, you have to DO more. I know exactly what you are thinking:

“We’ve got so many games, practices and tournaments already, and now you’re asking me to fit more into an already hectic schedule?”

That’s right – I am. That’s the choice you’ll have to make if you truly do want to have your most successful hockey season ever.

If you want to….

=> Be the impact player or team to watch this season
=> Dominate the third period and overtime
=> Prevent momentum-killing injuries
=> Avoid the dreaded slump
=> Stand out and get noticed

You have to give yourself an unfair advantage over the competition. You have to do what the competition isn’t willing to do. You have to make the hard decision, instead of the easy one.

Remember – it’s what you choose to do off the ice that sets you apart on the ice and makes the real difference between a good and great player, team and season.

Author: Kim McCullough
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There are youth hockey leagues all around the world. There are thousands and tens of thousands of youths that play the game of hockey. Especially in the countries where the weather is mostly cold.

All the youths on these hockey teams go to the practices and play in the games. They put forth an admirable effort.

Here is the question.

What makes some of the youth hockey players stand out from the rest of the bunch?

Here is the answer.

Practice is not exciting. The stretching, the push ups, the conditioning is not fun. In fact it can be pretty boring doing the same drills over and over and over again. That is how you get better. Most players will put in their time and go through all the drills. The end. When practice is over, the effort is over until the next practice.

The player that stands out will stretch before turning in at night to be more flexible. They will do extra push ups whenever they can. Not to get stronger, but to increase the chance of making the varsity team and eventually and hopefully rising through the ranks to the ultimate goal. The NHL.

By doing all the extra stuff a player needs to do to be the best they greatly increase the chance of getting that college scholarship and standing out when that professional hockey scout attends one of their games.

You have to make the decision to be the best and do the necessary things that it takes. Dedication, hard work and never quit attitude.

Author: William Rigby
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There is a technique that all hockey players should be aware off and use to increase and control their energy level to maximum levels. This technique can be learned and use within a few minutes of learning about it in your game.

Hockey players usually will breathe in their chest level when practicing or playing their game. Although this is an accepted way that 99.9% of hockey players use, it’s not the proper way to increase and control the ultimate energy level within their own body.

It’s really funny that hockey players will pay strict attention to what they eat and drink but don’t make any efforts in the way they breathe or how to achieve, maintain and control their breathing to maximum levels.

Let me show why breathing is so important. In seminars I will ask athletes how long they could live without eating or water. Their answers range between 2-4 weeks before they would die.

The clincher comes in when I ask them how long they could live without BREATHING!

The all answer within a few minutes…they would die.

Breathing is really important but hockey players don’t have clue on the proper way of achieving this breathing in practice or during the game.

Here are the steps in learning how to do basic breathing in hockey:

1. You must breath while compressing the air that you breathe in to your lower stomach area (approx. 2 inches below your belly button)
2. You must tense up your stomach muscles (Make sure that you don’t get your stomach muscles tight… I mean just firm them up and you’ll be ok).

If you follow the above 2 steps you won’t have any problems in achieving and maintaining perfect breathing patterns and you’ll also have the ultimate level of energy.

There are more techniques and information but I don’t have the time here to go over them all…

Review:
Just breathe and compress your air into your lower stomach area. Also make sure that your stomach muscles are firmed up while doing the breathing process.

Note: Make sure that you don’t tense up your stomach muscles…just have them firm and you’ll be ok.

Author: Victor Cormier
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In the year 1917 NHL ice hockey jerseys were not made of a jersey fabric as we know it today. They were made of a heavy wool sweater fabric that was made specifically to keep the players warm as they played the game outdoors in the cold weather.

The hockey sweater as it was then known had little or no color and admittedly, was drab. It was not until 1927 and 1928 that the teams began to get some color and patterns such as stripes, into the various team jerseys.

The ice hockey jerseys changed many times over the years, and as the teams began to play indoors they soon had much more in the way of colors, and were lighter weight.

The lighter weight fabric in today’s hockey tops is a synthetic polyester blend. The players like the lighter weight and fans like the new fashions.

Fans, as in every sport league, are an important part of the game. They cheer their favorite teams on at the games and proudly wear the team tee shirt.

As the designs have changed over the years they have become collectibles and every fan wants one. Especially, when it comes to the original hockey sweater.

If you are a collector then you know not to play hockey in your valuable ice hockey jerseys. Sweat and secretions from injuries can ruin them. Keep them on a sturdy hanger covered in plastic in a dry closet. Do not frame them to show them off but take them out, show them off and put them back.

Author: Jack T Mendle
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Before I get started on this article I want to ask you where it hurts. During the third period of a game what is aching? My guess is that more than 50% of you have an aching back as the game goes on. Many hockey players come to the gym and ask for some exercises to strengthen their back because it gets fatigued and sore as the game goes on.

Although some players may have weakness in their back extensors, more often this discomfort is related to muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalance in hockey players may also result in sore or tight hips. The most common muscle imbalance in hockey players is tightness in the hip flexors. Hip flexors are the muscles in the front of the hip you can see them in action if you stand tall and lift your foot off the floor bringing your knee up in front of your body. There are a couple of hip flexors that have slightly different actions, but we won’t worry about that right now.

Although being a hockey player contributes to this muscle imbalance, it is not the only cause. Think about your daily life. Are you a student? Do you work in an office? If you spend a good portion of your day in a seated position, you are sitting with your hips in a flexed (or bent) position. This places the muscles in a shortened position. Then we leave school or work and hit the ice where we skate from a nice low athletic position with the hips and knees flexed. Since our body only learns by reinforcement, if you put your hip flexors in a shortened position for the majority of the day, then they will take that shortened position to be the normal resting position.

I hope you understand how we get an imbalance of flexibility in the hip flexors. Now let’s look at why that is important. One of the hip flexors attaches just below the knee and to the front of the hip bone. Another hip flexor attaches to the thigh and the anterior aspect of the lumbar spine. So if the hip flexors are tight they pull the athlete into a hyper-extended position in the lower back. Next consider the skating stride where you are trying to take your hip into more extension as you stride which will try to pull the hockey player into even more low back hyperextension.

Now to complicate things a little bit think about your back position as you play, your preferred position is likely skating with a flat or slightly rounded lower back. Can you now see how this muscle imbalance can create a tug-of-war between the hips and the lower back? This tug-of-war creates your feelings of discomfort in the most vulnerable link. I want to make sure you understand that this is not just about your back feeling tired or your hips feeling tight. Without doing something to improve muscle imbalances in hockey players, you are just waiting for your next injury to occur.

To improve your hip flexibility there are two very easy stretches to do. Make sure you do both because they target the two different hip flexors in a specific way.

Half Kneeling Hip Flexor

• Kneel on one knee with the other foot flat on the floor in front of your body (the front knee should be bent to 90 degrees, not more).
• Stay tall in your torso; do not lean forward at the hips as this will negate the stretch.
• Maintain your tall torso position and push your hips forward while tucking your butt underneath a little bit. If you have trouble feeling the stretch try flexing the muscles in your butt.
• You should feel this stretch in the front of your hip.
• You may add a sidebend to increase the stretch slightly. If your left knee is on the floor then try side-bending your torso to the right.

Hip Flexor & Quad

• Set up exactly as described above.
• If your left knee is on the floor, you will reach back and grab your left ankle with your left hand and bring your heel up toward your butt (just like you are doing a quadriceps stretch).
• Maintain your tall torso position.
• You will feel this more in the front of your thigh.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and complete two repetitions on each side. Make sure you do both variations of this stretch, they target different areas. Incorporate these two flexibility exercises into your daily training and reduce some of your muscle imbalances. This small investment of time will help improve your skating stride and reduce the stress on your hip and lower back.

Author: Maria Mountain
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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