THE ‘WHY’ OF THE WARM-UP:
Why All Players MUST Warm-up
By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS
All hockey players must warm-up prior to every practice and game.
In order for a player to perform at their optimal level on the ice and avoid injury, they must prepare themselves both physically and mentally with a gradual build-up of intensity off the ice. In general, a proper off-ice warm-up routine should prepare an athlete’s body and mind for the upcoming activity.
There are three basic needs that are fulfilled by a proper warm-up:
• Physical Preparation
• Mental Preparation
• Team Unity
Physical Preparation
It is critical that players ‘warm-up’ the body prior to stepping on the ice.
A proper warm-up will:
• Increase on-ice performance
• fully engage the cardiorespiratory (heart and lungs) and neuromuscular (brain and muscle) systems of the body
• decrease the likelihood of injury
A common practice among hockey players is to jog prior to heading on the ice. This low-intensity warm-up addresses the initial cardiorespiratory needs of the athlete. Jogging will increase the athlete’s core temperature, increase the blood flow throughout the body and increase their breathing rate. After jogging for 5 minutes, the muscles of the body will begin to ‘loosen up’ which will increase the player’s ability to perform higher-intensity activities through a larger sport-specific range of motion.
While jogging serves the initial purposes of the warm-up, it does little to address the specific muscles and movement patterns used on the ice. After performing the general warm-up jog, players must perform exercises and drills that mimic the movements used on the ice. In doing so, they will reinforce the connection between the brain and the muscles, which will help them to engage proper muscles on the ice more quickly and easily. For example, performing a series of multi-directional lunges will ‘wake-up’ the muscles the players must engage with each and every stride. This planned activation of the neuromuscular system will allow for increased coordination and movement efficiency of the athlete once they hit the ice.
Once the specific muscles and movement patterns used in the game of hockey have been addressed, the cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular systems have been primed to cope with higher intensity activities. Once the systems have been engaged at a low-level of intensity, players must increase their warm-up intensity so as to match the level that they must use in the game. Immediately prior to putting on their gear, players should perform exercises that use hockey-specific movement patterns in game-like scenarios to mimic the level of intensity they will face once they step on the ice. These exercises should include short, repeated high-intensity efforts that involve multiple changes of direction so as to mimic the demands of the game.
Mental Preparation
If the goal is to maximize off-ice preparation, players cannot simply focus on the physical components of the warm-up. It is often argued that hockey is as demanding on a mental level as it is on a physical level. The game is inherently unpredictable - hockey players must constantly read and react to different situations on the ice that are largely beyond their control. This constantly changing environment demands a great deal of mental processing and focus from players in order to compete at a high-level. In the same way that players perform a thorough physical warm-up, they must also use this time to ‘warm-up mentally. The use of exercises and drills that require the athletes to think and react in a similar manner to what they will encounter on the ice will ensure that they are ready to respond optimally to the mental demands of the game.
Team Unity
The importance of having the entire team perform the off-ice warm-up together cannot be overstated. When players simply sit in the dressing room prior to the game, they are more likely to spend their time talking about and focusing on anything other than the game. Performing an off-ice warm-up as a group gets players more focused on the task at hand and ensures that the entire team will be adequately prepared once they step out on the ice.
Performing a complete off-ice warm-up, that addresses the physical and mental needs of the athletes, prior to each on-ice session will decrease the likelihood of injury and increase performance.
© The Young Athlete 2008
About The Author
Kim McCullough, M.Sc., YCS is a highly sought-after expert in the development of aspiring hockey players and has played at the highest level of women's hockey in the world for the last decade. Kim's player development website gives coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to programs, articles and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about how to have your best season ever, visit: http://www.besthockeyseasonever.com
