If you are looking for a physical activity that can help you maintain or improve your fitness levels and are non-taxing on your hockey worn out body then consider adding yoga to your fitness regime. Professional sportspeople across the globe are turning to yoga as it has positive benefits that focus on three main ingredients: exercise, breathing, and meditation.
These are five benefits of yoga for hockey players.
1. Flexibility
The most obvious benefit is the constant stretching of muscles. When the limbs of a hockey player improve their range and mobility, the player will naturally be able to perform at a higher rate on the ice. For example, increased range in ankle and calf muscles will lead to more explosiveness and overall running.
2. Balance
It’s easy to forget that hockey players perform many directional changes. Standing postures in yoga help strengthen the athlete’s centre of gravity as well as the lower joints – ankles, knees and hips. Increased balance in yoga means increased balance.
3. Strength (Flexibility + Balance)
Every skill a hockey player performs starts from the core. Hip, abdominal, chest and shoulder muscles are the roots of a players main weapons (the arms and legs), not to mention the all important back muscles. Too many hockey players train just their chests and their legs – building core strength balances all the muscles.
4. Focus
For hockey players, being conscious about their bodies, their emotional state and their physical surrounding helps them eliminate distractions and focus on the task at hand. This is a tough task in an age of constant stimuli. Concentrating on routine maneuvers makes complex situations easier to handle.
Breath-in postures in yoga also create spacial and mental awareness, which transfers seamlessly to the sequential nature of hockey (45 seconds on, 3 minutes off, repeat).
5. Dedication (Determination + Discipline)
Just committing to a non-traditional training method such as yoga requires a degree of dedication. Improved flexibility, balance, strength & focus – all these elements are maximized through dedication. Dedication is essential to yoga in multiple ways:
- holding poses
- trying something new
- sticking with something even when it gets tough
Yoga helps reinforce positive values in hockey players they may not get from traditional training methods. We all want to be more dedicated – the natural exertion of yoga demonstrates the power we hold within our bodies as well as our minds.
Ten yoga poses to begin with to practice as part of your training regime
Start with Pelvic Tilts
Pelvic Tilt Position
Pelvic Tilts
I can’t say enough good things about pelvic tilts. They are just amazing. Often I don’t even realize that my back is stiff and hurting until I lie down on my mat. The first few pelvic tilts reveal any traces of low back pain, but after 10 to 20 rounds, the pain is gone. Do them slowly and keep going until the movement feels fluid and good
Cat-Cow Stretches Warm the Spine
Cow and Cat.
Continue warming up the back with 5 to 10 cat – cow stretches. If the movement feels familiar, it’s because the pelvis is moving in essentially the same way as in the pelvic tilt (see previous step). The cat to cow stretch extends that movement along the entire spine, helping to awaken the entire body. Be sure to pay attention to your breath as you move between these poses.
Downward Facing Dog for the Whole Body
Downward Facing Dog –
Press back into downward facing dog. Pedal the legs, bending one knee and then the other, reaching each heel towards the floor in turn. Bend your knees and reach your butt up high. Then slowly straighten the legs. Take any other movements that help you settle into the pose. When you feel ready, hold the posture for 5 to 10 breaths
Lunge to Stretch Your Hips and Hamstrings
Lunge
Step the right foot forward next to the right hand, coming into a low lunge. I like to drop the back knee down to the floor at first for a nice stretch in both hips. Then straighten the back leg if you want to begin to work into your hamstrings, which run along the back side of your thighs
Straight Leg Lunge
Straight Leg Lunge
Restraighten the back leg if you have dropped that knee to the floor. Slowly straighten the front leg as you forward bend over that leg. Try to keep the front foot flat on the floor and don’t force the leg to come straight. Go back and forth between a bent and straight front leg several times. You can also use blocks under your hands if they don’t easily reach the floor when you straighten the front leg.
Repeat on the Left Side
Step back to downward dog. Then step the left foot forward next to the left hand and take your lunges on that side. Come back to downward dog when you are finished with the left leg
Mountain Pose and Raised Arms Pose
Walk the feet to the front of the mat until you are standing in a forward bend. Bend the knees and slowly roll up to stand in mountain pose-tadasana. From here, I suggest doing several half sun salutations. These are the first half of a sun salutation, the part before you step back. If you have the time and the inclination, you can do full sun salutations here.
From mountain pose, take the arms out to the side and up to the ceiling. Press the palms together, coming into raised arms pose – urdhva hastasana. Slide your shoulders down, away from your ears
Standing Forward Bend – Uttanasana to Work On the Hamstrings
Standing Forward Bend – Uttanasana
This is the rest of the half sun salutation. Swan dive down into standing forward bend – uttanasana standing forward bend – uttanasana. Come up to flat back – ardha uttanasana with the fingertips on the floor or your hands on your shins, and then forward bend back into uttanasana. To get a good hamstring stretch, do this slowly.
While in this forward bend, I like to do a few variations to bring myself deeper in to the pose. You can try taking a yogi toe lock with your fingers hooked around your big toes to deepen your forward fold. If that’s easy, try slipping your upturned palms under your feet. Another good one is to bend the knees and bring the palms flat next to your feet. Then work on straightening the legs while keeping the palms flat. Make sure you are bringing weight into the balls of your feet so that your hips stay directly over your ankles. When you do this pose at home, you can take as much time as you want to hang out, a chance you don’t often get in a class.
Complete the half sun salutation by coming back through raised arms into mountain pose. Do five or more half sun salutations
Pigeon Pose
Pigeon
If you need a hip opener, do pigeon pose, placing padding under the seat as necessary. I recommend staying in a forward fold in pigeon for 10 to 20 deep breaths to really give your body time to release. If you do this every day, you’ll really notice a difference
Yogi’s Choice
Crow Pose
Take this opportunity to work on a pose that you want to improve, perhaps an inversion or arm balance. Just spending a few minutes a day on a difficult pose makes a huge difference as you gain confidence and work on your strength and flexibility. Alternately, ask your body what position it really needs today. Tune in to what feels tight and focus your attention there. Don’t even worry if your position isn’t a conventional yoga pose
Rest in Corpse Pose
Corpse Pose
Spend a few minutes resting in corpse pose to let your body absorb the benefits of your practice before going on with your day.
Source: adapted yoga.about.com
