Whether you’re a parent of an athlete or not, keeping a positive mindset and maintaining a healthy body is important for everyone.
However, as a hockey training facility in Langley, we want to gear this blog towards young hockey players; helping you uncover simple ways for your future NHL star to create a positive mental space, while enhancing their hockey skills from home!
Improve Mental and Physical Endurance with Running
Endurance plays a big part in any sport, and hockey is no exception.
Quick burst of energy are needed on the ice throughout a game, so helping build that endurance, along with building the muscles that are needed to “sprint” on the ice, can all play a big part in ice-time success.
Running is a free and easy way to keep building upon physical endurance within your neighbourhood, and can be a healthy activity that the whole family could challenge themselves on.
Add In Stair Running for Increased Endurance and Agility
Whether choosing to do wide stride stair leaps, or simply utilizing the incline of stairs to work on cardio; both indoor and outdoor stairs are a simple way to increase endurance and agility while still staying local.
Hit An Empty Field and Practice Wind Sprints
Wind sprints also play into speed and agility, and play a big role in hockey. Which is why going to a field and doing sprints around cones is a great way to gain skills and improve as a hockey player, putting you ahead of the game once you return to the ice.
Practice Stick Handling in Your Driveway
Every hockey player knows about the importance of stick handling, so advancing in this skill during downtime will give you an added edge down the road.
This is a great thing you can easily practice in your driveway or in your garage on rainy days, and a fun challenge for the entire family.
Strength Training at Home
‘Old school’ strength training should not be overlooked, and using your own body weight to do so is an easy and efficient way to build muscle while staying fit.
From push-ups to sit-ups to pull-ups; whether using your own body weight or adding in some lightweights and/or resistance bands – this is also an easy at-home way to maintain or enhance your physique.
Yoga for Hockey
You read right. Yoga for hockey! Yoga will stretch your muscles in ways you didn’t know they could, and offers some truly optimal benefits.
With so many free yoga classes being offered right now, it’s a great time to take advantage of highly trained yoga instructors who can whip you into shape from your living room floor.
Contact Kelsey, one of our coach’s amazing partners and yoga teachers here -> https://kelsey-carignan.mykajabi.com/ to help you get started!
Positive Thinking Exercises and Visualization
At NHTC, we are proud to offer coach’s who specializes in positive thinking exercises and visualization. Now is a great time to benefit from this vital skill through online groups or individuals offering this service.
There are many options for young hockey players and their families to stay in shape from home or within their neighbourhood, and we hope ours inspired you to take your game to the next level while we wait out this “season”, seeing you return to the ice ahead of the team!