While many people consider ice hockey to be a winter sport, the truth is you can play it nearly year round. What’s more, many outdoor sport activities can be played during the winter too, like skiing and sledging. For that reason, even if you don’t have a hockey stick in your hand, you can still stay active during the winter months.
The muscles you need to work out specifically to build up for field hockey are the same as you would for any other sport. There are just a few differences. First, you need to bend your knees more (but not too much) when you shoot the ball. Also, your hands are used less because you’re handling a bigger stick.
These are the muscles that field hockey players use:
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Gluteus Maximus
- Gluteus Medius
- Adductors
- Iliotibial Band
- Vastus Lateralis
- Vastus Medialis
- Vastus Intermedius
- Soleus
- Gastrocnemius
- Ankle Muscles
- Ecuatorius
- Biceps
- Forearms
- Calf muscles
Table of Contents
How Much Time Do You Spend Per Week Training For Field Hockey?
As with any other sport, you can find the answer to this question by looking at the experts’ opinions. According to American Sports Medicine Society (ASM) figures from 2018, ice hockey players spend a total of 4.5 hours per day, 5 days per week training. The average duration of a hockey practice is 30 minutes and the average game lasts 1 hour.
This makes a total of 17 hours per week of ice hockey practice. If we divide this by 5, we get 3.4 hours per week of workouts. So, in other words, a typical hockey player spends about 73% of the week training for the game.
This means you can expect to see athletes training 3 times a week, with one day off per week.
What Type Of Foods Does A Typical Hockey Player Eat?
Athletes in all sports need to eat well to perform at their best. According to the ASM figures, hockey players follow a low-fat, high-protein diet. This helps build muscle and prevents them from losing weight too quickly, especially in the winter. The ASM experts also recommend consuming lots of vegetables and fruits to maintain strong bones.
The average hockey player eats 44.3 grams of protein per day. This is almost double what the average person gets from the food they eat. The next highest protein-rich food groups are chicken, fish and seafood. And the best part is that most of these foods are relatively inexpensive and you can find them at any grocery store. These foods help build muscles and keep you strong no matter what season it is.
On the other hand, players in the American Football League (AFL) consume the least amount of protein, at a mere 16.77 grams per day. This is mostly because the players are often on a diet when they’re not playing, which makes them eat less. The diet consists mostly of carbohydrates and fats. The top three sources of food for AFL players are potato chips, French fries and cakes/donuts. All of these foods are high in fat and low in nutrients. This puts the health of these athletes at risk. You can read more about what type of food an American Football League (AFL) player eats in this interesting article about the NFL and its players’ diets.
How Is The Body Weight Of A Typical Hockey Player?
The ideal weight for a hockey player is between 15% and 20% of their body weight. This is for both men and women. However, most players are closer to 10% of their body weight, which is generally considered a healthy weight for the game. This is mostly because when the seasons change, the body of a hockey player naturally gains or loses weight, depending on the climate. When the temperature drops, the body fat of a hockey player increases and when it’s hot, they lose a bit of weight. This is why the average hockey player weighs around 110 pounds.
However, this doesn’t mean that all hockey players are created equal. There are several body types that are over- or underrepresented in hockey, especially among the younger generations. Today’s hockey players are more likely to be shorter and leaner than those of yesteryear. This has a lot to do with improved safety equipment and the increased popularity of the sport.
How Is Your Rest Day Scheduling In Relation To Hockey?
Athletes in all sports need plenty of time to recover and build their strength back up after playing games. In fact, the average hockey player takes a full 24 hours to recover after a game. During this time, they need to eat and drink whatever they need to. They should also avoid strenuous activity and bright lights. This helps promote healing and prevents them from overusing their bodies.
So, how does this schedule fit into your field hockey routine? You can start by making sure that your rest days fit this schedule perfectly. It’s best to take the first two days of your recovery period off from training. During this time, you should eat what you want, whether it’s healthy or unhealthy foods. However, you should avoid taking aspirin or vitamin supplements, which can cause bleeding and/or stomach lesions, respectively. These are both serious health issues that could arise from overuse.
On the other hand, an easy way to boost your recovery time is by using an ice scraper on the surface of your ice rink. These devices reduce muscle discomfort and act as a pain reliever. Some people also find that holding a cold ice pack on their knees while eating help improve recovery time. This is why almost every NHL team has an abundance of ice equipment and why you should own at least one pair of skates as well.
Once you’re feeling better, it’s time to get back to training. The good news is you don’t have to run your entire practice schedule at full speed, especially in the beginning. Instead, you should do the following:
- Start with low intensity workouts and build up slowly,
- Do not overuse your muscles (e.g., weightlifting) as this could cause muscle injuries,
- Take adequate breaks during practice and give your body the time to recover,
- Drink plenty of water during exercise to stay hydrated,
- Eat something with every meal (especially proteins and some vegetables),
- Try out different types of food throughout the year (e.g., in the winter, more fruits and vegetables, more proteins in the summer)
This is all there is to it. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to the playing field in no time.