Hockey training

Hockey is a tough game, and the workouts you'll need in order to be good at it are no easier. If you look at pro hockey players you'll soon notice that they have massive legs - building power and strength in the legs allows them to skate fast, maintain their balance, control the puck, and prevent injuries.

Any workouts for hockey should therefore focus on leg strength. That means turning to the staples of leg workouts - squats, lunges, dead-lifts, and calf raises. However, if you think abut the motion of skating, it soon becomes apparent that as well as performing regular reps, you also need to modify them for the specifics of the sport. In particular, that means performing one-leg squats, one leg calf raises, and lateral lunges. These will all help to prepare your legs for the abuse they'll get on the rink.

Given the intense contact of the sport, upper body work is also crucial, particularly to build up the shoulders and triceps for stick work. In addition, the wrists are subject to tremendous forces, so regular exercises for the wrist and forearms are essential to improve stick control and avoid injuries.

The other area to focus on is the core. The core ties all the muscles together and is critically involved in both skating and stick work. Core work needs to be performed regularly for both strength and explosiveness. Finally, there is the balance needed between speed and endurance. Hockey puts a premium on both, so you will need to include workouts that build stamina, such as running or riding the stationary bike, as well as intervals for pure speed.