Most people would agree that being physically fit is
important for youth hockey players. For this reason, coaches often enforce
regular exercise, especially cardiovascular training. And, while cardiovascular
training is a great thing, it, alone is not enough. Young hockey players should
also regularly be engaging in strength training, which has many benefits.
A Bigger Presence
Most people think of people who regularly strength train as
being “jacked” or very bulky. And, while regular training doesn’t necessarily
have to turn young players into huge hunks of muscle, it can make them bigger
and more imposing on the ice.
While looking frightening is definitely a good way to scare
off the other team, that’s not the only benefit of building muscle and getting
bigger. Larger, more muscular players will have more force and momentum on the
ice, which can help in pretty much every aspect.
Improved Skating
Strength training might not seem like it would be important
for skating, but it is.
When a player regularly engages in strength training, that
will improve his or her endurance, which can translate to being able to skate
for longer periods of time
Plus, increased strength can also help to increase stride
length and stride frequency, making for better, faster skaters. This, in turn,
creates better, faster hockey players.
Injury Prevention
One final, nice thing about regular strength training is
that it can make players less likely to get injured on the ice.
To begin with, their muscles are worked more regularly than
someone who doesn’t strength-train, which makes it less likely for them to
experience strain due to on-the-ice moves.
Furthermore, as players become bigger and stronger, their
muscles get better at dissipating impact from things like falls and body
checks. This adds in an extra layer of protection from injury.
In all of these ways, strength training can be very helpful
for young hockey players, which is why it’s so strongly recommended.
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