You might not think of hockey players as the type to practice Yoga, but it can be very beneficial to improving on-ice performance. Many professional hockey players do yoga on a regular basis, often as a supplemental workout to their standard routine.
Yoga has benefited many people by helping them to relax, improving their breathing, and increasing their overall mobility. These are all things that can be advantageous to hockey players, so it’s easy to see why a regular yoga routine can be desirable for professional athletes. Here are some of the key benefits that hockey players can receive from doing yoga.
Stress Relief
Hockey players of all backgrounds experience stress in their everyday life, just like any other person. This is true whether they are a star professional on a winning team or a rec-league player with a regular 9 to 5 job. Yoga is proven to reduce stress hormones, and this is a major benefit for anybody who plays hockey. Getting rid of everyday stress can allow you to focus more on your game and put in a better performance without worrying about external distractions when you are playing.
It is helpful to have less stress even when you are not on the ice. The stress relief that yoga provides means that you won’t beat yourself up over a poor performance and that you won’t dwell on the losses. This will ensure that you are more prepared for your next game.
Improved Breathing
Regular yoga practice can improve your overall breathing techniques, allowing you to have larger lung capacity and more efficient delivery of oxygen to your organs. Hockey is a high-intensity sport that requires some long bursts of action, so it makes sense that players should want to improve their breathing techniques. By taking advantage of the training that yoga provides, players can have more endurance and will be ready to take on longer shifts. They’ll also be ready to get back on the ice more quickly between shifts thanks to increased lung capacity.
Reduced Inflammation
Inflammation is a detriment to anybody but can especially affect hockey players who are looking to optimize their performance. Reduced inflammation means that you experience shorter recovery times between workouts and will have a more highly functioning body in multiple aspects. This translates to the ice rink as players without inflammation will have higher energy levels and will show more strength in their play.
Better Balance
The poses in yoga often focus on standing on one leg or holding certain postures for a long amount of time. Being that hockey is played on skates, balance is an essential part of the game. While most hockey players have developed a strong sense of balance already, yoga can improve upon this and allow them more room to make quick pivots, explosive crossovers and enhance your shot. Balance is not often a major part of practice, so supplementing with yoga can have great results on the ice.
Improved Muscle Function
This is related to inflammation and breathing, as oxygen levels will be higher and more consistent throughout the musculoskeletal system of a hockey player who practices yoga. Again, this allows for shorter rest periods between shifts but also means that the player is becoming more efficient as they don’t have to exert themselves as much to show their strength.
As you continue to build your muscles and increase their efficiency, you will also benefit from shorter recovery times. Your body won’t need to compensate as much when you are playing, making it less likely that you’ll suffer from injury. Even if you do sustain a minor injury, you will be back up and running in less time thanks to your yoga training.
Increased Overall Mobility
Mobility is important for any athlete, and hockey players are no different. Yoga has many moves that help to open up certain muscles and give people higher levels of agility and mobility. This is clearly helpful to hockey players who need to skate, shoot, block shots and pass while avoiding big hits from rival players. In addition to more mobility on the ice, this will result to better recovery times after games and means that players will be more prepared for their next game as opposed to someone who doesn’t do yoga.
Keep in mind that mobility is not just flexibility, although it does play a big role. This flexibility will lead to increased power and speed, meaning you’ll be a tougher opponent no matter who you are going up against.
Greater Levels of Focus
The mental aspect of both yoga and hockey are very real, and it is vital to be as focused as possible when taking the ice. Yoga cultivates higher focus in several ways. Breathing is one way that has already been covered, as getting more oxygen to your brain will provide more clarity and focus. However, the moves themselves also require intense concentration, and learning and improving on them will improve focus in the long run.
The more focused you are on the ice, the more you will be able to make quick decisions and outperform your opponents. Physical strength and speed are important, but strong mental fortitude and focus are just as big of a part of the game. The player with stronger focus has a major edge in competition.
Overall Mental and Physical Improvement
As we’ve discussed, yoga is a fantastic instrument for improving both your mental and physical abilities. Hockey players can get a lot of benefits from practicing yoga on a regular basis – whether on their own or in a class. From improved focus and decreased stress to better recovery and more strength, there are plenty of reasons for hockey players to pick up a yoga mat and learn some new poses. It may not carry the tough-guy persona that being a hockey player does, but in the long run, you’ll be a lot tougher – both mentally and physically – if you take up the great habit of doing yoga.
For more information on Des and her Hockey Specific Yoga Course for Players, visit www.hockeyskillstraining.com/about-des.
