FITNESS FACTOR

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Use your off season to work on your weaknesses

   

You may feel that the off-season is a time to let your body rest,  to have time off from training and eating correctly and to party at all the hockey festivals. Well you're not wrong but you could still do some small things to ensure that you don't slide too far from match fitness.

Typically, pre-season is the time when most players begin to prepare properly for the demands of their hockey season. Yet, no matter what your level, having a year-round game plan will keep you a cut above the competition and ensure you are ready to hit the ground running in the pre-season. Focusing on your weaknesses during the off-season will bring a new and improved you to the pitch next season!

The off-season is not only the best time to recover from your season physically and mentally, but also the perfect time to train to counteract all of the muscle imbalances inherent in playing a sport such as hockey.  Hockey includes a number of skills with a side bias, for example more swings and passes will be to your right and more lunges will be made on your right leg.


There is a fine line between resting too much and too little in the off-season; ideally you should take time off to mentally rest as well as giving the main muscles utilised in hockey a well earned rest.  Use our advice to achieve the right balance between rest and improvement during the off-season.

After a short period of rest (referred to as an unloading period), you should focus on cross-training or working on your muscular weaknesses and imbalances to get refreshed without lowering your current fitness level.  Some of the benefits of working on muscular imbalances during the off-season include:

  • preventing chronic injuries
  • creating symmetry in strength and coordination
  • recovery of primary mover
  • strengthening of stabilizer muscles
  • prevention of detraining or overtraining

During your off-season phase, a combination of resistance training and flexibility work will create stronger, less inhibited muscles.

    
   

 

Use the following set of exercises to help you regain muscle balance and keep your fitness through your off season or use our NEW pilates section.

    

   

The Plank   

 2      

max time
   

Crunches (sit ups)  

 2      

max time
   

Squat   

 2      

12-15
   

Press ups                           

2

      

12-15
   

Walking Lunges                       

2

      

12-15
   

Lateral Lunge                     

2

      

12-15


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