Calgary Flames Elasticity Dos and Don’ts
Most old school hockey players started playing puck by gathering around center ice to stretch. This game prep technique has changed dramatically.
Rich Hesketh, Calgary Flames S+C coach, stresses the importance of stretching off the ice, without any gear on, so your muscles can go through their full range of motion. “You wouldn’t want to take a rubber band right out of the freezer and start stretching it,” Hesketh says. “Meaning, you will eventually pull and tear your muscles without [properly] warming them up, similar to snapping apart a frozen rubber band.”
As for post-skate, Hesketh suggests static stretches to help you cool down muscles to prevent injuries and keep your body loose.
Check out Hesketh’s stretching advice to increase your flexibility and prevent injuries, eh?
Do
• Warm up with a 10-minute jog or bike ride before stretching
• Use dynamic movements, such as leg swings and lunges, before heading onto the ice
• Try to work the full range of motion during your warm up
• Static stretch for 10 to 15 minutes after practice, holding each stretch for 30 seconds
Don’t
• Bounce during static stretches
• Perform static stretches on the ice before practice
• Rush through either static or dynamic stretches
• Forget to stretch after practice
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Calgary Flames Elasticity Dos and Don’ts
Most old school hockey players started playing puck by gathering around center ice to stretch. This game prep technique has changed dramatically.
Rich Hesketh, Calgary Flames S+C coach, stresses the importance of stretching off the ice, without any gear on, so your muscles can go through their full range of motion. “You wouldn’t want to take a rubber band right out of the freezer and start stretching it,” Hesketh says. “Meaning, you will eventually pull and tear your muscles without [properly] warming them up, similar to snapping apart a frozen rubber band.”
As for post-skate, Hesketh suggests static stretches to help you cool down muscles to prevent injuries and keep your body loose.
Check out Hesketh’s stretching advice to increase your flexibility and prevent injuries, eh?
Do
• Warm up with a 10-minute jog or bike ride before stretching
• Use dynamic movements, such as leg swings and lunges, before heading onto the ice
• Try to work the full range of motion during your warm up
• Static stretch for 10 to 15 minutes after practice, holding each stretch for 30 seconds
Don’t
• Bounce during static stretches
• Perform static stretches on the ice before practice
• Rush through either static or dynamic stretches
• Forget to stretch after practice