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The Archaic Hockey Warm-ups

David Pollitt

While the sport of hockey has advanced greatly in the last 20 years with new equipment technologies, training procedures, coaching, recovery methods and attention to small details I find it fascinating that out of our rich traditions we still choose to keep some parts of hockey the same...when it really should change.

Take for example the hockey warm-up. Comparatively to other sports we are in the dark ages. While other sports are applying science and common sense to preparing for a physical event we in the hockey community laugh in their faces, skate around willy-nilly, sit and listen to a coaches lecture and then stand around like statues before the game is played. If this strategy of physical preparation was used in other sports like sprinting, bobsled or skiing (to name a few sports) a great many athletes would end up with injuries. Perhaps it's time that hockey learned from others and adopted a better system.

The Current System

Let me first dissect a typical hockey warm-up so that later I can share my views on the flaws of the current system.

1. Generally if the team has any person on the staff with a shred of physical education training then a dryland warm-up will be the first order of business. Now this is not always the case. I have witnessed high end hockey teams compete on a regular basis without a dryland warm-up. Usually teams send the athletes for a short run or put the players on a stationary bike followed by some static stretching. For argument sakes lets assume this takes 30 minutes (although most teams spend 10 to 15 minutes on the warm-up and call that good enough).

2. In some cases coaches want to spend 10 minutes or so talking about a basic plan for the upcoming game. Perhaps the white-board will be broken out and they will talk about breakouts, penalty kill, the fore-check for that evening, or other basic strategies. Some coaches do not do this at this time so this may depend on your team.

3. The next order of business if to put on your equipment (30 minutes is usually allotted).

4. At this time players get out onto the ice for the traditional 15 minute warm-up. The first 5 minutes is spent skating around in circles (usually counterclockwise), followed by 5 to 8 minutes of 2 on 1, 3 on 2 drills to get peoples feet moving and develop a feel for the puck. The last 2 to 5 minutes is spent taking shots on the goaltender, stretching on the ice, some short sprints from one side of the ice to the other.

5. Following the on-ice warm-up players go back to the dressing room (for 15 minutes while the ice is flooded) and sit down while the coach presents the pre-game speech and strategy session.

6. The flood players come back onto the ice to skate around for a minute or two before the national anthem (or anthems) are played. Right after this players return to the bench and the game begins shortly after.

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