1. Danger Lurks on the Ice
Hockey is a fast-paced, high-energy sport that requires both aerobic and strength fitness levels that far exceed many other sports. It's a dangerous sport too. Most professional hockey players don't have any of their own teeth and are constantly being treated for injuries. One of the main causes of the injuries to hockey players are the layouts they receive when they are slammed into the boards or knocked flat on their backs.
2. Fight to the Finish
Rules and regulations have long been a standing controversy in hockey, especially when it comes to fighting. Before many of the newer rules came into force, fighting was a natural part of the game. Players laid each other out at every turn. They slammed each other against the boards, tripped and pushed opponents to the floor. From the little league teams in local communities to the National Hockey League, fighting to the extreme has been outlawed so much that the game has taken on new dimensions. Scoring is the focus now more than blood on the ice.
3. Legal Layouts
A layout happens when one hockey player pushes hard against another and causes him to fall. As long as the offensive player did not hit the falling skater with his stick or grab him anywhere, the play is legal. The fall may be intense and cause serious injury, but that is one of the hazards of playing hockey. Skaters are moving at top speeds on two thin blades, racing to get hold of a very small dark round puck and shoot it into a goal in front of which stands a bulking goal tender.
4. Prepare to Fall
Because the sport is so rough and dangerous, the padding that hockey players wear is massive. A player should be able to take a layout and get back up to continue skating. Pad covers most every part of their body; particularly fall spots such as elbows, knees and tailbones. Hockey players learn how to fall and land on one of those pads as part of their regular training.
5. Build a Better Body
Hockey players are strong and lean. While they may be setting bones or resting with ice packs on their bodies after the games, they stay in shape with regular cross training activities in the gym Because of the rigorous nature of the sport, a hockey player needs to develop a solid core. Floor crunches and weighted pulley are the best exercises to strengthen the core and make the body more solid to take the falls that come with a layout.
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