Exploring the Three Planes of Movement: A Guide to Hockey Specific Fitness.
In the realm of hockey fitness and physical well-being, understanding the fundamental principles of movement is paramount. One such crucial concept is the division of movement into three planes, each of which plays a distinct role in how our bodies navigate space and perform various exercises. By delving into these planes—sagittal, frontal, and transverse—we can gain a deeper insight into hockey mechanics and design workout routines that enhance overall flexibility, strength, and agility.
Reverse Slideboard Lunges
1. The Sagittal Plane: Forward and Backward Movements
The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves, focusing on movements that occur in a forward or backward direction. This plane is fundamental to our daily activities such as walking, running, and bending forward to pick something up. Exercises like squats and lunges predominantly occur in the sagittal plane, engaging major muscle groups like quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Benefits of Sagittal Plane Movements:
Improved Lower Body Strength: Squats and lunges target the muscles in your thighs, hips, and buttocks, enhancing lower body strength.
Enhanced Posture: Engaging in sagittal plane exercises helps in improving posture by strengthening the core muscles, reducing the strain on the back.
2. The Frontal Plane: Side-to-Side Movements
The frontal plane divides the body into front and back halves, emphasizing lateral movements. Activities like side lunges, lateral raises, and jumping jacks are typical examples of exercises in the frontal plane. Incorporating exercises in this plane enhances stability and balance, working on the muscles along the sides of the body.
Benefits of Frontal Plane Movements:
Improved Balance and Stability: Frontal plane exercises challenge the body's balance, enhancing stability and reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
Targeted Core Engagement: Side-to-side movements engage the oblique muscles, leading to a stronger and more defined core.
Hockey Specific Stirde Mechanics: To reach maximum power and inside edge bite off each stride no matter the rpms of stride speed.
3. The Transverse Plane: Rotational Movements
The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower halves and focuses on rotational movements. Actions such as twisting, rotating, and turning involve this plane. Exercises like Russian twists and wood chops are excellent examples of transverse plane movements, engaging the core muscles and promoting flexibility.
Benefits of Transverse Plane Movements:
Core Strength and Flexibility: Transverse plane exercises work on the deep core muscles, promoting stability and enhancing flexibility.
Injury Prevention: Improved rotational strength reduces the risk of injuries, especially in activities involving sudden twists and turns.
Embracing Holistic Movement
Understanding the significance of the three planes of movement is pivotal in the realm of hockey fitness. By incorporating exercises that span these planes, hockey players can achieve a comprehensive and balanced level of fitness, promoting strength, flexibility, and agility. So, whether you’re a hockey player, fitness enthusiast or a beginner on your wellness journey, consider the power of these planes in shaping a healthier, more functional you. By embracing holistic movement, you’re not just exercising; you’re nurturing your body’s innate capacity for versatile and graceful motion, ensuring a healthier and more fulfilling life.
How to find more Hockey Speed
Improving your speed for hockey involves a combination of physical conditioning, technical training, and proper nutrition. Here's a 10-item list of strategies to help you get faster for hockey:
Interval Training: Incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your workouts. Short bursts of intense effort followed by brief rest periods can improve your cardiovascular fitness and explosive speed.
Sprint Workouts: Practice short sprints to enhance your acceleration and quickness on the ice. Focus on explosive starts and maintain proper form during each sprint.
Agility Drills: Agility is crucial in hockey. Set up cone drills, ladder drills, and shuttle runs to improve your ability to change direction quickly and efficiently.
Strength Training: Build lower-body strength with exercises like squats, lunges, and plyometrics. A stronger lower body will give you more power and drive during skating strides.
Core Exercises: A strong core provides stability and balance, which are essential for generating power and maintaining control while skating.
Proper Skating Technique: Work with a coach or attend skating clinics to refine your skating technique. Proper stride mechanics can significantly increase your speed and efficiency on the ice.
Flexibility and Mobility: Incorporate regular stretching and mobility exercises into your routine to improve your range of motion and prevent injuries.
Puck Handling at High Speed: Practice stickhandling while skating at high speeds. This will enhance your ability to control the puck during fast breaks and agile maneuvers.
Off-Ice Conditioning: Engage in off-ice exercises that mimic hockey movements, such as jumping, lateral movements, and quick starts, to reinforce muscle memory and speed development.
Rest and Recovery: Give your body adequate time to recover from intense workouts and on-ice sessions. Proper rest is essential for optimal performance and injury prevention.
Remember that getting faster for hockey is a gradual process that requires dedication and consistency. Combine these strategies with a positive mindset, and you'll be well on your way to improving your speed on the ice. Always consult with a coach or fitness professional to tailor a training program that suits your specific needs and goals. Skate Hard & Have a Great One!
-Coach Ryan
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The Unique Hockey Stride
Hockey is a sport that requires players to have strong skating abilities. One of the most important aspects of skating in hockey is the stride. A strong and efficient stride can help players move faster, change direction quickly, and maintain balance on the ice.
The hockey stride is a complex movement that involves several different muscle groups working together. It begins with the player pushing off the ice with one foot while gliding on the other. This push is generated by the leg muscles, including the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The unique problem is that many people and coaches try to train hockey speed like other sports which is movements in a non-lateral plane. This is the type of mechanics that make Connor McDavid blazing fast on the ice and not so much off the ice in a 40 yard dash time. Many players and coaches of generalized all sport conditioning programs fail to fully understand the unique movements of the hockey players skating to reach their full potential.
As the player pushes off, they then bring their other foot forward and plant it on the ice, transitioning into the next stride. This movement is repeated over and over again, creating a smooth and continuous motion across the ice. Each player needs to master the major physics and mechanics of this stride, but also need to find their unique minor mechanics of how they are built genetically. As skating coaches, we must stop taking a cookie-cutter approach to all players.
To execute a strong and efficient stride, players need to focus on several key elements. First, they need to maintain a low center of gravity and keep their knees bent. This helps them stay balanced and generate more power with each stride. There is a zone of optimal power that a player must enter to increase stride length and power. This is much deeper than required in figure skaters. Though there are similarities in figure skating there are also very unique skating mechanics and situations that hockey players must command that are learned from years of playing the physical and extremely fast game of hockey. This would be similar to a track star not being able to take their talents to the football field.
Next, players need to focus on their arm movement. Proper arm movement can help players maintain balance and generate more power with each stride. This involves keeping the arms close to the body and moving them in a coordinated motion with the legs. Yes, there is a science here as well. Using the correct arm, deltoid, and core strength can increase your stride power and speed or work against it!
Finally, players need to focus on their foot placement. Proper foot placement can help players maintain balance and generate more power with each stride. This involves keeping the feet close together and making sure the stride is long and powerful. Once again the fastest skaters in the NHL do not use a full return like figure skaters, but use a unique blend of stride extension, power/force, return, and foot-speed.
The more coaches start to embrace that hockey is not just power, but a combination of physics, engineering, and the forgotten….. flow-rhythm- and artistry, the more dynamic skaters we will see. Because at the end of the day you can rep through all of the mechanics and drills you want, but if you don’t own it, and feel it, you will never find your authentic stride!
In conclusion, the hockey stride is a fundamental aspect of the sport that can make a significant difference in a player's performance on the ice. With practice and focus on the key elements of the stride, and their creative differences….players can develop a strong and efficient skating technique that will give them an edge in the great game of hockey.
-Coach Ryan DuPraw
Putting it all together.
Being a dynamic skater and explosive skater doesn’t happen by accident. Yes, there are talented players that just seem to touch the ice at the ripe ol age of 3 or 4 like they put on this earth to wear skates. However the majority of hockey players that rise to the highest ranks of prep, junior, collegiate, and pros are not brought into this world blazing down the ice!
The vast majority of players that go on into the hockey ranks for Learn to Skate start with very meager beginnings. Sometimes the years of hard work get lost in stories that later turn into hockey lore and legends. And if you go looking to research the subject……well…. it’s just anything else. You can get lost in a riddle of advice with contradicting theories and philosophies…..
“They just need tons of ice time.” “It’s all about foot speed!” “Only figure skaters make the best skaters.” “Strength is the key to being a fast skater.”
The interesting fact is this ………..after years of being a learning skater, to playing, to being mentored, to coaching, I have come to develop my own theories. The truth is I believe it’s many, many components that make a dynamic and explosive skater.
Here are some of the characteristics and points that I feel all work together.
Technique & muscle memory at a young age and throughout your career.
God given athletic talent and abilities.
Foot speed and quick twitch muscle groups.
Power and strength
Explosiveness & rebounding which is quite different than pure strength.
Edge control & Body control
Flexibility
Multisport exposure
Time and repetitions on ice
Great coaching
Time on ice for play and experimenting with creativity.
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