Tips To Improve Your Ice Hockey Game

Every teenager who plays ice hockey dreams of making it big in the National Hockey League. However, many forget that besides talent, there are other factors that contribute to ensure that young and talented ice hockey players actually succeed in making it to the NHL.

There are a few tips that will help keep young stars on the right track and ensure that the doorway to NHL opens for them. Becoming a professional ice hockey player is not easy but if you set some plan of action for yourself and follow them diligently, there is no reason why NHL should not select you when the time comes.

The first and foremost is being careful about what you eat. Professional and aspiring ice hockey players need a lot of energy to keep their bodies going during the 60 minutes of play. Players should eat low fat food and lot of pasta to ensure that the body has sufficient energy to take them through the high excitement and energy-burning game.

Sleeping is part that should be followed without fail. Get a good eight to nine hours of sleep daily. During sleep, your body recovers from the rigors of practice and games. It helps your body to recharge for the next day. So, forget those late night parties.

A good player always uses his talent and strength. Take time to build your stamina and strength. Do not get enamored by drugs. Remember, if you are found taking drugs, it would mean the end of your NHL career. We all know by now what havoc drugs can cause in our bodies. Just because someone else is taking, do not indulge into it. Keep your priorities right.

Focus and mental strength are extremely important in ice hockey. Concentrate on your on your game and do not get distracted with other unimportant things. Once you can achieve this, you will truly be on your way to NHL.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes Sportsbook reviews, sport book articles and articles with respect to Sports Betting.

Plyometric Exercises For Ice Hockey Players - 3 Great Exercises to Improve Your Speed and Power

Plyometric exercises are one of the top ways that ice hockey players can improve their speed and power on the ice while in the gym. Plyometrics focuses on jumping and bounding explosively, and is one of incredible value to hockey players. Despite the fact you don't need any special equipment to do plyometrics, many players ignore it. Here are three great exercises you can do at home or in the gym to make you faster and more explosive on the ice.

Squat Jumps:

Squat jumps are probably one of the simplest types of plyometrics exercise, and you can do them almost anywhere. To perform a squat jump, simply lower your body into the position you'd be in for a normal squat, and then explode upward into a jump, raising your arms above your head. When you land, immediately lower yourself back down and repeat. The key is to not hold the squat position but to be constantly going up and down.

Tuck Jumps:

Tuck jumps are done by starting from a standing position and jumping into the air and tucking your knees up to your chest. Land on the balls of your feet and immediately spring back up again. Once again, the goal is constant, explosive movement. Try and land softly and use the energy you store from landing to help you push back into the air. Keep your feet on the ground for as little time as possible.

Box Drill with Rings:

The box drill is a great one because it has you jumping back, forth and side to side. For this one, set up four rings (or any kinds of markets) in a box pattern. Stand in the first ring (or on the first marker) and with your feet kept together, jump from one market to another, never stopping in between, until you've completed the entire box. Once again, never keep your feet on the ground.

Doing these plyometric exercises will help greatly increase your foot speed and the explosive power of your muscles. The results you'll see on the ice will be noticeable. To check out an more plyometrics exercises specifically designed for hockey, go to www.tophockeytraining.com and get Hockey Speed and Power by Kevin Miehm. An ex-NHL'er and career pro, Kevin's hockey specific training manual contains an entire section on plyometrics for hockey, as well as a full fitness plan designed specially to improve on ice performance.