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This can be done with activities such as jumping rope, jogging, riding a stationary bike, or running carioca drills, which involve cross-stepping movements that propel the body laterally. The "R" phase requires some form of active movement that will result in an elevated heart rate. By the end of the "R" phase, the athlete should be breaking a light sweat. There are three exercises I really like for hockey players in this phase that do an excellent job of targeting the hips: hip lifts, split squats, and lunges. I recommend incorporating mini bands (i.e. small loop resistance bands) into these activities to add a boost to these strength-training exercises. This is usually the phase that most athletes consider to be the goal of their warm-up routines. The goal here is to improve range of motion and function of the joints. It's important to be dynamic in this phase; passive stretching movements do not achieve the same goals. There are three exercises I have our kids focus on: Spiderman stretches, pigeon stretches, and groin rocks. Many hockey players never consider this a crucial part of the warm-up routine. This is the phase where an athlete primes their body's nervous system to be ready for maximum output at gametime. The goal here is to generate power to make sure the body can fire when the player transitions to the ice. This involves active jumping and sprinting to recruit their muscles. My two go-to exercises for this phase are the alternating split squat jump and the 10-yard lateral sprint. Raise your heart rate Activate your key muscles Mobilize your joints Potentiate your nervous system RAMP stands for: jog and a few static stretches before heading to the locker room to get dressed. At the other extreme, I have seen coaches who require their players to engage in rigorous uphill sprints and cone drills to the point of breaking a heavy sweat before hitting the locker room. While serving as the USA Hockey team physician for the recent 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championshi in Finland, I had the privilege of working closely with Joe Meloni, head strength coach for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, who graciously agreed to be a guest contributor for this article. There is arguably no one better suited to answer your question than the man responsible for ensuring the top players in youth hockey are ready to hit the ice! DR. HOCKEY: What is the goal of the warm-up routine for a hockey player? JOE MELONI: The goal of a successful warm-up routine is twofold: to make sure players are ready to dominate the game from the moment they head over the boards, while, at the same time, reducing the risk of injury during play. We utilize the RAMP protocol, which is a very efficient and effective program that employs a specific sequence of pre-game exercises. The sequential nature is critical, as each phase optimizes performance in the subsequent phase. DR. HOCKEY: Could you explain the RAMP protocol in more detail? JOE MELONI: RAMP is an acronym that describes the goals of each of the four phases of the pre-game program. It is important to remember that this protocol requires the training exercises to be performed in a very precise order. The truth is that there are many ways that athletes get ready to play, and a warm-up routine is no different. What matters most is that an athlete, or coach, choose exercises in each phase of the protocol to get their body ready to perform on the ice. MAY 2024 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 15