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By Charles A. Popkin, MD
& Joe Meloni, USA Hockey's
National Team Development
Program Head Strength Coach
Ice hockey is an incredibly fast-paced sport. The
physical demands on the body required to play are
quite intense. Unlike other sports that allow a player
to slowly acclimate to the game pace, hockey is full
speed ahead immediately following puck drop! Therefore, it is not
surprising that hockey coaches and players place a premium on
being ready to go before they hit the ice.
There is an incredible amount of variability among youth hockey
teams and organizations regarding pre-game, warm-up routines.
Most players are at the rink anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes before
gametime. You will find plenty of players and teams that do a short
Long-time hockey player and now a
h o c k e y d a d w o n d e r i n g w h a t y o u
re c o m m e n d f o r a wa r m - u p ro u t i n e
before a 12U game. I see various teams doing many
different things off ice to get ready to play. What's
the best pre-game, warm-up activity for my kid?
– Daniel M., Minneapolis
Q
A
A S K D R . H O C K E Y
T H E D O C I S I N A N D R E A D Y T O A N S W E R
Y O U R H O C K E Y M E D I C A L Q U E S T I O N S
14
// MAY 2024 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
A Proper
Warm-Up Goes
A Long Way
PHOTOS BY Caleigh Burchfield
