Hockey players like most athletes tend to pick up injuries throughout the season and this can start limiting their performances. To avoid spiraling out of control, it’s important to take advantage of the current tools available to help with performance and recovery.
One particular recovery tool that’s getting noticed and can help are foam rollers. They are designed to offer a straightforward way to loosen the muscles and help with performance.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of foam rolling for hockey players and why it’s a must for everyone.
1) Improves Posture
As a hockey player, your posture is essential as it influences whether or not you see results on the ice. From skating to shooting, each skill requires good posture and the ability to control your body in different athletic situations.
This is why foam rolling is a must as it starts to slowly work out those kinks that develop in your back and spine.
A person that has bad posture will need to make use of something as organic as this. It’s a simple adjustment that will start to remove rigidity from your muscles and eventually improve your performances.
In addition to the athletic benefits, it’s also a wonderful way to stay healthy in your regular life. It becomes easier to move around, maintain energy, and simply feel better throughout the day.
2) Warms up the Muscles
Hitting the ice without stretching is risky and the last thing you should be doing as an athlete. Instead, it’s best to spend time with a foam roller working out the various muscles in your body.
It’s an ideal way to apply reasonable pressure on those muscles to get the blood flowing. Nextrino has a good guide and also offers their advanced vibrating foam roller. As you continue to roll away, the muscles loosen and that’s when you feel in control of what you’re doing.
It’s important to warm up with a purpose and make sure things are done the right way. This helps prevent injuries and allows you to dominate on the ice.
3) Reduces Soreness
Are your muscles constantly sore after a grueling practice or game?
This happens to most athletes and that’s where a foam roller comes in handy. It’s a great option to keep the muscles loose as you work on your skills and play games.
By spending a small amount of time before and/or after the game with this solution, you are going to see an immediate reduction in soreness. This makes it easier to push harder the next time without feeling fatigued.
4) Increases Blood Flow
The amount of blood directed towards your muscles goes up as soon as the foam roller is put to use. This is ideal for post-workout recovery and staying fit throughout the year.
As long as you are using the foam roller wisely, this increase in blood flow keeps the muscles in great shape.
These are the main advantages of foam rolling for hockey players and why it can be a very useful tool for recovery when combined with traditional methods.