Pre-Game Warm Up Routine

[BlackIce 1]

As an older player I do know the importance of stretching before I play. However, at times I get on the ice just before game time and skate around and warm up the goalie without stretching. My question is what does your pre-game routine involve when you are on the ice? What are the best pre-game stretches for hockey? Do you know of a website with videos and or pictures? Thanks in advance.

[Steve_v3 289]

I try to get my lower body first ie: Hamstrings, Quads, Calfs, Glutes, Groin, and Hip Flexors. You should get your body warmed up a little because streching cold muscles isn't effective. If you google any of those streches you should get plenty of hits.

[Chadd 916]

Stretch before you get on the ice and use the time on the ice to get the blood flowing a little bit.

[minwookie 0]

Couple longnecks, pack of lucky strikes and nachos is usually all I need to get going...

I prefer to get to the rink 30 minutes prior to game time to tape sticks and stretch. I actually do a few jumping jacks to get some blood moving before I start stretching. I pretty much always do hammies first on a bench, one leg at a time. 10 seconds of mild strain, then 3 seconds of relaxing then about 10 second of medium strain on each stretch. Hammies, groin, glutes, quads, calves in that order. Get dressed. Take ice and do a quick lap to make sure there are no problems with my edges. Stretch lower back and then groin again while goalie works on his crease/net, then warm up my hands/stick handling, take a few shots on empty net while goalie stretches, work my left wrist because its got some joint problems. Then the team lines up and takes long distance shots for a few minutes while Cap'n makes lines. Then its usually game time after that.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

I don't focus as much on stretching, since I don't really notice any difference when I do. I normally like to get out and do a few quick laps and some stops/starts, just to get my ice legs underneath me. Take some shots on the goalie, and more importantly do some stick handling to get my hands warmed up. After I do that I'll stretch the groin out a bit and that's about it.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

I don't play rec league so my pre-game is an hour long.

When we're not on the road, I get to rink and tape my sticks while I shoot the shit with the guys. I put on my sweats and take a run around the rink with some guys and play a bit of soccer. I then get in the mindset. I put on my ipod, stretch my muscles and then get dressed. Coaches get together and give us the game plan. We get pumped up and walk out. take a few laps, stretch a bit more. We then break out and do our warmup drills for 10 minutes. Then it's time to play.

Pretty similar on the road, just involving more shooting the shit cause our bus seems to always get there way to early.

[Scoobersti 0]

now that I just play beer leagues. I just go on the ice and skate around a little bit and then stretch out, then after that do some shooting around and stick handling. Sometimes I don't even really touch the puck I just skate stretch, skate around again and then go tie my skates if they don't feel right.

[shotty 7]

i stretch in the room, do a couple medium paced laps at the start, stretch a little more then do a couple hard laps, mohawk a couple laps with the puck and then start puck handling and shooting. 5 minutes goes fast.