Hockey: health benefits
Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports. This wonderful game draws millions of spectators to ice arenas and television screens. Despite the fact that the sport has contraindications and is considered injury prone, thousands of boys, young men and grown men are waiting for the winter to have an opportunity to play hockey. Hockey is energizing, gives a great mood, vitality, youthfulness and good health.
Description of hockey:
Hockey – a game on the ice, in which the battle between two teams whose task is to protect their goal and score as many goals as possible in the opponent’s goal, passing the puck with sticks from player to player. Hockey game consists of 3 periods of 20 minutes each.
Since collisions between players, as well as hockey stick, puck and skates are very painful and can lead to serious injury, athletes are equipped with a lot of attention.
Backyard hockey is very popular in our country. For players, the main thing is to know how to skate and have a stick. Many yards fill rinks (hockey boxes), where during the winter period everyone from small to large can play this game. This winter hobby can bring a lot of positive emotions and great benefits for the body.
The benefits of hockey:
- Playing hockey in the fresh air is a great way to enrich the body with oxygen, which is great for the whole body.
- Hockey helps to strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
- Trains almost all muscle groups and helps to form a beautiful athletic figure.
- Playing hockey, like other winter sports (cross-country and downhill skiing, snowboarding, skating and others) hardens the body, which greatly reduces the number of colds.
- Hockey is an excellent way to develop coordination, balance and reaction time, because during the game you have to constantly change the speed and direction.
- It is useful even for eyesight, as constant tracking of the puck and the players trains the eye muscles.
- Hockey can be a great help in the fight against excess weight.
Contraindications to practicing hockey:
The game of hockey has many contraindications, this especially applies to many diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system. If you have diseases of the internal organs and systems, you should consult a doctor before starting hockey.
In addition, hockey is considered a very traumatic sport, so to reduce the likelihood of injury, you need to stretch before the game, and during the game it is desirable to use protective equipment.
Hockey for children:
Hockey in childhood helps the harmonious physical development of the body, hardens and strengthens the body, reduces the risk of scoliosis, flat feet and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Of course, like most team sports, this game develops qualities such as communication, discipline and responsibility, and develops team spirit. Hockey develops courage, bravery, determination and willpower. This game is a great way to reduce the time spent by children in front of computers and television.
Hockey for adults:
There are no age restrictions for the game of hockey. Adults not only team up by age, but also enjoy playing with children, counting their strength, of course, so as not to injure the younger players.
5 main health benefits of playing hockey:
Improved metabolism: because the game uses the start-stop principle, skating alternates with periods of rest, allowing you to get more aerobic benefits. This model simulates high-intensity interval training to burn more calories and speed up your metabolism.
- Increases muscular strength: the extra load-bearing blocks in Warriors hockey uniforms increase muscular strength and reduce the risk of injury, improve bone strength, strengthen connective tissue and increase muscle mass. All of this has a positive effect on a healthy and strong body that is less prone to injury and improves overall functioning.
- Development of hand-eye coordination: playing hockey requires hand-eye coordination. It also improves the player’s spontaneous reflexes and reflexes during the game. Exercising this game with your back develops coordination, improves hand and eye reflexes, and increases dexterity.
- Improve physical coordination and balance: In hockey, players must pass and catch the ball, and the puck moves quickly across the ice as hockey players do. Either way, players must react quickly in order to respond accurately or play the game. Developing these skills improves overall balance and dexterity, and has a positive effect on hand-eye coordination.
- Build teamwork: Playing in a team of 11 develops a sense of teamwork as everyone works to successfully achieve goals and win.
- Better communication: playing hockey requires communication through looks and gestures. The ability to communicate effectively with teammates in fast-paced games not only leads to success on the ice, but also improves a player’s overall communication skills.
- Mood enhancement: exercise can improve mood by releasing endorphins, which can alleviate feelings of depression, stress and anxiety. In the form of exercise, hockey provides this benefit as an extra incentive for the brain to exercise. Hockey demands are good solutions, and honing these skills on the ice or on the field can also be applied to daily life.