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Hockey: The Sport of Sticks and Balls
Hockey is the sport played with a hockey stick and a ball. The hockey stick is the tool of the hockey player to control the ball on the field and score a goal. There are multiple forms of this sport: there is an outdoor variant, which is most commonly known in the Netherlands. But there is also an indoor variant of this sport called indoor hockey.
The Rules of Hockey
Similar to many ball sports, hockey also involves two teams competing against each other. Each game consists of 2 halves, each lasting 35 minutes. In terms of intensity, this sport is comparable to soccer, as both hockey and soccer are interval sports, alternating between intense periods and rest periods. A rest period occurs when the ball is not near you as a player. An intense period is experienced on the field when the ball comes near you.
The kickoff in hockey takes place at the midfield, through a starting stroke. This is also similar to soccer because there is also a starting stroke after each goal scored.
The halftime break usually lasts 5 to 10 minutes.
Which Muscle Groups Do You Use in Hockey?
Because you use the stick in hockey, this is a sport where the whole body has to work. You use your legs to run. The muscles working here are the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and muscles in your buttocks. But your upper body is also put to work because you have to hold the hockey stick. This means that your core, abdominal muscles, lower abdominal muscles, but also back muscles, biceps, triceps, and shoulders need to work. When you hold the stick, the muscles in your shoulders are at work, and because you do a lot of running, this is also a good cardio exercise.
Which Supplements Can You Use in Hockey?
When participating in the sport of hockey, your body uses the phosphate pool and the lactic acid system to obtain energy. We have different energy systems in the body, and because you alternate explosive moments with prolonged cardio moments, the body relies on the creatine phosphate pool. This means that creatine supplements can contribute to performance during hockey. A possible side effect of using creatine as a supplement in hockey is an increased risk of cramping.
