Why do Hockey Players Ride a Stationary Bike After Games?
Posted onApril 7, 2020 byDan Kent
While most recreational hockey playerscan’t wait to get changed and showered after a game and then head outfor a pint of beer, things are quite different for pro and otherhighly-competitive players. Once the final buzzer has sounded thepros aren’t finished for the night as they still need to take care oftheir bodies by properly “cooling down” physically.
Professional hockey players ride astationary bike after a game as a way to flush waste products andtoxins such as lactic acid out of their bodies. They ride the bikewith light resistance for between 10 and 30 minutes as a way to helptheir bodies recover and to reduce the chance of suffering fromtight, sore legs the next day.
When players ride the bike afterplaying it increases the flow of blood to the legs which in turnhelps remove waste products while also providing oxygen to themuscles. The increase in blood flow can help in a player’s recoveryby providing the necessary proteins needed to rebuild or repair themuscles.
This is achieved by replenishing themuscle with energy stores (carbohydrates) and removing any tissuethat may be damaged.
Light Resistance
These types of bike rides aren’t meantto be intense since the exercise isn’t designed for conditioningpurposes. However, players who don’t receive many minutes of ice timeduring games will typically ride a bike after a contest as a way toimprove their conditioning rather than to cool their bodies down.
If a player’s legs start to burn,become fatigued or feel any type of pain when riding the bike after agame they should lower the resistance level of the bike. The purposeof the ride is to help the body recover and not to further tax thelegs.
It’s believed that the cooling-down bike ride is an ideal way to fight off many common ice hockey leg injuries such as muscle pulls, tears and strains.
Dynamic Lifts
Hockey players who find themselves on the ice for fewer than 15 minutes per game often bypass the post-game bike ride to work on strengthening exercises. These players engage in exercises such as shoulder shrugs, arm curls and bench presses which are commonly known as dynamic lifts.
These weight-lifting exercises aredesigned to maintain or increase muscle strength in various parts ofthe body.
Players who receive more ice time will usually focus on various types of balance and core-training exercises, stretching, cyclin and working out with light weights.
What is Lactic Acid?
When the body’s muscles produce energythey also produce lacticacid. This is because muscle fibers will convert glycogen to ATP(adenosine triphosphate). ATP is a source of energy which musclefibers use to make a person’s muscles contract. During this process,a compound known as pyruvate can be produced. Pyruvate can then beconverted to energy while the excess results in lactic acid.
When exercising aerobically, themuscles use fatty acids, glucose and oxygen which is in the blood andused to create ATP.
Lactic acid can make a person’s muscles ache or feel tired and sore. The best way to relieve the aches and pains and to eliminate the lactic acid is through slow-paced exercise without placing any strain on the muscles. Receiving a massage can also help rid the muscles of lactic acid since it will help increase your blood circulation.
Does Lactic Acid Disappear?
There has been some debate about lacticacid since many experts will tell you that lactic acid doesn’t lingerin the muscles as it will disappearby itself. In fact, lactic acid may process itself out of the bodywithin an hour after a hockey game.
However, riding a stationary bike canspeed up this process and rid the body’s leg muscles of other typesof waste and toxins and also enables players to wind downmentally after a game.
Active Recovery
Riding a stationary exercise bike aftera hockey game or other sport is typically known as activerecovery whereas just sitting around is referred to as passiverecovery. It’s quite simple really as an increase in blood flow inthe muscles will help flush lactic acid and toxins from the body.
However, you need to make sure themuscles aren’t being worked too hard following a hockey game as thiscould lead to further muscle damage or fatigue. And that’s the lastthing you need after leaving the ice following a grueling physicalworkout.
Research has shown there are numerousbenefits to active recovery including a higher level of stamina andpower as well as quickly-reduced levels of lactic acid. All of theseare ideal for hockey players and that’s basically why you see themriding an exercise bike at low intensity after games.
Cycling Cons
Not all professional trainers favorbike-riding as a conditioning exercise or as an active recoveryroutine though. They point out that the hunched-over postureassociated with riding a bike can decrease a player’s performance orlead to other types of injuries such as hip flexors.
This is generally blamed on therepetitivestress that is placed on the hips when cycling.
It seems that riding a bike after gameshas become a comfortable tradition or routine for ice hockey playersthese days and as long as they don’t overdo it it’s one that willprobably remain for several years to come.
“It helps players flush the lactic acid that builds up during a game. It allows your body to cool down in a sufficient manner and basically recover by doing a kind of flushing — whether it's riding a bike or doing a workout,” says Chris Stewart, the Penguins' head athletic trainer.
First, a player needs to warm down after a long match, riding a stationary bike or walking briskly for 10 minutes helps remove the lactic acid that has built up in the muscles. Hainline also recommends immediate hydration, preferably with water or a recovery-specific drink.
The physicality of hockey often results in inflammation and muscle soreness, which can impair players' mobility and performance. Techniques such as ice baths, compression therapy, and massage help alleviate inflammation and promote muscle recovery by improving blood circulation and reducing swelling.
Concentrate on breathing 'into the belly' rather than with your chest, and you'll maximize your oxygen intake. Doctors even found that proper breathing in sports can improve performance up to 15%! This is the FIRST thing you want to focus on when getting back to the bench—nothing else.
Moreover, it's easy for individual pieces of equipment to slip into awkward positions out on this ice, where players don't exactly have the time to fix it. Most players will remove their jerseys and shoulder pads between periods to allow themselves to be more comfortable for a while.
Bicycling is one of the possible causes of some urological disorders including testicular torsion. Excessive, long-distance bicycling may rarely result in testicular torsion in adults.
Unlike running sprints, you don't have to worry about space, level ground, or weather conditions. The bike allows you to do the work anywhere and anytime. Another significant advantage is that, unlike sprint work, biking allows for controllable resistance.
An easy pedaling cool down allows the body to more gradually wind down several processes that were greatly elevated during exercise. Outside of delivering oxygen to working muscles, dissipating heat is one of blood's most important roles during exercise.
Obviously some men want to shower after a game and that doesn't mean you need to leave clothes on. But keeping in line with “be respectful,” you should wear a towel into the shower and out of the shower. Many women will not shower after a game if it's community showers, which we are used to.
Foods rich in carbohydrates and protein, plus fluid intake, are the key to good recovery nutrition. The number one recovery item on the list: chocolate or soy milk. As our nutrition expert, Jennifer Gibson says, "it has everything the body needs for recovery - fluids, protein, carbs — and it tastes great."
Game time nutrition and hydration is important for hockey players of all levels. It can impact their energy levels, muscle recovery, and mental focus during the game. Post game nutrition aids in recovery and sets the stage for peak performance in subsequent training.
Exposure to these gases in an indoor ice rink may result in damage to the lung tissue and severe pneumonitis called "ice hockey lung". The main symptoms of the disease are cough, dyspnoea, headache and haemoptysis.
Aerobic activities like walking, running or jumping rope give your heart and lungs the kind of workout they need to function efficiently. Muscle-strengthening activities like weight-lifting or Pilates build core strength, improving your posture, and toning your breathing muscles.
Background: Physical activity has a positive effect on the function of the whole human body system. The influence of physical activity on the development of the respiratory system is still a matter for debate. Swimming is considered the sport with the most profound effect on the lungs.
Some players untie their skates. Others take off the top half of their gear. Players retape sticks, dry off equipment, grab a sugary or salty snack and guzzle down Coca-Cola or Red Bull. But other discoveries were more surprising, including more than one player who strips down completely and jumps into a cold tub.
During the combine, prospects will use a stationary bike for a Wingate test, which measures anaerobic fitness, and the VO2 Max test, which measures Aerobic fitness. The prospects hop on this bike, have oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers and a heart rate monitor attached, and then ride the bike for a set time.
Gloves sit on the machine while a blower fan dries them out, so they'll be fresh to use by the time the next period begins. Some players even rotate through gloves during games, allowing them to keep their hands fresh and dry.
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