WARNING…a very politically incorrect truth is coming in 3…2…1…
When you get injured, the coaches start making a back-up plan. Someone else gets the chance to skate in your spot, someone else gets the chance to excel in your spot.
Now, don’t misunderstand, the coach is not doing this to be mean or because he or she does not like or believe in you. But the coach needs to do what gives the team the best chance of winning, so they will shuffle the lines and bring up new players to do exactly that.
Injuries will happen – they are an unfortunate part of the game and some of them cannot be prevented…but a lot of them can, so add one of these each day to reduce your risk of ending up in the stands watching your team succeed without you.
If you cannot see the video above, just click here…
http://vimeo.com/user2591012/review/107828522/1d62e30b29
How many?
- LAX Hip Flexor – this helps loosen up that nasty knot of muscle in the front of your hip – 30 seconds each side
- FRC Hip Flexor Foot On Wall – stretch your hip flexors while generating tension to create useable range of motion and reduce your risk of hip flexor strain – 30+30+30+30s
- Standing Lateral Hip Circles – a ‘rotator cuff’ exercise for your hips, make sure you go slowly – 5 each direction, each leg
- T-Spine Rotation + Breathing – improving your thoracic spine and rib cage mobility will reduce your risk of lower back pain and injury – do 5 breaths on each side – inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 6 seconds.
These things may seem very simple and they are (sort of). This is how simple it is to increase your chances of staying healthy during the season, this is the price you pay for an insurance policy on your performance this season, so start today. Use one technique from the list above each day.
Cheers, to your good health,
M
PS – See you in a day or two when I will share the simple Ninja tactics (okay, maybe not NINJA) you can do everyday to earn the trust of your coaches and respect of your teammates on your way to becoming this season’s MVP. I also have a big announcement to make tomorrow that will make the difference between dwindling or skyrocketing performance THIS year, so stay tuned!