Warm-Up, 6 of 9. Straight from the Hockey IQ book appendix.
From the locker room: This is the one I do in the dorm room at 6:15 before an early skate. Jumping jacks wake up the roommate, so I start at the lunges.
Goal: Warm up all major muscle groups with control. Time: 10 minutes.
When: The morning of a game, before a workout, or as your default when you don’t know which routine to pick.
- Jumping Jacks + Arm Circles – 1.5 min
- Walking Lunges with Torso Twist – 2 min
- Standing Hip Openers (circles) – 1.5 min
- Single-Leg Balance + Reach – 2 min
- High Knees to Stick (or hand) – 1.5 min
- T-Spine Rotations in Lunge Position – 1.5 min
Why it works: Top to bottom: shoulders, legs, hips, balance, then the twist. The T-spine rotation at the end is the one most players have never done, and it’s the one that lets you shoot from a stride without your whole body turning.
Do it right: Control over speed. The high knees are a rhythm drill, not a sprint.
Every warm-up and stretch routine here is in the back of the Hockey IQ book, with the full 9-week hockey-bag program. Back to Warm-Up.
FIND. A. WAY.
