Groin Injury Prevention Workout

As hockey players, we have all been introduced to sore hip flexors.  These are the muscles that are responsible for bringing your knee back under your body after each stride, and can be easily injured from overuse and over extension.  Sore hip flexors have been continually linked to decreased performance and even potentially missing games entirely.  Below I have listed a series of hip movements that will loosen up those tight hip flexors, that are overused during skating and hopefully prevent them from injuring.  They are very simple and should be completed 3-4 times each week.  On game days, cut the reps in half and use this workout as a great way to warm up the hip joint and give you the edge on the competition.

 

    1.  Hip twists - 10/side

    2.  Scorpions - 10/side

    3.  High Hurdles - 2 times through 5 hurdles for each leg 

    4.  Straight Leg Swings - 10/leg  

    5.  Lateral Leg Swings - 10/leg

    6.  Lying Knees Raises - 10/leg 

Perform the 6 exercises consecutively, rest 30 seconds and then go through them again.  Begin with 2 sets but work your way up to 3 or 4.

 

Exercise Description: 

 1.  Hip Twists - Lie on you back with your knees bent and heels raised so your shins are parallel with the     floor.  Roll your hips side to side so the outside of you knee touches the ground, keeping your shoulders flat.

2.  Scorpions - Lie on your stomach with your arms straight out to your sides making a "T".  Keeping your left foot still, bring your right foot across your body and roll up so it touches your left hand.  Keep your shoulders on the ground.  Think of yourself as a "scorpion" and your leg thats moving as the scorpions tail.  Alternate sides.

3.  High Hurdles - Set up 5 hurdles approximately at knee height.  Space each hurdle out about 18 inches.  Standing in front of the first hurdle with your toes facing forward, lift your right foot slightly off the ground, open your hip up to the outside and in control, lift your foot over the hurdle and place it on the floor with your foot still facing straight forward.  Then perform the same movement with your left leg and finish standing between the first and second hurdle with your feet together and facing forwards.  Continue this movement through the hurdles leading all with your right foot, then again all with your left foot.

4.  Straight Leg Swings - Stand about 2 feet away from a wall.  Your feet should be facing down the wall.  The inside leg (closest to the wall) will swing forward to a comfortable height and then backwards again to a comfortable height.  Repeat with other leg.

5.  Lateral Leg Swings - Stand about 2 feet away from a wall.  Your toes should now be facing directly at the wall.  Swing your right foot across your body, just in front of your left foot (always keeping it facing the wall) and then swing it out laterally to the right to a comfortable height.  Continue for recommended repetitions then switch legs.

6.  Lying Knee Raises - Lie flat on your back.  Bring your right knee straight forward until it is perpendicular to the ground with your knee at 90 degrees.  Then open your hip up to the right as far as possible without rolling your hips or touching the outside of your knee to the ground.  Then extend your leg back to the starting, straight legged position.  Finish by repeating the exact opposite movement with the same leg (opening up to the outside, closing the hips so the knee is over the body and then straightening back to the starting position).  Repeat the recommended number of for one leg before switching to the opposite.