Sports history is being made this fall with the debut of the first all-women’s paid pro hockey league. And it takes more than just good skating and shooting to make the cut—hockey players need to build speed, strength, and stamina along with plenty of mental toughness. Here’s what you can learn from some of the world’s best female players, forward Devon Skeats of the Buffalo Beauts, goalie Brianne McLaughlin of the Beauts, and goalie Chelsea Laden of the Connecticut Whale.
STRENGTH BUILDS SUCCESS “There’s no checking in women’s hockey, but it’s still a very physical game. The stronger and fitter you are, the faster you can get to the puck—and the less likely you are to get injured.” —Devon Skeats
WORK YOUR MENTAL GAME “A lot of my mental clarity comes from my breath. By controlling my breath on and off the ice I am much more controlled both physically and mentally.” —Chelsea Laden
PAY ATTENTION TO RECOVERY “At least one strength and conditioning day each week I focus on mobility, stretching, and lots of foam rolling.” —Brianne McLaughlin
KNOW WHAT WORKS FOR YOU “Over time you learn what your body needs for fuel and what to avoid. I can’t have coffee before a game because my heart rate gets too high. I used to think it would energize me but have come to realize it hypes me up too much.” —Laden
LEARN TO MULTITASK
“My favorite drill is band-resistant pushes on a slide board: I catch tennis balls as I push across the board with a band tied around mywaist—and I call out the numbers on the balls as they come in!”—McLaughlin
ROUND OUT YOUR ROUTINE “I do a lot of CrossFit. The high intensity of each workout enables me to train not only for strength but also for my cardio. Every day there’s a new workout, and each one pushes me out of my comfort zone. -Skeats
LAUGH AT YOURSELF › “Things don’t always go smoothly—I’ve learned to bounce back faster after getting scored on. Having a sense of humor helps me accomplish this.”—McLaughlin
CORE STRENGTH IS KEY “Goalies move their bodies in just about every position possible. Being able to perform crazy saves without getting injured involves a lot of core stability.”—Laden
GO NATURAL
“I don’t eat processed foods. My motto: If it had a mother or came from the ground or a tree, it’s good to eat.” —Skeats (Check out our guide to clean eating.)
