If you decided to take the last year off (along with the NHL) there are a few things that you should consider doing before lacing up the skates this season. Whether you play competitively in a league or enjoy pick up games on the local pond, these simple exercises will help you regain your skate shape faster.

First and foremost, hockey is about balance. The successful hockey player has balance between left and right skates, upper and lower body, cardio and strength, finesse and ferocity.

Therefore, any exercise that helps improve your balance is a must. Working with a balance ball, both with eyes open and closed, and combining strength exercises with balancing tasks are powerful tools to develop balance and strength.

Strength training for hockey players should focus on upper body (shoulders, arms, forearms, wrists, hands) and trunk, or mid section — also known as the core. Upper body strength is a must because of all the contact with other players and because of work with the stick.

A balanced program of upper body strengthening should be done both during the season as well as off-season. During the season, the frequency and intensity of strength workouts must be decreased because of all the other workout demands. Once a week should be enough, preferably after practice.

The need for leg strength and power are also obvious. Leg exercises such as the leg press, squats, lunges, step-ups and step-downs will build leg strength while improving stability and explosiveness on the ice. Be careful, though, of doing too many plyometric (explosive) exercises during the season because they are so taxing with all of the other demands on your legs.

Additionally, core abdominal exercises such as crunches and oblique twists will toughen up your mid section and also provide benefits to your lower back. Don’t forget the balance ball when designing your core strengthening program.

As with any sport, to reduce the risk of injury, stretching should also be an important part of your daily routine. Focus on the lower back, hamstrings and groin, and do the stretches routinely, preferably as part of your on-ice warm-up routine.

Of course, you’ll be able to play longer and recover faster if you increase your cardio capacity. This is best accomplished on-ice because of the unique demands of skating, but at least a month of preparation before the season is essential.

Sometimes, later on in a demanding season, selected “off” days to rest and recover energy are beneficial. Coaches constantly try to assessments whether players are “stale” or sluggish because of over-training or whether they need more conditioning.

As you prepare your body for hockey, also take time to make sure your equipment is in good shape. Helmets, pads, gloves and skates should all fit properly and be replaced if needed.

Hockey is a terrific, fast-paced team sport. Just remember to take time to prepare yourself and your equipment before you hit the ice. Your body will thank you for it tomorrow.

Dr. Brown has been a team physician for the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Soccer Teams and for Portland High School for the last 26 years. He is also the team physician for the Bowdoin men’s hockey team. He grew up playing hockey in Waterville, and in his day was captain of the hockey teams at both Phillips Andover and Bowdoin. He is the senior founding partner at Orthopaedic Associates of Portland, and past president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.