Some Basic SkillsIn order to enjoy the game of underwater hockey, it is important for you to be comfortable moving around the “court” – in our case, the swimming pool. Now, the fact that the pool is filled with water requires a few basic skills, the same skills required for skin-diving.
I. BREATH HOLDING The key to BREATH HOLDING is to stay relaxed. This is very challenging, as exerting yourself underwater speeds up the consumption of the limited oxygen you’ve stored in your lungs on your last breath. The faster you try to swim, or the more movements you make – the quicker you use up your oxygen, and the earlier you will be forced to leave the play and surface to breath again. |
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Improving your breath holding skills comes with practice and improved fitness. The longer you play hockey, the longer you can hold your breath underwater. It is important that you “warm up” your lungs before the game by doing a series of “BOGDATS” (Breathe Once Go Down And Touch the floor).
One technique in prolonging underwater time is to take 2 to 3 deep breaths before going down. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that triggers the urge to breathe. Taking 2 to 3 deep breaths expels more residual CO2 from your lungs and enables you to stay down longer. However, we all need to breathe sometime so overdoing the hyperventilation bit can cause shallow-water black out and possible drowning. Therefore; NEVER, NEVER take MORE than 3 deep breaths before going under!
II. SNORKEL CLEARING
The better you get at the use of your snorkel, the easier it will be to breathe at the surface, and the more comfortable you will be. Snorkels are essential to underwater hockey because as in most games, you must always have your eyes on the ball or the puck as in the case of underwater hockey. The snorkel allows you to breathe on the surface while keeping your face and eyes underwater to scan for the puck.
There are 2 methods of snorkel clearing:
1. Blast method – the most common way. While underwater, the player tightens his stomach muscles to build air pressure internally while keeping his airway closed. When the player comes up for air and breaks the surface, he simply releases the built up pressure and blasts the water out of the snorkel. The action is very much like coughing. This is best done with a full breath of air.
2. Displacement method – this slightly more complicated method is effective only for snorkels without purge valves. While at the floor of the pool, the player looks up and heads for the surface. Half way to the surface, the player exhales a little and blows bubbles out of this snorkel. The expanding pressure will displace and push the water out of the snorkel. Upon reaching the surface, the player quickly tilts his head down, bringing his snorkel out of the water. This should leave the snorkel very dry with less effort than the blast method.
III. FINNING
1. Flutter Kick – The basic finning style that involves alternating leg strokes. This finning method typically allows for good control and better maneuverability (e.g. quick turning, abrupt stopping, etc.).
2. Dolphin Kick – The alternative finning style that mimics the undulating motion of a dolphin, which involves your legs moving together as one. This finning method can allow you to reach faster speeds on long runs at the expense of control and maneuverability.
IV. DIVING
1. Head-First (“Tuck”) Dive – The usual diving method of submerging starting with your head first, followed by the rest of your body. This dive is good for Forwards as it allows them to reach the pool bottom already cruising head-first, making it easy to accelerate in whichever direction is desired. This dive is best executed with the player moving forward in a horizontal position on the surface. Using his momentum, the player tucks in his chin to his chest and then bends down from the waist. This action will cause his torso to move down. At a certain point, the player can raise his legs and the weight of his legs will push his whole body toward the floor of the pool.
2. Feet-First (“Kelp”) Dive – The alternative method of diving where your feet take the lead, followed by your upper body. This is done by an initial stroke of lifting your body slightly above the water, and then using your weight and momentum – and assistance from your hands and arms – to sink yourself feet-first to the pool bottom. This dive is typically used by Backs, as it allows them to reach the pool floor in an upright, defensive body position.
V. MAINTAINING PROPER BODY POSITION AT THE BOTTOM
This is the basic skill of remaining ready for action at the bottom of the pool. You will concern yourself with this often during games, as you must constantly observe the play around you and contemplate your next moves. The advantage this skill brings is that, by hovering down at the bottom, you are closer to the action than if you were still floating up on the surface (diving from the surface normally eats up a few valuable seconds!). Additionally, your body is able to remain relaxed (i.e. no struggling against floating to the surface) and in a balanced position (equilibrium) from which you can easily accelerate into action when necessary.
One technique in prolonging underwater time is to take 2 to 3 deep breaths before going down. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that triggers the urge to breathe. Taking 2 to 3 deep breaths expels more residual CO2 from your lungs and enables you to stay down longer. However, we all need to breathe sometime so overdoing the hyperventilation bit can cause shallow-water black out and possible drowning. Therefore; NEVER, NEVER take MORE than 3 deep breaths before going under!
II. SNORKEL CLEARING
The better you get at the use of your snorkel, the easier it will be to breathe at the surface, and the more comfortable you will be. Snorkels are essential to underwater hockey because as in most games, you must always have your eyes on the ball or the puck as in the case of underwater hockey. The snorkel allows you to breathe on the surface while keeping your face and eyes underwater to scan for the puck.
There are 2 methods of snorkel clearing:
1. Blast method – the most common way. While underwater, the player tightens his stomach muscles to build air pressure internally while keeping his airway closed. When the player comes up for air and breaks the surface, he simply releases the built up pressure and blasts the water out of the snorkel. The action is very much like coughing. This is best done with a full breath of air.
2. Displacement method – this slightly more complicated method is effective only for snorkels without purge valves. While at the floor of the pool, the player looks up and heads for the surface. Half way to the surface, the player exhales a little and blows bubbles out of this snorkel. The expanding pressure will displace and push the water out of the snorkel. Upon reaching the surface, the player quickly tilts his head down, bringing his snorkel out of the water. This should leave the snorkel very dry with less effort than the blast method.
III. FINNING
1. Flutter Kick – The basic finning style that involves alternating leg strokes. This finning method typically allows for good control and better maneuverability (e.g. quick turning, abrupt stopping, etc.).
2. Dolphin Kick – The alternative finning style that mimics the undulating motion of a dolphin, which involves your legs moving together as one. This finning method can allow you to reach faster speeds on long runs at the expense of control and maneuverability.
IV. DIVING
1. Head-First (“Tuck”) Dive – The usual diving method of submerging starting with your head first, followed by the rest of your body. This dive is good for Forwards as it allows them to reach the pool bottom already cruising head-first, making it easy to accelerate in whichever direction is desired. This dive is best executed with the player moving forward in a horizontal position on the surface. Using his momentum, the player tucks in his chin to his chest and then bends down from the waist. This action will cause his torso to move down. At a certain point, the player can raise his legs and the weight of his legs will push his whole body toward the floor of the pool.
2. Feet-First (“Kelp”) Dive – The alternative method of diving where your feet take the lead, followed by your upper body. This is done by an initial stroke of lifting your body slightly above the water, and then using your weight and momentum – and assistance from your hands and arms – to sink yourself feet-first to the pool bottom. This dive is typically used by Backs, as it allows them to reach the pool floor in an upright, defensive body position.
V. MAINTAINING PROPER BODY POSITION AT THE BOTTOM
This is the basic skill of remaining ready for action at the bottom of the pool. You will concern yourself with this often during games, as you must constantly observe the play around you and contemplate your next moves. The advantage this skill brings is that, by hovering down at the bottom, you are closer to the action than if you were still floating up on the surface (diving from the surface normally eats up a few valuable seconds!). Additionally, your body is able to remain relaxed (i.e. no struggling against floating to the surface) and in a balanced position (equilibrium) from which you can easily accelerate into action when necessary.
