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Benefits of Playing Hockey as an Adult

Terry Chucas

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Terry Chucas, a dependency appeals attorney in California, is also an experienced hockey player. Terry Chucas played competitively from age 7 to age 45, a period that included participation with the Canadian old-timers' team at the International Tournament in Stockholm in 1984.

Playing hockey isn't just for kids. It's a great way for adults to get a full-body workout and plenty of aerobic exercise, with the average hockey player experiencing 30 to 80 seconds of continuous high-level activity every four to five minutes of play. During these intense periods, the player exerts approximately 85 percent of maximum available effort and can achieve 90 percent of his or her maximum heart rate.
This level and type of exercise may have a measurable impact on health. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey of 2011 and 2012 shows that men aged 35 and above who play hockey have a lower risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as higher self-reported levels of health. Researchers are unsure whether playing hockey contributes to health or whether higher levels of fitness are necessary to participate in a hockey league, but the link is nonetheless evident.