How He Rules the Rink: Capital Alex Ovechkin

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In BOSTON EARLIER this season, Washington Capital Alex Ovechkin was wheeling through the offensive zone when he lost control, drove a shoulder into the boards and collapsed. But the crowd, anxiously awaiting signs of movement, didn't hold their breath long — he soon stood up and stormed down the tunnel, healthy enough to whip his helmet to the floor, aggravated by the collision.

That's what Ovechkin does: He gets up and keeps playing. He's missed only three games in his four 82-game NHL seasons. It's an impressive stat directly connected to another: Ovechkin has dished out 204 hits this year, sixth most in the league — and he's often on the receiving end too.

So, how does he escape injuries while acting like a battering ram? "He is one of probably the top three that I have ever trained in terms of physical, god-given ability," which helps, proclaims Capitals strength coach Mark Nemish. Nemish, the owner/director of Dynamic Sports Performance in Ashburn, Va., began working with the Nashville Predators in 1998 before joining the Capitals in 2007.

Nemish also credits Ovechkin's resilience to his work ethic, a bit of luck and, of course, his exercise regimen.

Ovechkin's off-ice routine focuses heavily on recovery patterns to prevent muscles from breaking down — think ice baths after games and practices and plenty of rest. In the weight room, that translates into mimicking game-time actions as closely as possible. The goal: to stimulate top performance and fortify body parts that are more susceptible to damage on the ice.

EMULATING OVECHKIN
Copy some of these Ovechkin favorites the next time you hit the gym to stay as reslient as the Caps superstar.

1. Rear Deltoid Raises:
Straddling an incline bench or standing with your torso slightly bent over your knees, pull a pair dumbbells away from the chest to the your side, like opening both doors on a refrigerator. Deltoid raises toughen-up the shoulders and stretch the chest, helping to keep balance across the shoulders and upper back. This area absorbs most hits on the rink.

2. Squats
This timeless leg-burner is crucial for building powerful quadriceps — the Vastus Medialis, Intermedius and Lateralis and Rectus Femoris — which create bursts of speed on the ice. Nemish stresses proper technique: back straight, legs shoulder-width apart. Squats can be done on a barbell rack, with dumbbells in hand or using only your body weight. Side Effects? Tighter-fitting pants.

3. Landmines
Place one end of a barbell on the floor; grab the other end with both hands so it's slightly tilted toward you. Bend your legs as you twist your body to the right, taking the barbell close to the floor as you turn. Then twist to the left, swinging the barbell close to the floor on the opposite side. Reps of these boost "rotational strength, power and recruitment of the abdominals and glutes," says Nemish.

4. Hip flexor stretches
Start by lying on your back and draw your stomach to your spine. Bring one knee to the chest, leaving your other leg on the ground. This eases spinal stress and help alignment, returning it to a lordotic curve, or arched back. Additional flexibility is a bonus; it gives muscles and joints greater ranges of motion to better withstand contact and awkward directional movements.

Written by Express contributor Jeffrey DiNunzio
Photo by Getty Images