Have you ever wanted to skate faster and with greater acceleration? In hockey, speed, acceleration and agility are all important components to improving performance. Farlinger et al (2007) investigated which off-ice variables were predictive of on-ice sprinting performance. They concluded that the off-ice 30 m sprint and 3-hop jump, where distance traveled is recorded, were the most predictive of a player’s on-ice sprint performance. Therefore, improvement in horizontal power will translate into faster sprint times for players.
As a result of this study, it is important for hockey players to train for horizontal power through sprints and horizontal plyometrics.
Reference: Farlinger, C., Kruisselbrink, L., Fowles, J. Relationships to Skating Performance in Competitive Hockey Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(3):915-922.
Read More
Use this foam roller exercise to help relax the hip abductors. Shutting these muscles off will prevent inhibition of the opposing adductor muscles, allowing you to strengthen them more efficiently.
Start
- On ground, lying with foam roll under your hip.
Procedure
- Lie on your side and roll over the small lump of muscle between your hip and pelvis.
Coaching Keys
- The more uncomfortable it is, the more that muscle needs to be massaged. Hold on sore spots for an extended time to release them.
Feel it?
You should feel as if you were getting a massage.
Read More
An important part of effective pre-season training is the specificity of your exercises. Strengthening your adductors in hockey-like positions will translate into better injury prevention, so try this exercise using a variety of hip angles.
Start
Procedure
- Step to the right with the right foot keeping toes forward and feet flat.
- Squat through your right hip while keeping your left leg straight.
- Bring left foot into a squat position and repeat for prescribed number of repetitions.
- Switch directions and repeat.
Coaching Keys
- Keep knee on squatting side behind toes.
- Keep weight on midfoot to heel.
- Keep chest up and back flat.
- Keep hips low throughout movement.
Feel it?
Strengthening the groin.
Read More
Hockey is one of Canada’s most popular sports to both watch and play. Not surprisingly, injuries are quite prevalent and often involve sprains and strains due to the powerful accelerations and decelerations of the skating stride. Adductor strains, more commonly known as groin injuries, can plague players leading to many lost games. Using NHL players, Tyler et al. (2001) determined that players with weaker adductor muscles were more likely to sustain a groin injury. More specifically, if a player’s adductor strength was less than 80% of his hip abductor strength, they are 17 times more likely to suffer a strain. They also determined that adductor flexibility was not a risk factor for a strain.
Building on these results, Tyler et al. (2002) developed a 6 week pre-season training program for the adductor muscle group that they demonstrated to lower the incidence of injury in those at risk. The program involved concentric, eccentric and sport-specific elements. Therefore, in order to avoid injury players may undertake a similar program if an imbalance exists.
Read More
