Ice hockey requires two levels of specific agility, involving different abilities, where the level of agility and their constraints might vary by the performance level. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the relationship level between on-ice and off-ice change of directional speed (COD) of youth hockey players at two performance levels. The study was conducted during the hockey season, including U16 elite players (n = 40) and U16 sub-elite players (n = 23). Both groups performed specific on-ice fitness tests (4-m acceleration, 30-m sprint, and 6 x 54-m tests, an on-ice Illinois agility test with and without a puck) and off-ice tests consisting of non-arm swing countermovement jumps (CMJs), broad jumps, and pull-ups. Pearson correlation showed that the acceleration performance of elite players was related to the CMJ (r = -0.46) and the broad jump (r = -0.31). Sub-elite players showed stronger dependence of the 30-m sprint on the CMJ (r = -0.77) and the broad jump (r = -0.43), the relation of pulls ups (r = -0.62) and the CMJ (r = -0.50) to the 6 x 54-m test, yet no association to acceleration. Elite players differ between off-ice and on-ice performance constraints, where their skating sprint is less related to their vertical and horizontal take-off abilities than in sub-elite players. Sub-elite players' off-ice power determines their sprint and repeated sprint performance. COD performance of elite and sub-elite players is based on different conditioning constraints.

• Keywords
• condition, exercise, motor control, skills, speed, testing,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The factors that influence the on-ice change of directional speed (COD) of ice hockey players remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine which off-ice and anthropometric variables determine hockey COD with and without a puck. Thirty-two elite ice hockey players (age: 17.64 ± 1.02 years, body height: 180 ± 7.5 cm, body mass: 76.4 ± 7.8 kg) performed squat jumps, broad jumps, countermovement jumps, and pull-ups and were assessed on agility office and on-ice, with and without a puck. Anthropometric characteristics were determined according to the modified somatotype method. A moderate correlation (r = 0.59-0.6) was observed among all agility tests, between on-ice agility with a puck and lower limb skeletal robustness (r = 0.45), and between on-ice agility with a puck and sit-and-reach scores (r = -0.50). Agility without a puck correlated with squat jump height (r = -0.36). Multiple regression analysis indicated that off-ice agility (β = 0.51) and skeletal robustness of the lower limbs (β = 0.35) determined (R2 = 0.41) on-ice agility with a puck. Players' COD was assessed by Illinois tests of agility off-ice and on-ice, with and without a puck; each of these tests moderately predicted the others, but differed in their physical constraints. Players with higher skeletal robustness used more strength and power to achieve COD performance, while players with lower skeletal robustness used techniques and skills to achieve COD, resulting in superior COD performance with a puck compared to stronger athletes. CODs with and without a puck are discrete skills requiring different abilities.

• Keywords
• Illinois agility, agility, motor abilities, skeletal muscle, sports training,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

A method of load variability is a common way of developing specific skills in various sports, however, not explored considering the use of different ice-hockey pucks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare shooting speed, shooting accuracy, and handgrip strength changes after training with variable training loads (lighter 60g pucks and heavier 260g pucks) in the wrist shot and snapshot. Sixteen male ice hockey players (13.62±0.35y; 167.67±7.71cm; 53.87±7.55kg) were subjected to a 12 week experiment during which they trained six weeks with a light puck and six weeks with a heavy puck and were tested for shooting speed, shooting accuracy and handgrip strength. The variable load training increased shooting speed (the long hand snapshot by 7.4%, the shorthand snapshot by 8.5%, and the wrist shot by 13%), shooting accuracy (by 14%), and handgrip strength (by 8.7%) of the bottom hand; all at p<0.001. Training with heavy pucks was more effective (d=0.50-0.86) than training with lighter pucks (d=23-25) for increasing puck speed. Shooting accuracy was increased by variable load training with a similar effect of heavy and light puck training. The variable training load had a positive effect on shooting speed and accuracy and the use of a heavier load was more effective than using the unloaded puck. Variable load shooting training in youth ice-hockey players is more effective with heavier pucks than lighter ones, and the improvements are greater in players with better shooting skills.

• Keywords
• contrast training, heavy-weight puck, light-weight puck, motor learning, variable load,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Resistance training is a significant part of ice-hockey players' conditioning, where optimal loading should ensure strength development and proper recovery. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the acute physiological responses to fast and medium movement tempo resistance exercises in ice-hockey players. METHODS: Fourteen ice-hockey players (26.2 ± 4.2 years; 86.4 ± 10.2 kg; squat one repetition maximum (1RM) = 130.5 ± 18.5) performed five sets of the barbell squat and barbell bench press at 80% 1RM until failure in a crossover design one week apart using either 2/0/2/0 or 6/0/2/0 (eccentric/isometric/concentric/isometric) tempo of movement. The blood samples to evaluate the concentration of cortisol, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone (hGH) were taken before exercise, 3 min after the last set of the squat exercise, 3 min after the last set of the bench press exercise, and after 30 min of recovery. RESULTS: The 2/0/2/0 tempo resulted in a higher number of repetitions (p < 0.001) and lower time under tension (p < 0.001) in the squat and bench press exercises compared to the 6/0/2/0 movement tempo. The endocrine responses to exercise were significantly higher during the 2/0/2/0 compared to the 6/0/2/0 movement tempo protocol for IGF-1, hGH, and cortisol (p < 0.01). There were no differences in testosterone responses between exercises performed with fast and medium movement tempos. CONCLUSION: Fast eccentric tempo induced higher cortisol, IGF-1, and hGH responses compared to the medium tempo. Therefore, fast eccentric movement tempo seems to be more useful in eliciting training stimulus than medium eccentric tempo during resistance training in ice-hockey players. However, future studies are needed to confirm our findings.

• Keywords
• conditioning, cortisol, growth hormone (hGH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), resistance training, testosterone,
• MeSH
• Hockey * MeSH
• Hydrocortisone MeSH
• Cross-Over Studies MeSH
• Muscle, Skeletal MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Human Growth Hormone * MeSH
• Resistance Training * MeSH
• Muscle Strength MeSH
• Testosterone MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Hydrocortisone MeSH
• Human Growth Hormone * MeSH
• Testosterone MeSH