There are notable differences in skating stride characteristics between elite and sub-elite skaters in both acceleration and steady-state phases of skating. In the acceleration phase, elite skaters use a larger hip extension range of motion, and higher hip extension, hip abduction, and knee extension velocities. In steady state skating, the elite skaters used a larger […]
There are two general ways to approach linear speed training: 1) Improving the rate at which a player approaches top speed (e.g. acceleration) 2) Improving top speed It’s rare for a player to reach top speed with any regularity in hockey, whereas the ability to accelerate is integral to performance in every shift. However, the […]
One of the more consistent findings in determining what differentiates elite and sub-elite skaters is that elite skaters adopt a lower skating position. This study from Upjohn et al (2008) found that high caliber skaters had a deeper skating position, which translated into longer/wider strides with more extension range of motion through the knee/ankle. Ultimately, […]
I hope this finds you well, and that you’re as excited as I am for the start of the hockey season. Over the last few years, balancing my work responsibilities with family time and wrapping up my PhD has not left a lot of extra time for writing. When I started this site back in […]
Last week I was a guest on the Strength Coach Podcast with Anthony Renna. During our conversation, we talked about: Speed training misconceptions Key differences between running speed and skating speed The importance of transitional speed work (not just running straight) Strategies to monitor rest to maximize speed development, on and off the ice Transitioning […]
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