Tag: Hockey Conditioning

Hockey Conditioning: Combating Fatigue

A couple days ago, I outlined a terrific review article on what factors limit repeat sprint performance. If you missed it, you can check it out here: Hockey Conditioning: Understanding Fatigue. Repeat sprint performance, as the authors of that review defined, includes repeated maximum intensity efforts of <10s with <60s rest in between. Most people reading this are probably familiar with the idea that most of you reading this are familiar with the fact that an average hockey shift will fluctuate between ~30-75s depending on the position and level. What many people overlook, however, is that these shifts don’t involve 100% efforts the entire time the player is on the ice. Even the average excessively hyper 11-year-old hopped up on the donut holes and Monster their parents bought them as a pre-game meal couldn’t go 60s at this intensity.

If your son looks like this, he probably doesn’t need another energy drink.

There are inherent physiological mechanisms that will begin to limit performance if a certain intensity is maintained for prolonged periods of time (e.g. 10+ seconds). Elite level hockey players are very efficient at managing their fatigue during a shift. They intersperse periods of all-out efforts with periods of gliding, lighter skating, and repositioning, and when this isn’t possible, they keep their shift short to minimize the accumulated fatigue. Most don’t know they do this; it feels natural to them. For our purposes, the most important thing to recognize here is that a 45s shift is comprised of several significantly shorter high intensity efforts separated by periods of lower intensity efforts and/or stoppages. For this reason, understanding the mechanisms underlying performance decrements in repeat sprint ability is essential, as this is EXACTLY the quality hockey players want to train to ensure that they’re as fast at the start of the game as they were at the beginning.

Today, I want to explore the companion research review article from Bishop et al., 2011, titled “Repeated-Sprint Ability – Part II: Recommendations for Training”.  Before we get into it, I think it’s important to point out that recommendations on how to improve ANY physical quality always need to be kept in perspective. There are psychological, physiological, and training “age” considerations, but even within any combination of those cohorts, there are always appropriate times in the hockey calendar and obligatory progressions leading up to any given training practice; this is especially true of conditioning. My hope is that you won’t simply read “this is the best way to improve repeat sprint ability” and just use the recommendations from this article repeatedly year-round. This will invariably lead to decrements in OTHER physical qualities, which will negatively effect on-ice performance. Everything in training needs to be kept in context.

Training Recommendations to Improve Repeat Sprint Ability (RSA)
The authors kicked off the article by pointing out that having a “good” RSA is more about having a high average sprint speed, than just a low drop-off. In the case of the latter, a marathon runner would have a relatively low drop-off, but their starting speed wouldn’t be very fast, and therefore not adequate within the context of hockey speed. This, again, simply illustrates the trade-off between maximum speed and maximum endurance. Below is a list of take-home points from the article that help explain which types of training will help improve RSA. If you haven’t already, please read this article (Hockey Conditioning: Understanding Fatigue) before continuing on with the list below, as these points may not make sense without understanding how they affect one or more of the RSA fatigue mechanisms!

  1. A high-intensity interval training protocol of 6-12 x 2 mins of work at 100% VO2Max, followed by 1 minute of rest can significantly improve PCr (phosphocreatine) resynthesis/replenishment during the first 60s of recovery following a high-intensity effort. This is especially pertinent in light of the fact that NO changes in the rate of PCr resynthesis have been found following an interval training protocol of 8 x 30s of work at 130% VO2Max followed by 90s of rest, a protocol of 15 x 6s of all-out sprinting followed by 60s of light jogging, or a protocol of 4-7 all out 30s efforts followed by 3-4 minutes of rest. The authors pointed out that some of these results may be explained by the fact that other studies used a 3-minute post-exercise PCr check-in point, which may miss the initial changes in a more rapid resysnthesis. That said, the finding of improved PCr resynthesis in the first 60s following the above protocol is an interesting finding.
  2. Changes in enzymes that affect anaerobic glycolysis (such as phosphofructokinase and phosphorylase) are greater following a training protocol that involves repeated 30s sprints compared to one that involves repeated 6s sprints or continuous training.
  3. Changes in glycolytic enzymes are also greater following high-intensity intervals that are followed by long rest intervals (10-15 minutes) compared to shorter rest intervals (3-4 minutes), probably as a result of higher peak blood and muscle lactate levels with the longer recovery. Taken together, these results suggest the most optimal way to develop anaerobic performance is to train using 20-30s all-out intervals with ~10-minute rest intervals.
  4. There is not a linear relationship between VO2Max and various RSA fatigue measures, indicating that the goal should be to train for an “optimal” VO2Max, not necessarily a “maximal” V02Max.
  5. Interval training at approximately 100% VO2Max leads to larger increases in VO2Max than continuous training matched for total work, but only if the continuous training is below ~60% VO2Max, otherwise the differences are negligible.
  6. Interval training has the added benefits of augmenting other desired adaptations, such as the rate of PCr resynthesis and muscle buffer capacity. The authors recommend performing high-intensity intervals at ~80-90% VO2Max with rest periods that are shorter (e.g. 1 minute) than the work periods (e.g. 2 minutes).
  7. A high-intensity interval training protocol of 6-10 x 2 minutes work at 120-140% of the lactate threshold followed by 1 minute of rest increases muscle buffer capacity, but 30 minutes of continuous training at 80-95% of the lactate threshold does not.
  8. Excessive accumulation of H+ during training may actually have a detrimental effect on adaptations to the pH regulatory systems within the muscle. This could result from interval training at intensities >100% VO2Max.
  9. Taken together, these results imply that the best way to improve muscle buffer capacity is to train using high-intensity intervals at ~80-90% VO2Max with rest periods that are shorter than the work periods (e.g. 2 minutes on, 1 minute off) to ensure that the working muscles are being trained in a moderately lower pH environment.
  10. High-intensity interval training leads to better improvements in muscle buffer capacity and Na+/K+ pump isoform content compared to repeated-sprint training, which has shorter sprint durations at higher intensities with longer rest periods.
  11. However, repeated-sprint training leads to better improvements in best sprint time and mean sprint time compared with interval-based training.
  12. Interestingly, although not overwhelming, 10-weeks of training 2x/week using small area soccer games (2-4  reps of 2.5-4 minute games) lead to a ~4% improvement in best and mean sprint times during an RSA test, which was the same as an interval training protocol of 12-24 x 15s of work at 105-115% VO2Max followed by 15s of rest.
  13. A resistance training protocol involving 2-5 sets of 10-15 maximal repetitions lead to comparable increases in mean work performed during a RSA test (~12%), compared to a high-intensity interval training program (~13%), and a sprint training program (~12%). Resistance training also lead to a ~8-9% increase in first-sprint performance, and ~20% improvement in the sprint decrement score.
  14. Greater improvements in RSA have been founding using resistance training protocols that involve 20s of rest between sets, compared to 80s of rest, despite less improvements in maximum strength (20 vs 46%), probably due to the increases in metabolic byproduct accumulation with the shorter rest periods.

Take Home Points
As I mentioned in the intro, it’s always important to understand exactly what physical quality you’re seeking to improve with your training, and to put that within context of the whole training program. The evidence above suggests that one of the better ways to improve RSA is through training with a protocol of 6-10 x 2 minutes of work at ~80-100% VO2Max followed by 1 minute of rest, and with resistance training exercises using relatively high reps and short rest intervals. These things lead to improvements in the rate PCr resynthesis, glycolytic enzymes, muscle buffer capacity, and V02Max, all of which should benefit RSA performance.

While hockey is a very lactate-driven sport, I think there is much to be gained from maximizing the alactic and aerobic systems to minimize the lactic load associated with any given shift. Because the anaerobic-lactic system is associated with significant decrements in performance and longer recovery times, utilizing the “surrounding systems” in the anaerobic-alactic and aerobic systems to the greatest extent possible will likely allow the player to maintain a high level of performance for a longer period of time. This will not only translate into finishing a period strong, it will also translate into finishing a game and even a series of games strong. With this in mind, the improvements in PCr resynthesis (which can be considered a “fuel” for the anaerobic-alactic system) and VO2Max (which is a decent marker of aerobic capacity) are especially appealing.

Ultimately, it’s elite-level conditioning that allows players to exhibit their elite level skill, consistently.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

P.S. Don’t forget to check out Ultimate Hockey Training, which covers year-round hockey conditioning principles in detail and provides a ton of implementable training progressions!

Reference:
Bishop, D., Girard, O., & Mendez-Villaneuva, A. (2011). Repeated-Sprint Ability – Part 2: Recommendations for Training. Sports Medicine, 41(9), 741-756.

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Hockey Conditioning: Understanding Fatigue

I hope you had a great holiday weekend with your families (even if you don’t celebrate the holiday!). Today is the day after Christmas, which means most of the people I know will be sleeping until around noon, then waking up and going shopping. I, on the other hand, was up at 5:30am to catch a plane to Minneapolis, MN. Several weeks ago, Reagan Carey, who is the Director of USA Hockey Women’s Ice Hockey Program, asked if I wanted to come serve on the Strength and Conditioning Staff for the US Women’s National Team winter camp, which I graciously accepted. I’ve helped out at two of these camps earlier in the year and the staff, both in terms of hockey and off-ice training, is outstanding. Great group of people with a ton of experience. There’s a lot to be learned when you spend a week surrounded by people like that! I fly back 12/31, right in time to take Emily out for dinner for New Year’s.

Hockey Conditioning
Hockey conditioning has come a long way in the last couple of decades. The norm has evolved from “play yourself into shape” to “endurance training on a bike” to “interval training using a combination of slideboards, shuttle runs, bike rides, and exercise circuits.” This is certainly a huge step in the right direction, but as with almost all things, the best practice typically involves a balance of several methodologies. Regarding conditioning, those that go high intensity intervals year-round are likely missing out on the powerful effects of aerobic training for hockey players. On the other hand, those that go steady-state aerobic training year-round are likely missing out on the powerful effects of a more strategic aerobic training progression AND the benefits of interval-based training. Progression and periodization are absolutely necessary for optimal results, especially as the athlete’s training age increases. In other words, the longer the athlete has trained, and the broader his/her base, the more focused his/her training needs to become to continue making progress.

In developing a hockey conditioning program, it’s important to understand what contributes to fatigue in the first place. This was a topic I covered in great detail in my book Ultimate Hockey Training.

The factors leading to performance decrements in a marathon-type event are different from those in repeat sprint performance events (as in most team sports), and as a result, training to improve performance (or minimize fatigue) must be specific to the mechanisms of fatigue. Last week, I read an excellent research review on this very topic from Girard et all., 2011.

The review identified the various mechanisms of fatigue that limit performance in “repeated sprint performance” (RSE), which they defined as short-duration sprints (<10s) interspersed with brief recovery periods (<60s). Below is a list of take-home points from the review that apply directly to conditioning for hockey:

  1. Fatigue develops immediately, following even a single sprint
  2. Performance on the initial sprint is directly related to the decrement in performance over subsequent sprints.
  3. In comparing performance decrements across five 6s cycling sprints repeated every 30s, those with low aerobic training fatigued more than those with moderate aerobic training.
  4. Previous fatiguing RSE, followed by a period of rest, accelerates the rate of fatigue during subsequent RSE.
  5. In monitoring field hockey players across three games within four days, the frequency of repeated sprints decreased across the three games.
  6. RSE results in an impairment of the Na+/K+ (sodium/potassium) pump, such that K+ ions accumulate outside of the cell, which impairs cell membrane excitability and force development. This will also cause a decrease in action potential amplitude and impulse conduction.
  7. M-waves (artificial muscle contractions secondary to an electrical stimulation of a motor nerve) experience a decrease in amplitude, but not duration following an RSE protocol (12 x 40m with 30s of recovery), which may indicate a decrease in action potential transmission across the synapse.
  8. Phosphocreatine (PCr) stores are reduced to 35-55% of resting levels following a single maximal 6 second sprint, and a full recovery can take more than 5 minutes. PCr loss is also greater in fast twitch fibers compared to slow twitch.
  9. Resynthesis of PCr is directly related to the recovery of power output int he first 10s of a 30s sprint
  10. Glycolysis contributions to ATP production decrease 8x from the first to last sprint in a 10 x 6s sprint protocol with 30s recovery periods.
  11. Oxidative phosphorylation contributes a mere 10% of the energy for a single short-duration sprint, but up to 40% as RSE protocols progress.
  12. Decreases in sprint performance are associated with decreases in blood pH (more acidic).
  13. Increased inorganic phosphate levels decreases calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and/or myofibrillar calcium sensitivity, which decreases cross-bridge formation and subsequent force production.
  14. 97% of the variance in total work performed during 10 cycle sprints with 30s of rest was explained by changes in quadriceps EMG, providing evidence of a decreased neural drive to the working muscle.
  15. The central nervous system (CNS) receives feedback from muscle spindles, Golgi tendon organs, free endings of group III and IV nerves, all of which are integrated into determining the level of descending neural drive to the working muscle. Reductions in central drive may serve to avoid peripheral fatigue beyond some threshold level.
  16. Progressive arterial O2 desaturation (less oxygen in the blood) is highly correlated to reductions in mechanical work, and O2 availability is also related to motor cortex excitability and neuromuscular activity in general.
  17. The relaxation rate of muscles decreases with fatigue, and so does the muscle firing rate to maintain an optimal tetanus in a changing metabolic environment.
  18. Fatigue results in an earlier activation of antagonistic muscles.
  19. Increases in core temperature beyond some threshold level results in decreased RSE performance, probably as a result of alterations in CNS function.

Take Home Points
I realize this can get a bit wordy. To be honest, I skipped over a lot of the really neat neuroscience stuff because it can get more confusing than we need for our purposes. The major take homes I want to leave with you are:

  1. Fatigue is multi-dimensional, incorporating neural, muscular, and metabolic relationships.
  2. Initial sprint performance is related to decreases in subsequent sprint performance, meaning the faster the first sprint, the greater the drop-off. This is likely the result of the athlete relying on more anaerobic systems during this first sprint, which results in a greater accumulation of metabolic “waste” and consequent more pronounced decrease in performance. From a more global perspective, this highlights the trade-off between max speed and max endurance and highlights the importance of finding the balance that is most appropriate for your position, within your sport, at your level (or the level you aspire to play at).
  3. With repeat sprint performance, there is an increase in aerobic contributions to energy. This highlights the importance of having a well-developed aerobic system, even for seemingly purely anaerobic sports.

Aerobic training isn’t all bad!

Check back in a couple days to find out how to use all this information to effectively train for improved repeat sprint performance!

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

P.S. Don’t forget to check out Ultimate Hockey Training, which covers year-round hockey conditioning principles in detail and provides a ton of implementable training progressions!

Reference:
Girard, O., Mendez-Villanueva, A., & Bishop, D. (2011). Repeated-Sprint Ability – Part 1: Factors Contributing to Fatigue. Sports Medicine, 41(8), 673-694.

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Is Repeat Sprinting an Aerobic Activity?

It’s great to be back in the gym after a relaxing weekend. My mom came to visit Emily and I from Raleigh, NC so it was nice to have some down time to hang out with her. As you can imagine, my schedule keeps my pretty busy, so I don’t get to spend as much time with friends and family as I’d like!

As I mentioned last week, I’ve been reading quite a bit of research on energy systems recently. Understanding where energy for certain activities comes from will help make training more specific and appropriate to the demands of the sport (and the position in some cases). In general, it is traditionally thought that:

  1. The ATP-PCr System contributes to high intensity activities ranging from 0-12 seconds.
  2. The Anaerobic Glycolytic System contributes to moderate-high intensity activities ranging from ~13s-~30-45s
  3. The Aerobic Glycolytic System contributes to moderate intensity activities ranging from ~30s-3 minutes
  4. The Aerobic Beta-Oxidation System contributes to low-moderate intensity activities from 3-minutes on

Naturally, this is a grossly oversimplified view of energy systems training, which is the major reason for this discussion. It’s important to realize that the intensity of movement is equally, if not more important in determining energy system contribution than the duration of the activity. In other words, if you walk for 12 seconds, you won’t be relying on the ATP-PCr System as your primary energy source; it’s a low intensity activity that doesn’t require a huge surge of energy production. As your body performs work, it breaks down ATP. Replenishment of ATP is needed to continue to do work. Naturally, the higher the intensity of the activity, the faster the breakdown of ATP and therefore, the faster the replenishment source needs to be. This is why high intensity activities rely on the ATP-PCr system; it’s the fastest replenishment source. Unfortunately, this supply is limited, so as stores become depleted, the body must rely on other energy systems for the replenishment of ATP. Because these other systems cannot replenish ATP as rapidly, performance decreases. This is an underlying reason why someone can run a 4.3s 40-yard dash (120 feet at 27.9 ft/second), but not a 3:09 mile (5,280 feet at 27.9 ft/second). Simply, the rate at which energy can be resupplied is a limiting factor in maintaining high level performance.

After reading the above paragraph, it’s reasonable to think that the systems are activated in the presented sequence; the next being activated when the former is depleted. In other words, Anaerobic Glycolysis System becomes active when the ATP-PCr System depletes, the Aerobic Glycolysis System becomes active when the Anaerobic Glycolysis System depletes, and so on. In fact, this isn’t too far off of how this is typically presented in undergraduate academic programs. In reality, almost ALL systems are always active to some degree during every activity and preceding activity will play a role in which system predominates.

One illustration of this comes from a 1999 study from Parolin et al. titled “Regulation of skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase and PDH during maximal intermittent exercise.” As an aside, I find that I’m a little embarrassed when research of this magnitude is over 10 years old before I come across it!

The study looked at the contribution of ATP regeneration from PCr, glycolysis, and oxidative (aerobic) systems during a repeat high intensity sprint task. More specifically, the subjects were asked to perform 3 30-second maximum effort cycling sprints at 100 RPMs, separated by 4 minutes of rest. The authors compared the first and third cycling effort using the following time periods:

  1. “Rest”: Immediately before the 1st and 3rd trials
  2. 0-6 second time block of the 1st and 3rd trials
  3. 6-15 second time block of the 1st and 3rd trials
  4. 15-30 second time block of the 1st and 3rd trials

What they found was fascinating.

Results:

  1. Total power decreased from 622+/-27 W to 459+/-32W from the 1st to 3rd work bouts respectively.
  2. Total PCr hydrolysis was greater in the 1st trial compared to the 3rd (80.7 vs. 59.9 mmol/kg/dry wt). Before the 3rd trial, PCr availability was 79% of what it was before the 1st trial, indicating incomplete replenishment.
  3. Muscle glycogen utilization was 89.2+/-31.3 mmol/kg dry wt during the 1st trial, but reduced to a negligible 4.2+/-28.5 mmol/kg dry wt during the 3rd trial.
  4. The rate of pyruvate production was highest in the first 15s of the 1st trial, but dropped to <1/3-1/6 in the last 15s of the 1st trial and through throughout the 3rd trial. However, pyruvate oxidation increased for than 3x during the last 15s of the first bout.
  5. During the 1st trial, concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, and H+ increased progressively during the first 15s, and then leveled off across the final 15s. Levels of these metabolic byproducts remained high during the 3rd bout, but DID NOT increase further.
  6. However, the concentration of ATP was UNCHANGED during exercise AND between bouts.

This is just a snapshot of a myriad of results from the authors’ analyses, but taken together this study demonstrates:

  1. After 15s of a single 30s bout, oxidative phosphorylation becomes the primary contributor of ATP replenishment.
  2. Oxidative energy systems provide an increasing proportion of total ATP replenishment with repeated high intensity efforts.

In other words:

  1. The oxidative system provides a significant amount of energy almost immediately, even during high intensity efforts.
  2. Oxidative systems become increasingly important with repeated efforts (think multiple shifts).

Again, there is much more discussion to be had on the methods and results of this study, but it provides reasonable evidence for the importance of developing aerobic systems even in sports that are seemingly anaerobic dominant, such as ice hockey. As I’ve alluded to in the past, there are appropriate times of year and methods to develop this system, but the idea that hockey players ONLY need to do high intensity intervals from 30-45s is just as misguided as the idea that they only need to go for long jogs or bike rides to develop their conditioning.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

P.S. Special thanks to Joel Jamieson for directing me to this study.

P.S.2. If you want a structured off-ice hockey conditioning system, check this out: Ultimate Hockey Training!

Reference:
Parolin, M., Cheseley, A., Matsos, M., et al. (1999). Regulation of skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase and PDH during maximal intermittent exercise. American Journal of Physiology, 277: E890-900

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Energy Systems Training for Hockey

I mentioned yesterday that I’ve spent a substantial amount of time reading through research pertaining to energy system development, GPS tracking, and heart rate variability. In reality, these topics are more interrelated than separate, as they all pertain to what energy systems athletes are relying on, and how much recovery time may be warranted following any give stress load (or work bout).

As you likely know, I’ve been a huge supporter of interval training for hockey players. In general, mantras such as “train fast to be fast” are applicable to hockey. This message is especially important for the players that ONLY condition by going on long jogs or bike rides. However, I think what might get lost in the “pro interval training” message is the need to use this strategy to train different energy systems, or phrased another way, different fuel replenishment systems. In other words, not EVERY interval of EVERY training session is going to be 20-30s of all out effort. Some will be shorter; some will be longer; some will be all out; some will be lower intensity. The desire to over simplify often leads us astray.

Over the last week I’ve been going back through a few hockey training and periodization resources that I haven’t read in several years. It’s interesting to re-read these things. Naturally, as one’s knowledge evolves, so to will their interpretation of any information.

Relevant to energy systems training for hockey, it’s important to recognize that, although hockey is a highly interval-based sport, the contributions of the aerobic system are still quite significant. In fact, in “Periodization Training for Sports” by Tudor Bompa and Michael Carrera, they point out that:

“Acceleration and quick changes of direction are important elements of ice hockey. Training should focus on refining skills and developing power and aerobic and anaerobic endurance.”

They also estimate that energy supply for hockey performance is:

  1. 10% Alactic
  2. 40% Lactic
  3. 50% Aerobic

Periodization Training for Sports

And, as I’ll mention shortly, while I think it’s important to recognize how the game has evolved over the last decade, I still think this information holds a lot of merit. The “aerobic base” that is often cited in periodization literature doesn’t mean that hockey players need to train like marathon runners, but building a strong aerobic system STRATEGICALLY during portions of the early off-season will improve the player’s ability to recover quickly from high intensity bouts AND improve their overall stress capacity.

In order to truly understand the energy contributions of the game, it’s helpful to have an illustration of the intensity and duration dynamics of a typical period and a typical game. One study (from Green et al., 1976) provides information on shift durations and distances covered during a college hockey game and differences in these measures between positions. They found:

  1. Total playing time averaged ~24.5 minutes
  2. ~5,553 meters were covered in the span of the game
  3. An average shift consisted of 39.7 seconds of uninterrupted playing, followed by 27.1 seconds of stoppage, repeated 2.3 times.
  4. Across the three periods, playing time (+17.4%), playing time per shift (+18.7%), playing time between stoppages (+13.3%), and the time taken to resume play after a stoppage (+22.0%) all increased.
  5. The average velocity remained constant over the first two periods and then dropped 5.2% in the 3rd period
  6. The average heart rate was found to be 87-92% of the max value achieved during a VO2 test
  7. Compared to forwards defensemen had more shifts (+26.1%), shorter recovery periods (-37.1%), and played longer (+21.2%).
  8. However, the average defensemen shift was shorter (-7.4%), had less continuous playing time (-10.1%), and took longer to resume play following a stoppage (+12.9%) compared to forwards.
  9. Lastly, on average, defensemens’ heart rates were 10-15 beats/min lower than forwards
  10. Interestingly, the authors also noted that blood lactate increased 457.1% after the first period, but gradually declined over the next two periods!
  11. Goalies showed relatively insignificant changes in blood lactate

Given that this research is now 35 years old, the results should be interpreted with a degree of caution and awareness of the changes in today’s game. That said, research like this is incredibly valuable in understanding the true demands placed on players throughout practices and games. Information in distance traveled and time at specific velocities can be achieved in outdoor sports using GPS systems. Unfortunately, GPS systems aren’t of much use to ice hockey, and other indoor sport. Although, a company called Catapult Sports is pioneering the integration of indoor monitoring systems, and will likely lead the way in providing a technology that governs the future of load and sport-related stress management in hockey. This information is doubly valuable with the addition of monitoring heart rate variability, as this provides information on both the training load AND the individual’s physiological response. If you’re not familiar with heart rate variability, I highly recommend you read David Lasnier’s post Managing Fatigue and Recovery and Joel Jamieson’s free report The End of Group Training.

Joel referenced an interesting study in his energy systems presentation that I had an opportunity to read on my flight back from Lincoln regarding how energy system contribution changes with repeat high intensity interval performance, which I’ll discuss more about next week. The big take home from this discussion is that ALL energy systems contribute to hockey performance and all need to be trained. The balance, progression and periodization of each system is where the magic lies.

To your success,

Kevin Neeld

P.S. Don’t forget, less than 48 hours left to take advantage of the $1 trial and $100 discount on what I consider the best fitness business product out there! Click here for more information: Fitness Business Blueprint!

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Ultimate Hockey Training is Live!

It’s finally here. I won’t drag this out with a long-winded introduction. Ultimate Hockey Training is now LIVE!

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In the last week I’ve released two videos on Transitional Speed Training for Hockey and Hockey Conditioning. In these, I’ve exposed many of the myths of hockey-specific training for speed and conditioning, and outlined a couple HIGHLY effective training techniques that are guaranteed to help you improve your game on the ice. Today, the third and final segment is available. This final video identifies all of the ESSENTIAL components of a comprehensive hockey training program. In this video, you’ll discover:

  1. How training certain qualities can lead to significant improvements in seemingly unrelated qualities (strength training improves conditioning?)
  2. 12 must-have components of a COMPREHENSIVE hockey training program
  3. The TRUE goal of off-ice training
  4. 6 variables that need to be manipulated throughout the year to optimize training progress
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To your success,

Kevin Neeld

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