ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of strength and conditioning strategies for ice hockey athletes. An in-depth needs analysis confirms the sport to be alactic-aerobic in nature, with demand varying due to player position. The biomechanical demands of skating are similar to running with some key variations. Injury analysis highlights key trends in the location and mechanism of injuries sustained during practice and in games. Yearly planning strategies, including appropriate fitness testing protocols, are also described. Appropriate warm up structure is discussed, followed by strength training strategies, including power pairings, sport specific exercises, and appropriate main and accessory lifts, designed to maximise explosive power, address asymmetries and reduce non-contact injuries. Conditioning strategies are divided into four categories, designed to develop aerobic capacity, aerobic power, lactate capacity, and lactate power. This will result in a well conditioned athlete capable of maintaining powerful efforts over the duration of a game. The requirements of the goaltending position are entirely different to the rest of the squad, and as such the chapter concludes with an overview of modifications to be considered for including these athletes into team work outs.
