Strength training has been related to increases in athletic performance, including power, speed and jumping ability, and also to increases in muscle hypertrophy and other muscle characteristics (Folland and Williams, 2007). It is important for field hockey players to have well-developed lower body strength due to the amount of decelerations, accelerations, and repeated low positions that they find themselves in. Furthermore, strength training has been shown to increase agility, strength and...
10 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Imagine if you didnāt have to suffer from that niggly lower back pain caused by playing as much hockey as you do. The lower back is one of the most common injury sites in hockey (Barboza et al., 2018; Dick et al., 2007; Murtaugh, 2009). The low positions and repeated forward flexions performed in hockey mean that the lumbar spine experiences a great deal of stress. As you will find yourself in half-rotated positions on a regular basis and perform frequent lunges and tackles in low shapes, you...
10 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Acceleration is the ārate of change of velocity per unit of timeā. This is usually assessed with a test such as a 10m sprint and is measured in msā2. In simple terms, this is how quickly you can increase your velocity from either zero (standing still) to sprinting, or whilst still in motion (transitioning from a light jog to a max effort sprint, for example). Why is this important for me as a hockey player you may ask? I didnāt come here for a physics lesson! Well, put simply, the faster your...
10 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
The 16 pitch lengths assessment is a time trial test of 1600 yards or 1462 metres. It is a useful measure of aerobic capacity, which is vital for field hockey performance. In this article, Iāll be sharing a range of ways to improve your time in this test. Aerobic capacity can be measured by maximal aerobic speed (MAS), the lowest speed at which VO2 max occurs (Berthoin, 1992). It has been correlated with total distances achieved in rugby players (Swaby et al., 2016), and is a key physical...
10 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Repeat sprint ability is defined as a sequence of a minimum of 3 sprints with an average rest of <21 s between sprints. This occurs frequently in Field Hockey owing to the nature of the sport, with forwards typically required to perform a higher relative workload of sprint distance when compared with other positions. This quality is highly important in a game like Field Hockey where the ability to accelerate and decelerate repeatedly at high intensity is a key physical determinant. By gaining...
15 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Field hockey is a fast-paced, intense sport that demands top-level fitness and agility. Whether you're experienced or new to the game, understanding how to get fit for field hockey can improve your performance. Improving your fitness not only enhances your game. But also reduces the risk of injuries, ensuring you can play at your best throughout the season. Neglecting fitness training can lead to poor performance. As well as frequent injuries, and a lack of enjoyment in the game....
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Agility is a vital component of performance in field hockey. The ability to change direction, accelerate, and decelerate quickly is a component of performance on the pitch. In this blog, Iāll explore several key strategies to help you become a more agile field hockey player. Firstly, what is agility? Agility is a ārapid whole-body movement with a change of direction or velocity responding to an external stimulusā (Sheppard & Young 2006). The key thing to consider here is that it is in...
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Hockey has a wide range of physical requirements, but here are 9 key ones to include in your strength training programme. These strength and conditioning components are the central pillars around which you can build an effective strength training programme, as they help you physically prepare for hockey. Not only can strength training increase speed, agility and endurance (Sharma et al., 2018), but it can also reduce the risk of injury. This is because it helps to increase your physical...
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 7 min read
1. Training like a bodybuilder, not an athlete A lot of strength training information comes from the bodybuilding world, but that doesnāt mean itās applicable to the demands of hockey. Body part split training (e.g. chest, back, legs) has its place, but it simply doesnāt do the job when it comes to athletic training. Hockey players need to sprint, change direction and decelerate at high speed. And the body works as a kinetic chain, in synergy. Therefore we need to include plyometrics, high...
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read