| Girls hockey players MUST get stronger, faster and | | | | lack of physiological readiness for this type of training |
| fitter this off-season if they want to take their game to | | | | and their lack of strength training experience overall. |
| the next level. | | | | Concern #3: Starting strength training at a young age |
| If girls address these 3 key components in their | | | | will lead to injury. |
| hockey workouts this summer, they will be a better | | | | Females are no more likely to be injured while |
| player once September rolls around. | | | | performing strength training than males. Young athletes |
| Hockey-specific strength training is the most | | | | tend to get injured when they receive poor instruction |
| fundamental component of off-season off-ice player | | | | on technique or are exposed to a level of training that |
| development and must be built BEFORE speed and | | | | is inappropriate to their age and ability. Proper |
| conditioning. Without a solid foundation of strength and | | | | instruction of correct techniques, coupled with a safe |
| stability in place, young female players will NOT be able | | | | and gradual progression of intensity, will actually help to |
| to use their speed and fitness to their greatest extent | | | | prevent injuries both on and off the ice. |
| and will NOT be able to perform at the highest level | | | | Concern #4: Males strength train. Females don't. |
| both on and off the ice. However, coaches and | | | | Perhaps more important than the structured |
| parents of young female players have some concerns | | | | physiological development of a young female hockey |
| about strength training. | | | | player is the proper psychological development. Young |
| Let's look at each of the 4 most common concerns in | | | | females are constantly bombarded with images and |
| more detail. | | | | messages about what constitutes the 'ideal' female |
| Concern #1: With no body checking in the female | | | | body shape. As a result, female athletes competing in |
| game, off-ice strength training isn't necessary. | | | | sports that require strength and power may be more |
| 'No body checking' doesn't equal 'no body contact'. | | | | susceptible to psychological issues related to body |
| Since female hockey players are not allowed to use | | | | image that are not typical with male athletes. Most |
| body checking as a means of separating the | | | | young male hockey players desperately want to get |
| opposition from the puck, they must rely on their speed | | | | bigger, faster and stronger. Young female hockey |
| and body positioning in order to do so. By participating | | | | players must be empowered: parents and coaches |
| in a properly designed strength training program, | | | | must let them know that it is to their benefit to be |
| female athletes will develop the total body strength | | | | strong, both as athletes and as people. |
| needed to win races for the puck and battles along | | | | Proper strength training does NOT require players to |
| the boards. | | | | push around weights and will NOT lead to them |
| Concern #2: If I start strength training, I am going to | | | | becoming "muscle bound". They DON'T need to join an |
| 'look like a man'. | | | | expensive gym and they DON'T need use any fancy |
| Fundamental physiological differences between | | | | equipment. |
| genders makes 'looking like a man' virtually impossible | | | | With body-weight strength training, girls' hockey players |
| for female athletes. Females have fewer muscle | | | | can build the strength and stability in all of the muscles |
| fibres and much less testosterone than males, which | | | | and joints that support and power hockey-specific |
| makes gaining large amounts of lean muscle | | | | movements. |
| extremely difficult. Furthermore, gaining a large amount | | | | Body-weight strength training is the most fundamental |
| of lean muscle mass requires very specific programs | | | | component to enhancing on-ice performance this |
| that are not effective in young athletes due to their | | | | off-season. |