| There are 10 minutes left in practice. You want to instill | | | | 45 seconds in length, and the player rests for 1 minute |
| a strong work ethic in your players and develop their | | | | and 30 seconds between shifts, the work-to-rest |
| conditioning levels. So you line the players up on boards | | | | interval is 1:2 - the rest period is twice as long as the |
| or across the blue-line and have them skate widths, | | | | work period. The interval-based conditioning relies on |
| lengths, circles or laps until they can barely move - for | | | | using the appropriate work-to-rest ratios at the |
| what is commonly known as "bag skating" in the | | | | appropriate times. To design a proper conditioning |
| hockey world. | | | | programs for hockey, coaches must use work-to-rest |
| The truth is that "bag skating" isn't going to cut it if you | | | | intervals that mimic the ratios commonly seen in the |
| want to ensure that your players are as energetic and | | | | game. |
| explosive in the 2nd overtime period as they were in | | | | The problem with traditional "bag skating" is that this |
| the 2nd period and they are ready to peak in time for | | | | type of conditioning workout rarely resembles the |
| the playoffs. It is important for players to learn to push | | | | work-to-rest ratios players encounter on the ice. Two |
| themselves when they are already fatigued, but there | | | | groups of players typically alternate 'working' and |
| needs to be a plan. Your on-ice conditioning sessions | | | | 'resting' until the coach stops the drill - which means |
| must be as well planned as your skill sessions if you | | | | that the work-to-rest interval is 1:1. These rest intervals |
| want your players to perform their best. | | | | are too short - especially when used at the beginning |
| The last 10 minutes of each practice session present a | | | | of the season. |
| perfect opportunity for coaches to focus on improving | | | | Most minor hockey teams have very little time on the |
| the conditioning levels of their players as long as they | | | | ice prior to playing their first games. As a result, |
| adhere to the most fundamental principle of | | | | coaches try to "whip" their players into shape by using |
| hockey-specific conditioning - interval training. | | | | high-intensity conditioning sessions. By doing too much |
| Interval Training: The Key To Developing | | | | too soon, players don't develop a solid base of |
| Game-Winning Conditioning | | | | conditioning and are at risk for injury. |
| Interval training is the key to developing game-winning | | | | You start your season-long conditioning program with |
| conditioning and understanding the concept of the | | | | the 'higher' ratios (such as 1:3) and work your way |
| work-to-rest ratio is critical to developing a proper | | | | back to the 'lower' ratios (1:1) as the season |
| program. | | | | progresses. This 'top-down' approach allows players to |
| The game of hockey is characterized by high-intensity | | | | develop their conditioning in a safe and effective way |
| efforts ("work") interspersed with periods of sitting or | | | | and helps the team to peak in time for crucial |
| standing on the bench ("rest"). For example, if a shift is | | | | late-season games. |