Transitional Speed Training for Ice Hockey
The Secret To Successful Speed Training For Hockey Players
Nov 12, 2009
It’s almost unquestionably the most important physical attribute a hockey player can possess. Unfortunately, few hockey players and coaches understand what off-ice training techniques will translate into on-ice speed.
Developing a Speed Training Program
Hockey players and coaches should consider these things when developing a hockey speed training program:
1) You rarely reach TOP speed on the ice. Most shifts involve maximal effort, but submaximal speed bursts.
2) Most of the times you reach top speed, you aren’t starting from a standstill.
3) True ice hockey speed necessitates that you’re explosive in all directions and transitional patterns (think linear, lateral, diagonal, and pivoting patterns).
Your hockey speed training should reflect these concepts by:
1) Spending more time training to improve your acceleration rate than your top speed.
2) Including sprints from a “flying” start. This simply means you start moving with some sort of submaximal effort (e.g. jogging 20 yards) before breaking into a full speed sprint.
3) Forming the foundation of your speed training program with “Transitional Speed Training.” Transitional Speed Training includes transitions from forward, backward, and lateral (shuffle and crossover) movements into forward, sideways, diagonal and backward movement directions in sprinting, backpedaling and lateral movement patterns.
Examples of Transitional Speed Training
To help illustrate the concept of Transitional Speed Training, here are a few examples:
Two great Transitional Speed Training circuits are the 3-Way Shuffle-to-Sprint, and the 4-Way 5-Yard Movement Circuit.
The 3-Way Shuffle-to-Sprint involves:
1) Shuffling 5-yards laterally, then cutting off your outside leg and sprinting forward (a 90° turn) 10 yards.
2) Shuffling 5-yards laterally, then opening up and sprinting 10 yards in the same direction.
3) Shuffling 5-yards laterally, then pivoting to the outside and sprinting 10 yards in the backward direction (the direction opposite of where you were facing for the shuffle). Click here to watch a video of this exercise.
The 4-Way 5-Yard Movement Circuit involves:
1) Shuffling up 5-yards; shuffling back 5-yards, sprinting forward 5-yards
2) Shuffling up 5-yards, shuffling back 5-yards, back pedaling 5-yards
3) Shuffling up 5-yards, back pedaling 5-yards, sprinting forward 5-yards
4) Shuffling up 5-yards, sprinting forward 5-yards, back pedaling 5-yards Click here to watch a video of this exercise.
*All stops and starts are in the lateral direction
While using the concepts discussed in this article, you can design an endless number of transitional speed training drills. You can also include slight changes to the direction changes (add in 45° and/or 135° turns) and movement patterns (e.g. change from shuffles to crossover steps). Focus on making your transitions as explosive as possible. By utilizing transitional speed training drills and top speeds sprints from a flying start, you can stop doing pointless quick feet exercises and improve the translation of off-ice speed training to on-ice speed. Train the movement patterns you’ll see on the ice at a maximal intensity off the ice and you’ll get the best on-ice results.
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