APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY OF ICE HOCKEY

Today's elite hockey players are physically bigger and have improved l evels of physiological fitness when compared with their predecessors. Correspondingly, previous ice hockey studies that have become widely r eferenced may have little relevance to current players and the way the game is presently played. A great need exists to apply exercise scien ce to the game of ice hockey. Although much has been written about the physiology of ice hockey, there is little information based on well c ontrolled studies. Particularly, there is a paucity of knowledge conce rning optimal training schedules, training specificity, recovery profi les and seasonal detraining. Moreover, the reports that do exist have attempted to make comparisons across all levels of skill and talent. T hus, fundamental questions remain as to actual physiological exercise response and specialised training programmes for ice hockey players, p articularly at the elite level. There is a demand for new properly des igned experiments to find answers pertaining to the appropriate traini ng methods for today's ice hockey players. Future research directions should consider the relationships between performance and such variabl es as neuromuscular skills, strength, power, peripheral adaptations, t ravel, hydration, detraining and sport-specific training programmes. I ncidence and severity of injury among ice hockey players in relation t o fatigue and fitness must also be investigated. Much of the informati on currently used in ice hockey will remain speculative and anecdotal until these studies are conducted.