Fitness testing should be an integral part of hockey programs at all levels of play.  In the pre-season, and periodically throughout the season, the players should be tested on physical attributes that are important for success in ice hockey.  Initial and periodic fitness testing provides the players and their coaches with an excellent indication of their current level of hockey fitness.

     There are many purposes and benefits of fitness testing.  First, initial testing in the pre-season informs the coaches and the players of their strengths and weaknesses.  If a player is weak in a certain area, his or her training program can be structured or adjusted to improve the identified weakness.  Second, initial testing can assist a coach in the team selection process.  A players performance level in pre-season testing can indicate both his amount of off-season preparation and dedication, and his potential for success, very important information for a coach.  Another benefit of initial testing in the pre-season, is that it provides the players with added incentive to train during the off-season, as they know that they will be tested.  Initial testing also provides a baseline value or starting point, to which coaches and players can refer to for information later on in the season.

     Periodic testing throughout the season also serves many purposes and benfits.  First, in-season testing allows for progress to be monitored and training adjustments to be made accordingly.  If a players scores are declining, or not continuing to gradually improve above the baseline scores attained in the pre-season, this is an indication that either the player is fatigued and perhaps may be over-training, or the player is not putting the effort he or she should be into their in-season training.  Second, periodic testing also provides the players with added incentive to continue to train throughout the season, knowing that they will be re-tested.  A third benefit, is that the athletes, if training, will get a boost of self-confidence at each testing session as they see their scores improve.  This increased confidence will provide the athlete with incentive to continue to train, and will carry over onto the ice as well.  For these numerous reasons, it is important that fitness testing be part of all hockey programs.

     Even more important then whether or not fitness testing is part of your program, is what tests you are actually using.  Due to the expense of ice and limited ice time, fitness testing may be best done off the ice.  It is imperative that the tests administered are specific to the demands of the sport.  In other words, the tests should measure athletic attributes that are important for success in ice hockey.  The players are going to train to perform well in the testing sessions.  If the tests do not measure attributes important for hockey then the players will not be deriving much benefit from the training, and the results will provide little infomation.

    While a 5 mile run, pullups, and the bench press may have been popular tests in the past, none of these tests measure attributes important for success in ice hockey.  The 5 mile run measures aerobic capacity.  Never in hockey will an athlete go straight ahead, at a low to moderate intensity for a long period of time.  In fact, the aerobic energy system is utilized less than 80% of the time in hockey.  The anaerobic energy system is the primary system used in hockey, and thus it should be tested.  To test the anaerobic system, all you need is two cones placed 20 yards apart.  Have the athletes run up and back six times (240 yard shuttle run) and time them.  After a two minute rest have the players repeat the drill.  The time from both trials, as well as the drop-off from the first to second trial should be noted.  This test will determine which players have the highest, and lowest, hockey- specific endurance.

      The bench press and pullups measure chest and upper back strength, respectively.  Unfortunately, neither attribute is important for success in ice hockey.  The incline bench press or military press, because they involve the shoulders and the triceps, would be upper body strength tests more specific to hockey, and a better indication of hockey success.

     All programs should include the standing broad jump in their testing protocal.  The standing broad jump measures lower body power (explosive strength), the single most important athletic attribute for ice hockey.  Coaches can get an excellent indication of who has the potential to be a successful player from this test.  The players with the most power have the potential to be the best players.  With good coaching and practice, the players that jump the farthest should shoot the hardest, skate the fastest, stop the fastest, change direction quickest, and hit the hardest.  Players wanting to jump farther will train using strength and plyometric training emphasizing the lower body musculature.  As a result of proper training, the athletes will subsequently jump farther, and more importantly their on-ice performance will improve.

     A fourth test important for hockey players is a lateral change of direction agility test.  This test can also be implemented simply and cheaply.  For this test, all you need is three cones in a straight line.  The distance apart is not critical, only that the distance is consistent from test to test.  I like to space the three cones ten yards apart.  The player starts at the center cone facing forward.  At the command of go, the athlete turns, crosses over and sprints ten yards to the cone at the right.  Upon touching that cone, the player changes direction and sprints 20 yards, past the center cone, all the way to the cone at the left.  After touching that cone, the athlete finishes by sprinting back past the center cone.  This test is very specific to the demands of a player on the ice.

     There are many benefits of initial and periodic testing.  The tests must be consistent, and most importantly, must be specific to the demands of ice hockey.
 

     Ed Kubachka is an exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS).  He currently teaches fitness classes at West Chester University, and runs a privately owned business, Optimum Performance Training.  He works with athletes and teams from the mite through professional level in the areas of performance enhancement and injury prevention.  He currently lectures for USA Hockey, and has produced two videos and a manual on conditioning for hockey.  You can visit his website at optimumpt.com, or e-mail him at info@optimumpt.com.