T it le : Da t e :

Individual Pre-Season Fitness Tests

Ve nue :

Playing Fie ld

Dura t io n:

3 Se ssio ns
P urpo s e :

No o f P la ye rs :

1+

Abilit y / Le ve l:

Int e rme diat e Advance d

Equipm e nt :

Balls, St o pwat ch, St icks and lo t s o f Wat e r

Fitness training at this po int in the seaso n used to co nsist o f running aro und a pitch co ntinuo usly until yo u co uldn't keep go ing. This has changed. Pre seaso n fitness wo rk sho uld be mo re specific to ho ckey - that is why we reco mmend using bo th SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) training as well as interval sessio ns. This helps replicate the type o f mo vements and fitness yo u will need fo r the seaso n. Belo w yo u will find a few examples o f interval sessio ns that yo u can do

Ti m e

Ta s k / Acti vi ty / S e s s i o n Co n te n t

The Technical St uf f : Why we need aerobic endurance f or hockey

Aero bic fitness is yo ur bo dy's ability to use o xygen fro m the atmo sphere via the lungs to abso rb into the blo o d. The o xygen is then pumped via the heart and circulato ry system to vario us muscles and undergo es the pro cess o f o xidizatio n (the break do wn fat and carbo hydrate to pro duce energy). Ho ckey is usually played fo r 70 minutes and during this time yo ur bo dy will co nstantly need o xygen fo r yo ur muscles to wo rk. A lack o f o xygen causes anaero bic respiratio n o f the muscle tissue. This is illustrated by wo rking the legs very hard, such as do wn making a series o f jab tackles, wo rking lo w with passing exercises, and dribbling. This pro duces lactic acid and causes the burning sensatio n in the muscles and the resulting heavy legged' feeling. A lo t o f the running in ho ckey is co nstant, with a series o f sho rt sprints fo llo wed by a reco ver jo g/walk. If played pro perly, yo u're pro bably jo gging mo st o f the time. This uses the aero bic system, so yo u need a go o d level o f aero bic fitness. Ho wever as ho ckey o ften invo lves perio ds o f hard muscle wo rk, yo u need aero bic endurance and anaero bic fitness as well. As yo u start to regularly engage in fitness a bit mo re as the seaso n starts, yo u sho uld find yo u can last a lo t lo nger. No w, here are a few examples o f pre-seaso n training pro grams that will suit tho se ranging fro m the to tally unfit to tho se who have kept up a bit o f fitness thro ugho ut the summer thro ugh to the Duracell bunnies o f the team.

Simple Training Programme - Session 1

4 -6 Mile Run A 4-6 mile run at a steady pace, but do n't fo rget to start o ff with a go o d warm up as this will make the run itself easier.

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Simple Training Programme - Session 2

Circuit Training Circuit training with a ho ckey co mpo nent - try inco rpo rating fitness with so me ho ckey skills. This sho uld be fun as well as increasing fitness. Fo r example, set up five statio ns as a circuit as fo llo ws (gro ups o f 4): Pushing in pairs o ver a sho rt distance (appro x 7m, depending o n ability levels). See ho w many yo u can do in specified time; Sprinting between 25 yard line and backline; Dragging thro ugh co nes to the left o r right o r Indian dribble; Hitting o ver a medium distance; Angle running with fo restick and reverse stick tackle simulatio n; Running between half way and base line, do ing skills fo r half and then passing to partner o n the baseline. Yo u want each statio n to be set up relatively far apart (appro x 30 m o r mo re) so that yo u can use this length as an extra fitness co mpo nent within yo ur circuit. Each statio n sho uld last fo r appro ximately 30 -6 0 seco nds, depending o n what yo u want to achieve with yo ur team. Yo u can co mplete the circuit o nce and have a rest after each co mpleted circuit o r yo u can use the circuits as sets and have a rest after 3 sets. If yo u're very sadistic yo u can have yo ur team running fo r the entire sessio n. It's go o d to have peo ple pair o ff so they have a small element o f co mpetitio n o r enco uragement.

Simple Training Programme - Session 3

Pre -Se aso n Running Set up as sho wn with fo ur co nes o r po les in a rectangular shape. Get players jo gging aro und the o utside o f the square o nce befo re making it a bit mo re difficult. On the seco nd run ro und, have the players run at 3/4 pace between co nes 1 and 2 befo re returning to a jo g fo r rest o f the rectangle. On the third run, have the players run at 3/4 pace between co nes 1 and 3. Keep building this up until the players are running at 3/4 pace aro und all 4 co nes, befo re reversing the o rder, i.e. 3/4 pace between co nes 1 and 4, then next run 3/4 o rder between co nes 1 and 3 all the way do wn until the players jo g aro und the rectangle.

Higher Int ensit y Fit ness Sessions - Session 1

Fo r tho se players that have do ne no co nditio ning o ver the o ff seaso n it will be hard wo rk to say the least. The mo st impo rtant aspect o f starting preseaso n fitness wo rk is to increase yo ur wo rk lo ad o ver the co urse o f six weeks. This sho uld prevent injuries o ccurring and yo u'll peak fo r the beginning o f the seaso n. Int e rval Training 1 10 seco nds Sprint 50 seco nds jo g reco very 20 seco nds Sprint 40 seco nds jo g reco very 30 seco nds Sprint 30 seco nds jo g reco very 40 seco nds Sprint 20 seco nds jo g reco very Re pe at 8 t im e s

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Higher Int ensit y Fit ness Sessions - Session 2

Int e rval Training 2 6 0 Seco nds Slo w Jo g 6 0 Seco nds Run 30 Seco nd Sprint Re pe at 10 t im e s

Higher Int ensit y Fit ness Sessions - Session 3

Int e rval Training 3 Full length pitch Sprint Full length pitch slo w jo g reco very Half pitch Sprint Half pitch slo w jo g reco very Re pe at 8 t im e s

Coaching T ips
All these sessio n can be adapted depending o n the starting fitness levels o f the players. Do n't fo rget to warm up and co o l do wn to o .

Test ing Fit ness

It is also impo rtant to test yo ur levels o f fitness, so yo u have a way o f seeing a pro gressio n o f ho w yo u are impro ving. Fo r to o lo ng teams have used the Bleep Test to test their players. Altho ugh this is an easy way to test a who le squad in a sho rt time perio d, as ho ckey is no t a co ntinuo us running game, the test is no t effective. Ho ckey is abo ut maximal effo rt fo llo wed by a reco very perio d and the ability to repeat the effo rt. The test that I use with the players I wo rk with replicates this.

Notes
Test sho uld be do ne after a full warm up and stretch, and requires a training partner and a sto p watch as well as a full ho ckey pitch. The test is do ne o n a co ntinuo us clo ck so it is never sto pped until the end. It is also impo rtant that co rners are no t cut so co nes sho uld be placed in each co rner o f the pitch and o n the side lines at the half way line. Mark a starting po int o n the base line near the sho rt co rner injectio n mark. Each o f the effo rts are maximal so sho uld be do ne as hard as the bo dy will let yo u and the reco very is walking o n the spo t o r in a small circle.

Coaching T ips
Testing is impo rtant but no where near as impo rtant as retesting. Perfo rming this "test" o nce pro vides data which is meaningless. It can o nly be quantified after a perio d o f training and then perfo rming the same test again to calculate impro vement (o r lack there o f).

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T he Te st 25 yard line and back 6 0 seco nds reco very Half way line and back 6 0 seco nds reco very 75 yard line and back 6 0 seco nds reco very Full Length pitch and back 6 0 seco nds reco very Half pitch lap and 6 0 seco nds reco very Full pitch lap and 6 0 seco nds reco very Half pitch lap and 6 0 seco nds reco very Full length pitch and back, then 6 0 seco nds reco very 75 yard line and back, then 6 0 seco nds reco very 50 yard line and back, then 6 0 seco nd reco very 25 yard line and back. St o p clo ck as t he y pass t he base line (10 m inut e s re co ve ry is subt ract e d f ro m t he t im e ) Re sult s Me n's T im e s Less than 11 min 25 seco nds - Exce lle nt 11 min 40 - Go o d 12 min - Ave rage 12 mins 15 - Po o r Wo m e n's T im e s Less than 11 mins 35 seco nds - Exce lle nt 12 mins - Go o d 12 mins 20 seco nds - Ave rage 12 mins 45 seco nds - Po o r

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