Resumen de Relationship Between Physiological Profiles and One-Ice Perfeormance of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Hockey Team
Matthew Green, Christopher J. Womack, James M. Pivarnik, Daniel P. Carrier
Green, M.R., J.M. Pivarnik, D.P. Carrier, and C.J. Womack. Relationship between physiological profiles and on-ice performance of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I hockey team. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(1):43-46. 2006.- Ice hockey is a game that relies heavily on both aerobic and anaerobic energy production systems as players perform in various game situations. However, we found no studies evaluating the relationship between a player's physical condition and individual success in games throughout a competitive hockey season. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between a player's aerobic fitness ( O2max), blood lactate, and percent body fat to his total minutes played during a season (Tmin) and net scoring chances (SCn). Players' (N = 29) preseason O2max, lactate at the fourth stage of an incremental treadmill test (Lac 4), and percent body fat values from the 1999- 2001 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I hockey seasons were archived and retrieved for this study. The players' Tmin and SCn were used as the on-ice performance variables and were compared with their fitness measures. Lactate at 4th treadmill stage (r = 0.41, p < 0.03) and percent body fat (r = 0.39, p < 0.03) but not O2max (r = 0.20, p < 0.24) were significantly related to Tmin. Both Lac 4 and percent body fat were entered into a stepwise regression model that accounted for 25% of the variance in Tmin among players (p < 0.02). Both O2max (r = 0.41, p < 0.03) and Lac 4 (r = 0.33, p < 0.05) were significantly related to the players' SCn, but percent body fat was not (r = 0.10, p < 0.57). Only O2max significantly predicted the players' SCn, accounting for 17% of the variance. These findings suggest a relationship between a player's conditioning level and on-ice performance. Our results support the value of implementing seasonal physiological testing, which will help strength and conditioning coaches make individualized modifications to a player's fitness regimens in an effort to improve specific physiological attributes
