To be successful at any level and to reduce the risk of injury, hockey players must find ways to prepare for participation on the ice. Track training is one avenue that holds tremendous potential for developing athleticism and hockey specific conditioning.
Players use a wide range of body movements and draw upon complex energy systems.
Players occasionally are also required to perform to near maximum efforts lasting up to 20 seconds, by which time lactic acid buildup can decrease their coordination and intensity. Randomly timed interruptions in game play occur each shift and last approximately 30 seconds as the teams realign for face-offs. The movement pattern most often used by players is slow to moderate skating that accelerates rapidly into a short sprint followed by a turn or stop. High-speed turns or stops create forces up to two times body weight which must be neutralized in the legs and hips. Each player recovers on the bench for approximately 3 minutes before attempting another similar shift.