## 4 Discussion  
The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between upper limb muscle power and shooting velocity in elite youth risk hockey players. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the differences in shooting velocity according to the techniques used. The main findings reveal significant associations between upper limb strength and shooting velocities in both static and dynamic drive shot techniques. Furthermore, the study observed significant differences in shooting velocities across various techniques, with the dynamic slap shot reaching higher velocities compared to other techniques. The results demonstrated significant positive correlations between 1 RM in the bench press exercise and both static and dynamic slap shot velocities (r = 0.62 and r = 0.86, respectively). Furthermore, a significant correlation (r = 0.63) between dynamic slap shot velocity and peak power in the bench press exercise was found. As one can expect, the ability to generate high power in the upper limb muscles is particularly relevant for executing dynamic shots with maximum velocity. These findings align with existing research in other team sports that emphasize the importance of upper body strength and power in executing high-velocity throws or shots. For instance, in handball, [PERSON] et al. [17] demonstrated significant correlations between throwing velocity and upper body strength and power, as measured by 1 RM bench press and peak bar velocity. Similar findings by [PERSON] et al. [18] and [PERSON] et al. [19] highlight that strength in upper body exercises, such as the bench press and clean and jerk, is a crucial determinant of throwing performance. These consistent results across different sports underline the importance of upper body muscle power in generating forceful and accurate shots, which is also reflected in our study's findings for rink hockey. Conversely, the results showed no significant relationship between any bench press variable and drive shooting velocities (either dynamic or static). These differences between drive and slap techniques could be explained by the specificity of the motor patterns of both types of shots and by the biomechanical similarities and similar muscle involvement between slap shot and bench press variables. The bench press exercise primarily involves the arm and shoulder muscles, which are crucial in generating power for shooting actions in rink hockey [15]. The dynamic slap shot involves rapid and forceful movements, requiring players to exert maximal power in a short period. Therefore, athletes with greater peak power are better equipped to execute powerful and fast dynamic slap shots, which can be advantageous during gameplay, especially in goal-scoring situations or set-piece actions (one of the most important offensive actions in rink hockey games) [33; 34; 35]. However, the drive shot involves a different movement pattern, for which the player uses a rotational motion and trunk rotation to generate power. Although the arm and shoulder muscles are still involved, the primary emphasis in the drive shot is on rotational power and coordination and there is a higher involvement of the stabilators and core muscles [15]. Therefore, the correlation between bench press values and drive shot performance is weaker, indicating that other factors, such as rotational strength and technical proficiency, might play a more significant role in the execution of this particular technique. This finding aligns with [PERSON] et al. [20], who observed that, while the medicine ball chest pass showed a strong correlation with throwing velocity (r = 0.67), traditional strength metrics (such as 1 RM in the bench press) did not fully account for throwing performance in cricket. Instead, they emphasized the importance of exercises that enhance rotational power and co-ordination. The fact that certain techniques have a stronger relationship with strength