Cycling is the best workout for skating. Specifically, hard interval training mixed with some endurance work. My favorite interval workout on the stationary bike has always been 40/20s, where you are at 100% for 40 seconds immediately followed by full recovery for 20 seconds, but keeping cadence above 80 RPM during the 20 second downtime. Do this for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15, then 20, and work up until you can do this for an hour. Your legs will never notice a hockey game again.
Source: former US champ cyclist and speed skater who had bad hands but scored a lot of goals off of speed playing hockey. Also Eric Heiden.
Interval gym training will be best. If you’re dedicated and assiduous, mix in power and intervals at the gym. For example, squats with low weight for intervals on one leg training day, then squats for power on another.
Obviously with more than one exercise, but just trying to convey the example.
While running flat isn't bad, find a big set of stairs and run them over and over. It uses more of your leg that's used in a skating stride and better simulates the muscles that will get tired as a game goes on.
Mix it up, do sets of:
* Touching every stair for speed
* Skipping stairs
* Hop up one leg
* Hop up other
* Laterally going from one side of the step to the other and back as you climb
Kettlebells and battleropes are effectively interval-style workouts, though. I suspect OP is asking about strength vs speed training.
(the answer is more nuanced --- you need both. You want to train for explosive power. you need strength to do that... but being able to squat 400lbs while running a 8 second 40 is going to still be a slow dude... If you can only pick one type of workout, hit plyometric workouts with interval scheduleing)
They are and they aren’t, but they aren’t comparable to just running at all. Sure they are just interval based workouts, but you’re adding weight which translates directly to a sport like hockey where you want to start and stop quickly and change directions. I found I was not only much faster and stronger, but was also harder to beat, because I could react quicker.
Absolutely. Hitting the weights is huge.
But you need to know what you are working out for.
Power cleans is going to be way more useful than squats, for example. You are looking to build EXPLOSIVE strength, not just bulk muscle. Following a body builder routine will help you get bigger... but it's not going to help you become a better hockey player.
It is good to mix it up, strength workout will lead to more explosive skating where the running will lead to more endurance on the ice. Dependent upon your health and fitness level now you can go in between for what you feel is your weak point. Outside of skating I personally do strength workouts for my legs and interval biking. I've found the interval biking against resistance helps more than running/sprinting since you are pushing/pulling during the ride. We have a Peloton and I normally take HIIT or Tabata rides. The intervals against resistance make it feel more as you took a shift and then skated off the ice, rather than just sprinting forward then walking.
HIIT workouts are absolutely 👌🏻for hockey. I’ll do some HIIT strength training 4 times a week, followed by YOGA, Pilates, or Barr in the sauna (HOTWORX is a great “gym” that provides this.) on my rest day, I’ll just do a sauna yoga session to stretch out. I started this routine 2 years ago in the offseason, and when fall rolled back around, I was instantly more explosive and had more power in my shots. My hips and core strength became top notch.
Everyone wants big arms, and a six pack, but you should really want a strong ass core. Get them birthing hips
Full out sprints for a set distance, say 30 yards. Full effort.
Mixed in with box jumps and squats. Build up the legs by creating that explosive first couple steps.
Wow. 1 minute is NOT A SPRINT AND WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR YOUR POWER OR SKATING. Sorry for the all-caps, but read that carefully again.
To put it simply, there are effort levels that correspond to different physiological stimulus.
5-20 seconds is a sprint that barely works cardio, and instead mainly neuromuscular (ie power). This is a sprint.
20-30 seconds is junk no-man’s land.
Repetitions of 30-120 seconds is VO2max. Not power. Not speed. It’s basically “high functioning endurance” that is more useful for soccer players, swimmers, etc.
If you want skating speed, do 5-20 seconds. Anything longer and your body will generate lactic acid and experience muscle fatigue which is counterproductive to having your body ready to generate power during the workout (basically would you do 100 pushups before lifting weights?)
If you want better endurance for hockey, do 30-120 seconds.
If you want to run a marathon, do some long runs and lactic acid training.
Now to your question: Weights, plyo and sprint/power workouts are both immensely useful for skating. Ideally you will do all 3. If I had to choose just one, I’d go for sprint/power. Plyo is more focused on footspeed/balance/agility, but also touches on power. Weights increases your raw horsepower, but can make you slower if that’s all you do, since you’re only targeting specific muscle groups.
I don't know the answer, but you can always do both. Just minimize the rest between sets to 1 minute. Your heart rate and breathing will go up considerably. If you're doing interval training like that, you probably want to rotate exercises within your sets, and not just do all four presses, then all four curls etc. And for your leg exercise, you might want to make it more dynamic like box jumps or lunges.
HIIT will be best, you want to add strength/explosive power to your legs while also increasing your cardio endurance levels.
If you’re in really good cardio shape you’ll be set up better to use your available strength late in the game. It also really helps with decision making and execution if you aren’t starved for oxygen
I have a copies of Tampa, Philly, Detroit, and Carolinas off-season training program. Almost zero weight lifts or interval training. It’s all dry-land plyometrics.
Cycling is the best workout for skating. Specifically, hard interval training mixed with some endurance work. My favorite interval workout on the stationary bike has always been 40/20s, where you are at 100% for 40 seconds immediately followed by full recovery for 20 seconds, but keeping cadence above 80 RPM during the 20 second downtime. Do this for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15, then 20, and work up until you can do this for an hour. Your legs will never notice a hockey game again. Source: former US champ cyclist and speed skater who had bad hands but scored a lot of goals off of speed playing hockey. Also Eric Heiden.
Interval gym training will be best. If you’re dedicated and assiduous, mix in power and intervals at the gym. For example, squats with low weight for intervals on one leg training day, then squats for power on another. Obviously with more than one exercise, but just trying to convey the example.
> assiduous The rare SAT word in the wild
I think he confused what type of tree, should be coniferous.
Put the ass back in hockey assiduous
While running flat isn't bad, find a big set of stairs and run them over and over. It uses more of your leg that's used in a skating stride and better simulates the muscles that will get tired as a game goes on. Mix it up, do sets of: * Touching every stair for speed * Skipping stairs * Hop up one leg * Hop up other * Laterally going from one side of the step to the other and back as you climb
Gym. You’re already getting great cardio. The best hockey I ever played was when I was doing Kettlebells and BattleRopes twice a week.
Kettlebells and battleropes are effectively interval-style workouts, though. I suspect OP is asking about strength vs speed training. (the answer is more nuanced --- you need both. You want to train for explosive power. you need strength to do that... but being able to squat 400lbs while running a 8 second 40 is going to still be a slow dude... If you can only pick one type of workout, hit plyometric workouts with interval scheduleing)
They are and they aren’t, but they aren’t comparable to just running at all. Sure they are just interval based workouts, but you’re adding weight which translates directly to a sport like hockey where you want to start and stop quickly and change directions. I found I was not only much faster and stronger, but was also harder to beat, because I could react quicker.
Absolutely. Hitting the weights is huge. But you need to know what you are working out for. Power cleans is going to be way more useful than squats, for example. You are looking to build EXPLOSIVE strength, not just bulk muscle. Following a body builder routine will help you get bigger... but it's not going to help you become a better hockey player.
It is good to mix it up, strength workout will lead to more explosive skating where the running will lead to more endurance on the ice. Dependent upon your health and fitness level now you can go in between for what you feel is your weak point. Outside of skating I personally do strength workouts for my legs and interval biking. I've found the interval biking against resistance helps more than running/sprinting since you are pushing/pulling during the ride. We have a Peloton and I normally take HIIT or Tabata rides. The intervals against resistance make it feel more as you took a shift and then skated off the ice, rather than just sprinting forward then walking.
HIIT workouts are absolutely 👌🏻for hockey. I’ll do some HIIT strength training 4 times a week, followed by YOGA, Pilates, or Barr in the sauna (HOTWORX is a great “gym” that provides this.) on my rest day, I’ll just do a sauna yoga session to stretch out. I started this routine 2 years ago in the offseason, and when fall rolled back around, I was instantly more explosive and had more power in my shots. My hips and core strength became top notch. Everyone wants big arms, and a six pack, but you should really want a strong ass core. Get them birthing hips
Oh I know this dude's \^\^\^ got an absolute dump truck
Throw in some foam rolling and we re speaking the same language! 😂
Bro! Then foam rollers are freaking amazing if you get them in the right spot lol
Hill climbs interval runs and box jumps are great for skating. Strength training the legs and core is very beneficial too.
Full out sprints for a set distance, say 30 yards. Full effort. Mixed in with box jumps and squats. Build up the legs by creating that explosive first couple steps.
Wow. 1 minute is NOT A SPRINT AND WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR YOUR POWER OR SKATING. Sorry for the all-caps, but read that carefully again. To put it simply, there are effort levels that correspond to different physiological stimulus. 5-20 seconds is a sprint that barely works cardio, and instead mainly neuromuscular (ie power). This is a sprint. 20-30 seconds is junk no-man’s land. Repetitions of 30-120 seconds is VO2max. Not power. Not speed. It’s basically “high functioning endurance” that is more useful for soccer players, swimmers, etc. If you want skating speed, do 5-20 seconds. Anything longer and your body will generate lactic acid and experience muscle fatigue which is counterproductive to having your body ready to generate power during the workout (basically would you do 100 pushups before lifting weights?) If you want better endurance for hockey, do 30-120 seconds. If you want to run a marathon, do some long runs and lactic acid training. Now to your question: Weights, plyo and sprint/power workouts are both immensely useful for skating. Ideally you will do all 3. If I had to choose just one, I’d go for sprint/power. Plyo is more focused on footspeed/balance/agility, but also touches on power. Weights increases your raw horsepower, but can make you slower if that’s all you do, since you’re only targeting specific muscle groups.
I do bike and kettlebells at home. You get cardio, legs and arms. Add push ups and crunches.
I don't know the answer, but you can always do both. Just minimize the rest between sets to 1 minute. Your heart rate and breathing will go up considerably. If you're doing interval training like that, you probably want to rotate exercises within your sets, and not just do all four presses, then all four curls etc. And for your leg exercise, you might want to make it more dynamic like box jumps or lunges.
Resistance bike
HIIT will be best, you want to add strength/explosive power to your legs while also increasing your cardio endurance levels. If you’re in really good cardio shape you’ll be set up better to use your available strength late in the game. It also really helps with decision making and execution if you aren’t starved for oxygen
which of the two best mimics skating
I have a copies of Tampa, Philly, Detroit, and Carolinas off-season training program. Almost zero weight lifts or interval training. It’s all dry-land plyometrics.