March 9, 2024
Popov, V, Zankavets, U. Analysis of the Pre-Competition Training Program of the National Men’s Ice Hockey Team Belarus to the World Championship 2015 in the Czech Republic
The Scientific Journal "World of Sports" (Belarus) · March, 2016
Abstract
In the article the structure of the National Ice Hockey Team Belarus preparation for the IIHF World Championship 2015 is considered. The authors illustrate the coaching staff concept of off-ice and on-ice training. The article reflects the general characteristics of the training program in each of the microcycles. An analysis and estimation of the realized program from position of the theory of sports is presented.
Introduction
Improvement of a training system remains a constant task of elite sports. At the same time, the results of medical and physical testing, as well as training programs at different periods of preparation are often classified. Obviously, this leads to a situation when coaching findings and mistakes that have occurred in various clubs and national teams remain inaccessible to colleagues, which undoubtedly slows down personal development of hockey practitioners. In accordance with this, analysis of training programs of elite professional teams is an effective tool for improving both the theory and practice of hockey.
In this study, a pre-competition training program of the National men's ice hockey team Belarus for the IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic is considered. The head coach's responsibilities were delegated to Canadian coach Dave Lewis. The off-ice training program, which will be analyzed in this paper, was developed and implemented by a S&C coach Vladimir Bure. The team Belarus performance at the World Championship was successful: 14 points earned at the group stage allowed to achieve the 7th place (out of 16). The team finished the group stage on the 4th place by winning 4 games and losing 3 matches (two of them in the overtime). 20 goals were scored for and 19 - against. In the quarterfinals, the team Belarus lost 0:9 to the team Canada.
Results
The general parameters of the preparation process are presented in Table 1.
Total Duration | 37 days |
Total Training Sessions | 40 |
On-Ice Training Sessions | 26 |
Off-Ice Training Sessions | 14 |
Days Off (Including Travel Days) | 9 days |
28 training days is an unsufficient amount of time for a substancial improvement of the preparadness level of the players, who came to the National team from different clubs. In this situation training microcycles were built in a following manner (Table 2):
Microcycle | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Type | Shock | Development | Development | Development | Development | Peaking |
Duration (days) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
The hockey players faced a very high training load in the first 5 days (Table 3). Testing of the players who joined the team from different hockey clubs was abscent. This means that the assessment of various aspects of fitness and management of the training load was carried out by the coaches subjectively. Support provided by a sport scientist could be helpful to use the existing potential of the team and coaching staff more efficiently.
Microcycle | On-Ice Sessions | Off-Ice Sessions | Exhibition Games | Days Off (Including Travel Days) |
1 (5 days) | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
2 (6 days) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
3 (7 days) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
4 (7 days) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
5 (7 days) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
6 (5 days) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
After such stressfull first training week, all the following microcycles were focused on tactical preparation on-ice. Off-ice attention was placed on fatigue removal and energy restoration.
Shock Microcycle Description
Days 1 & 2; 4 & 5. Morning
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: development of anaerobic endurance
The whole practice consisted of skating intevals at different tempo without pucks (range of skating intervals: 15 - 150 sec).
1 hour brake
Off-Ice Session - 40 min
Focus: development of strength endurance and aerobic endurance
Both circuit trainings are reflected in Figure 1. All the exercises were performed for 60 seconds, followed by 30 second rest x 2 circuits. After the workout, static stretching was applied for 10 minutes.
Figure 1. Circuit training
Days 1 & 2; 4 & 5. Evening
On-Ice Session - 75-90 min
Focus: tactical preparation supplied mainly by aerobic energy system
Day 3. Morning
On-Ice Session - 75-90 min
Focus: tactical preparation supplied mainly by aerobic energy system
Off-Ice - Sauna, Swimming Pool, Massage
Comments. The evening workout had an aerobic orientation and contributed to the "deoxidation" of the body and stimulated recovery. An interesting fact: the morning on-ice sessions were conducted by the S&C coach V. Bure, and the evening ones - by the rest of the coaching staff. An indicator of proper management of training load is the absence of injuries among the hockey players.
Development Microcycles Discription
One of the features of these microcycles was presence of exhibition games every Thursday and Saturday:
- April 2 and 4, 2015 - team Latvia (home);
- April 9 and 11, 2015 - team Denmark (away);
- April 16 and 18, 2015 - team Slovakia (away);
- April 24 and 25, 2015 - team Norway (home).
Microcycle 2
March 31. Morning
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: anaerobic endurance development
1) Warm up 5 min;
2) Sprint 1 lap; 2 laps; 3 laps with 30 sec rest;
3) Shuttle run: goal line - near blue line - shot; goal line - red line - shot; goal line - far blue line - shot; goal line - far goal line - shot (work:rest 1:2);
4) Sprint 3 laps with 3 shots (work:rest 1:2);
5) Skating 1 lap with HR 140 bpm + rest 30 sec + sprint 1 lap max effort + rest 30 sec + sprint 1 lap max effort;
6) 2x0 two times on half ice + red line - blue line shuttle run x 6 repetitions;
7) Skating 1 lap with HR 140 bpm + rest 30 sec + sprint 2 laps max effort.
April 1. Morning
On-Ice Session - 50 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) High intensity stickhandling in neutral zone 15 sec + shot (work:rest 1:1) x 4 reps;
2) 5x0 x 4 reps;
3) 1x0;
4) 2x1;
5) 5x0 + 3x2 + 3x2 regroup in neutral zone + backcheck
6) 5x4 power play
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 3 circuits)
1) DB chest fly;
2) abdominal crunch;
3) "Bulgarian" split squat;
4) back extension.
April 2. Game
April 3. Morning
On-Ice Session - 30 min
Focus: tactical preparation + recovery
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 3 circuits)
1) abdominal crunch;
2) back extension;
3) DB "military" press;
4) abdominal "jacknife".
April 4. Game
April 5. Day Off
Microcycle 3
April 6
On-Ice Session - 55 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) high intensity stickhandling in neutral zone 25 sec + 3x0 (work:rest 1:1);
2) 2x0;
3) 5x0 offensive zone pressure;
4) 5x4 power play.
Off-Ice Session - 25 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 2 circuits)
1) DB chest fly;
2) isometric abdominal sit up;
3) bench side jump;
4) DB "military" press;
5) isometric abdominal crunch;
6) hurdle jump.
April 7
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 1x1 puck posession near the board 15 sec x 3 reps;
2) high intensity stickhandling in neutral zone 25 sec + 3x0 (work:rest 1:1);
3) 3x0 breakout + 3x0 neutral zone regroup;
4) 1x0;
5) 3x3 in one zone;
6) 5x5;
7) 5x4 power play;
8) shuttle run 5x20 meters
April 8
On-Ice Session - 45 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x0 breakout;
2) 2x0;
3) 2x1;
4) 3x2;
5) 5x5 in one zone;
6) 5x3 power play.
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 2 circuits)
1) isometric squat;
2) abdominal sit up;
3) back extension;
4) abdominal crunch.
April 9. Game
April 10. Morning
On-Ice Session - 30 min
Focus: tactical preparation + recovery
April 11. Game
April 12. Day Off
Microcycle 4
April 13
On-Ice Session - 75 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) zigzag skating with puck handling form blue line to blue line x 10 reps;
2) zigzag backward skating with puck handling form blue line to blue line x 5 reps;
3) 5x0 breakaway;
4) 1x0;
5) 3x2 with backcheck + 3x3 in one zone;
6) 5x2 with backcheck + 5x3 in one zone.
Off-Ice Session - 25 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 2 circuits)
1) DB chest fly;
2) isometric abdominal sit up;
3) bench side jump;
4) lunge;
5) hurdle jump;
6) sprint in place.
April 14
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 3 second sprint + stop + 1 second sprint;
2) 5x0 offensive zone + 5x0 neutral zone regroup + 5x0 offensive zone;
3) 1x0;
4) 5x2 breakout + 3x1;
5) 5x4 breakout;
6) 5x5 offensive zone;
7) sprint 2 laps, work:rest 1:3;
8) sprint 1 lap, work:rest 1:3;
9) sprint 1 lap.
Off-Ice Session - 25 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 2 circuits)
1) DB chest fly;
2) isometric abdominal sit up;
3) bench side jump;
4) DB "military" press;
5) isometric abdominal crunch;
6) hurdle jump.
April 15
On-Ice Session - 25 min
Focus: pre-game priming
1) 1x2 puck posession near the board 20 sec;
2) 1x0;
3) 3x3 in neutral zone.
Off-Ice Session - 5 min
Focus: strength endurance maintenance
Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 2 circuits)
1) back extension;
2) abdominal sit up.
April 16. Game
April 17. Morning
On-Ice Session - 30 min
Focus: tactical preparation + recovery
April 18. Game
April 19. Day Off
Microcycle 5
April 20
On-Ice Session - 75 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 3 second sprint + stop + 1 second sprint;
2) 5x0 breakout;
3) 1x0;
4) 1x0;
5) 5x0 breakout + 3x2 + 3x2 neutral zone regroup + 5x0 defensive zone coverage;
6) 5x4 power play;
7) sprint 3 laps, rest 40 sec.
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: endurance maintenance
A) bike cool down 10 minutes
B) Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 1 circuit)
1) DB "military" press;
2) abdominal sit up;
3) "Bulgarian" split squat;
4) back extension;
5) hurdle jump.
April 21
On-Ice Session - 75 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x0 control breakout;
2) 1x0;
3) 2x0;
4) 2x0 breakout;
5) 2x1;
6) 5x3 breakout + 3x1.
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: endurance maintenance
A) bike cool down 10 minutes
B) Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 1 circuit)
1) DB "military" press;
2) abdominal sit up;
3) "Bulgarian" split squat;
4) back extension;
5) hurdle jump.
April 22
On-Ice Session - 75 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x0 control breakout + 3x1 neutral zone regroup;
2) 1x0;
3) 2x0;
4) 2x1;
5) 2x2 offensive zone;
6) 5x5 offensive zone;
7) 5x4 power play;
8) 5x3 power play;
9) 25 meters sprint x 4 reps.
Off-Ice Session - 15 min
Focus: endurance maintenance
A) bike cool down 10 minutes
B) Circuit training (40 sec work, 20 sec rest x 1 circuit)
1) DB "military" press;
2) abdominal sit up;
3) "Bulgarian" split squat;
4) back extension;
5) hurdle jump.
April 23
On-Ice Session - 50 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x0 control breakout;
2) 1x0;
3) 5x2 breakout + 3x1;
4) 5x5;
5) 5x4 power play.
April 24. Game
April 25. Game
April 26. Day Off
Peaking Microcycle Description
April 27
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x5 offensive zone emphasis;
2) 5x5 defensive zone emphasis;
3) face-off in defensive zone;
4) face-off in neutral zone;
5) face-off in offensive zone;
6) 5x5 breakout.
Off-Ice Session - 10 min
Static stretching
April 28
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x5 breakout;
2) 5x4 power play;
3) 5x3 power play;
4) 5x5 neutral zone;
5) face-off in defensive zone;
6) face-off in neutral zone;
7) face-off in offensive zone;
8) 1x0;
9) 2x1;
10) 2x2.
Off-Ice Session - 10 min
Static stretching
April 29
Travel day
April 30
On-Ice Session - 30 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x5 breakout;
2) 5x4 power play;
3) 5x3 power play.
May 1
On-Ice Session - 60 min
Focus: tactical preparation
1) 5x5 defensive zone;
2) 5x4 power play;
3) 5x3 power play;
4) 1x0;
5) 3x1.
Comments. At the end of the training camp testing of the players wasn't carried out, even though it could objectively evaluate the effectiveness of the training program [3, 4, 5, 6 , 7].
Discussion
A typical strength training is presented in Figure 1. The main focus of the workouts was development of strength endurance and aerobic energy system. The exercise order is common for circuit training: upper body - lower body - core. A relatively light barbell was used in the exercises: 20-25 kg. Unilateral exercises were used to target lower body. This type of exercises makes it possible not only to develop strength endurance, but also work on balance, which has positive effect on coordination capabilities. In this case, not only large muscles are involved in the work, but also small ones responsible for maintaining balance. All exercises had to be completed in 1 minute with 30 seconds rest between stations. After 2.5 minutes of rest, the athletes began the second round of exercises, which gives an idea of the extremely high intensity of the chosen option for improving strength endurance.
It is interesting that both isometric and isotonic exercises were performed in one circuit training. There are two main features of isometric muscle contractions that significantly distinguish them from isotonic [9].Firstly, they are more fatiguing. During isotonic contractions CNS get tired two times slower as there are flexor and extensor muscles and corresponding nerve centers work alternately – the period of activity is replaced by a period of rest. Secondly, and even more importantly, there is mutual stimulation: the excitation of the nerve centers of the flexor muscles causes inhibition of the centers controlling the extensors, and this process accelerates the recovery processes.
The effects of isometric exercises on the body should also be considered [9]. Static tension of the muscle clamps vessels, blood flow is restricted, oxygen is not delivered. It leads to intensive production of lactic acid, which stimulates the production of growth hormone and the breakdown of fats. To deal with it heart rate rises. This contributes to the growth of the heart muscle, its strengthening and the development of its elasticity. In addition, there is much less muscle damage as its length is not changing, so recovery after such training load will take place with minimal pain. There is interesting scientific evidence that the use of isometric exercises not only increases the chemical and physiological functionality of the central nervous system, but also relieves mental neuroses and disorders caused by irritation, depression, etc. [9].
In order to develop speed-strength abilities of the players, the list of exercises also included plyometric exercises with stretch-shortening cycle [8].
At the same time, the authors of this article did not find exercises to prevent adductor muscle strains, one of the most prone to injury [8].
Conclusion
The hockey players coped with the assigned load. This is evidenced by the absence of injuries throughout the entire period of training and competition as well as by successful result at the World Championship. Nevertheless, a presence of testing could make the training program individualized and even more efficient.