While hockey coaches can make the mistake in believing that the amount of time determines the quality of a hockey fitness program, studies have shown that short, fast bursts of running are more effective than hour-long cardio workouts. Sprint training is an excellent way to build muscle, burn fat and calories, raise your metabolic rate, build speed and more.
One of the best things about it is that you can do this training in only a few minutes a day, a couple of times a week, which will save you time over traditional forms of fitness activities. Evidence shows that short, high intensity sprint workouts improve aerobic capacity and endurance in about half the time of traditional endurance exercise.
For older hockey players (men and women) sprint training may not be on one’s training radar as opposed to going for a distance run but this thinking mindset needs to be reviewed. With the onset of age comes a steady decline in the production of natural growth hormone (HGH)and testosterone. Both testosterone and HGH have a lot of benefits in terms of hockey performance. Testosterone will help you to build muscle mass, decrease the rate of loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and improve the oxygen carrying capacity of your red blood cells, which in turn boosts aerobic performance. HGH acts similarly to testosterone, with some added effects of improving sleep quality, decreased recovery rates from intense exercise and improved energy levels. Sprint training can offset the natural decline in these hormones and therefore enhance performance overall.
Sprint training is best performed as high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. The HIIT sprint training sessions can be performed over 10- 20 minutes 2-3 times a week to yield good results. As little as 3 minutes of HIIT sprint training will yield positive results.
What can you expect as a result of undertaking a HIIT sprint training program.
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Increased endurance, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary outcomes
Contrary to those who think the only way of increasing endurance is distance running workouts studies show sprint training can improve endurance capacity, maximum oxygen uptake and lengthen the time it takes to fatigue. A 2011 study in overweight women showed increased heart stroke volume and lower training and resting heart rates as a result of a four week cycle sprint training. Another study showed that a 23 minute sprint workout that included five 1 minute intervals with 3 minute rests significantly improved lung capacity compared to an aerobic based program. Participants also lowered cholesterol levels.
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Build muscles and target fast twitch fibres
Two of the key hormonal responses within the body that drive performance are related to testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). Both testosterone and HGH have a lot of benefits in terms of athletic performance. Testosterone will help you to build muscle mass. Studies have also found that short bursts of intense exercise recruit more fast twitch muscle fibres, which in turn promotes a natural release of HGH. As a result of these physiological changes speed improves.
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Lose fat for a leaner more efficient performance
Scientists indicate that compared to steady state aerobic training which produces disappointing fat loss, sprints are a much more effective training regime. Sprinting enhances protein synthesis which leads to a leaner body. The results of one study showed that 60 maximum speed 8 second cycle sprints with a 12 second rest over a 12 week period led to a 2.5 kg fat loss and a 1 kg muscle gain in both men and women.
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Improved insulin sensitivity and energy use
Sprint training improves insulin health in the young, old, overweight, diabetic and those people with metabolic syndrome. This is partly because sprints decrease chronic inflammation and partly because the cells must adapt to produce more efficiently energy for use.
For further information on the reasons and benefits of HITT sprint training
For example sprint training ideas see below
Source: various
