Hockey players need a high level of aerobic fitness if they are to perform for the full duration of the game. This specifically applies to midfielder where rest periods [other than stoppages] in a game are minimal. Like building a house where it has to be built on strong foundations so is the need for aerobic endurance. It is a major fitness emphasis in pre-season and early-season fitness regimes. Aerobic fitness activities include continuous running, interval training, fartlek training. The aim is to build on the intensity of aerobic endurance activities by applying progressive overload principles [i.e., applying more activity duration and / or less rests, and / or greater effort].
The question then for players or coaches wishing to monitor the progression of their aerobic endurance training programs is to how? The beep test or a 5 minute run at maximum speed before and after aerobic endurance programs will determine the level of your aerobic fitness but it is the heart rate (HR) measurement during exercise that has been used for the control of aerobic exercise intensity which ensures aerobic fitness improvement. Palpation [taking the pulse rate] is the most popular and accessible method for this purpose. HR obtained by palpation of the radial artery immediately after exercise can be used for the control of aerobic exercise intensity. HR is measured in beats per minute.
To measure your HR locate the radial artery pulse as per diagram and count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 to get your HR per minute. To establish your resting HR which is an indicator of aerobic fitness it is best to take your HR per minute test after a good night’s sleep. What average results can I expect? 70 beats per minute is the resting HR for a healthy adult. The range generally can be
Normal Heart Rate
- Average adult heart rate: 60-100
- Athlete’s heart rate: 40-60
- Children: 70-130
- Infants: 80-120
- Newborns: 70-190
Generally as a rule of thumb is the lower the resting HR the better your aerobic fitness is.
Understanding the above we turn our attention to training principles to improve aerobic endurance utilizing heart rate. It is generally accepted that, aerobic capacity is developed by exercising with your heart rate at about 70% of maximum [termed VO2 max]. To determine this calculate your HR max which is 220 beats – your age for a man and 226 – your age for a woman. For example if you are 21 years old then you VO2 max is 220-21= 199 beats per minute. Then multiply the result by 70% to determine your aerobic endurance work rate or training threshold which in this example is 140 beats per minute.
An alternative and equally effective method for establishing the training threshold is to have the subject exercise at a heart rate that is about 60% of the difference between resting and maximum. This rate is calculated as follows:
HR threshold = HR rest + 0.60 (HRmax – HRrest)
This calculation to determine the threshold training heart rate tends to give a higher value when compared to computing the heart rate simply as 70% of HRmax.
This clearly indicates that your training need not be too strenuous to obtain positive training adaption. An exercise heart rate of 70% maximum represents moderate exercise with little or no discomfort. This training level, frequently referred to as “the talk test “, is sufficiently intense to stimulate a training effect yet not so strenuous that it limits a person from talking during the workout. It is unnecessary to exercise above this heart rate to improve physiologic capacity.
With the improvement of aerobic fitness, there is a reduction in the exercise heart rate at a given oxygen uptake. It is normal for submaximal heart rate to be lowered 10 to 20 beats per minute as a result of aerobic training. The training intensity will need to be increased periodically for the desired heart rate to be achieved with physiologic improvement. For example a fitness training ‘beginner’ who starts with walking would have to walk briskly; this would gradually give way to periods of jogging in the workout; and eventually [without any chance of injury]; continuous running would be needed to achieve the same relative intensity or exercise at the desired heart rate. If the progression in exercise intensity is not matched to training improvements, the exercise program becomes a ‘maintenance’ program for aerobic fitness without further improvements. The beginner scenario was given as an example, however the principle applies to ALL hockey players no matter their level.
Is strenuous training more effective?
It is normally accepted, that the greater the relative training intensity above threshold, the greater the training improvement will be. This is however only true within certain limits. Although there may be a minimal “threshold” intensity below which a training effect does not occur [i.e., 50% of HR max], there may also be a “ceiling” above which no further gains are realized. The more fit men and women generally must achieve higher threshold levels to stimulate a training response. The ceiling for training intensity is unknown, although 85% VO2max (corresponding to 90% HR max) is considered an upper limit. The lower and upper ceilings define your training zone. At present, no definite research is available to either prove or disprove this notion of strenuous training is more effective. An important point for consideration by both yourself and coaches is that regardless of the exercise level selected, more is not necessarily better. Excessive exercise increases the chance for injury to bones, joints and muscles.
As a more accurate measure of HR is to purchase a HR monitor and plot your progress. Today’s HR monitors have a number of diverse functions and certainly are of benefit if you are serious about your fitness training. For information on how to use a HR monitor.
