How To Accelerate Past The Competition
Hockey is a game where speed often wins the day. Whether it’s beating a defender to the puck, chasing down an opponent on a breakaway, or positioning yourself for a perfect shot, skating speed and acceleration are crucial to any player’s success on the ice. The difference between a great play and a missed opportunity can be measured in mere seconds, and in hockey, every moment counts.
For hockey players, improving skating speed and acceleration isn’t just about pushing yourself harder during drills—it’s about developing the strength, agility, and technique to move efficiently and explosively. In this article, we’ll break down how to enhance both your skating speed and acceleration to elevate your performance on the ice. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, these techniques will help you get faster and more powerful on your skates, giving you a competitive edge.
The Importance of Speed and Acceleration in Hockey
In hockey, speed isn’t just about being fast; it’s about being fast when it matters most. Skating speed allows you to move from point A to point B quickly, positioning yourself to make a play or react to the fast-paced nature of the game. The faster you skate, the more options you have during the game, and the more opportunities you create for yourself and your teammates.
Acceleration is equally critical. While skating speed is important for sustained movement, acceleration refers to the ability to reach your top speed in the shortest amount of time. This is especially important during breakaways, chasing the puck, or executing a quick change in direction to outmaneuver your opponents. In essence, acceleration is the starting point for all fast plays, and improving this component of your skating will allow you to capitalize on every second on the ice.
Skating Mechanics: The Foundation of Speed
Before diving into drills and exercises to improve your speed and acceleration, it’s crucial to understand the biomechanics of skating. Skating speed and acceleration are largely influenced by the efficiency of your stride. Every time you push off the ice, you’re generating force that propels you forward. The more efficiently you can generate this force, the faster you can move.
A key aspect of efficient skating is a powerful, well-executed stride. It’s not about how hard you push but how well you can channel that energy into forward motion. The longer your stride, the more distance you’ll cover with each push, which directly contributes to your skating speed. Proper technique involves staying low, keeping your knees bent, and generating power from your legs and core, not just your arms.
The position of your body plays a significant role in how effectively you can skate. A forward lean with a strong core helps you maintain balance and increase your forward momentum. Additionally, using your arms in coordination with your legs helps maintain balance and rhythm, giving your body the support it needs to skate more efficiently.
Training for Skating Speed and Acceleration
Skating speed and acceleration require more than just good form on the ice; they also demand strength, explosiveness, and endurance. Off-ice training plays a crucial role in building the muscles and energy systems required for faster skating. To achieve your full skating potential, your training regimen must incorporate exercises that develop strength, power, and stamina in key muscle groups, such as the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core.
When it comes to developing speed and acceleration, plyometric exercises are your best friend. Plyometrics, or explosive training, focuses on developing your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for quick, powerful movements. These exercises train your body to move explosively, allowing you to accelerate quickly when you’re on the ice.
Here are some key exercises to improve skating speed and acceleration:
- Jump squats: A fantastic exercise to develop lower body power. Jump squats train the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, all critical muscles for skating. These explosive movements simulate the forceful push-offs required for skating.
- Box jumps: Box jumps help build leg power and explosiveness, both essential for quick starts and explosive movements on the ice.
- Lunges: Lunges are great for improving single-leg strength and stability. This exercise targets the same muscle groups used in skating, and by performing them explosively, you can train your body for rapid acceleration.
- Lateral bounds: This exercise improves lateral movement, which is key for changing direction quickly on the ice. It also enhances your balance and coordination, both essential for efficient skating.
Additionally, sprinting drills are an excellent way to improve acceleration. Short-distance sprints, focusing on quick starts and maximum effort, simulate the initial push-offs that players need when they first start moving on the ice. Incorporating resisted sprints, such as those using a sled or resistance bands, helps build the power necessary to break out of tight spaces or gain a quick advantage in a race for the puck.
Staying Strong While Getting Bumped on the Ice
In addition to speed and acceleration, hockey players also need the strength and resilience to withstand physical contact on the ice. The sport is fast and intense, and you’ll often find yourself in tight battles for the puck or fighting for position along the boards. Being able to absorb contact without losing your balance or speed is crucial.
Staying strong when getting bumped on the ice requires a combination of lower body strength, core stability, and upper body endurance. The ability to stay strong during a hit allows you to maintain possession of the puck, protect your body from injury, and even drive through checks to maintain control.
To train for this physical resilience, incorporate exercises that focus on building strength in key areas such as the core, legs, and upper body. These areas will help you absorb impact and maintain your stability when being bumped or checked on the ice.
Here are a few drills that can help you improve your strength while getting bumped on the ice:
- Bodyweight squats: Strong legs are essential for keeping your balance when taking a hit. Squats will strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, giving you the foundation to stay low and powerful during a check.
- Planks: A solid core is vital for withstanding physical contact. Holding a plank position builds the strength and stability in your core that helps you absorb and recover from bumps and hits.
- Russian twists with a medicine ball: This exercise helps improve rotational strength, which is critical for maintaining control when you’re being bumped or pushed off the puck. The more stable your core, the better you’ll handle contact.
- Landmine presses: This exercise focuses on your upper body, especially your shoulders and chest, helping you stay strong when you’re fighting for position in tight spaces. Building upper body strength is essential for maintaining balance while being pushed or checked.
The key to these drills is practicing strength while maintaining control. The goal is to ensure that your muscles are ready to absorb impact without compromising your posture or stability.
Enhancing Endurance for Speed Maintenance
While developing explosive power is essential for improving acceleration, maintaining that speed throughout the game is equally important. Endurance training is vital for allowing you to sustain a high level of speed without tiring out quickly. In hockey, shifts are short, but you need to be able to perform at a high intensity throughout the entire game.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is one of the best ways to build endurance for hockey. HIIT replicates the bursts of effort followed by periods of rest that mimic the intensity of the game. By alternating between short bursts of intense activity and active recovery, hockey players can build both aerobic and anaerobic endurance.
When doing HIIT, focus on the following:
- Short sprints (20-30 seconds) followed by active rest (30 seconds to 1 minute) to simulate the demands of a hockey game. Gradually increase the intensity and the number of intervals to challenge your stamina further.
- Plyometric circuits that combine explosive jumps, bounds, and sprints, followed by short rest periods. This simulates the starts, stops, and direction changes common in hockey.
Improving your aerobic base with longer, steady-state cardio (such as cycling or running) can also be beneficial. While not as important as anaerobic training for speed, it helps to build a solid foundation of cardiovascular endurance that will support your overall performance on the ice.
Drills for Improving Skating Speed and Acceleration
On-ice drills are the best way to directly improve your skating speed and acceleration. These drills should focus on building your stride length, improving your push-off power, and increasing your ability to accelerate from a standstill. Below are a few essential drills to include in your training:
- Stride-Length Drills: Focus on long, powerful strides with maximum push-off. Glide as far as you can on each stride while maintaining proper form, keeping your body low and your knees bent. This helps you build the endurance and power necessary for longer, faster strides.
- Acceleration Sprints: Start at a standstill, then skate at maximum speed for 20-30 meters. Focus on getting to top speed as quickly as possible and maintaining that speed for the duration of the sprint.
- Cone Drills: Set up a series of cones in a zigzag pattern on the ice and weave through them as quickly as possible. This drill improves your ability to change direction quickly, a skill critical for avoiding defenders and positioning yourself in a play.
- Plyometric Skating: Perform explosive skating movements, such as quick starts and stops, with an emphasis on maximum push-offs and short bursts of acceleration.
Another great way to improve your acceleration on the ice is through resistance training. Have a partner or coach attach a resistance band to your waist while you skate, or use a sled for resisted skating drills. This added resistance mimics the force required for powerful strides and helps develop strength and power.
Recovery and Flexibility
Improving skating speed and acceleration isn’t just about training harder; it’s also about recovering properly. Recovery is essential for allowing your muscles to rebuild and grow stronger after each training session. Without proper recovery, you risk overtraining, injury, and burnout.
Incorporate rest days into your training program, allowing your body time to recover and repair. Additionally, stretching and foam rolling are essential for maintaining flexibility and reducing muscle tension. Skating places a lot of stress on your muscles and joints, particularly the hips, hamstrings, and lower back. Stretching and foam rolling after workouts help maintain mobility and prevent injuries.
Proper nutrition also supports recovery and muscle growth. Ensure you’re consuming enough protein to repair muscle tissue, as well as carbohydrates to replenish your energy stores after intense workouts. Hydration is equally important, as staying well-hydrated helps your muscles perform at their best.
The Mental Edge: Staying Focused and Determined
Finally, improving your skating speed and acceleration is just as much about mental preparation as it is about physical training. Hockey is a fast-paced sport, and your ability to stay focused during critical moments can make all the difference in your performance.
Visualization and mental rehearsal are powerful tools for improving performance. Before a game or practice, take a few minutes to visualize yourself performing the perfect skating stride or accelerating past an opponent. This mental practice can help boost confidence and improve technique when you’re on the ice.
Staying determined and pushing through obstacles is key to any athlete’s success. Hockey can be physically demanding, but with the right mindset, you can continue to improve your speed and acceleration, no matter the challenge.
Final Thoughts: Transform Your Game with Speed and Acceleration
Improving your skating speed and acceleration is one of the most powerful ways to elevate your hockey performance. By focusing on strength, explosiveness, endurance, and on-ice technique, you can develop the skills necessary to move faster, accelerate quicker, and outpace your opponents. Training for speed and acceleration takes hard work and dedication, but the results will speak for themselves when you’re making breakaways, beating defenders, and controlling the game. Stay consistent, stay focused, and keep pushing your limits—your best skating performance is just ahead!
