Longitudinal Physiological and Fitness Evaluations in Elite Ice Hockey: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT: Chiarlitti, NA, Crozier, M, Insogna, JA, Reid, RER, and Delisle-Houde, P. Longitudinal physiological and fitness evaluations in elite ice hockey: A systematic review. J Strength Cond Res 35(10): 2963-2979, 2021-Ice hockey has greatly evolved since the last review article was published more than 25 years ago. Although players still combine anaerobic and aerobic conditioning, the pace of the game has greatly increased. Players are faster, stronger, and more agile than their predecessors; however, an important emphasis is now placed on maximizing player performance for the play-offs. For the coaching staff, strength and conditioning coaches, and players, an emphasis on mitigating fitness and physiologic losses throughout the season would be beneficial, given the intimate relationship they share with on-ice performance. This systematic review of the literature outlines the current knowledge concerning longitudinal changes in relation to fitness, body composition, and physiologic parameters across an elite hockey season. The search of 4 large scientific databases (i.e., Embase, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) yielded 4,049 items, which, after removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulted in 23 published scientific articles to be included in this review. The wide span of literature (1956-2020) made inferences difficult giving the degree to which the game of ice hockey has changed; however, more recent research points to an aerobic deconditioning pattern and increased fatigue throughout the season in a specific group of elite hockey players (i.e., university athletes) while showing that ice hockey can lead to many possible histological adaptations. Ultimately, tracking, identifying, and developing methods to mitigate potential negative longitudinal changes will be imperative to influencing individual and team performance in the later parts of the season.

Seasonal Changes in Physiological Responses and Body Composition During a Competitive Season in Male and Female Elite Collegiate Ice Hockey Players.

Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, Insogna, JA, Chiarlitti, NA, and Andersen, RE. Seasonal changes in physiological responses and body composition during a competitive season in male and female elite collegiate ice hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 33(8): 2162-2169, 2019-Ice hockey continually overloads athletes with limited time for recovery, which may affect several physiological responses and alter body composition. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in physiological parameters and body composition profiles over the competitive season in elite collegiate ice hockey players. Forty-four players, 24 males (age = 22.7 ± 1.3 years, height = 1.82 ± 0.6 m, and body mass = 86.87 ± 6.44 kg) and 20 females (age = 19.9 ± 1.8 years, height = 1.66 ± 0.7 m, and body mass = 68.76 ± 5.91 kg) participated in 4-minute submaximal exercise tests and body composition assessments at pre-season, mid-season, and end-season. Changes in physiological parameters and body composition were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of covariance controlling for age. Males' postexercise blood lactate concentration decreased (p ≤ 0.05) from pre- to mid-season (9.3 vs. 6.2 mmol·L) and increased (p ≤ 0.05) from mid- to end-season (6.2 vs. 8.0 mmol·L). Heart rate increased (p ≤ 0.05) after the third and fourth minute of the submaximal test in both sexes from pre- to end-season and from mid- to end-season. Males' body fat percentage decreased (p ≤ 0.05) from mid-season (17.4 vs. 16.1%), whereas increases were observed (p ≤ 0.05) in both sexes from mid- to end-season. This study produced evidence that male and female collegiate hockey athletes' physiological responses and body composition profiles change over the season. Sport scientists working with collegiate hockey teams, may need to revise annual training programs to attenuate reductions in fitness and hopefully prevent injuries.

Predicting On-Ice Skating Using Laboratory- and Field-Based Assessments in College Ice Hockey Players.

PURPOSE: To determine the predictability of common laboratory/field and novel laboratory tests for skating characteristics in Canadian college ice hockey players. METHODS: A total of 18 male hockey players from the university's varsity hockey team age 20-25 y (height 180.7 [6.4] cm, weight 87.1 [6.7] kg, and body fat 16.2% [4.0%]) completed common laboratory-/field-based testing (ie, standing long jump, vertical jump, off-ice proagility, V˙O2max, Wingate), novel laboratory-based testing (ie, Biodex dynamometer, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan), and on-ice testing (ie, 30-m forward sprint, 30-m backward sprint, on-ice proagility). RESULTS: Pearson correlations and stepwise regression revealed relationships between on-ice forward sprint and 4 off-ice tests (Wingate relative peak power [r = -.62, P < .01], standing long jump [r = -.45, P < .05], off-ice proagility left [r = .51, P < .05], and vertical jump impulse [r = .60, P < .01]). On-ice proagility left was correlated with off-ice proagility left (r = .47, P < .05), Wingate relative peak power (r = -.55, P < .01), and vertical jump impulse (r = -.53, P < .05). The 30-m backward skating test and the on-ice proagility right were not correlated with any off-ice test. CONCLUSION: Commonly used laboratory/field tests are effective in predicting 2 important primary abilities in ice hockey.

Comparing DXA and Air Displacement Plethysmography to Assess Body Composition of Male Collegiate Hockey Players.

Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, Insogna, JA, Prokop, NW, Buchan, TA, Fontaine, SL, and Andersen, RE. Comparing DXA and air-displacement-plethysmography to assess body composition of male collegiate hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 474-478, 2019-Accurate assessment of body composition is an important consideration for athletes because it is a health/performance variable. However, little is known about the variability in values obtained across different assessment methods for specific athlete populations. The purpose of this study was to compare 2 common laboratory methods that assess body composition: air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD) and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Twenty-nine male collegiate hockey players, (Age = 24.07 ± 1.49, BMI = 26.5 ± 2.74) participated in this study. All participants underwent back-to-back BOD POD and DXA evaluations. Paired t-tests and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to compare differences in fat mass, fat percentage, and fat-free mass between methods. Average fat percentage reported by the DXA and BOD POD was 15.34 ± 3.53 and 11.66 ± 4.82 respectively, resulting in a bias score of 3.78 ± 2.33 kg (t(28) = 8.71, p ≤ 0.001). Average fat mass reported by the DXA and BOD POD was 13.42 ± 3.59 and 10.15 ± 4.54 kg respectively, resulting in a bias score of 3.27 ± 1.92 kg (t(28) = 9.18, p ≤ 0.001). Average fat-free mass reported by the DXA and BOD POD was 73.31 ± 5.30 and 76.25 ± 5.74 kg respectively, resulting in a bias score of -2.93 ± 2.06 kg (t(28) = -7.66, p ≤ 0.001). Our findings can help make more insightful comparisons between studies that use different body composition methodologies among athletic populations.

Relationship Between Physiologic Tests, Body Composition Changes, and On-Ice Playing Time in Canadian Collegiate Hockey Players.

Delisle-Houde, P, Chiarlitti, NA, Reid, RER, and Andersen, RE. Relationship between physiologic tests, body composition changes, and on-ice playing time in canadian collegiate hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1297-1302, 2018-Hockey player's body composition and physical fitness are suggested to influence coaching decisions regarding on-ice playing time. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between seasonal body composition changes, off-ice preseason testing, and on-ice metrics. Twenty-one Canadian collegiate hockey players (22.70 ± 1.30 years old, 181.0 ± 5.92 cm, 86.52 ± 6.41 kg) underwent off-ice physical testing at the beginning of their season and had one total body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan at the beginning and end of the season. The team's statistician tracked all on-ice metrics. Pearson correlations were used to explore relationships between off-ice tests (long jump, vertical jump, beep test, and Wingate test), change in body composition (body fat percentage, visceral adiposity, and total lean tissue mass), and on-ice performance (average time on ice, average shift length, power play time, penalty kill time, and shot differential). Long jump was correlated with shot differential (r = -0.532, p ≤ 0.05) and average shift length (r = -0.491, p ≤ 0.05) while fatigue index was correlated with average ice time (r = -0.476, p ≤ 0.05). Hockey performance is a complex interaction of player's body compositions and skeletal fitness that interact to affect on-ice playing metrics.

Importance of Body Composition in the National Hockey League Combine Physiological Assessments.

Chiarlitti, NA, Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, Kennedy, C, and Andersen, RE. Importance of body composition in the national hockey league combine physiological assessments. J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3135-3142, 2018-The National Hockey League (NHL) combine was designed to assess draft-eligible players based on body composition, speed, power, and strength. The importance of body composition in the battery of combine physical tests was investigated, and differences in results based on position were explored. Thirty-seven elite male Canadian university hockey players (age = 22.86 ± 1.55 years, mass = 87.21 ± 6.52 kg, and height = 181.69 ± 6.19 cm) participated in the study at the beginning of their hockey season. All participants underwent physical testing (as outlined in the 2016 NHL combine) and 1 total body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan to measure body composition. Partial correlations (controlling for body mass) were used to explore the relationship among body composition measures (body fat percentage, visceral fat, body mass index, lower lean tissue mass, upper lean tissue mass, upper fat mass, and lower fat mass) with NHL fitness tests (bench press, pull-ups, grip strength, long jump, proagility, vertical jump, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, and the Wingate Anaerobic Test). In 4 of the 6 strength/power tests (Wingate Anaerobic Test, long jump, bench press, and both grip strengths), lower and upper lean tissue mass explained significant amounts of variance. Although forwards and defensemen significantly differed in right grip strength and proagility left scores, they did not differ in regard to any body composition variables. Body composition has a significant influence on several combine-specific tests, which may help sport scientists and strength and conditioning coaches to better tailor training programs and to optimize performance in elite hockey players.

Longitudinal Changes in Body Composition Throughout Successive Seasonal Phases Among Canadian University Football Players.

Kim, J, Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, and Andersen, RE. Longitudinal changes in body composition throughout successive seasonal phases among Canadian university football players. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2284-2293, 2018-The purpose of this study was to assess changes in body composition during seasonal phases of the training year among Canadian Inter-University Sport (CIS) football players. Forty university football players were assessed for anthropometry, total body composition, regional body composition, and central adiposity over a 7-month period including the summer off-season and the in-season. Baseline testing occurred in April, before the summer off-season, and follow-ups were completed before training camp, at the beginning of August, and following the in-season, at the beginning of November. Linemen had the greatest tissue percent fat (25.98 ± 6.56%) at baseline, significantly (p < 0.01) greater than big skill (18.69 ± 3.97%) and followed by skill (14.35 ± 3.39%) who were significantly (p < 0.01) leaner than both other groups. Skill players significantly increased fat mass (0.98 ± 0.30 kg, p ≤ 0.05) and waist-to-hip ratio (0.02 ± 0.01, p ≤ 0.05) during the in-season, and linemen increased visceral fat mass from April to November (0.20 ± 0.06 kg, p ≤ 0.01). All players significantly (-1.26 ± 0.30 kg, p = 0.001) decreased lean mass during the in-season. All groups significantly increased bone mineral content during the summer off-season (p ≤ 0.05). There was also a significant time × summer training location interaction (p ≤ 0.05) for fat mass with athletes who remained on campus during summer months gaining the least amount of adiposity. Body composition and central adiposity seem to change differentially among positional groups across the annual training season.