Strength matters: correlation of maximum strength, jump, and sprint performance with on-ice sprint performance across age and skill levels in ice hockey

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Andreas Gerg
  • Carl Maximilian Wagner
  • Michael Keiner

Maximum strength has a significant impact on sprint or jump performance, which is a major physical key performance indicator in ice hockey. The study aimed to assess the correlation between off-ice maximum strength and vertical jump performance with on-ice linear sprint performance, while considering age and performance level. A total of 72 male national- and international-level (Tier 4) youth and adult professional ice hockey players were recruited for the study. The participants were divided into four age groups: under 13, 15, 17 years old, and professional players (i.e., >18 years). Jump performances (squat jump, countermovement jump, standing long jump), maximum strength (one-repetition maximum in squat), off-ice and on-ice linear sprints (20-m with split times at 10 m) were measured. Statistical analysis revealed that maximal strength has a moderate to strong correlation with on-ice linear sprint performance (r = −0.37 to −0.51), without any influence of age group or performance level. The study also found significant differences in maximal strength and jumping performance (d = 0.20–6.15), as well as both on- and off-ice linear sprints (d = 0.56–6.15), with older age categories outperforming younger ones across different age groups and performance levels. The effect sizes observed were notably high, suggesting a substantial impact that may be attributed to both selection and training processes. The study shows that maximum strength significantly affects on‑ice sprint performance in ice hockey players. To improve the transition from youth to elite level, it is recommended to train these variables, as almost all maximum strength and sprint as well as jump performances (on- and off-ice) show differences from youth teams to professionals.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSport Sciences for Health
Volume21
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)441-451
Number of pages11
ISSN1824-7490
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 03.2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag Italia S.r.l., part of Springer Nature 2024.

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Effects of Y Additions on the Microstructures and Mechanical Behaviours of as Cast Mg–xY–0.5Zr Alloys
  2. Simulation of the quench sensitivity of the aluminum alloy 6082
  3. Differences in adaptation to light and temperature extremes of Chlorella sorokiniana strains isolated from a wastewater lagoon
  4. Mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral strategies for psychological detachment
  5. On Real Investment by New Ventures
  6. Mitarbeiter als Erlebnisprovider
  7. Planting futures
  8. Decoding the Landscape of Smart City Platforms
  9. Recent developments in microalgal conversion of organic-enriched waste streams
  10. Towards measuring user engagement in internet interventions for common mental disorders
  11. Intrinsic, instrumental and relational values behind nature’s contributions to people preferences of nature visitors in Germany
  12. Monitoring gentechnisch veränderter Organismen
  13. Business model patterns of sustainability pioneers - Analyzing cases across the smartphone life cycle
  14. Determinants of farm size and stocking rate in Namibian commercial cattle farming
  15. Sustainable development, sustainable software, and sustainable software engineering
  16. Tipping points ahead? How laypeople respond to linear versus nonlinear climate change predictions
  17. What Is the Impact of Financial Penalties on the Performance and Stock Returns of Banks?
  18. Problems and coping, strategies and initiative in microbusiness owners in South Africa
  19. Shareholder Value und Value-based Management (VBM)
  20. Foundation of digital badges and micro-credentials
  21. Pragmatics as Social Inference About Intentional Action
  22. Reprint of
  23. Embracing conflicts for interpersonal competence development in project-based sustainability courses
  24. Ora et labora (et lege)
  25. Exports and profitability
  26. Why You Should Read My Book
  27. The display makes a difference
  28. Conceptual approaches in the prevention of child overweight in Germany—the research project ‘Systematization of Conceptual Approaches’ (SCAP)
  29. Characterization of selected microalgae and cyanobacteria as sources of compounds with antioxidant capacity
  30. Mehr Wirtschaftlichkeit durch Systemwechsel?
  31. Coricelli, Fabrizio, Massimo di Matteo and Frank Hahn (eds.) (1998). New Theories in Growth and Development. Houndmills/Basingstoke/Hampshire/ London: Macmillan Press Ltd. 304 pp. £ 50.00. ISBN 0-333-68229-7.
  32. Prepare to Compare
  33. Cognitive aspects of noise sensitivity
  34. Wenn Eichhörnchen schreiben…