Training Program Design and Performance in the Swedish Hockey League Differences in training periodization and programming between differently performing elite ice hockey teams Enea Moretti & Sebastian Byström Examensarbete för kandidatexamen i idrottsmedicin, 15hp Tränarprogrammet, 180hp Vt 2020 Abstract Introduction/Background Elite ice hockey is a highly physiological demanding team sport of intermittent character and high levels of performance are required over 6-8 months. There are benefits by designing a training program that includes the manipulation of training through its periodization and programming to achieve peak performance at set dates. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences in training program design between higher- and lower-performing teams in the Swedish Hockey League. Method Four differently performing teams were selected from a performance ranking system. The teams were divided into a higher-performing and lower-performing group. After receiving their verbal approval, an information document and a consent form were digitally sent to the teams’ representatives to obtain their written consent. Subsequently, the teams received a survey consisting of 177 questions that contained single, multiple, ranking and graded-choice questions about their training program design. Intra- and inter-group differences were analyzed with a descriptive statistical calculation of percentage. Results The intra-group analysis revealed a 77,9% difference in the lower-performing team group and 74,5% difference between teams in the higher-performing group. The inter-group difference was found to be 92,7%. The highest amount of inter-group difference (60,5%) was found in questions with no intra-group similarity, whereas 1,1% reveled intra-group different but intra-group similar results. Conclusion This study shows that there are significant differences in training program design between higher- and lower-performing teams as well as significant differences between teams in the lower-performing and higher-performing-group. Some discussed results seem to indicate that higher-performing teams tend to focus more on power, maximal strength and endurance training as well as on its individualization. However, due to the complexity of elite ice hockey, the intra- and inter-group heterogeneity and the shortcomings of the study design, these variables cannot be taken as team key performance indicators. Key words: Elite ice hockey, key performance indicators, systematic and methodological variables 1 Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................................................... 3 Physiological demands in elite ice hockey ....................................................................... 3 Training periodization and programming for athletic performance ........................... 4 Training periodization for athletic performance ........................................................ 4 Training programming for athletic performance ....................................................... 6 Method ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 8 Performance ranking system ...................................................................................... 8 Survey ..................................................................................................................... 9 Ethics ..................................................................................................................... 9 Statistics ..................................................................................................................... 9 Results ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 13 Methodologic reflection .................................................................................................. 16 Performance ranking system .................................................................................... 16 Choice of teams ....................................................................................................... 16 Survey design ........................................................................................................... 17 Ethical and social reflections ................................................................................... 17 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 18 References ............................................................................................................................... 19 Attachment 1 ........................................................................................................................... 26 Attachment 2 ........................................................................................................................... 28 Attachment 3 ........................................................................................................................... 42 0 Introduction Elite ice hockey is a highly physically demanding team sport which requires players to have high levels of strength, power, speed, anaerobic capacity and aerobic power in order to be able to repeat bouts of high intensity over a 60-minute-long game (Cox et al., 1995; Roczniok et al., 2016). During a regular season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), which lasts for roughly six months, athletes play an average of two games per week for a total of 52 games. For 10 of the 14 teams, the season is followed by a seven week-long playoff-series where the principle of exclusion is applied. Therefore, elite ice hockey players need to keep high levels of performance over a long period and their performance needs to peak at the end of the season, which is consistent with the demands of other team sports (Mujika, 2006). Interestingly though, research on the physiological changes during a season of elite ice hockey has found an opposite trend of physical deconditioning between the beginning and the end of the season in different groups of male elite ice hockey players (Buck, 2013; Cox et al., 1995; Delisle-Houde et al., 2019; Durocher et al., 2008; Green et al., 2010; Green et al., 2012; Laurent et al., 2014). The potential underlying causes behind these results are inadequate physiological stress imposed (too high or too low) (Delisle-Houde et al., 2019; Green et al., 2010), experienced accumulated fatigue (Laurent et al., 2014) and inhibitory influences associated with a prolonged period of intense exercise (Green et al., 2010; Green et al., 2012). Besides the practical applications suggested, strength and conditioning coaches should also take training periodization and programming into serious consideration when trying to create successful training programs (Bompa & Buzzichelli, 2015). Indeed, these are tools used to systematically structure training variables to peak performance (Fleck, 2008; Turner, 2011), minimize the risk of overtraining (Deweese et al., 2015; Plisk & Stone, 2003; Stone et al., 1999), reduce the risk of injury (Naclerio et al., 2013) and reduce the risk of interference effect (Wilson et al., 2012). Training periodization is the systematic division of training into timeframes (phases) aimed at the development of specific fitness characteristics in order to increase the potential to achieve peak performance at set dates (Fleck, 2008; Matveyev, 1981; Turner, 2011). Training programming is the manipulation of training variables, e.g. density, load, volume and intensity, at a macro- and micro-cyclical level to provide a training stimulus that elicits the desired adaptations (Bompa & Buzzichelli, 2015; Cunanan et al., 2018; Deweese et al., 2015). The order of execution of periodized phases has been shown to matter for physical and performance outcomes (Arroyo -Toledo, 2017; Arroyo -Toledo et al., 2013; D. J. Prestes et al., 2009; Rhea 1 et al., 2003). The management of training variables, if appropriately done, elicits optimal training stimuli while modulating fatigue and optimizing long-term adaptation (Bompa & Buzzichelli, 2015; Cunanan et al., 2018). Hence, both periodization and programming of training may have a direct and indirect impact on performance. Indeed, excessive accumulative fatigue inhibits the physiological adaptation to the training stimuli, produces non-beneficial physiological effects and increases the risk of injury, illness and overtraining (Bowen et al., 2017; Schwellnus et al., 2016; Soligard et al., 2016). Since, player injury rate negatively correlates with team performance in both elite soccer (Eirale et al., 2013; Hägglund et al., 2013) and elite ice hockey (Warnock, 2018), these mentioned factors could potentially prevent a SHL teams’ chance to success. Until today there is no consensus on one singular way to periodize training for the best training outcomes. However its periodization has been recommended for team sports athletes