Strength and Conditioning

Field Training for Field Hockey

It is highly important for technical coaches and physical preparation coaches to consider the positional profile (determined by a needs analysis) prior to planning a training regime in order to replicate what players will be exposed to in-game.

For Example– Midfielders shoulder be placed into drills that force them to cover more distance in HIR while strikers should be placed into more intense drills with shorter, sprint-like efforts (10)

Across the board, game demands show that for players to be successful, they should partake in drills that focus on RSA and HIR which are more appropriate compared to traditional long-distance running (6)

Agility training has also been shown through research to be an area of importance (6). Developing agility needs an external stimulus to react to which involves efficient decision-making processes. 

Below is a video of some examples. Although a soccer ball has been used in this video, the same theory and concept can be applied with a hockey stick and ball.

Change of direction is similar to agility, however, there is no decision-making process as the movements are pre-planned in nature. As long as drills replicate the movement patterns and timing of field hockey they are specific enough to create efficient movement patterns (6). Change of direction drills often include important training and practice of acceleration and deceleration (6).

Below is an example of field hockey specific change of direction drills.

Any forms of technical/skill acquisition training should replicate real-game situations and demands (6)

Example– 

• Shuttle sprinting over short distances, with and off the ball
• Sprinting over short distances with COD with and off the ball
• Small sided games (6)

Stop – Check Your Learning

1. What are some of the most important on-field physical requirements to play field hockey at the highest level?
   a. Repeat-sprint ability (RSA), endurance, high-intensity running (HIR), change of direction (COD)
   b. Repeat-Sprint Ability (RSA), Aerobic Capacity, High-Intensity Running (HIR), Agility, Change of Direction (COD) 
   c. Speed, Aerobic Capacity, Low-Intensity Running (LIR), Agility, Change of Direction (COD) 
   d. Repeat-Sprint Ability (RSA), Anaerobic Capacity, High-Intensity Running (HIR), Agility, Change of Direction (COD)
2. Agility training involves pre-planned movements.
   a. True
   b. False
3. When looking at running in field hockey, what do players spend most of their time doing?
   a. Low-moderate intensity running
   b. Repeated sprints
   c. High-intensity running
   d. Changing direction