Co-ordination – Co-ordination is very important in hockey. There are many things you need co-ordination for. I.e. to pass the ball with a degree of accuracy, to dribble and beat a player, for good ball control.
Reaction time – So you can stop the ball when it comes towards you at a high speed.
I will need to use certain exercises that will develop these components of fitness and relate to hockey, which will be included in my circuit.
Here are the exercises I will use.
30-second sprint – This is a speed exercise; I chose the 30-second sprint because you have to make a lot of quick sprints to get free and receive a pass. You also have to run with the ball to get into space and shoot, or in a defenders case running back to defend and help the goalkeeper. I will sprint from one end of the gym to the other for 30 seconds.
Bicep curls – I chose bicep curls to gain strength in the upper arm so you can push the ball with more power. More power means the ball will reach its target in less time. I will use small weights in each hand and while the left hand gets brought up to the left shoulder, the right hand goes straight by your side. Then repeated, but bringing left hand down by your side and your right hand up to your right shoulder. This is repeated for 30 seconds.
Step-ups – The step-up test is cardiovascular, so its exercises the whole body, and makes the heart pump blood round the body faster getting more oxygen to the major organs. This will also increase stamina. This will boost my performance in hockey and help me go for longer. I will use a bench for this exercise and step up onto the bench with the first foot then with the second, both feet should be on the bench at this point, then step down off the bench with one foot first followed by the other. This will be done for 30 seconds.
Tricep dips – I chose to include tricep dips as an exercise to gain strength in the upper arm (just like bicep curls). The reason in also the same, so I can push the ball with more power, so the ball gets to its target in less time. For the tricep dip exercise I will need a bench. I will sit in front of the bench facing away from it with my legs straight out in front of me. I will reach back behind me with my arms, and place the palms of my hands on the edge of the bench behind me. Then I will lift up my whole body and bend my arms as far as the can without touching the floor. I will again do this for 3 seconds.
Shooting – This is a co-ordination exercise. I chose a shooting exercise as I feel this is one of my weaker points in hockey and it is something I want to improve on. Shooting at a set target will increase the accuracy of my shooting skills, and also enhance the precision of my passes. I will need 2 cones, a hockey stick and a hockey ball. I will set out cones at a set width apart. And aim at the target from a set length away from where I am shooting at. I will then shoot at the target for 60 seconds and record how many shots go in-between the cones.
Push-ups – This is a strength exercise. I have included 3 strength exercises, as I believe your arms play a big part in hockey (Shooting and passing with more power). I will need a mat only for this exercise. I chose push-ups because at first I can do “female push-ups“. Where you have knees on floor/mat, hips and back straight, then lower the body to the floor. Bending the arms and keeping the hips and back straight. Then I will repeat for 30 seconds. If that gets too easy I could move on to a “proper push-up.” It’s the same as the “female push-ups” but instead of having my knees on the floor/mat, I would use just my forefoot and toes. Keeping my legs, hips and back straight.
Ball around cones – I chose this exercise so I could improve my ball control and dribbling skills. I will need a hockey ball, a hockey stick and 5 cones. I will set the cones out in a straight line, each cone the same distance apart from each other. I will dribble around the cones, there and back for 30 seconds.
Pass and run – I chose this because this tests your reaction time. You need good reactions to play hockey as when you receive or intercept a pass you need to stop the ball when it is travelling at high speed. I will need 3 cones, a hockey stick, a hockey ball and a person to help. I will set out the cones in a triangle shape. I will stand at one point of the triangle and ask someone of they will stand on another point of it. They will roll the ball to me at a reasonably fast speed; I will stop the ball and pass it back. I will then run to the other point of the triangle and wait for a pass there. Then I will stop the ball and pass it back. This continues for 30 seconds.
I may apply the principles of training (Specificity, Overload (FITT), Progression, Reversibility) if I feel I need to make an exercise more challenging.
I will do some pre-tests at the beginning of my training program, and at the end I will do them again. I am doing the tests twice because when I have both sets of results, I can compare them and see if I have improved after the program. I will take a notebook and throughout the program I will take notes and recordings of results and any other useful information that could help me with my program and write a short evaluation of each week. I will make sure all of the equipment I use will be set up and used properly so no injuries occur, and I will put all apparatus away safely too to avoid anything lying around when other people are trying to get on with their circuits. I will need to set up my equipment in a space away from other peoples equipment, to avoid anyone getting hurt. I.e. do not set up a sprinting area where people are doing dribbling, because you could collide with them. I believe I am fit/healthy enough to do the exercises free from injuries.
In hockey, aerobic and anaerobic training is used, as you have to run for long periods of time, whilst using quick sprints now and again using bursts of oxygen. This is why I will include stamina and speed in my practices.
