Roller Hockey Fitness Training

Roller Hockey Description

Roller hockey is an active, non-stop team sport in which participants on roller skates use sticks to attempt to hit a puck into their opponents' goal. This activity relies heavily on leg strength and endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, skill and coordination. It is a complex activity to master because one must learn how to skate, handle the stick, pass, and shoot competently to be an effective roller hockey player. Roller hockey is a sport which should not be played without protective equipment. Always warm-up and stretch before playing roller hockey.

Roller Hockey Warnings

• Knees, ankles, hands and inner thigh/groin are the areas most likely to be injured. Previously injured knees or ankles are at high risk in roller hockey.

Roller Hockey Risks

• Ankle, wrist sprains
• Fractured hands or wrists
• Contusions, bruises or scrapes from falls or player-player contact
• Head injuries, especially if helmets are not used

Roller Hockey Sport-specific applications

• National and international competition (Olympic demonstration sport in 1992)
• Stick handling skills may enhance performance in ice hockey and field hockey
• Skating skills can be applied to speed skating, dance skating, or long-range endurance skating

Roller Hockey Equipment required

• Stick
• Ball
• Protective gear similar to field and ice hockey, includes knee and elbow pads, helmet, and shin guards
• Roller skates: should provide adequate ankle stability and support; different types of wheels are used for different types of terrain; in-line skates have recently become very popular

Roller Hockey Applicable substitutions

• Ice hockey
• Field hockey
• Roller skating
• Ice skating

Roller Hockey Reference sources, organizations and publications

• U.S. Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating (USAC/RC): 4730 South St., PO Box 6579, Lincoln, NE 68506, (402) 483­7551
• Rollerblade, Inc.: 5101 Shady Oak Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55343, (800) 232-7655
• International In-Line Skating Association (IISA): Lake Calhoun Executive Center, Suite 300, 3033 Excelsior Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 55416, (800) 367­4472

Mode

Cardiorespiratory: Aerobic/Interval

Fitness Benefits

• Cardiorespiratory 4
• Flexibility 2
• Muscular Strength 2
• Muscular Endurance 4
• Body Fat Recution 2

Fitness Requirements

• Cardiorespiratory 2
• Flexibility 0
• Muscular Strength 1
• Muscular Endurance 3
• Coordination/Skill 4

Muscle groups used

Primary muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hip adductors and hip abductors (gluteal muscles, tensor fasciae latae) Assistance muscles: abdominals and obliques, latissimus dorsi, chest, shoulders, forearms, trapezius, triceps and chest

Energy expenditure

Approximately 0.058 Calories per minute per pound of body weight