DO HOCKEY PLAYERS NEED AEROBIC FITNESS? RELATION BETWEEN VO^sub 2^MAX AND FATIGUE DURING HIGH-INTENSITY INTERMITTENT ICE SKATING

Carey, D.G., M.M. Drake, G.J. Pliego, and R.L. Raymond. Do hockey players need aerobic fitness? Relation between VO^sub 2^max and fatigue during high-intensity intermittent ice skating. J. Strength Cond. Res. 21(3):963-966. 2007.-The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between aerobic capacity, as measured by the VO^sub 2^max test, and recovery from high-intensity intermittent exercise. Eleven female collegiate hockey players agreed to participate. Subjects skated 5 1-lap intervals around the hockey rink at maximal intensity with a 30-second recovery period between skates. The VO^sub 2^max test was performed on a motor-driven treadmill after a modified Bruce protocol. A fatigue index was calculated by measuring the total increase in skate time from trial 1 to trial 5. This fatigue index was then correlated to VO^sub 2^max. This correlation coefficient (-0.422) was not significant (p > 0.05) and indicated that only 17.8% of the variance in VO^sub 2^max could be explained by the fatigue index. It was concluded that ability to recover from high-intensity intermittent exercise is not related to aerobic capacity. Coaches and trainers probably do not need to include aerobic training in their practices, because the high-intensity interval training commonly seen in hockey training also improves aerobic capacity, as reflected in the high VO^sub 2^max values of these subjects. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]