Field Hockey Conditioning Program

By Carlos Rivas, M.S., C.S.C.S

Sports specific training programs are becoming very popular with more and more kids interested in increasing their performance on the field. Parents, coaches, athletic directors, and athletes are all trying to gain an edge by simply gaining more knowledge in the areas of (strength training, cardiovascular training, and plyometrics). Performance enhancement training centers have become a natural extension of the middle school and high school experience. In this article we will show you some exercises which will help improve speed, agility, quickness, and power for the field hockey athlete. Lisa Whitaker, a Certified Personal Trainer, shows us proper execution of the exercises shown below.

The Exercises

Zigzag course (not pictured): Measure out varying distances and widths on a flat field. Place cones to mark positions and run the athlete through the course 4-5 times. Recovery should be ratios of 1:1 or 1:0.5 to really induce positive changes in agility, quickness, and stamina.

Lunge-reaching w/dumbbells : Start with the feet straight, with good alignment; take a long step forward; drop the back knee to the floor, and keep most of the weight in the forward leg; lean over at the waist and allow the dumbbell to reach towards the floor; then extend (spring) back to starting position.

Squat Jumps : This movement simply involves a jump in place; start with your hands by your shoulders; squat down to approximately 90 degrees; initiate movement with an explosive vertical jump, and at the same time explosively push your arms overhead; land onto toes and then heals. Repeat for 5-10 times.

One Leg Squat : This movement requires balance and strength. Simply start with a one leg stance and then squat down to touch your toe with the opposite hand; then come all the way up and repeat for 10 repetitions.

The Bottom Line

The exercises discussed here are simply intended to supplement an overall conditioning program developed by the coach or strength and conditioning specialist. These exercises should help the athlete improve power, vertical jump, and explosiveness in the lower body. “It is always vital to gather information on the athlete's needs before attempting to personalize a program”, says Lisa Whitaker director of Athletic Power @ Baptist East Milestone Wellness Center. “How does this athlete compare to his team mates and opponents? Is the athlete excessively fatigued after games? How are the athlete's, eye-hand coordination, lateral movement, and explosiveness?” These are a few questions that need to be asked to properly design a program for the athlete.

Carlos Alberto Rivas, MS, CSCS is the Fitness/ Personal Training Director of the Baptist East/MilestoneWellness Center. Carlos has a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology

and has over 10,000 hours of Personal Training Experience. Carlos is also a member of the Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. Carlos can be reached by phone at 502-896-3900 ext.142.