Training With Velocity

In the game of hockey, power is king. Acceleration, change of direction, and quickness are valuable assets. Finding better and more efficient ways to train for these qualities is part of what I love about being a Performance Coach. Velocity is a key component in improving power, and being able to monitor and train velocity rather than just pure strength is extremely valuable. In my opinion, training with velocity improves my ability as a coach to help each athlete achieve their potential.  

The difference between strength and power is an important distinction. Power is all about how rapidly force can be applied, while strength has to do with how much force can be applied, irrespective of how long it takes to do it. While strength is certainly an important quality, training strictly for maximum strength will not completely carry over to improved performance on the ice.  However, power is a function of strength, therefore improving strength levels will allow an athlete to improve power levels. Another way to look at it is that power is the functional application of strength. So both qualities are crucial. Understanding that different velocities or "bar speeds" will correlate to different adaptations in strength and/or power allows for more precision in the training process.

Bar speed is a concept I have coached for some time. If you are unfamiliar with the term, it basically refers to how fast an athlete moves the bar during an exercise. Certain lifts are more suited to focusing on bar speed than others, but in general it is another way to look at how an athlete is performing an exercise. Until recently, addressing bar speed has simply been a matter of whether or not a lift "looked" fast enough. Lately, I have had the added bonus of using some technology to assist me and my athletes with velocity. This tool gives immediate feedback on bar speed and allows me as a coach to tailor training programs more effectively to each individual athlete. The basic premise of training with velocity is rooted in an understanding of the difference between "speed-strength" and "strength-speed".

"Speed-strength" and "strength-speed" are two points on the same continuum. Quite simply, the first is more focused on moving light loads fast, while the second is more focused on moving heavier loads slower (but still as fast as possible). An example would be the difference between a hang snatch and a hang clean. The snatch is lighter and therefore faster than the clean, but both are moved as rapidly as possible. Both "speed-strength" and "strength-speed" are important components of performance training and power development, and both have always been targeted within my program as a byproduct of exercise selection.

It should be noted that with lower training age athletes, focusing on velocity is much less important, if at all. Much can be gained from simple linear periodization and just "getting stronger". Keeping things simple can and does work for quite some time, and the reality is that the Strength and Conditioning Coach at the collegiate level may have kids who never get to the point of needing the advanced programming that accompanies velocity training. If they do, it most likely won't be until the third or even fourth year of training in that program. Especially when it comes to the Olympic lifts, technique is such a huge factor that it takes years of practice to reach "technical proficiency".

For higher training age athletes, more advanced programming and the feedback of velocity and power data can be very beneficial. There comes a point where an athlete is "strong enough", and an emphasis on pure strength development becomes more risk than reward. At this point, functional carry over to hockey begins to decrease and looking at variables other than just pure strength become more important.

When this is the case, using a system which gives immediate feedback to the athlete during certain exercises has the benefit of motivation, more detailed and appropriate work outputs, and improved "fine tuning" from a programming perspective. Let's look at each of these topics in more detail.

For us, we are using the EliteForm Power Tracker, which is a 3D video based system that has real time visual feedback on a tablet that is attached right onto our rack. As the athlete performs an exercise, the tablet shows actual velocity (in meters/second), as well as % of best rep. For example, if an athlete is performing the Hang Snatch for a set of 4, he will first input the exercise and load on the touch screen tablet, and then begin performing the exercise. As each rep is performed, the screen shows an immediate display of actual velocity (can also be set up to show power as a function of watts), and the % of the best rep performed. As he speeds up or slows down, the screen will show those numbers in real time.

This has helped build a great sense of competition between athletes as well as within themselves, as they try to "best" each other and their own past performances. The feedback has also helped to educate the athlete on bar speed and its importance, as they can actually see what they are doing as opposed to just being told by the coach that they need to move the bar faster. In addition, having immediate feedback on bar speed, and in the case of the EliteForm system, video playback, has great benefit when it comes to technical teaching. Now the athlete has data and visual feedback showing the correlation between correct technique and improved velocity output. With athlete's who have adequate training ages to utilize velocity training, small improvements in the nuances of the Olympic lifts can help these athletes continue to make gains.

The ability to train with velocity has helped us to be more detailed in our training. We are able to adjust loads "on the fly" to make sure we are training for the adaptation we are trying to achieve. If for instance, an athlete is unable to hit a certain velocity during a lift, we now have objective data telling us to take load off the bar so that we can get back into the "sweet spot". In addition, this feedback can give us another indicator of recovery and stress levels, as a decrease in velocity over time is an indication of possible over training. If we see trends occurring during our training sessions with regard to anticipated bar speed, we can adjust our overall program to improve recovery and regeneration.

From a programming standpoint, having data on velocity has allowed me as a coach to tailor and fine tune our programs to make sure we are getting the most out of our time in the weight room. I want to make sure that the adaptation we are trying to achieve with a certain exercise is actually happening. Being able to see what the real bar speed is while our players perform Olympic lifts allows me to adjust individual programs to account for specific needs. For instance, I might have two players performing the Hang Clean at 72% of their 1RM. This equates to 225lbs for both athletes. Athlete "A" is able to achieve a Peak Velocity of 2.10 m/s, while athlete "B" is only able to hit 1.75 m/s. Both athletes have the exact same the same weight on the bar, but clearly athlete "B" is not able to move the bar with the appropriate speed. Since the goal of this exercise is power output and velocity, and not maximum load, it becomes clear that athlete "B" needs to take weight off the bar, and further programming will be tailored towards the "Speed-Strength" side of things to help improve this weakness.

Overall, whether you are able to quantify bar speed or not, thinking about velocity as a variable that needs to be trained and can be manipulated is important. Hockey is a game of power, and keeping that in mind when programming for our athletes is crucial to helping them reach their potential. Coaching bar speed and planning and periodizing for velocity can help bridge the gap from strength to power, and ultimately from the weight room to the ice.