Why Girls Hockey Players Need More Strength

Being strong is essential for all hockey players. But it is even more important for girls.

Many parents and coaches are concerned about getting their girls involved in any kind of strength training. Sure, you want to do everything you can to help your players get better, but you don't want to risk them getting injured in the process. The female game has become much faster and much more physical, and the speed and strength that girls will need to compete keeps increasing every year. The reality is that the injury rate in the girls' game is already alarmingly high and is only going to get higher if girls don't develop the strength needed to keep up with the physical demands of the sport.

There are four common myths about strength training for girls' hockey players. Let's set the record straight on each one of them and show you why girls need strength training as much, if not more, than the boys.

Myth #1: Without body checking, strength training isn't necessary.

Anyone who has ever watched a girls' hockey game knows that “no body checking” doesn't mean “no body contact”. Girls may not be allowed to line each other up across the blue-line, but they are going to get hit and they need to be able to protect themselves. And the easiest way to do this is by getting stronger. That increased strength will also help them to win races for the puck and battles in front of the net.

Myth #2: Strength training at a young age leads to injury.

Quite often, it's the safety concerns of parents and coaches that keep girls' hockey players from getting involved in a strength training program. Most strength training injuries happen when players try to lift too much weight or are exposed to a level of training that is inappropriate for their age and ability. Using a simple body-weight strength training program, that focuses on developing single-leg strength and core stability, will help to prevent injuries and not cause them.

Myth #3: Strength training makes girls “muscle bound”.

When girls' hockey players hear the words “strength training”, they immediately think of lifting heavy weights and looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The truth is that it is virtually impossible for a young female player to become “muscle-bound” from strength training. Girls have fewer muscle fibres and much less testosterone than boys, which makes gaining large amounts of lean muscle extremely difficult and extremely unlikely. A properly designed strength training program will not cause girls to become “muscle- bound” and it will make them stronger, faster and better players.

Myth #4: Boys strength train. Girls don't.

Most male hockey players desperately want to be 6'2” and 200 pounds and will do anything and everything to get there. Girls' hockey players, on the other hand, are constantly being told by the popular media that “thin is in” and that being strong is “not feminine”. The result is that girls involved in a strength and power sport, like hockey, end up conflicted - they want to get stronger to increase their hockey performance, but they still want to fit into the feminine “ideal”. Just take a second and imagine one of those “ideal” girls from the fashion magazine trying to win a battle for the puck along the boards and you'll quickly realize why it is so important to get the message across to our girls that they need to be strong.

The truth about strength training for girls' hockey players is that it doesn't require them to touch any weights, it's not going to lead them to develop huge muscles and, when done properly, it will prevent injuries and not cause them. Building strength is one of the easiest and most effective ways for girls hockey players to take their performance to the next level, and it is our job, as coaches and parents, to help drive that message home.