Research on the use of electromyostimulation (EMS) as a method of training of healthy skeletal muscle has increased over the past decade. Several studies have indicated that this training modality enables the development of maximal force, albeit with a great diversity in reported strength gains, ranging from 0 to 44%. Differing stimulation modes (frequency, pulse duration), testing procedures, training protocols (number and duration of the sessions), pretraining status, and interindividual differences may account, at least partly, for the observed discrepancies.
Recently, some studies have attempted to investigate the effect of EMS training on the specific performance of athletes from various team sports. For instance, Maffiuletti et al. and Malatesta et al. demonstrated the positive effects of short-term EMS training on the vertical jump performance of basketball and volleyball players. These changes were also associated with isokinetic and isometric strength gains. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been published regarding EMS training effects on the specific performance of ice hockey players.
Analysis of physiological profile of elite ice hockey teams reveals the importance of aerobic endurance, anaerobic power and endurance, muscular strength, and skating speed. It was also pointed out that the strength decrement observed during the hockey season can be attributed to the lack of specific strength programs. Our study used EMS training as a complement to standard training practices with the goal of improving both the muscular strength and physical performance of ice hockey athletes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of a 3-wk EMS training program on the quadriceps femoris muscle strength and on specific physical abilities of ice hockey players, such as vertical jump and speed skating performance. The quadriceps muscle group was firstly chosen because it develops the largest contractile strength during the push-off of the skating thrust, whereas the hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles primarily act to stabilize the knee joint. This muscle group was secondly chosen because three of its four component muscles are superficial and can be easily stimulated.
“Analysis of physiological profile of elite ice hockey teams reveals the importance of aerobic endurance, anaerobic power and endurance, muscular strength, and skating speed. ‘”
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Watching hockey players move around the ice has always given me pleasure——it’s awesome.
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