I love to do fitness testing on athletes! It is a great way to assess physical strength and weaknesses. It is also a feedback loop to measure progress as a result of off-ice training.
If you are a hockey player, no doubt you have seen the NHL Entry Draft Combine. The combine measures the incoming players fitness on many different tests. This gives each NHL team a general idea of the level of fitness of some of the players that they have been contemplating drafting.
At HockeyOT.com, we have our own fitness test that we use to assess our athletes. In the off-season, we will include some running tests and medicine ball throws that require a small field or high school track. During the hockey season, we utilize tests that can be performed in a smaller space, like a home gym or garage. Once the test results are entered into the HockeyOT.com system, they allow the training program to be customized to each athlete’s potential strengths and weaknesses. This ensures that the training effort is working on making the player a better athlete. Each test result is measured as a percentile score from 0-100%. The long-term goal of a HockeyOT.com athlete is to score at least 80% on every test.
The following is the 80th percentile score for adult recreational (age 19+) and mid-teen (age 14-16) players using the HockeyOT.com training program (click on the test name to see a video of that fitness test):
| FITNESS TEST | ADULT RECREATIONAL GOAL | MID-TEEN GOAL | HOCKEYOT BEST SCORES |
| FRONT PLANK | 120 secs | 120 secs | 615 secs |
| SIDE PLANK (each side) | 90 secs | 90 secs | 150 secs |
| LATERAL STRIDE HOP (each side) | 7 feet | 7 feet | 8 feet 5 inches |
| BARBELL DEADLIFT | 350 lbs | 250 lbs | 528 lbs |
| 90° SQUAT TO BOX (60 secs) | 60 | 60 | 91 |
| PUSH UP (60 secs) | 40 | 30 | 87 |
| JUMP ROPE (5 x 60 secs) | 700 | 700 | 848 |
| 1-FOOT BALANCE (eyes closed/each side) | 40 secs | 40 secs | 260 secs |
A player that can achieve these scores has demonstrated:
1) adequate trunk/core endurance on the front and side plank tests
2) good horizontal leg power on the lateral stride hop test
3) good leg strength on the barbell deadlift test
4) good leg muscular endurance on the 90° squat to box test
5) good upper body muscular endurance on the push up test
6) good cardiovascular endurance on the jump rope test
7) good balance on the 1-foot balance test
If you are a healthy athlete, try these tests under the guidance of your hockey training specialist and see how you compare. At HockeyOT.com you can train like a pro and maximize your potential!
Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com.
