Just how fit is the average NHL player?

[Whiskeypete]

i read a study years ago (it may have been 10 years ago in fact), but i've always remembered this one.

#1 conditioned athlete were motocross riders.
#2 were pro hockey players.

both rated so high because of their combination of cardio and strength, well above other athletes if i recall. other athletes didn't rank as high because their sport demanded a higher level of either strength or cardio.

it wouldn't surprise me now if hockey players would rank higher than a decade ago, because the training programs have gotten significantly better since then

 

[Straight Fire]

I can guarantee even the Phil Kessels of the league are in tremendous shape compared to average humans. Again, numbers as a part of a whole testing system is a whole different ball-game than if each test is performed without the others.

 

[MilanKraft*]

I have always maintained that if you want to find the best ATHLETE in a school, the first place to go is the track. If there is a star(elite) 400/800 guy, then your search is done. The combination of strength endurance and speed sets them apart. This same kid couple probably step into any sport and have success.

A 1:52 800 runner can run forever (15 + miles at sub 6:30 mile pace) and run fast (100 meters in low 11seconds or 4.5 40yd). This helps with jumping and lateral movements.

Again I stress that hockey training is a lot like the training done for the 800 kid minus the impact on the feet.
My son looks like he took a shower after a hockey practice with all the sweat dripping.

Wrong....

The best athlete is 100m and vertical jump..

Or technically decathlon. ..

800 is where the slow non athletes start...those without high twitch Fibre muscles....you get to 1500 and 300 and forget about...

100m
Long jump
Etc.
That's where athletes are...

 

[Straight Fire]

i read a study years ago (it may have been 10 years ago in fact), but i've always remembered this one.

#1 conditioned athlete were motocross riders.
#2 were pro hockey players.

both rated so high because of their combination of cardio and strength, well above other athletes if i recall. other athletes didn't rank as high because their sport demanded a higher level of either strength or cardio.

This sounds more accurate compared to some of the posts I've read in here.

 

[MilanKraft*]

Are the NHL Draft Combine results ever published? That should let you know roughly.

Yeah.

They are pretty pathetic from an athletic point of view.
Endurance....pretty good

 

[Straight Fire]

I want to see an intersport competition before I die. Make it happen TV!

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Apples & Oranges....

Never played competitive hockey (or even close to) but it is worth noting I played hockey with guys who played competitive soccer and basketball. They would leave me in the dust in any kind of running event, but on the rink I could breeze by them. It comes down to practice, especially when the movement isn't 'natural'.

As far as this test, with a short period of training time the only ones in the NHL who couldn't meet this military standard would be an anomaly.

 

[Straight Fire]

Yeah.

They are pretty pathetic from an athletic point of view.
Endurance....pretty good

The NHL combine testing is MUCH more convoluted and uses way more metrics than the NBA or NFL.

 

[Plural]

On the first episode of the Epix Stadium Series show, John Scott was shown trying to do pushups and he could only crank out like three or four. I know he isn't a prime example of an NHL player (he shouldn't be in the league) but it made me think about the level of fitness in the NHL.

In the Army we have to do a minimum of 42 pushups in 2 minutes, 53 situps in 2 minutes, and run under a 15:54 two mile. Of the 700+ NHL players in the league, how many guys do you think could pass this? I know guys like Crosby are in great shape, but is the average NHLer anything beyond pedestrian in terms of their overall physical capabilities?

Vast majority of NHL players could do that and more. Heck, when I was in army I would have passed those tests with flying colors and I have never been professional athlete.

 

[Blues88]

I'm really struggling to understand the desire around here to question the fitness of professional athletes of any sport, especially hockey.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

On the first episode of the Epix Stadium Series show, John Scott was shown trying to do pushups and he could only crank out like three or four. I know he isn't a prime example of an NHL player (he shouldn't be in the league) but it made me think about the level of fitness in the NHL.

In the Army we have to do a minimum of 42 pushups in 2 minutes, 53 situps in 2 minutes, and run under a 15:54 two mile. Of the 700+ NHL players in the league, how many guys do you think could pass this? I know guys like Crosby are in great shape, but is the average NHLer anything beyond pedestrian in terms of their overall physical capabilities?

NHL players are much more fit than military types. AINEC

 

[Fear the Wushu]

Kessel wouldn't get through training camp if he wasn't in shape,

Martin Brodeur is fat too and I've never heard anyone complain about him.

Brodeur is a legendary goaltender, but have you ever seen him in the video where he is pushing the weighted sled? He runs like the least athletic person I have ever seen in my life.

 

[Noah]

On the first episode of the Epix Stadium Series show, John Scott was shown trying to do pushups and he could only crank out like three or four. I know he isn't a prime example of an NHL player (he shouldn't be in the league) but it made me think about the level of fitness in the NHL.

In the Army we have to do a minimum of 42 pushups in 2 minutes, 53 situps in 2 minutes, and run under a 15:54 two mile. Of the 700+ NHL players in the league, how many guys do you think could pass this? I know guys like Crosby are in great shape, but is the average NHLer anything beyond pedestrian in terms of their overall physical capabilities?

Maybe its because I'm younger than most posters here and have lest weigh making those things easier but I could do the first 2 right now and the last one with like a weak of training. To clarify I'm not in great shape but I feel like I could do pushups and situps with ease, when we do the Canadian Fitness Testing or whatever it is (age hint right there) we have a minute to do those things and we have to do more than 43 situps to get gold so those don't exactly seem like vigorous standards.

 

[Terry Yake]

we can laugh at guys like buff and kessel but compared to us those guys are in tremendous shape and much more fit than the average person

 

[Plural]

Maybe its because I'm younger than most posters here and have lest weigh making those things easier but I could do the first 2 right now and the last one with like a weak of training. To clarify I'm not in great shape but I feel like I could do pushups and situps with ease, when we do the Canadian Fitness Testing or whatever it is (age hint right there) we have a minute to do those things and we have to do more than 43 situps to get gold so those don't exactly seem like vigorous standards.

There is a difference on weight. It definitely matters. I am closing in 94 kilos now (that's getting bit too much for me) and I am about 183 cm tall. Push-ups are way more harder for me now than they were back when I had about 80 kilos and same heights. And the extra weight is largely muscle. I am much, much stronger now. Faster. But I can't do the same amount of push-ups now than I could do back then.

You are probably still growing (in terms of body weight). So it might get harder in the long run for you.

Nice to see young guys being interested about physical activity though. Keep it up dude!

 

[guyzeur]

Best athletes doesn't equal best shapes

I played competitive Badminton, Fencing, Soccer for a long time.

Highschool: badminton, Volleyball
College: Fencing
From 10 to 50 years old: soccer


1.5 year after I had stopped playing badminton high school, we did a Cooper test in college for the fencing team. My VO2Max was equivalent to an Olympic swimmer (1982 standards). I wasn't even in top shape.

Also the college football team and fencing team switch training for one day, just for fun. The football playrs thought that fencers were sissies (they were kind of right) but the next day, the were all complaining of lactic acid pain because they were not used to make launches like in badminton and fencing.

We were also in pain because we were no used to use a lot of strength in our training.

Because of the specific training to each sport, it's difficult to compare them and note very fair IMO.

I think the best athletes would be gymnasts and decathlon athletes.


In best shapes: rowers, cross-country skying, badminton players, soccer players, swimmers just to name a few sports.

 

[guyzeur]

we can laugh at guys like buff and kessel but compared to us those guys are in tremendous shape and much more fit than the average person

Talking about Kessel: Average person doesn't count, what about the average professional athlete?

(Golf although better than in the 1980's still doesn't count, and I played golf a long time)

 

[Noah]

There is a difference on weight. It definitely matters. I am closing in 94 kilos now (that's getting bit too much for me) and I am about 183 cm tall. Push-ups are way more harder for me now than they were back when I had about 80 kilos and same heights. And the extra weight is largely muscle. I am much, much stronger now. Faster. But I can't do the same amount of push-ups now than I could do back then.

You are probably still growing (in terms of body weight). So it might get harder in the long run for you.

Nice to see young guys being interested about physical activity though. Keep it up dude!

I'm about 6foot1 (185cm) and 140 pounds (64kg) so yeah I really have weight to add. It makes me wonder how bad society (of my age group ) is. I realize that I'm tall and skinny but I really don't exercise a ton. I walk to a lot of places and my diet isn't awful, the thing is the requirements for the fitness testing are not strict at all. I feel like some of them don't really test anything either (standing long jump). This whole conversation makes me want to get into running once the weather warms up to prove to myself I could make the military if I needed to.

 

[guyzeur]

I'm about 6foot1 (185cm) and 140 pounds (64kg) so yeah I really have weight to add. It makes me wonder how bad society (of my age group ) is. I realize that I'm tall and skinny but I really don't exercise a ton. I walk to a lot of places and my diet isn't awful, the thing is the requirements for the fitness testing are not strict at all. I feel like some of them don't really test anything either (standing long jump). This whole conversation makes me want to get into running once the weather warms up to prove to myself I could make the military if I needed to.

Just find a very long staircase like in a stadium, go up and down a few times, less impact than running and more difficult IMO.

 

[ZDH]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eZNzzwn3B7U

If that was a requirement to get into the army numbers would drop 98%. Obvious question is obvious.

 

[Noah]

Just find a very long staircase like in a stadium, go up and down a few times, less impact than running and more difficult IMO.

I live in a small town so that won't work. There is a track near my house so I'll probably go there with a buddy in the spring time (Its like -25 and we have inches of snow so now isn't a good time.)

 

[Straight Fire]

I'm really struggling to understand the desire around here to question the fitness of professional athletes of any sport, especially hockey.

Yeah, they're all high-level in this day and age.

 

[guyzeur]

Found this website talking about VO2max http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/VO2max.html

Vo2max is a good indicator for endurance. Part of being an athlete.

Chart comparing V02 max in different sports

 

[guyzeur]

I live in a small town so that won't work. There is a track near my house so I'll probably go there with a buddy in the spring time (Its like -25 and we have inches of snow so now isn't a good time.)

I know, I live in Ottawa.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

NHL players are much more fit than military types. AINEC

Okay, that's just a silly blanket statement. "Military types"? What does that even mean? Medics? MPs? Personnelists? Pararescuemen? All are going to have different fitness standards. I'm not sure a lot of NHL players could make it as a PJ, Ranger, SEAL, etc. As an ex USAF special forces candidate (didn't even make it all the way, though I was in the program for quite a length of training, well beyond selection) who now works in security, I took my AF PT test today, as I alluded to earlier and managed 93 push-ups, 78 sit-ups and a 9:28 1.5 mile run, and I'm no longer in my prime. Does that make me a professional athlete? Certainly not, but I'm also plenty fit for a "military type". Don't make sweeping generalizations, especially not followed by AINEC.