A Time-motion Analysis of Elite Women’s Hockey – Implications for Fitness Assessment and Training

To-date no large scale studies have been published that have used player tracking technology to investigate continuous time-motion analysis in the modern era of Women’s field hockey during Elite level International
competition to investigate positional differences and inform fitness training and testing. A new computerised time-motion analysis method, Trak Performance was used to analyse individual player movement (n = 54) from
18 International Women’s hockey matches (18 defenders, 18 midfielders, 18 forwards). Overall analysis identified distance covered 9.1 ± 1.6 km, of which 74.7 ± 9.0% was covered in low intensity activity of stationary, walking and
jogging, 3.9 ± 2.4% match time was spent stationary. Mean sprint distance of 12.7 ± 1.7 m, with an average of 26.7 ± 11.5 s between each sprint. Positional differences were identified for the mean percentage of time spent, distances
covered in locomotion activity, the mean duration of rest between sprint bouts, the frequency of sprints and work to rest ratios. The majority of contrasts in movement characteristics occur between the defensive players and other outfield positions. Analysis of repeated-sprint ability revealed forwards undertake a significantly greater amount of 16 ± 9. Modern hockey dispels traditional positional roles with tactics and the more fluid nature of attacking plays requiring a more versatile player. Fitness assessment/training should therefore resemble the intermittent nature of the game with sprint recovery
periods reflecting the different positional demands.