Background: Ice hockey is a sport characterized by short and frequent maximal sprints, intermitted by full stops (Montgomery, 1988, Twist and Rhodes, 1993). Due to a long season, ways to optimize on-ice sprint performance with the use of off-ice training has become an attractive field of research. Indeed, the use of plyometric exercises to improve on-ice qualities in ice hockey players has been suggested (Behm et al., 2005, Farlinger et al., 2007), but the effect of plyometric training on on-ice sprint performance is yet to be investigated. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combined plyometric and traditional strength training have a positive effect on ice hockey players` on-ice sprinting performance, when compared to traditional strength training alone. Methods: 16 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups completed 5 traditional strength-training sessions per week for 8 weeks. In addition the intervention group preceded 3 of the sessions with plyometric exercises (PLY+ST), while the control group succeeded the same 3 sessions with core/stability exercises (ST). Tests of 10- and 35 meter on-ice sprint, horizontal jumping performance, 1RM squat, skating multistage aerobic test (SMAT), maximal oxygen consumption, 10 × 35 sec cycling sprints and dual x-ray energy absorbometry (DEXA) was conducted before and after the intervention to assess within-group and between-group differences. Results: 1RM squat, fat free mass and body mass increased significantly in both groups, while maximal oxygen consumption decreased significantly in both groups (p<0.05). In addition, PLY+ST improved their 10 meter on-ice sprint, 3 × broad jump and 10 × 35 sec cycling sprint performance significantly, while ST improved their SMAT result significantly. Significant between-group difference was only found in 10-meter on-ice sprint performance (p<0.025; Cohen`s d=1,11). Conclusion: Combining plyometric and traditional resistance training seems to have a greater positive effect on 10-meter on-ice sprint performance than traditional resistance training alone
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