snow & sand
Running for hockey fitness can be gruelling and relentless with motivation waning when pounding the same oval, turf or footpath.
Sons of Beaches
A flexible, comprehensive and effective program for hockey players should seek to inject interest and challenge within the parameters of a tailored, periodised approach. Depending on where the team is based, it may be an option to incorporate dune and or snowshoe running sessions that can enliven programs. Sand hill running around Portsea was an integral part of legendary Australian track coach Percy Cerruty’s regime which proved so effective for powerhouse miler Herb Elliott.
Sand hill running lacks an extensive body of research specifically but we can draw upon existing evidence from the benefits of hill running and a scattering of sand-based investigations to understand its potential role in team fitness.
Evidence
Barnes et.al, (2013) found any form of high-intensity uphill interval training will benefit 5-km time-trial performance. Lember et.al, (2021) found that hill running performance is positively associated with greater aerobic capacity. In a systematic review of the literature, Binnie et.al (2013) discovered the lower impact forces experienced on sand can limit muscle damage, muscle soreness, and decrements in performance capacity relative to exercise intensity. In fact, according to lead researcher Binnie,
“With every foot strike, there is almost four times less impact force on soft sand versus firm ground like grass.”
For masters athletes this is music to our ears, surely. This implies, using a sand training surface in team sports preparation may allow greater training adaptations to be achieved, while reducing performance decrements and injuries that may arise from heavy training. Running on loose, dry sand takes 20 to 60 per cent more energy than running on grass. Impellezzeri et.al ( 2007) found that with soccer players, plyometric training on sand improved both jumping and sprinting ability and induced less muscle soreness than grass-based training. In a somewhat related small trial Brown et.al, (2017) discovered , markers of post-exercise muscle damage (inflammation) may be reduced by running on softer ground surfaces. Such training strategy may be used to minimize musculoskeletal strain while still incurring an equivalent cardiovascular training stimulus. According to an old Runners World article, one study found athletes improved VO2 max by 10 percent after eight weeks of sand workouts twice a week, compared with just six percent for those doing the same workouts on grass. The study however was not formally cited in any way. Pinnington & Dawson (2001) determined that sand running required 1.5 to 1.6 times more energy than on a grass surface;again emphasizing the bang for buck a sand session will yield wrt time expended.
Because running sand helps disperse more force from the bottom of your feet, less stress is placed on your weight-bearing joints, including hips to knees to ankles. This decreased loading may help reduce the risk of incurring impact-associated overuse injuries.
In 2005 a kinematic and myographic analysis of athletes running on sand vs grass conducted by Pinnngton et.al, (2005) found dune running reduced stride rate and length as well thigh range of motion indicating a comparatively greater increase in workload. Sand’s uneven and soft nature forces your lower limb muscles, from the hip-stabilizing muscle to hamstrings to calves, to work harder.
The bottom line is sand running may serve to provide a safe, challenging, joint friendly surface to vary your training program.
What About Snowshoe Running?
The gait mechanics are different vs grass, turf or sand running as you are using pivoted feet extenders i.e. snowshoes. These take a bit of getting used to before striding comfortably and consistently.
To identify a snowshoe-specific study into comparative physiological outcomes, we have to go back to work done sometime ago by Connolly, Henkin and Tyzbir (2002). Again, with many exercise physiology experiments, the study parameters are relatively basic and sample sizes small; a problem shared with too many nutraceutical efforts. Still, the performance indicator outcomes are significant.
This comparative study was conducted with healthy males and females between the ages of 19 and 24. These subjects were recruited from the University of Vermont population and surrounding community. Following baseline measurements in VO2max, running time to exhaustion (RTE), and anthropometry, 17 subjects (10 snowshoers and 7 runners) participated in a six week conditioning program. Both groups exercised for 30 min at 75-85% age predicted maximum heart rate, 3-4 times per week, for a total of 18 sessions.
VO2max improved significantly in both running and snowshoeing groups, 6.3 and 8.5%, respectively. Run time to exhaustion also improved significantly in both groups, 23.3 and 33.5%. This is interesting and promising but bear in mind there was no control group, small numbers and the participants were in all probability either sedentary or certainly not elite, conditioned athletes.
Still, the potential upside as a plank in the conditioning scaffolding for hockey players is valuable.
The following general physiological benefits as gleaned from the evidence is more or less similar to sand vs snow.
Sand & Snow Upsides
Strengthens Muscles
These running surfaces need greater muscular effort compared to running on flat surfaces due to the unstable nature of the terrain. The soft, shifting sand demands more from the leg muscles, particularly the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, as they work harder to push off and stabilize the body. Research has shown that hill running in general can increase muscle strength and power due to the higher resistance encountered during uphill running.
Improves Cardiovascular Fitness
Sand hill running typically elevates heart rate and oxygen consumption to a greater extent than running on flat surfaces at the same pace. This can lead to improvements in cardiovascular fitness, including increased aerobic capacity and endurance. Sand hill running typically elevates heart rate and oxygen consumption to a greater extent than running on flat surfaces at the same pace. This can lead to improvements in cardiovascular fitness, including increased aerobic capacity and endurance. Studies have demonstrated that hill training, which includes running on sand dunes, can enhance VO2 max, a measure of the body's ability to utilize oxygen during exercise, thereby improving overall cardiovascular health.
Enhances Balance and Stability
Negotiating sand hills challenges balance and proprioception as runners adapt to the constantly shifting surface. This can improve overall stability and coordination, which are essential for athletic performance and injury prevention, especially in team sports where agility and quick changes in direction are required.
Increases Mental Toughness
Sand hill running can be mentally demanding due to the added physical effort required to traverse the sandy terrain. Enduring the discomfort and pushing through fatigue during sand hill training can help develop mental toughness and resilience, which are valuable traits for athletes in competitive team environments.
Reduces Impact Stress
Running on sand provides a softer surface compared to concrete or asphalt, which reduces the impact stress on joints such as the knees and ankles. This makes sand hill running a valuable component of training, especially for athletes recovering from injuries or looking to minimize the risk of overuse injuries associated with repetitive pounding on harder surfaces.
Promotes Variety and Fun
Incorporating sand hill running into team fitness routines adds variety and excitement to training sessions. The novelty of running on sand, coupled with the challenge it presents, can make workouts more engaging and enjoyable for athletes, potentially enhancing motivation and adherence to training programs. Heading to the ski fields for some snowshoe work interspersed with fun on the slopes may be a great team unification weekend and give midseason blues a swipe away.
References
Barnes, Kyle R., Will G. Hopkins, Michael R. McGuigan, and Andrew E. Kilding. 2013. “Effects of Different Uphill Interval-Training Programs on Running Economy and Performance.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 8 (6): 639–47.
Barnes, Kyle R., and Andrew E. Kilding. 2015. “Running Economy: Measurement, Norms, and Determining Factors.” Sports Medicine - Open 1 (1): 8.
Binnie, Martyn John, Brian Dawson, Hugh Pinnington, Grant Landers, and Peter Peeling. 2014. “Sand Training: A Review of Current Research and Practical Applications.” Journal of Sports Sciences 32 (1): 8–15.
Brown, Henry, Brian Dawson, Martyn J. Binnie, Hugh Pinnington, Marc Sim, Tristan D. Clemons, and Peter Peeling. 2017. “Sand Training: Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Inflammatory Responses to Matched-Intensity Exercise.” European Journal of Sport Science: EJSS: Official Journal of the European College of Sport Science 17 (6): 741–47.
Connolly, D. A. J., J. A. Henkin, and R. S. Tyzbir. 2002. “Changes in Selected Fitness Parameters Following Six Weeks of Snowshoe Training.” The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 42 (1): 14–18.
Jafarnezhadgero, Amirali, Nasrin Amirzadeh, Amir Fatollahi, Marefat Siahkouhian, Anderson S. Oliveira, and Urs Granacher. 2021. “Effects of Running on Sand vs. Stable Ground on Kinetics and Muscle Activities in Individuals With Over-Pronated Feet.” Frontiers in Physiology 12: 822024.
Pinnington, H. C., and B. Dawson. 2001. “The Energy Cost of Running on Grass Compared to Soft Dry Beach Sand.” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport / Sports Medicine Australia 4 (4): 416–30.
Singh, Gaurav, Gaurav Singh Kushwah, Tanvi Singh, Rohit Kumar Thapa, Urs Granacher, and Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo. 2022. “Effects of Sand-Based Plyometric-Jump Training in Combination with Endurance Running on Outdoor or Treadmill Surface on Physical Fitness in Young Adult Males.” Journal of Sports Science & Medicine 21 (2): 277–86.
