Body composition, Body mass, Conditioning, Ice hockey, Segmental analysis

Backround: High performance is also associated with specific ranges in somatic parameters depending on the sporting discipline. The development and maintenance of these parameters is supported primarily by the conditioning sessions players are exposed to across the various phases of the season. Objective: The aim of the study was to monitor the changes in the body composition of an entire team of elite players during a conditioning program. Method: The study included a total of 25 elite, Czech Republic, premier league (ELH) ice hockey players (24.6?5.0 years). The measured parameters included the following: body mass (BM), body fat (BF), fat free mass (FFM) and segmental analysis BF. These parameters were measured at the beginning and at the end of specific phases of the conditioning program, with four measurements taken in total. Results: Compared with the pre conditioning phase measurement, percentage of body fat decreased by 1.8 to 2.3 % (p<.05, ?2 =.06) during the conditioning phase which was analyzer dependent. Extracellular mass decreased by 2 kg (p<.05, ?2 =.04), while there was a 2.9 kg (p<.05, ?2 =.14) increase in intracellular mass. There were also changes in the segmental distribution of body fat, with a decrease of 1.4 to 1.9% (p<.05, ?2 =.07) in the lower limbs and a decrease of 2.9% (p<.05, ?2 =.07) in the trunk. No changes were observed in the upper limbs. Conclusion: These results indicate that the conditioning program had a positive effect on the somatic parameters in the players. There was a decrease in fat mass and increase in muscle mass, which creates another precondition for further development of the strength performance.