Metabolic cost of ice and in-line skating in Division I collegiate ice hockey players

This study compared the metabolic cost of ice skating and in-line skating in Division I collegiate hockey players. Heart rate and oxygen uptake were compared between the two conditions at three skating velocities: 12.5 km.h-1, 16.5 km.h-1, and 20 km.h-1. Twelve subjects were tested on two occasions: on ice (ice skating) and off ice (in-line skating). They skated for 3 min at each velocity, with heart rate recording and gas collection taking place during the final 30 s of each stage. A two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the chosen velocities affected the two conditions differently for heart rate (p < .01). No interaction between condition and velocity was found for absolute (p < .43) and relative (p < .15) oxygen uptake. In-line skating produced significantly greater heart rate values and absolute oxygen uptake values than ice skating at all three velocities (p < .05). In-line skating also generated significantly greater relative oxygen uptake values at 16.5 km.h-1 and 20 km.h-1. Results suggest that the metabolic cost of in-line skating is greater than that of ice skating for collegiate ice hockey players when skating at three velocities similar to those skated during game conditions.