Age-related trajectories of anaerobic performance in male elite ice-hockey players: a longitudinal analysis of 2873 athletes.

Authors

Petr Bahenský, Tomáš Mrkvička, David Marko, Ladislav Čepička, Miroslav Krajcigr, Jan Heller

Published in

Journal of science and medicine in sport. Oct 15, 2026. Epub Oct 15, 2026.

Abstract

To examine age-related changes in anaerobic performance in elite ice hockey players using one of the largest longitudinal datasets available, with a specific focus on differences between absolute and relative performance metrics and positional variability.
Longitudinal observational study analyzing repeated Wingate anaerobic test performance across the athletic lifespan.
A total of 2873 elite ice hockey players completed repeated 30-s Wingate anaerobic tests over a period of up to 24 years (mean 4.4 ± 2.4 tests per player). Age-related trajectories of performance variables were modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to capture nonlinear developmental patterns while accounting for repeated measures and inter-individual variability.
All performance variables demonstrated significant nonlinear age-related trajectories (p < 0.001). Absolute performance measures (Pmax, Pmean) generally peaked in the late twenties to early thirties, whereas relative measures normalized to body mass peaked earlier, typically in the early twenties. Cadence peaked at approximately 19-22 years of age and declined gradually thereafter, whereas post-exercise lactate exhibited a shallow maximum at approximately 23-26 years, although substantial inter-individual variability was evident. Peak age was broadly similar across playing positions, with no statistically significant age-by-position interactions. Goaltenders showed consistently lower absolute performance values across the age range.
Anaerobic performance in elite ice hockey players follows distinct age-related developmental trajectories for absolute and relative metrics. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating both absolute and body-mass-adjusted indicators when monitoring athlete development and long-term performance progression.

PMID:
42919700
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 24 Oct 2026.

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