Our German ice hockey teams rely on Firstbeat technology

The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) and Firstbeat have been in close partnership for many years. The DEB during national team activities, the athlete performance management platform to optimize team training and development. A data-driven approach with Firstbeat helps teams optimize training for competitions such as the recent U18 World Championship in Denmark as well as the Women's World Championship in the USA.

U18 national team: Tailor-made training for top performance

Athletic trainer Christian Bachmann reports how Firstbeat was integrated into the preparation of the U18 national team. "We used Firstbeat intensively in the area of ​​load management," says the sports scientist. "Together with the coaching team, we discussed how intense the training sessions should or could be. Based on these discussions, we prepared each training session, analyzed it afterwards and assessed how satisfied we were with the intensity on the ice."

This approach allows for individual load adjustments and increases the training efficiency of each player. "With Firstbeat, we were able to adjust the load individually to the performance level of each player. This meant that some players did a little more, while others did a little less. This helped us to always be fit at the right time," explains Bachmann.

Bachmann also emphasizes the long-term benefits of Firstbeat data for younger players. "Load management also plays an important role here, as it shows how much a player can and should do to achieve certain training goals. The positive aspect of Firstbeat is that you can not only offer individual support and guidance for each athlete, but that everyone also receives a personalized training plan based on the analyzed data."

 

Women’s Team: Strategic Performance and Recovery Management

Jenny Harss, Bundeswehr trainer and athletic coach of the DEBwomen's team, explains the role that Firstbeat plays during clinics and tournaments for the A team. "We use Firstbeat mainly during clinics and tournaments for training and games on the ice to look at performance and recovery."

Harss emphasizes the importance of understanding the demands on the athletes and using this data for effective planning. "Firstbeat helps me and the coaching team to get an idea of ​​how hard the training and games are for the players, and also to plan the next few days during a tournament, especially the days between match days," says the 36-year-old.

This data is crucial for managing the load on players during intense periods, such as the recent World Championship in Utica, USA, where the team played six games in ten days.

Harss also believes that the long-term development of the players will benefit significantly from this data. "The goal is to implement it for the younger age groups as well," she adds. "We want to use this information for the time before the next important event."

The integration of Firstbeat technology plays an important role in how the DEBcoaching team prepares its teams optimally. By providing detailed insights into individual performance and recovery, this technology ensures that the men's and women's teams as well as the Young Talent National Teams are not only prepared for the next major tournament, but also that the players develop long-term success in a structured, data-informed manner.