The purpose of this study was to develop the field hockey-specific training (HST) program including the unique technology being performed together with the stick, a characteristics of the field hockey and the motion appeared during playing based on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to improve the performance of female field hockey players. In addition, this study aimed to identify the effect on field hockey-related fitness and GPS variables before and after applying the field hockey specific training (HST) program.
Total 20 players, excluding the goalkeeper, finally participated in this study considering positional characteristics among total 22 players according to the selection criteria. To verify the effectiveness of the HST program, the program was classified into a field hockey specific training program group (HSTG, n=10) and a basic field hockey interval training based on running group (BFTG, n=10). Thus, training was conducted for 6 weeks, 3 times a week, 40 minutes each. Field hockey-related fitness (aerobic, anaerobic and recovery ability, sprint and sprint dribble, agility and agility dribble) and GPS variables (total distance, distance per minute, low intensity running distance, low intensity running distance proportion of total distance, high intensity running distance, high intensity distance proportion of total distance, sprint distance, sprint distance proportion of total distance, sprints bouts, accelerations bouts, deceleration bouts, maximum velocity) were measured. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to verify the effect of the HST program. For factors with significant effects according to time, a simple main effect was analyzed to identify the difference between periods within the group, and all statistical significance levels were set at p<.05.

Distance and VO2max of Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test 1, which are aerobic, anaerobic, and recovery abilities, showed a significant interaction effect in the field hockey-related fitness differences (p<.01). The factors of sprint and sprint dribble, 10m sprint, 20m sprint, and 20m sprinting dribble, all showed significant interaction effects (p<.01). Finally, both arrowhead agility and arrowhead agility dribble, which are factors of agility and agility dribble, appeared to have a significant interaction effect (p<.001).
In the GPS variable difference, the low intensity running distance proportion of total distance (p<.05) and high intensity running distance proportion of total distance (p<.01) showed a significant interaction effect. The factors that showed significant effects according to the time were the sprint distance and sprint distance proportion of total distance, sprints bouts, accelerations bouts and the maximum velocity.

In conclusion, the HST program was developed by combining the unique technique performed with the stick, which is unique to field hockey, and the movements that occur during playing with high-intensity interval training, is judged to be helpful not only to the field hockey-related fitness of elite female field hockey players, but also to improving high intensity movements that are essential in actual games. Therefore, in order to improve the performance of elite field hockey players, various training programs developed based on the characteristics of the event, such as the HST program, should be actively applied to the players in the field.