The primary aim of this study was to assess the objective and the perceived priming effect of resisted sled sprints (RSS) on 30 m skating sprint performance in under-20 elite male ice hockey players. Further aims were to determine the impact of pre-priming exercise neuromuscular status on the priming effect of RSS, and whether RSS affects initial acceleration (0-10 m) and high-speed skating (20-30 m) differently in skating sprints. Twenty-one national-level ice hockey players (17.8 ± 0.9 yr) performed 4x15 m RSS with a resistance equating to 50% velocity decrement (Vdec), 1 h (1h-PRE) and 24 h (24h-PRE) before performing a 30 m skating sprint. Neuromuscular status was determined with the mean reactive strength index modified (RSImod) of three countermovement jumps. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) yielded no differences in skating sprint times in either timing condition for 0-30, 0-10, and 20-30 m. RSImod was significantly lower (p = 0.01) in the 1h-PRE intervention group (1h-INT) compared to baseline, showing a large effect size of neuromuscular fatigue in 1h-INT (g = 0.89). There was no difference in readiness to perform and ratings of perceived performance in either timing condition. These results suggest that 4x15 m RSS at 50% Vdec provides no priming effect in non-fatigued junior ice hockey players following 1 and 24 h. A possible priming effect exists after 1 h in fatigued athletes. Skating sprint performance was not affected in any condition.
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