How Blue Devils Weiden Optimize Training with Firstbeat Sports

Simon Heidenreich is the strength and conditioning coach at Blue Devils Weiden, a professional ice hockey team competing in Germany’s DEL 2 league. In this article, Simon talks about how the team are using the Firstbeat Sports solution to ensure training practices meet the required demands, so that players perform at their best on game day.

Meet Simon: From Player to Coach

Simon’s journey in ice hockey has taken him from a professional player to an accomplished strength and conditioning coach and sports scientist. “I was a former professional hockey player,” he shares. “This is my third year now as a sports scientist and strength and conditioning coach here with the Blue Devils in Weiden. I’ve been here since the 2022/2023 season.”

Simon’s experience includes playing for Rosenheim, where he earned coaching credentials and began shaping his dual role as both a player and coach. “In my last professional hockey year, I was the strength coach for the first team while playing,” he explains. His responsibilities extended to junior teams, coaching players from the U9 to U20 levels.

Since transitioning to Weiden, Simon has also worked with Germany’s national teams, including the U18 Women’s and U17 Men’s teams, during tournaments and training camps around Europe.

Integrating Firstbeat Sports Into Daily Practice

Photo credit: Werner Möller

Simon’s approach to using Firstbeat Sports is structured and consistent. “When players come into the locker room, the sensors are already on their designated seats. They put them on for gym sessions and ice practice,” he explains. “In the afternoon, I can download all the data we gather that day. Then also on game days, we want them to wear the sensor so we have in the best case scenario, a complete week of data from every player. We can then adapt and see if we have to work more with them on the ice or off the ice, or if it’s too much.”

Key Metrics for Optimal Performance

Firstbeat’s TRIMP scores are a cornerstone of Simon’s coaching strategy. “We sit down as a coaching team one or two times a week and plan TRIMP targets for each practice,” he says. “Tuesdays are the hardest day with two practices, and TRIMP gradually decreases as we approach game day on Friday.”

Simon uses the TRIMP data to tailor individual workloads. “If a player is below the TRIMP goal, we do a bit more with them. If they’re above it, we adjust as needed,” he notes. “It’s a team sport, so we can’t always send players off early, but we try to ensure each player hits their targets.”

Firstbeat Sports also plays a vital role during games. “We use an iPad on the bench to monitor data in real-time,” Simon explains. “If a player has had a long shift followed by a penalty, I can flag it to the head coach. Sometimes, it’s better to send out the second unit to give the player a chance to recover.”

Player Engagement with Data

Simon finds the players actively engaged with the data. “After practice, they get an email with their stats,” he says. “Most of them are curious and ask questions like, ‘Why is this red?’ or ‘Why is my curve higher than others?’ We often discuss it over WhatsApp or the next morning to adjust their training.”

Reflecting on the sport’s evolution, Simon highlights the increasing demands on players. “The game has gotten much quicker,” he says. “You have to be strong, fast, and smart. Decision-making time on the ice is shorter than ever. To be successful, players need to optimize every advantage.”

Evolving Coaching Practices

Photo credit: Werner Möller

For Simon, Firstbeat Sports provides valuable insights. “It’s not just about good or bad practices,” he emphasizes. “The data helps me ensure each player reaches their peak performance. You can see if the programming had a positive outcome, and you have immediate feedback to confirm success.”

This feedback loop has transformed how Simon plans and evaluates training. “If you don’t have the opportunity to use this kind of system, you’re relying on what you observe on the ice or in the gym. With Firstbeat, you have data to back it up, and if you look at the right numbers and you know how to analyze it, you can be 100% certain that it was indeed a good practice” he explains.

Looking Ahead

Simon plans to expand Firstbeat’s role in off-ice training. “I want to incorporate it more into warm-ups, gym sessions, and individual practices, especially for players who don’t play on weekends,” he says. “The more data we have, the better we can tailor programs to help players reach their full potential.”

For Simon, Firstbeat Sports is an important tool in how he supports player development. “It gives you the certainty that what you’re doing is working,” he concludes. “And that’s valuable for any coach.”

Listen to Simon talk more about Firstbeat in German on his podcast here.

Want to learn more about using Firstbeat in ice hockey? Download our free training load guide for ice hockey coaches.