Slide, clap, clap. Slide, clap, clap. Though this rhythm may seem unfamiliar to some people, to the Iowa State hockey team it is a rhythm that might bring them closer to a national championship.

But it’s the action, not the rhythm, of slide aerobics that ISU Head Hockey Coach Al Murdoch said helps give the Cyclones their competitive edge.

Twice a week, the team heads up to the third floor of the Lied Recreation/Athletic Facility for an instructor-led slide aerobics class. Slide aerobics incorporates a lateral sliding motion with bending and stretching. Participants wear special slippers over their shoes that allow them to slide easily on a sliding mat.

Because of limited space, the team splits up to alternate between a 15-minute slide workout and a traditional free-weight workout.

“I’ve seen it done internationally, and it seems to increase the stamina and the strength of hockey players,” Murdoch said.

With a consistently good hockey team, it is important to identify ways to keep improving, Murdoch said. A slide aerobic workout not only involves the lateral sliding motion used in skating, but improves the timing, conditioning and mental strength of hockey players, he said.

“The muscles exercised [in skating] are very difficult to exercise off the ice,” Murdoch said. “[Slide aerobics] is like getting an extra half-hour on the ice without being on the ice.”

But what does the team think of this slippery, new training regimen?

“We get tired, but I don’t know if that’s a bad thing,” said Brian Wierson, co-captain of the Cyclones. Wierson thinks the side-to-side motion and intense leg work of slide aerobics help the team’s skill and stamina level.

“At first, [team members] find it fun, but it is extra work for them,” Murdoch said. “But they made a commitment. They want to take their playing quality to a higher level.” Murdoch said new training techniques give the team a competitive edge and lessen the boredom of training.

Unlike hockey teams in Canada that focus on playing the game as the only way to train for performance, cross-training can sharpen specific elements like speed, quickness and endurance, Murdoch said.

“They love it. They’re really good at it. They love to do the ‘clap, clap’,” said Irene Lewis, graduate assistant for fitness. Lewis, who coordinates the aerobics program at ISU, said she thinks the team benefits from utilizing the fitness programs offered by the university.

Murdoch agreed and said the ISU aerobic program is one of the best in the nation.

Murdoch said adding slide aerobics to the Cyclones’ workout program has helped several skaters, including Darcy and Darren Anderson, from Ontario, Canada, by adding quickness to their skating.

“Darcy is well on his way to breaking the 100-point plateau,” Murdoch said.

The school record of 106 points scored in a single season is within Darcy Anderson’s reach as Cyclones take the ice for their last few games of the season.

Murdoch said the team will continue slide aerobics in the off-season and next year.

“If it will help us win, I don’t see any reason to quit doing it,” Wierson said.