Dead legs

[Norm 0]

There are times when it seems that after a very short time on the ice, my legs have turned to concrete. The mind is all "Go Go GO!!" And my legs are like "No No NO!!" Since I tend to play in the evenings I think I've nailed it down to not eating dinner at some point before playing. I'm not even winded, it just really feels like there is literally no fuel for my legs.

I don't want to eat too heavily (carbo loading, etc) since I started playing in the hopes of losing weight (45 pounds so far). Has anyone tried the various "power bars"? Are they anything more than glorified candy bars? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

[Jason Harris 31]

I've found it generally has more to do with the amount of use and lack of recovery time or sleep for that week. For instance, how often are you skating and at what intensity? Until you've built up the strength in your legs, you need to make sure you give yourself enough recovery time and enough sleep.

[modernice 0]

There are times when it seems that after a very short time on the ice, my legs have turned to concrete. The mind is all "Go Go GO!!" And my legs are like "No No NO!!" Since I tend to play in the evenings I think I've nailed it down to not eating dinner at some point before playing. I'm not even winded, it just really feels like there is literally no fuel for my legs.

I don't want to eat too heavily (carbo loading, etc) since I started playing in the hopes of losing weight (45 pounds so far). Has anyone tried the various "power bars"? Are they anything more than glorified candy bars? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

Vespa Vespa Vespa!

gb

[All Torhs Team 0]

i can relate with the very first post. although...energy gives me stomach aches....dont know about you...youll have to try it out yourself. for me....ill go out and do warm ups and my legs feel shot.....i need to do five minutes of STRETCHING that really helps alot.......all my leg mucsles need stretching.

[twiztidwrista10 3]

Vespa = puke in a pouch.

Same happens to me, I find some of the stuff just takes the legs out of me, alfredo pasta makes me sick as a dog during games and dark meats take longer to digest so you shouldnt eat those before games. Also carbo loading and things of the soart should be done the day before big games, tourneys, ect.

[flaming_june 2]

i play morning drop ins at 730.

i had to wake up at 5 to eat a tiny bit, and wake myself up to be 50-75% in the mornings. but around 10-12 i can really fly on ice (100%)

i would also like to know what can give me some good energy.

i was actually thinking those chocolate penut butter cups, reeses pieces maybe, quick nrg for those kinda early morning, late night games.

[Chadd 916]

I recall reading about some new bar that's based on a military nutrition requirement. It's called the "Hooah" bar or something like that. From what I remember it should work well for that stuff.

Here it is

[sonsplayhockey 0]

I find that I play best if:

1. No other form of strength excersice within 3 days of game (big factor for recovery time).

2. Don't run the day before

3. Don't eat within 2 hours of game and eat lighter carb heavy dinner.

4. Keep hydrated. no caffiene that day

5. 2 nights of good sleep

I take amino acid pills from GNC for muscle recovery. They are said to add to performance but the 5 things I list above have a bigger affect.

[Crazy Otto 0]

Norm, it might help if you start looking at your diet, sleep and exercise patterns for the entire week before you play. I assume you might be doing some type of workouts in between games. I play twice a week, and try to work out 3-4 times a week, but I will often take a day off from exercise prior to a game. Getting enough sleep the night before a game is also very important.

I try not to each too much before a game. Lately I've been eating about half a bowl of Campbell's Chunky soup and bread about two hours before I leave for the rink for an evening game. I used to play in a pickup group on Sunday mornings, and I had real problems with lack of energy because my normal sleep pattern was disrupted, and I didn't eat enough to have any fuel in the tank.

My daughter plays on a U19 girls travel team and they often have early a.m. games, and their coach makes them eat bagels, breakfast bars, etc. before leaving for the rink.

[ktang 34]

Norm:

If you are drinking a sports drink within 1 hour before exercise (I'm guessing), the glucose or sucrose in the sports drink will make the body release insulin, which will get all the glucose or sucrose out of the bloodstream and leave nothing for the muscles to use.

[Fletch 219]

How much alcohol do you drink? I only ask because I have noticed that if I have even one beer on the day of a game or pickup, my legs feel exactly as you described - dead. Case in point - a few weeks ago I had one Corona at a BBQ at 2pm. I had a game at 9pm that night, and for the game I was absolutely useless because I had no jump in my legs.

I'm not a big drinker at all, and alcohol generally wipes me out as it is. It's hard to believe that one beer could have so much effect on me in terms of exercising when I don't feel anything at all otherwise from a single drink.

[chippa13 1844]

In that case it was probably what you ate at the barbacue that killed the energy in your legs, not the beer. Eating a lot of red meat or a high fat meal the day of a game will slow down your legs.

[Fletch 219]

In that case it was probably what you ate at the barbacue that killed the energy in your legs, not the beer. Eating a lot of red meat or a high fat meal the day of a game will slow down your legs.

I thought that for a while but then I remembered that on the majority of days/nights I've played where I have drank, I have felt really tired.

Who knows....but for now I am going to refrain from drinking on the days I have games.

[All Torhs Team 0]

Norm:

If you are drinking a sports drink within 1 hour before exercise (I'm guessing), the glucose or sucrose in the sports drink will make the body release insulin, which will get all the glucose or sucrose out of the bloodstream and leave nothing for the muscles to use.

WHOAAAAAAA back too 9 grade science !! :lol:

That post lost me but sounded pretty smart !

I read above that one guy eats campell soup and bread. Great idea....defidently eat something healthy and filling. I also read that one guy eats ( or was thinkin about eating reeses) i would not suggest that because it will give you a sugar high and after that energy burst your shot.

[ktang 34]

In that case it was probably what you ate at the barbacue that killed the energy in your legs, not the beer.  Eating a lot of red meat  or a high fat meal the day of a game will slow down your legs.

I thought that for a while but then I remembered that on the majority of days/nights I've played where I have drank, I have felt really tired.

Who knows....but for now I am going to refrain from drinking on the days I have games.

Beer has a very very high Glycemic Index, meaning it gets turned into blood sugar very quickly. Then the insulin comes out, which gets rid of all blood sugar, which leaves the muscles with no fuel => your legs are dead! Like All_Torhs_Team says, Sugar high, then your muscles are shot.

Hopefully I worded it better this time around...

So, the latest thinking is that you want to fuel up with easily-digested foods with moderate Glycemic Indices, so that you don't trigger the insulin release. Complex carbs (not overly processed) in beans, certain fruits, etc.

[Gongshow11 1]

i used to have the same problem so i went harder int eh gym with legs but did high reps so as to give them more endurance. now in dry land we run liek a mother, i would never do what we do now on my own, but if u want pm me and ill give u an example. its long btw but great.

[PH_Hockey2 4]

It seems like I have more go if I drink some water like a half hour before I skate, I also dont eat anything heavy before I play.