Tired Legs

[analog999 0]

If your legs feel sore or tired after a game (like mine do today), how long do you rest them, or do you rest them at all?

[technophile 0]

If they feel sore, you should try a few things:

1. Stretch before and after the game. Not a thirty-second wimpy stretch; stretch all your major muscles, and hold each stretch (no bouncing!) for 20-30 seconds.

2. Make sure to drink plenty of water during and after the game. Dehydration can lead to soreness, tiredness, and cramping.

3. If you do that and they're still sore, go to the gym or go running or biking the next day. After a few weeks of this they shouldn't be sore any more.

If your legs are still tired the next day, again, exercise more. You need to build up both your leg muscles and your cardiovascular system to handle the increased needs. Biking is a good way to do this (either stationary or "for real").

You may also need to up your caloric intake. Try complex carbs like pasta. You should be eating several hours before the game and probably another meal afterwards (that one can be smaller; a power bar or small plate of spaghetti) to replace the calories you burned.

[analog999 0]

If they feel sore, you should try a few things:

1. Stretch before and after the game. Not a thirty-second wimpy stretch; stretch all your major muscles, and hold each stretch (no bouncing!) for 20-30 seconds.

2. Make sure to drink plenty of water during and after the game. Dehydration can lead to soreness, tiredness, and cramping.

3. If you do that and they're still sore, go to the gym or go running or biking the next day. After a few weeks of this they shouldn't be sore any more.

If your legs are still tired the next day, again, exercise more. You need to build up both your leg muscles and your cardiovascular system to handle the increased needs. Biking is a good way to do this (either stationary or "for real").

You may also need to up your caloric intake. Try complex carbs like pasta. You should be eating several hours before the game and probably another meal afterwards (that one can be smaller; a power bar or small plate of spaghetti) to replace the calories you burned.

The only thing you have listed there that I didn't do was stretch before and after. I drank a lot of water yesterday and I treadmill or bike every day as well. Also ate a whole plate of spaghetti before the game yesterday :)

I haven't had sore legs after a game in a long time. I wonder if it was because I ran on the treadmill the other night rather than doing my standard fast-walk/jog at 10 degrees.

[badsk8ter 0]

The slight change in your exercise regiment might be the culprit. When I was in the service and we'd do calisthenics and then run a slower jog for 3-4 miles, I was more used to it and actually recovered faster than when we would just do our our actual physical testing (timed push-ups and sit-ups and two mile run). I was always more sore and tired after just doing the timed push-ups and sit-ups and timed 2 mile run then when we'd work out for an hour doing multiple exercises and running a longer distance.

[Ti-girl 0]

MET stretching, water and heat/ice.

Its the same thing if you're getting a massage. THe more water the better.