Sports Gels

[sonsplayhockey 0]

Playing pickup or clinic at 6am in the morning, I'm all wiped out within the first hour. I read on a website that if you wake up, it can take 4 hours for food to get into your system and that unless you use a sports gel, your better off just hydrating yourself and not eating or just pack in carbs the night before.

Anyone use sports gels or similar for early morning hockey?

Use them for late night or day games too?

Which ones and why?

Buy them in bulk?

On another note, I have 3 late night games next week in a row. Other than eating well during the day and getting sleep in advance, any other advice?

[pantherfan 0]

Never heard of sports gels do you eat them? lol

EDIT: Googled it and found out:

"During the past few years a research team based in Memphis have been investigating the effects of various types of carbohydrate gels on performance. One of their most recent studies focused on honey, which has been found to have a carbohydrate profile and glycaemic index response almost identical to those of a popular sports gel. The study compared the effects of ingesting honey, dextrose or placebo (in gel form) on blood glucose, insulin and endurance cycling performance. The participants were nine cyclists, who performed three 40-mile time trials after ingesting each of the three supplements.

When the results of the three time trials were compared, it was clear that the cyclists were significantly faster, with higher power outputs, after consuming a dextrose or honey gel than after placebo. The bottom line? If you don’t have money to burn, the Memphis team suggests using honey as a cheap and effective alternative to a carbohydrate gel."

[mrusse01 0]

Honey? Sweet, I'm going to try that before my game tonight

[sonsplayhockey 0]

BTW,

This is the article I was refering to :

http://www.vaughnhockey.com/goaltending_re...on_resource.htm

They mention the Powerbar PowerGel in it.

I never used to hydrate in the locker room but always had gatorade on the bench 'cause I sweat so much(powerder mix with extra salt added to it)

Monday I brought a 20oz bottle of my gatorade mix and drank it all during the 30 minutes before the game then had just water on the bench. This was my first night playing goalie as I usually am a forward but I never felt dehydrated or tired even though I did sweat a lot.

[ultraman7k 0]

my games are at 6 am too.

the night before, i try to load up on the carbs by having pasta, and try to abstain from the junks like chips, pop etc.

then i wake up at 4.30 am, grab a blueberry muffin (from safeway!), and hydrate. this is supplemented by a beaver buzz/ red bull on the way to the rink, and that leaves me feeling awake and good to go.

ive never tried the gel, but that seems like a good idea. or even honey.

[bwear 0]

I've used Gu brand gels for the most part and occasionally Clif-shots. I've primarily used them when mountain biking, but do use them occasionally in hockey when I haven't had a chance to eat right before a game or stick-n-puck.

I buy them from online bike shops, such as bikenashbar.com or performancebike.com . Either one of those typically has a sale on them every week or two... right now the Gu 24 pack is on sale for $19.99 at performance. You can probably find them in local sporting good shops, as well, usually for a little over a buck apiece.

I've used Gu's for a long while primarily b/c they were the first company to come out with the Gels... used to eat a lot of Clif bars, but the gels are easier on the stomach when pumping the pedals. They are usually the cheapest, as well, and I haven't noticed any difference in performance with anything else.

[BGM 0]

PowerBar Power Gels are what I use. I get the tangerine flavor (has double caffeine compared to the other flavors). Gels are good because, like power bars, they give you sustained energy but easier to digest. Our games are generally 9 or 10 pm so it gives you a little burst.

[freq019 0]

I've used the clif shots before, I never really noticed if they did anything or not. The one problem I did have is that they are thick and if your mouth is dry, they are tough to get down without drinking some water.

[taigyr 0]

Just curious...

Exactly how much honey did the cyclists consume...

Hmm...be funny copying Winnie the pooh before a hockey game...

:P

[pantherfan 0]

Not sure i just copied and pasted the whole page so it didnt say anything else

[skates 3]

Wow getting up in the morning at 4:30 for a hockey game, that is what I call dedicated, I personally drowned my tea with honey 45min before games and between the 2ed/3rd periods. Not sure it really worked, it did though in my mind.

In the off season with early morning training runs, same magic potion....good meals and decent rest the night before is probably key as well, thats the tough part though.

[gavin 0]

Seriously honey is the way to do. What you need to get is those little paquettes of honey, I grab them all the time at the dinning hall. They are the perfect size, you just rip it open and suck back on the honey inside. Honey is nature's little secret for top performance.

[Master P 0]

Hammer gel is very good. You can either eat the gel straight and drink some water or mix the gel with your water bottle. Very good product. http://www.e-caps.com

[AlGiballa23 0]

I tried the GNC gel in Orange (only flavor they had) and it tasted like shit. I ended up taking about half of it by taking a small mouthful, pouring water in my mouth, swishing it together and swallowing. Minimized the taste but after a while I couldn't take it, almost made me throw up. I don't think it did anything while playing either i'd just take a cliff bar instead. But I have been known for not being able to take nyquill (tastes like **** but I can take it if I must) so other people might be able to stand it.

[hockeysew 0]

In the past for early games if I have enough time (2 hrs at least) beforehand I will munch a bagel (carbs) with a bunch of honey-If not so much time a peice of toast with honey is good, its a little something in the stomach but wont feel like a brick and will digest fairly quickly. For later games carb loading has always worked for me at least 6 hours in advance. I will munch a Power bar about an hour before a game and hydrate well, water only. I have found out that if I stick to this plan by the 3rd period I'm not as tired. I'm not sure but if you carb up the night before wont most of them be used while you sleep? I thought that you use carbs regardless of activity level. I could be way off base too

Bee pollen products are said to be very good, complete foods also.

[JBP 18]

Vespa Sport Supplement...Saw Iginla drinking it on the bench this year,

Available in SR and JR.

Increases Stamina

Helps maintain focus

Maximizes recovery times

www.vespapower.com

[hockechamp14 0]

I usually take down GU, for energy, but more recently I've discovered the advantages of just eating well then taking a neuro supplement. I take Power Drive which is made by Biotest and I really love it, apparently they've done studies in the NHL and they turned out pretty good.

[forsberg91 0]

BTW,

This is the article I was refering to :

http://www.vaughnhockey.com/goaltending_re...on_resource.htm

They mention the Powerbar PowerGel in it.

I never used to hydrate in the locker room but always had gatorade on the bench 'cause I sweat so much(powerder mix with extra salt added to it)

Monday I brought a 20oz bottle of my gatorade mix and drank it all during the 30 minutes before the game then had just water on the bench. This was my first night playing goalie as I usually am a forward but I never felt dehydrated or tired even though I did sweat a lot.

Yeah the Powerbar PowerGel is the one that I always use. I normally just get any of the flavors without caffeine. They work pretty well. I have one of them before most of my games and have for I think about a year and a half. They are great.

[devilsrule711 0]

BTW,

This is the article I was refering to :

http://www.vaughnhockey.com/goaltending_re...on_resource.htm

They mention the Powerbar PowerGel in it.

I never used to hydrate in the locker room but always had gatorade on the bench 'cause I sweat so much(powerder mix with extra salt added to it)

Monday I brought a 20oz bottle of my gatorade mix and drank it all during the 30 minutes before the game then had just water on the bench.  This was my first night playing goalie as I usually am a forward but I never felt dehydrated or tired even though I did sweat a lot.

Yeah the Powerbar PowerGel is the one that I always use. I normally just get any of the flavors without caffeine. They work pretty well. I have one of them before most of my games and have for I think about a year and a half. They are great.

this is going to sound so stupid but what didnt you like about the gels with the caffeine? taste? effectiveness? side effects?

[forsberg91 0]

Just the fact that it had caffeine in them...I absolutely HATE having anything with alot of sugar or caffeine before I skate. I always feel great for a period or so then I absolutely crash...

[BGM 0]

Regardless of caffeine or not the powergels give you sustained energy just like a powerbar. It's all about carbs when you are out there--that's what fuels you. The caffeine is added in some of them to give you a little kick--I like it. It's not like downing a mountain dew or something--the powergels only have between 25-50mg of caffeine--not a whole lot.