Fatigued Calfs, the only leg muscle still hurting

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

So, I have started going to gym a bit more, and getting skating more, try to be in better shape by the end of the summer and whatnot.

However, after a workout on tuesday night I still have lingering fatigue in my calfs.

I am fine everywhere else, but it doesn't feel like it's going away anytime soon, and I have a game tomorrow.

Anyone got suggestions to help me out?

Cheers

[NTKT10 0]

If you lift hard enough or concentrate on an area that's not usually trained, it's commonly the second day when your body feels the most sore/fatigued. Stretch them out and keep them loose, other than that there's not much you can do.

[tomh7 2]

Try icing the muscles you worked after a workout. It helps reduced the buildup of lactic acid. Also, you will feel most sore 24-48hrs after a workout when first start out but after the second or third workout this should be minimized.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

I actually took the dogs for a walk, went to a park with a really steep incline, that stretched them better than I had been doing, worked fine. Was grand for the game last night

[Gongshow11 1]

dont worry when you skate, calves are hardly used in hockey

[shute 4]

drink chocolate milk the night after the workout

[barrett 0]

drink chocolate milk the night after the workout

What exactly would that do?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

drink chocolate milk the night after the workout

What exactly would that do?

Someone posted a study here a while back, chocolate milk is one of the best post workout drinks, for a variety of things, of which all escape me now

[hockechamp14 0]

dont worry when you skate, calves are hardly used in hockey

Take powerskating.... now

[trevor13478 1]

dont worry when you skate, calves are hardly used in hockey

niether are skates, dont worry about them

[top-shelf 1]

dont worry when you skate, calves are hardly used in hockey

Just out of curiosity, where in the world did you get that from? Exercising my calves has done a ton for my game. Jumping rope, dot drills and calf-raises (at different angles, weights and repetitions) have greatly aided my quickness and agility.

[hockeyplaya97 0]

I think he might be talking about NHL'07 instead of actual hockey. Either that or he's in a wheelchair and plays. :/

[trevor13478 1]

probably just thought he was talking about his baby cows being tired...

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

One of the reasons my calfs were fatigued was because I had been feeling them burn after games, so when I was in the gym, after my workout, I was doing extra thigh and calf exercises, so I am also confuesed about gongshows comments

[tomh7 2]

He probably doesn't realize how much the calves are utilized when skating because he is either not using a fully efficient skating stride (i.e. full extension with a powerfull toe flick) or his calves are conditioned well enough that he just doesn't really notice it. Since skating is the single most important skill for a hockey player and account for 100% of your on ice action (cant be on the ice without skating - in a game that is), you need to have balanced and well conditioned muscles throughout your legs (amakingly enough, even the muscles in you feet are important).

[hockechamp14 0]

He probably doesn't realize how much the calves are utilized when skating because he is either not using a fully efficient skating stride (i.e. full extension with a powerfull toe flick) or his calves are conditioned well enough that he just doesn't really notice it. Since skating is the single most important skill for a hockey player and account for 100% of your on ice action (cant be on the ice without skating - in a game that is), you need to have balanced and well conditioned muscles throughout your legs (amakingly enough, even the muscles in you feet are important).

I would tend to question that last statement. I think the muscles and stuff in the feet are important for everyday living and injury prevention, but with the stiffer and stiffer skates, do we need stronger foot muscles?

[tomh7 2]

I never said anything about stronger. I said well conditioned and balanced. Strong legs are important in hockey but but that strength will do you no good if your muscles aren't conditioned and balanced.

[top-shelf 1]

Well-conditioned foot muscles are key to having good balance and good skating posture; everything in hockey starts with your feet in some way or another.

[hockechamp14 0]

I never said anything about stronger. I said well conditioned and balanced. Strong legs are important in hockey but but that strength will do you no good if your muscles aren't conditioned and balanced.

What does conditioned and balanced mean? I think your definition is the same as strength. I realize the importance of your feet when running, and that the foot is key. Like I said though, I still question the importance of the foot in skates that are as stiff as they are today.

[top-shelf 1]

Try playing without toes on your feet and then you'll know what I mean about balance.

[Gongshow11 1]

ok i play ncaa so dont worry about me. however, i notice a lot of guys have skinny calves....huge quads but skinny calves...not saying they arent strong, but they arent as utilized as other muscles in the legs when skating. i havent had a workout program in my life with calve exercised, and i get my workouts from nhl trainers. You develop the twitch muscles in the claves,but you dont need bodybuilder ones to be fast.

if you skate upright like a bender then i can see where youre calves would be sore

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I agree with Gongshow - seen a lot of NHLers - huge quads, small, defined calves.

[TBLfan 25]

the calves are really only used for the toe flick and when turning and stopping... only the toe flick actually requires some strength and most people should have enough strength in their calves to get them by without causing fatigue in that area. With that being said, stronger calves will give you a stronger toe flick.

[Gongshow11 1]

the toe flick is the anterior tibia, which is the skate muscle that one cant really train in the gym. stronger calves wont give you a stronger flick. none of you know what youre talking about

[hockechamp14 0]

ok i play ncaa so dont worry about me. however, i notice a lot of guys have skinny calves....huge quads but skinny calves...not saying they arent strong, but they arent as utilized as other muscles in the legs when skating. i havent had a workout program in my life with calve exercised, and i get my workouts from nhl trainers. You develop the twitch muscles in the claves,but you dont need bodybuilder ones to be fast.

if you skate upright like a bender then i can see where youre calves would be sore

Just because a muscle is used doesn't mean it's going to be huge. Guys have huge quads not just from skating. Calves also have a lot of genetic factors into play too.