Ice vs Roller hockey players

[AWE46M3 0]

What is everyone's opinion on who, generally, has better conditioning/endurance and why???

Personally, I've played a lot both ice and roller and have drawn my own conclusions. I feel that players of equal caliber who play either all/mostly roller are better conditioned than those playing all/mostly ice. I think roller player are used to playing longer shifts with fewer people on a team and can easily play more than 1/2 a game because teams are generally kept small. There is also the possibility that playing roller is "hotter," which may or may not play an effect; personally, I feel its minimal. Conversely, I see ice players being used to shorter shifts with more people on a team and perhaps less playing time overall during a game.

I'm just throwing this out there because the other day my friend and I were tossing around this idea. We both started playing ice together, but I also got into roller at a younger age as something to do when ice season ended or just to play simultaneously. I didn't think much about this until he commented on the endurance of some people were playing roller with, who I know for a fact play most if not all roller.

I think, in the end, it is almost a comparison of a sprinter vs a marathon runner.

[starskie 0]

I think, in the end, it is almost a comparison of a sprinter vs a marathon runner.

I think you answered your own question. For me ice is balls to the wall for 45 secs to a min, while playing roller its slower, but out there longer.

[gxc999 7]

I think, in the end, it is almost a comparison of a sprinter vs a marathon runner.

I think you answered your own question. For me ice is balls to the wall for 45 secs to a min, while playing roller its slower, but out there longer.

Yeah, if you see a really good inline team, they'll be playing short shifts and moving much harder than an inline pickup game. Then again, guys in beer league ice teams might playing really long shifts as well so...

[thefelixculpa 0]

As a life long inline player who has played in some fast paced/high level leagues, I would believe that ice hockey leagues of the same skill level would require more endurance. Obviously a beer league mens ice hockey league will require less endurance than the high level inline leagues, and same goes when you compare a high level ice league to the rec inline leagues.

But when you compare a high level ice league to a high level inline league, the ice league has got to require more endurance. It's more physical, more grinding, and in most cases played on a bigger surface.

The only other thing that I probably should consider would be that inline is 4 on 4 and leaves for more back and forth open skating.

[Stampede#11 0]

It's a tough call. As what defines stamina for inline vs Ice is different.

As a pure inline player now, I know if I took a shift of full contact on the ice I would probably be totally gassed in 45 seconds.

But saying that we used to play full contact inline years ago (into brick walls in gym halls), and the same 2-3 minute shifts were played, with the additional heat.

... so I am no further closer to deciding than I was when I started typing!!!

[sdcopp 1]

I think inline does require more endurance, but ice requires quicker recovery time between shifts. Ice has a more frenetic pace with the extra body on each team, but has icing, offsides and heavier zone play that doesn't allow the same end to end skating seen in inline games.

[cj190 0]

Have played University Ice and PIHA, Ice is much more work, much harder on the body. Love them both though.

[flyweightphantom 1]

I've played both ice and roller in high level leagues i feel Ice is harder and requires more stamina.

[english15x 3]

ice is harder on the body hands down.

[hotsauce 0]

ice hands down. minute of hard skating then get off.

[JR97 2]

Another vote for ice. Even though we were playing inline hockey in 100+ degree heat sometimes and the skates are heavier, there were times we had no subs and I played a full game...sometimes 2-3 games in one night... playing ice is harder on the body for some reason. On the ice, doing a full game in shifts kicks my ass like no other.

[Patrick67 1]

If it's full-contact inline I'd say it was a close call.

But for non-contact inline vs. Icehockey there isn't even a compaision in stamina. It's all the grinding in the corners that sucks the life out of you.

[sdcopp 1]

If it's full-contact inline I'd say it was a close call.

But for non-contact inline vs. Icehockey there isn't even a compaision in stamina. It's all the grinding in the corners that sucks the life out of you.

I think that's the defining verdict right there, cause that's the pure truth. In a wide open, danglefest roller game I'll concede ice is much harder on the body. It is the grinding down low, followed by the no icing/offsides/etc. that makes roller more wearing sometimes. Like I said before though, ice has the more frenetic pace to it.

[Maka 0]

Given, I'm new to roller hockey, but I've played ice for the majority of my life and can safely say that it feels like ice takes a much larger toll on my body. I can attribute part of this to the fact that I play at a much higher skill level on the ice than in roller, but even so, I feel like the nature of the game is more stop-start even on the ice (i.e. quick direction changes w/ stops as opposed to long swooping turns) and consequently harder in terms of endurance.

[xaero604 0]

I second the notion of start and stopping being the major factor in causing quicker fatigue on ice. Nothing burns the legs more than having to stop and change direction on a dime. Stopping at full speed in roller is nearly impossible. Maybe I haven't seen enough higher level games but I don't think I've ever seen someone do a hockey stop at full speed in inline skates.

Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[liroadrunners 0]

yea it's possible to stop at full speed in roller. maybe not in lower levels but in tournament level it's done alot and not quite that hard.

[AWE46M3 0]

^^^^ Yeah, but it's still not quite the same a stopping from full speed on ice.

I always thought the same thing about the physicality and stop-and-go nature of ice, as many of you here do. Even in PIHA or Narch Pro, I'm still not sold that the physicality is anywhere near the same as ice. Though I would tend to agree, that IF roller were a more physical game and all else being equal, than it might be a more equal comparison.

[mattzilla 0]

You can stop on a dime on rollerblades from full speed. I can do it, and I'm just a schmuck.

As far as the original question, I havent played ice in about 13 or so years ( maybe longer) when i started playing roller. I fell in love with it and quit playing ice... so I dont have an answer

[gxc999 7]

^^^^ Yeah, but it's still not quite the same a stopping from full speed on ice.

I always thought the same thing about the physicality and stop-and-go nature of ice, as many of you here do. Even in PIHA or Narch Pro, I'm still not sold that the physicality is anywhere near the same as ice. Though I would tend to agree, that IF roller were a more physical game and all else being equal, than it might be a more equal comparison.

Yeh, I dono if you can honestly say that since so many rec leagues in America are officially "non-contact", whether ice or roller. There's still some contact on both fronts though. I'm getting into ice skating now and let me tell you coming from only ever skating inline, it's much, much more fluid and takes far less effort to skate 150 feet than 100 in rollerblades. I think that's the obvious point many people are overlooking...

[JR97 2]

it's much, much more fluid and takes far less effort to skate 150 feet than 100 in rollerblades. I think that's the obvious point many people are overlooking...

Most definitely. When I went back to roller after a summer of ice, the first thing I noticed was the drag and heavier weight of the skates.

I also think that since roller is typically 4 on 4, you have time and space inherently whereas on ice, that time and space disappears pretty quick requiring players to go a little harder.

[saba 0]

For someone coming from roller for years back to ice, I feel ice is harder as mentioned from start stops. I don't know if it is the design of the 4 on 4 or the level or rec league roller play but to me yes roller skates longer but there is more coasting than in ice play. So you may be out there for longer of a shift but how much work/skating is the roller player doing compared to the ice player on a 45 sec shift?

[AWE46M3 0]

^^^^ Yeah, but it's still not quite the same a stopping from full speed on ice.

I always thought the same thing about the physicality and stop-and-go nature of ice, as many of you here do. Even in PIHA or Narch Pro, I'm still not sold that the physicality is anywhere near the same as ice. Though I would tend to agree, that IF roller were a more physical game and all else being equal, than it might be a more equal comparison.

Yeh, I dono if you can honestly say that since so many rec leagues in America are officially "non-contact", whether ice or roller. There's still some contact on both fronts though. I'm getting into ice skating now and let me tell you coming from only ever skating inline, it's much, much more fluid and takes far less effort to skate 150 feet than 100 in rollerblades. I think that's the obvious point many people are overlooking...

I failed to make a distinction. Im not really talking about rec leagues specifically. I'm talking more about travel and other higher level types of play.

[15yearsofhistory 0]

I'm undecided because I think it depends on the rink type. I've played ice on a smooth sheet and a rough sheet; I'm guessing you can nominate which one is harder to skate on. I've also skated on an array of roller floors (polished concrete, Sport-Court, concrete) and each one has a different difficulty to overcome. Some had more grip, others had less but then you had to deal with cracks and stuff.

[raygunpk 0]

I play both right now, and I can tell you I feel a lot more tired/sore after ice, but I sweat a LOT more in roller.

[gxc999 7]

I play both right now, and I can tell you I feel a lot more tired/sore after ice, but I sweat a LOT more in roller.

The sweating part is so completely true. Are the players a bit higher caliber in top quality ice than roller? Yeah, I bet so. However, just for your average player, I don't think there's a noticeable conditioning difference either way. One of the things to consider however is conditioning can mean many things. Are we talking pure cardio or muscle conditioning? Or a mix of the two?

IMO, ice is slightly harder on cardio but beats up your muscles less overall, even though you work more of them.