Tired Legs

[junior 1]

Hi Guys,

I'm having a problem with my leg endurance. My legs start to get tired during warmup before games and are dead tired in the middle of my shift (20 seconds in). I suspect it is my skate that are causing this. For 10-12 years I was using the same cheap pair of skates that I got when I was around 15 and finally had to get a new pair. I decided to spend a little money and got a pair of CCM vector 6.0. I went from being one of the best skaters on the ice to one of the worst ones. My speed and agility have vanished and my legs get tired really fast. Is this caused by my skates or is my age catching up really quickly? I think my skates are too stiff and I'm thinking of grabbing a cheap pair to see if there are any improvements. Any thoughts?

[chippa13 1844]

While a bad sharpening can lead to fatigue, I'd check your conditioning. Not for nothing but if you've suddenly had such a drop-off in your endurance then you may want to talk to your doctor.

[jcp2 2]

Try loosening up the top of your skates or skipping the top eyelet. You might have gotten a lot of agility and power out of your ankles before that the newer stiffer skate is taking away.

[iceholes 0]

had this converstaion with and abouit someone not too long ago... the doctor concluded that it was his blood pressure...

your may be different but it should be mentioned

[vek 0]

Your topic title reads very well in a pirate voice. Yarrr.

Medical issues aside, when I switched skates with major pitch differences, I had the same issue as you. It takes a lot of energy to stablize your core if you're off your normal balance point.

[chk hrd 164]

if your thighs feel really heavy it could be leg pump or lactic acid build up.

[junior 1]

Your topic title reads very well in a pirate voice. Yarrr.

Medical issues aside, when I switched skates with major pitch differences, I had the same issue as you. It takes a lot of energy to stablize your core if you're off your normal balance point.

How do I know what pitch my skate is and what pitch is my normal balance point?

if your thighs feel really heavy it could be leg pump or lactic acid build up.

What is leg pump? Is it just another term for lactic acid build up?

I don't think its lactic acid because my legs start to feel tired within the first few strides in warm up.

[IniNew 51]

Try loosening up the top of your skates or skipping the top eyelet. You might have gotten a lot of agility and power out of your ankles before that the newer stiffer skate is taking away.

This makes the most sense to me. With such a sudden change, in only one activity (or I assume is only one activity) I'd have to agree that you are just not as used to the stiffness of a higher quality skate.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Don't forget about checking your hollow. I know for a fact if I go deeper than 1/2" hollow (currently use a 5/8) it feels like what you have stated. Legs tire easily and I can't turn b/c I'm stuck in the ice.

[JDeezy 0]

Your topic title reads very well in a pirate voice. Yarrr.

Medical issues aside, when I switched skates with major pitch differences, I had the same issue as you. It takes a lot of energy to stablize your core if you're off your normal balance point.

bahahaha!!!! :lol: does no one else think this is hilarious?

But seriously I had the same problem when I got new skates. It turned out that the stiffer boot was tougher to tighen. Since i left out the top 2 eyelet levels and wrap the extra lenght of lace around my ankle, its has improved A LOT

[junior 1]

Skated last night, and left the top eyelet open. 1000% improvement. I still think my skates are too stiff, but I'm comfortable know that its a skate issue and not an age issue. Thanks for the help guys.

[JDeezy 0]

Skated last night, and left the top eyelet open. 1000% improvement. I still think my skates are too stiff, but I'm comfortable know that its a skate issue and not an age issue. Thanks for the help guys.

no problem glad things worked out.

[iceholes 0]

now go skate some pond hockey and that will use a whole new set of muscles for that type of ice... that works wonders for getting back to good ol clean hockey ice.. you would be amazed how much harder you work on a pond

[epstud74 24]

I just skated on pond/park ice for the 1st time in years. My quads were killing me afterwards. It didnt help that it had snowed all day and was sleeting a bit when we were out at the park.

Also, did you have any knee injury recently? I hyper extended my knee when I fell out of a tractor in November (dont ask) and when I first came back to skate in late Dec.. my lower quads by my knee was really weak and it definitely felt fatigued.

[junior 1]

I just skated on pond/park ice for the 1st time in years. My quads were killing me afterwards. It didnt help that it had snowed all day and was sleeting a bit when we were out at the park.

Also, did you have any knee injury recently? I hyper extended my knee when I fell out of a tractor in November (dont ask) and when I first came back to skate in late Dec.. my lower quads by my knee was really weak and it definitely felt fatigued.

No knee injury. I wish I could get some pond hockey into my life, but I live in Toronto. The closest thing to pond hockey would be playing in a frozen puddle formed in one of our large potholes.

[BLKHKhockey 0]

I'm having similar problems, but I don't think the problem is my skates. My legs are tired before I even get to the rink. It seems as if whenever I'm nervous before a game(which is almost every game), my legs are extremely week to the point of shaking. There's inconsistency in energy between the kind of meals I eat the day of, the amount of sleep, and the intensity of my warm up. It's really effecting my game to the point of barely being able to make quick turns or take a hit without falling. Any help?

[junior 1]

I'm having similar problems, but I don't think the problem is my skates. My legs are tired before I even get to the rink. It seems as if whenever I'm nervous before a game(which is almost every game), my legs are extremely week to the point of shaking. There's inconsistency in energy between the kind of meals I eat the day of, the amount of sleep, and the intensity of my warm up. It's really effecting my game to the point of barely being able to make quick turns or take a hit without falling. Any help?

I would suggest writing out a meal plan, even a full schedule of your activites for the day. Once things are committed to paper, its easier to stay in a routine. Hopefully the routine will allow you proper rest and nutrition.

[gxc999 7]

I have to post this because my legs have been affected by the same problem. I think it's because someone put a 1/2 on my skates instead of 5/8, as I was used to. So I'm going to get another 5/8-2/3rd and see how it goes.

[Tikkanen 1]

I'm having similar problems, but I don't think the problem is my skates. My legs are tired before I even get to the rink. It seems as if whenever I'm nervous before a game(which is almost every game), my legs are extremely week to the point of shaking. There's inconsistency in energy between the kind of meals I eat the day of, the amount of sleep, and the intensity of my warm up. It's really effecting my game to the point of barely being able to make quick turns or take a hit without falling. Any help?

You need more potassium. You need to also try to figure out why you're nervous before playing hockey. What useful purpose does being nervous do? Is a serial killer going to jump from the stands and kill you? Maybe. But you're playing hockey, it's a game, you're supposed to have fun. If you don't make every good play and screw up you will still have to wake up the next day and live your life-unless the serial killer gets you while you're sleeping.