Age and Pain - What keeps you going?

[danno25nh 3]

I really appreciate the kind words.

Watching the paralympic players made my story seem pretty weak. If those guys can do it, anyone of us can play with a bit of pain or less than optimal physical condition.

As we age or deal with other impairments off ice conditioning, nutrition, and the old work smarter not harder concept become important. Of course I tend to back check more than a lot of the younger players simply because every coach I ever had would bench me in an instant if I wasn't skating full out both directions.

It's hard to slow up on purpose!

[Shark#81 0]

I'm the oldest guy on our team now in a premier competitive 10 team league ages 19+up. I was gonna quit it but back this year due to the following:

Waterski & swim all summer long

Product called TRX fitnessanywhere.com ....strength to range of motion/stretching programs. You must try these programs A+

Carbon fiber hockey gear (shins and skates)

Quit drinking any alcohol

Road bike and surfing in the winter

Very little meat and trying to keep at 170-175lbs (6'1")

Biggest improvement for me came from the TRX programs.

Putting points on the board and double shifted last game. Playing some center, going well.

[Tikkanen 1]

I'm the oldest guy on our team now in a premier competitive 10 team league ages 19+up. I was gonna quit it but back this year due to the following:

Waterski & swim all summer long

Product called TRX fitnessanywhere.com ....strength to range of motion/stretching programs. You must try these programs A+

Carbon fiber hockey gear (shins and skates)

Quit drinking any alcohol

Road bike and surfing in the winter

Very little meat and trying to keep at 170-175lbs (6'1")

Biggest improvement for me came from the TRX programs.

Putting points on the board and double shifted last game. Playing some center, going well.

You left out how old you are.

[Shark#81 0]

> You left out how old you are.

On purpose! Born 1960

Played a few years with Paul Cyr and Derik Sheers (hockey database dudes). Brad Essex is another known player in our league although they were in the B pool.

The biggest issue I have now seems to be with vision. Hard to pick up pucks around the boards, reaction time is down and i am not seeing the ice like i should. I wear a visor. If I pulled the visor it would be OK. I am not practicing on ice either, but will start that.

My top speed, cruise speed is excellent - down a bit on raw acceleration, but I can keep up with anyone in the league - at least in a back check situation.

League pix..

http://av-nchl.tripod.com/id2.html

[Bear 0]

Some great advice here. I'll be hitting 41 in a few months. I never learned to skate as a kid. When I turned 38 I decided that I was not only going to learn to skate, I was also going to learn to play hockey. Concentrated on the skating first by taking classes, and managed to partially dislocate my wrist the first time I fell. That took a couple of months to heal up and made me realize that I don't bounce back/heal like I did when I was younger.

I got a few pices of gear and added a little bit of very basic stick and puck work on the ice, and had just planned for my first learn to play hockey classes in two weeks. Then a fairly minor pain that I had basically ignored for 2-3 months exploded. There was no acute injury like a fall. X-rays and the MRI showed a herniated disc in the lumbar-sacral area, arthritis/degenerative disc disease aka "getting old", and an old L1 compression fracture from 20 years ago that is somehow bothering me now. Meds are keeping me functioning now, I have an EMG coming up, and hopefully the scheduled therapy will enable me to cope and heal up as much as possible.

Hockey is on hold for now, though I have still managed to keep skating. I now realize that there are some things I absolutely need to do if I want to keep skating, such as arriving early enough before the open skate time to warm up and let my back unlock from the 40 minute drive to the rink. Wearing layers in the right spots to keep my back and thighs warm is also important. The right kind of stretching afterwards is another thing I can't just skip. I know I also need to really overhaul my health and eating habits. Everything from ergonomics at work and home (even in bed) to proper diet and rest. All of this has pretty much been summed up in the advice in previous posts in this thread.

I'm still getting the rest of my equipment together now, making sure I have adequate protection, and I don't intend to let this stop me from getting into the real hockey part as soon as I possibly can. I love the sport and I love being on the ice. Seeing my skating buddies regularly is something I look forward to every week. If I don't make it to my usual sessions I just don't feel right. Even with my medical situation now, its still something that I love and I refuse to give it up.

[docar15 1]

I don't think pain will ever go away, we just get better at dealing with it.

Also don't forget about gear-wh**ring... That is a fix in itself.

[BarDownGinos 3]

Sudafed, Icy Hot/FlexAll, Red Bull/Monster,beers with the boys, skating fast, clanging the post, and putting one top shelf. All of the above or various combinations keep me going. All of that and, well, nothing else is even close to being as much fun as hockey.

[mug25 2]

This thread makes me realize I need to re-evaluates some things.

I am 31 and started playing hockey I at 25/26, but I have never been in good shape or much of a striving athlete (i was a lazy, lazy teenager!) Hockey and eating WAY better than I used to has really helped me loose some weight and gain some stamina.

Reading this thread makes me realize if I want to continues playing this game I seriously need to drop this a spare tire I carry and work on my personal motivation to train. I am not going to be a calorie counter or any thing like, I love food way too much, but I need to work on portions and that kind of stuff.

I suppose I should finally follow-through on the promise to the wife to get to a Doc and get a physical check-up. I really haven't been to a doctor since college.

This is an interesting read with lots of good info and motivation. Thanks.

Great post! I'm in the same boat, just 3 years younger. I play 4-5 nights a week and am seeing weight melt off :D Keep it up!

Sudafed, Icy Hot/FlexAll, Red Bull/Monster,beers with the boys, skating fast, clanging the post, and putting one top shelf. All of the above or various combinations keep me going. All of that and, well, nothing else is even close to being as much fun as hockey.

I'm glad I'm not at the Ice Hot/Flex All stage (yet). But Red Bull?! That stuff is garbage man! So much sugar :(

[Tikkanen 1]

Great post! I'm in the same boat, just 3 years younger. I play 4-5 nights a week and am seeing weight melt off :D Keep it up!

I'm glad I'm not at the Ice Hot/Flex All stage (yet). But Red Bull?! That stuff is garbage man! So much sugar :(

Sugar free Red Bull.

[number21 3]

Great post! I'm in the same boat, just 3 years younger. I play 4-5 nights a week and am seeing weight melt off :D Keep it up!

Damn 4-5 nights!

I wish I could pull that off. Are these all pick-up games or a mix of organized and pick-up?

There is stick and puck almost daily on weekdays where I play but it's 5:30-8am and I am just not a morning person. Plus the thought of my gear festering for 8 hours in my car at work doesn't excite me either. I did a couple of tuesday clinics last year which was nice and helped me out a bit. But they raised the price this year and I (we) are trying to save up for some of those major life purchases.

So really I am hoping for a nice cold winter so I can at least get out on the city ponds on nights and weekends.

I really should make that doctor's appointment too.

[mug25 2]

Damn 4-5 nights!

I wish I could pull that off. Are these all pick-up games or a mix of organized and pick-up?

There is stick and puck almost daily on weekdays where I play but it's 5:30-8am and I am just not a morning person. Plus the thought of my gear festering for 8 hours in my car at work doesn't excite me either. I did a couple of tuesday clinics last year which was nice and helped me out a bit. But they raised the price this year and I (we) are trying to save up for some of those major life purchases.

So really I am hoping for a nice cold winter so I can at least get out on the city ponds on nights and weekends.

I really should make that doctor's appointment too.

Monday - Off Night

Tuesday - League Game

Wednesday - Off Night

Thursday - Adult Clinic / Scrimmage

Friday - Open Hockey

Saturday - Open Hockey

Sunday - Adult Clinic

:D I play a lot. I will say, last night was a pretty rough scrimmage so I feel all banged up and sore. The ref we had was totally chill with penalties and actually let contact occur. This one guy (who I happen to be cool with) and I went at it back and forth all night with hits until I caught him with his head down and just flat out destroyed him with a shoulder to shoulder hit. Needless to say, I'm pretty worn out from playing so much. A few extra nights off a week is nice!

[BarDownGinos 3]

Great post! I'm in the same boat, just 3 years younger. I play 4-5 nights a week and am seeing weight melt off :D Keep it up!

I'm glad I'm not at the Ice Hot/Flex All stage (yet). But Red Bull?! That stuff is garbage man! So much sugar :(

Red Bull is for skates right after work, or tournament weekends. The Flex All helps A LOT, I'm only 25 but my body took a beating in HS and College so somedays its the only remedy.

[Shark#81 0]

Couple more things to add - my opinion! These are things I've picked up from pro water skiers & coaches mixed in with my own thoughts:

Unless there has been an force injury, joint pain and degradation is due to improper alignment on the joint, which is due to RSI (repetitive stress injury). Soft tissues act like rigging cables to keep the joint in place. If you are too tight in one area, this pulls the joint off = pain and strain and exposes the joint on injury. This applies to knees, back - you name it. How do you correct?

1. Opposite and balancing exercises to counter the muscles overused in hockey (or other sport, desk job etc.)

2. What I call micro-stretching. This can be had in the form of: using a tennis ball, foam roller, sports massage - anything to apply point pressure to loosen or stretch or breakdown tight tissue in local areas or overused muscle groups. I use this for the back, upper and lower legs. Feels like a meat tenderizer!

3. Overall stretching - the TRX guys have organized a great stretching program to include the hip region, quads, etc.

I have two tennis balls in the car. Always drive with at least the one - moving it around in the lumbar region, the more it hurts the better! I move it to the mid and upper back areas too. Sometimes working two at a time.

http://saveyourself.ca/articles/tennis-ball.php

[mug25 2]

I played thursday and again tonight — took Friday off and as I'm typing this (330AM) I feel like total crap — lower back, thighs, feet all sore.

I've started stretching a lot more before playing. I'm even going to start coming early to stretch in the locker room before games and then doing some stretching afterwards. Also gonna start getting a professional massage here and there.

[jds 20]

Couple more things to add - my opinion! These are things I've picked up from pro water skiers & coaches mixed in with my own thoughts:

Unless there has been an force injury, joint pain and degradation is due to improper alignment on the joint, which is due to RSI (repetitive stress injury). Soft tissues act like rigging cables to keep the joint in place. If you are too tight in one area, this pulls the joint off = pain and strain and exposes the joint on injury. This applies to knees, back - you name it. How do you correct?

1. Opposite and balancing exercises to counter the muscles overused in hockey (or other sport, desk job etc.)

2. What I call micro-stretching. This can be had in the form of: using a tennis ball, foam roller, sports massage - anything to apply point pressure to loosen or stretch or breakdown tight tissue in local areas or overused muscle groups. I use this for the back, upper and lower legs. Feels like a meat tenderizer!

3. Overall stretching - the TRX guys have organized a great stretching program to include the hip region, quads, etc.

I have two tennis balls in the car. Always drive with at least the one - moving it around in the lumbar region, the more it hurts the better! I move it to the mid and upper back areas too. Sometimes working two at a time.

http://saveyourself....tennis-ball.php

Those foam rollers do wonders if you can take the pain. I have to agree with the idea of balancing muscle strength and found the Core performance strategy which focuses heavily on this concept to help a lot especially in the hamstring area which can be notoriously tight in a lot of people since everyone tends to focus on the quads alone.

[saba 0]

Funny you should say this as I was talking to a local coach the other day on a ride about how I did not recover well for 4 days post leg day in the weight room. First thing he said was improper alignment. I looked at him puzzingly as in my mind all exhaustion problems are all biochemistry(have a background). Was intrigued so started looking around on the damfangled internets to find this has become a popular opinion on stress related injury. Started the yoga and pilates more aggressively and am already seeing benefits

Unless there has been an force injury, joint pain and degradation is due to improper alignment on the joint, which is due to RSI (repetitive stress injury). Soft tissues act like rigging cables to keep the joint in place. If you are too tight in one area, this pulls the joint off = pain and strain and exposes the joint on injury. This applies to knees, back - you name it. How do you correct?

[danno25nh 3]

Those foam rollers do wonders if you can take the pain. I have to agree with the idea of balancing muscle strength and found the Core performance strategy which focuses heavily on this concept to help a lot especially in the hamstring area which can be notoriously tight in a lot of people since everyone tends to focus on the quads alone.

I worked with a trainer for 6 months while recovering from chemo. She was a firm believer in foam rollers. Those things really hurt for the first few weeks but helped with flexibility quite a bit. One key thing hockey players often overlook is the need to build opposing muscles. We get these great big quads but ignore our hammys. Spend some time in the gym building the hammys. It helps keep things properly aligned and helps reduce muscle strain.

The best off ice workout I've found thus far is boxing. 2 minute rounds with 45 second rest periods makes 1 minute shifts seem easy. The millions of punches I've thrown has built my lats, delts,bi's, and tri's really nicely. It pays off in the faceoff circle, in front of the net, and digging in the corners.

The down side of course is yesterday for instance. I was sparring partner (better known as punching bag) for a 4 time world champ female boxer. I got my nose and mouth bloodied pretty good. Game tonight. Might be a tad sore.

Before you tough guys comment about getting beat up by a girl, let me invite you to try. 4 time WORLD champ in 3 different weight classes. The woman is fast and hits like a truck.

Funny you should say this as I was talking to a local coach the other day on a ride about how I did not recover well for 4 days post leg day in the weight room. First thing he said was improper alignment. I looked at him puzzingly as in my mind all exhaustion problems are all biochemistry(have a background). Was intrigued so started looking around on the damfangled internets to find this has become a popular opinion on stress related injury. Started the yoga and pilates more aggressively and am already seeing benefits

Unless there has been an force injury, joint pain and degradation is due to improper alignment on the joint, which is due to RSI (repetitive stress injury). Soft tissues act like rigging cables to keep the joint in place. If you are too tight in one area, this pulls the joint off = pain and strain and exposes the joint on injury. This applies to knees, back - you name it. How do you correct?

For leg days you should consider flat soled foot gear. Stay away from running shoes and even cross trainers. I've started using my ring shoes. Some folks use those god awful ugly vibram 5 finger things. My squats have improved a lot since getting away from cross trainers.

[Jason Harris 31]

Funny you should say this as I was talking to a local coach the other day on a ride about how I did not recover well for 4 days post leg day in the weight room. First thing he said was improper alignment.

I think another reason is having separate days for legs, back, chest, arms, etc. leads to soreness.

I mentioned earlier that I fell out of shape for about five years after I started my businesses; I couldn't find time to go to the gym when I had to earn money to pay back my loans. Finally, I decided to try P90X, since I could do it in the evening with my wife. Although I didn't mind the first month of the program, what I ultimately did not like was how sore I was for days after tearing apart a body part for a workout, then not doing it again for seven days. That was something I never experienced when I was a gym rat, since I always did whole body workouts, so I joined the gym that is more expensive but much closer to my house, and I've been able to fall back into the routines I had for years. As a result, I'm not experiencing soreness and have had good stamina for playing hockey.

[CAmmon 2]

The people I know that use Vibram shoes swear by them. I've heard it enough to be interested.

[BarDownGinos 3]

The people I know that use Vibram shoes swear by them. I've heard it enough to be interested.

Working out in them is fine, but don't go for runs in them right off the bat, you'll destroy your feet.

[BlackIce 1]

I am 41 and find that when I play back to back (e.g. Monday and Tuesday) I am no good for the second consecutive day. I'm just not effective. My body needs at least a day to recover. I also find that the night before a game I need at least 6 - 8 hours sleep and my eating needs to be top notch for game day. Hydrating the body 2 hours before games is now a must for me.

[mug25 2]

Last night was the first night that I've had to use icy hot...I shouldn't have poked fun at the guy who mentioned it earlier!

[boconnor811 0]

Monday - Off Night

Tuesday - League Game

Wednesday - Off Night

Thursday - Adult Clinic / Scrimmage

Friday - Open Hockey

Saturday - Open Hockey

Sunday - Adult Clinic

:D I play a lot.

I wish I could find ice availability to skate that much... I usually get out two nights a week, one league game and some open hockey. I try to mix in some weight training in between, but wish there was an option to play more.

[Too Old 1]

I'll be 51 in May... and am back playing after being away from the ice for 34 years. I got back into it 2 years ago. Pain? Sure. Especially when I broke my left fibula back in Jan and was on crutches for 5 weeks. All is reasonably well and I've been back on the ice playing again (after a 6 week stint for a sprained RH SI joint, argh) the last month. I say that's why you make sure to stretch out and Ibuprofen is your friend!

[mug25 2]

I wish I could find ice availability to skate that much... I usually get out two nights a week, one league game and some open hockey. I try to mix in some weight training in between, but wish there was an option to play more.

I think I've been overdoing it though. I really ought to ease back on the ice time and hit the gym instead. Thinking 3 nights on the ice, 3 nights at the gym.