I need conditioning help BAD!

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Before I start, yeah I saw the other topics similar to this, Mods feel free to close or whatever if you find this unnecessary. So basically, I just got back from a short trip, I feel like crap and gained a pound or two. (See vent spot). And I need to go full on to get into a semi decent shape. I`m already doing other stuff, weights, pushups, etc. I`d like to find out the fastest way to burn calories(if there is one). The way I see it, I spend a few hours every day working out. Running, core, etc going hard and long. If you guys know any fast ways to burn calories, please mention. I`m already cutting calorie intake down, so hopefully I`ll start to get better.

[Hoffer 0]

Make sure your nutrition is in check and interval training will help with the conditioning.

[skyscrape 5]

It is not cheap, but do you have a CrossFit gym near you? If you do they will push you harder than anything you have ever experienced!

The gym I am going to is 150 a month. But each time I go into the gym we have a trainer with no more than 6 people.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Unfortunately, I have no such money for a gym. And the "equipment" I have, consists of 2, 5 lb dumbells...I improv and make my own stuff up.

[skyscrape 5]

That makes it kind of tough. Check out their website though. Crossfit.com a lot of it is body weight exercises.

[Thepandamancan 0]

Any pick up games of ball hockey in your area? It's a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

[gxc999 7]

It is not cheap, but do you have a CrossFit gym near you?  If you do they will push you harder than anything you have ever experienced!

The gym I am going to is 150 a month.  But each time I go into the gym we have a trainer with no more than 6 people.

There are two easy, cheap answers. 1) Jogging 2) Suicides. Obviously, they're much easier said than done.

[zhaolander 0]

mountain biking does wonders

[trtaylor 3]

Check out Hockey Training Pro and the sister site Revolution Coditioning. Ask Maria for her 'Sprint Training For Fat Loss' routine.

[jds 20]

It might be wise to invest in a hear rate monitor which can be had for $100 or so. Without that and some testing to determine your Max HR you could easily be going too hard when you are supposed to be going easy and going too easy when you are going hard. Most folks tend to train in the middle range based on perceived exertion and neither recover (easy) enough or go hard enough. It also gives you a decent method to measure your improvements and overall fitness.

[shooter27 116]

Interval training is going to burn fat faster than any other type of cardio - assuming your nutrition is right of course. Crossfit is a great idea because its a lot of bodyweight exercises and they list the workout that all the crossfit gyms do each day on their website, so you can follow along on your own.

[Grinder 2]

Give crossfit.com a good read and a good look. It's a great program you can do on the cheap. Yes, the gyms are convenient, but you can do a lot of crossfit in a small space (I have a 8 x 8 space in my garage that I keep free of clutter and a doorframe mounted chinup bar) and absolutely destroy yourself to dry heaves in 20 minuntes. Ignore the exercises that use free weights, and substitute where you can. I use some old ammo boxes filled with sand for some of the exercises, and it works just fine. It's a program designed to use whatever is on hand - I have friends serving in Afghanistan in remote locations who've created workout rooms equipped with rocks, ammo cans, jump ropes, old tires, and a pullup bar.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

I did sit-ups, crunches, ran 5 suicides at a lacrosse box..I wimped away from push ups, mainly cause I hate them, but I`ll try them tomorrow. I think I did well today, feel pretty tired, but I can only get better. I`m thinking tomorrow, focus on core work and strength. Maybe I`ll draw out an agility ladder and do some of that tommorow. Oh and I heard that jumping rope, can help a lot with endurance and calorie burning, anybody know about this.

[skyscrape 5]

Give crossfit.com a good read and a good look. It's a great program you can do on the cheap. Yes, the gyms are convenient, but you can do a lot of crossfit in a small space (I have a 8 x 8 space in my garage that I keep free of clutter and a doorframe mounted chinup bar) and absolutely destroy yourself to dry heaves in 20 minuntes. Ignore the exercises that use free weights, and substitute where you can. I use some old ammo boxes filled with sand for some of the exercises, and it works just fine. It's a program designed to use whatever is on hand - I have friends serving in Afghanistan in remote locations who've created workout rooms equipped with rocks, ammo cans, jump ropes, old tires, and a pullup bar.

This is very true! If you can save the money from skipping drinking or eating out, it can be worth it to have someone push you as well. Having someone there that will not allow you to whimp out on anything is worth the money to me. Everything you just posted doing is great, keep it up!

Jumping rope will burn fat and condition you like a champ! Work on not skipping in between jumps, when you can do that sets of 100 try double unders. Two rotations with the rope for every jump.

A great workout is 100 jumps 50 situps 80 jumps 40 sit ups 60 jumps 30 situps 40 jumps 20 situps 20 jumps 10 situps. Do it for time. If you can do double unders do the same number as sit ups instead of double. Shoot for eight to ten minutes total. I should be a good way to get started.

[hyprlte 0]

Nutrition... Can't stress that enough. I was able to cut down weight simply from changing my breakfast. I have plain Oats mixed with fruit and a protein shake.

Exercises - do pull ups, and circuit training.. Any physical activity in which you just don't stop moving, or have minimal rest.

[adam14 182]

Hill Sprints.

[gxc999 7]

Hill Sprints.

That's another good idea. But the truth is, nothing will improve your conditioning as much as skating and playing more.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

I love doing hill sprints, it's one of the drills where I can usually see an immediate on ice improvement. IMO, it really helps me with just explosive sprint speed.

[adam14 182]

People who dont play hockey dont understand the difference between being in shape and being in hockey shape. its impossible to go out on the ice for a camp at the end of summer and expect to perform as well as you did in january. hockey is mainly about explosiveness, one of my favorite exercises is to find a hill, do 5-10 hill sprints (depending on the steepness and size of hill) in a row, sprint up, walk down to a marker, the second you reach that marker you turn and sprint up again. after you reach your set amount, jog a lap around a track, I'm lucky enough to have a hill at the end of the highschools track, so i run around that at a relatively high pace, not a sprint, but enough to have you breathing hard. take a rest sip some water and do it again.

[hyprlte 0]

Bike sprints also are key. I remember Ponikarovsky did them last summer and he had a pretty solid start to the season. He spent about 1.5 hours on the bike everyday - you don't need to spend that much time, but it certainly helps with hockey stamina.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Well, had my first practice tonight. I got that expected "Oh man, it's been so long I feel terrible" feeling, but it only went for about 10 minutes, which is a nice plus. Felt I made a good impression on coaches, heard a few compliments on passes and grit. Got to do a high pace scrimmage, ended up with 2 goals, 1 assist. I honestly feel pretty good right now. Just hope I can do well again tomorrow.

[PJaeggi97 0]

Exercises that mimic hockey movements are always great. Try going full on for 20 seconds (average time of a shift) then rest for 20.

-Sit ups

-Push ups

-Ladder exercises

-Side shuffle

-Squats (no weights)

-Jump Rope

-High Jump

-Crossovers (if you have some extra sticks laying around)

Do this about 3x through and you'll only have spent 18 minutes and you'll be in shape alot quicker than going to the gym for and hour or two.

[Jarick 5]

I just started the routines at SimpleFit.org. It's extremely simple...pullups, pushups, and squats. It's arranged in levels, so you start out simple and try and move up. It's a circuit style workout, so it gets the heart going pretty good, but it also engages the muscles, so it can build strength and boost the metabolism if you work hard.

I haven't been doing it long so I can't give great feedback, but there's a couple people who put before and after photos who got in REALLY good shape. It's a good basic fitness program IMO and combined with running would get your average person in pretty decent shape.