Advice: Getting back into it / off-ice workouts...

[TopShelfSnipes]

So after taking my wife to a public skating session last week (first time on the ice at all in a few years), I really got the itch to get back into hockey. Background: Played through high school years and college intramurals, but basically haven't even been on ice with a stick since which is about 15 years ago. I had a toxic job for a very long time that I left last year and am only now getting back into trying to play sports regularly, but let's basically say that job left me with ZERO time for physical activity over the past 5 years other than walking around, and the very rare and non-routine activity I could do like a run or hike. After I left that toxic job I played a season of softball last year, but that's been it. So basically I'm very out of shape. But leaving that job has opened a world of possibilities that I now want to follow through on before I'm too old to, which includes getting back into hockey.

The skating session was rough, and I could not believe how I felt like I'd never put on skates before again..all the feel for my edges is gone, my balance feels off, I feel every rut in the ice, and my knees just never seem to bend as much as I want them to. My wife is an actually beginner at skating so I wasn't exerting myself really because I was just happy to be on the ice and trying to go over basics with her, but I was otherwise generally comfortable out there. So I decided to go to a stick and puck because between that and her making a committed effort to learning hockey this year (including asking me to demonstrate the different shot types last week - without a puck, of course - in our living room...I really really missed it. I decided to go in full gear so I wouldn't think about falling, and because I wanted to get the feel of playing with full gear again. Again, last time I did this was 15 years ago, game action, college intramurals. Holy hell did I feel like I sucked. Adding a stick and puck made me feel like I lost all feel for my edges. Was pleasantly surprised my hands weren't completely gone (just mostly), but I have no feel for the puck and am back to looking down for it, which was fine for stick & puck I guess. The thing that shocked me most was that my shot is gone. Like, almost totally completely gone. When I played, my wirst and snap shots were by far my greatest strength. The first two rolled off my stick and went about 2 feet wide right from the bottom of the circle. One of the greatest strengths of my wrist shot when I was playing was that I could control the height fairly precisely, now I felt like the shot would kind of roll off the stick and if I aimed top (forget top corner), there was a chance the puck would just sail on me. The weirdest thing is that in my mind I can still feel exactly what my shot used to feel like, but when I go to release, it's just not there, the hands are too slow, my shoulder doesn't want to load up enough, my weight transfer is wrong, I'm not torquing the stick enough, the gloves are too heavy, my arms are too weak, and it feels so ridiculously different. Especially the snapshot.

After a few runs though, my skating really went to hell, and everything began to be sore. Actually had to sit down for two 5 minute stretches just to get off my feet, and this was from just picking up pucks out of the net, going back to the blueline, skating in and shooting for about 45 minutes to an hour. The next day, I woke up with muscles in my hips hurting I didn't remember I had, which obviously played a role in my fatigue at the session. I'm not injured, but I feel like I'm learning to walk again right now.

I'm really looking to get back into it, and maybe even get into a noob league next season or do an adult hockey clinic at some point if one becomes available, and I'm glad I did stick and puck this week, but it's clear to me I have a long way to go before I can join even the lowest level of play anymore.

Anyway the question: the part I'm really struggling with is I have never - in my life - ever been this out of shape before. I really don't know how to ease into any kind of workouts, because I've never had to before. If I lift weights, I want to push my limits in reps and in weight...and me going easy is less weight, not fewer reps. This always leads to soreness, which, when I was younger, was much easier to work through. Obviously I get skating as much as I can, probably taking lessons to have a trained eye tell me the bad habits / things I'm doing wrong so I can get my balance and feel for edges again. But this is more about the off-ice, working out, exercise/cardio kinds of things. I'm also 25 pounds heavier than I was when I played, so adding full gear means my legs moved more weight than they ever have, while in their weakest condition.

So just asking for any of the middle aged or older crowd in here...how do you train off ice from a position of compltely out of shape to ease back into it. People who recovered from surgery? People who like me did nothing for most of a decade+ then decided they missed it, but weren't top players beforehand? Do I send it like I did when I was 21 and just deal with the soreness and my body will get used to it? Do I baby myself with weight and reps then gradually work up. Do I work out more frequently for shorter duration in the beginning? I'm just struggling with needing to be able to do physical things around the house and yard, wanting to get stronger/back in shape, but not wanting to feel like a stiff mummy for a week at a time every time I do something. Any advice welcome.

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[PizzaAndPucks]

I'm going to assume you are in your late 30's to 40's. I'm not at that age yet but I understand you not feeling like the player you once were due to being older and what not. You also have to remember that 15 years is a long time without lacing up the skates so you have to expect to be rusty. I would say before you really pursue trying to get back into an adult league or a clinic to make sure you are given a medical go ahead to be playing. If you are able to play than I would say go to sticks and pucks and ease your way back into it. Work on the fundamentals like skating (forward and back) , passing and shooting. Once you get comfortable with those than I think you would be ready to jump into an adult clinic or even an open hockey session. It's all about taking small steps.


You have somewhat of a goal/idea of where you want to get to but it will take some time. I would say always get the go ahead from your doctor when it comes to what you want to do for working out. Working out your lower body is the most important thing for a hockey player. Core strength and arm strength is good too but a hockey player is much better with a stronger lower body (calves , quads , glutes , etc). You will be faster , more agile and harder to knock off the puck. If you want to lose weight than a good diet can do wonders. Everyone has different metabolism and body type so you will have to find what works best for you. There are so many different diets/ plans out there but a search at your local library or online will be easy to find one.

Alot of the hockey related stuff when it comes to working on skating/skills and even work outdoors can also be found on YouTube. The account "How to hockey" is a very good one for people of all different ages/skill levels.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

I'm going to assume you are in your late 30's to 40's. I'm not at that age yet but I understand you not feeling like the player you once were due to being older and what not. You also have to remember that 15 years is a long time without lacing up the skates so you have to expect to be rusty. I would say before you really pursue trying to get back into an adult league or a clinic to make sure you are given a medical go ahead to be playing. If you are able to play than I would say go to sticks and pucks and ease your way back into it. Work on the fundamentals like skating (forward and back) , passing and shooting. Once you get comfortable with those than I think you would be ready to jump into an adult clinic or even an open hockey session. It's all about taking small steps.


You have somewhat of a goal/idea of where you want to get to but it will take some time. I would say always get the go ahead from your doctor when it comes to what you want to do for working out. Working out your lower body is the most important thing for a hockey player. Core strength and arm strength is good too but a hockey player is much better with a stronger lower body (calves , quads , glutes , etc). You will be faster , more agile and harder to knock off the puck. If you want to lose weight than a good diet can do wonders. Everyone has different metabolism and body type so you will have to find what works best for you. There are so many different diets/ plans out there but a search at your local library or online will be easy to find one.

Alot of the hockey related stuff when it comes to working on skating/skills and even work outdoors can also be found on YouTube. The account "How to hockey" is a very good one for people of all different ages/skill levels.

That all makes sense and I appreciate the response...but I guess a big piece of the puzzle for me is how to get back into weight training. I'm due for a physical soon so will prob bring it up then, but as far as weight training, should I push myself from the beginning on the weight? Should I do light weight / more reps in the beginning? Should I baby myself at first (light weight/few reps/don't get tired) just to condition my muscles to getting used to working out at all again first, then up the intensity after my body is in the habit of more routine exercise?

This is probably the biggest thing I'm struggling with since I've never had to start from this position before in terms of getting back into shape.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

That all makes sense and I appreciate the response...but I guess a big piece of the puzzle for me is how to get back into weight training. I'm due for a physical soon so will prob bring it up then, but as far as weight training, should I push myself from the beginning on the weight? Should I do light weight / more reps in the beginning? Should I baby myself at first (light weight/few reps/don't get tired) just to condition my muscles to getting used to working out at all again first, then up the intensity after my body is in the habit of more routine exercise?

This is probably the biggest thing I'm struggling with since I've never had to start from this position before in terms of getting back into shape.

I'm not gonna lie I know a decent amount about fitness and nutrition but not a ton. It doesn't hurt to start slow. A guy I work with is in insane shape and he is in his mid to late 40's. He doesn't lift weights either. Calisthenics are great ways to work out. Push ups , sit ups , chin ups , pull ups etc. Look up the different calisthenic workouts you can do. You don't need any weights , except for a pull up bar which you can get that mount to a doorway easily. Look up different workout plans. If you stick with it you will be able to do more reps in a set. Just gotta stay consistent and do them everyday. You won't strain your body in the process and you build endurance at the same time.

 

[FU Shoresy]

I was in the same place 14 yrs ago. After not playing since 18 decided to play at 45. Felt like I needed to learn to skate again. Just skate, no equipment till you get your stability back. Do cardio to get back in shape. I have an exercise bike I used. Initially did stamina/long workouts. Then started high intensity interval training. Alternating 1 minute hard and 1 minute very low level. Simulates taking shifts in the game. Use a HR monitor. When your heart is in shape you should be able to recover 20-30 beats per minute when you slow down. For leg strength I did alternating step ups on a plyo box. 3 sets of 50 to build endurance. Got to the point where I'd hold a 20lb DB in each hand. Doing straight up jumps on the box. Helps develop explosive muscles. Only after building up your cardio, start the weight training. Start slow, again to build up your endurance. And get your body use to feeling a load. Your muscles will respond faster than your support system (soft tissue, skeletal), take it slow. Work on flexibility. There is no quick way to get back in shape. Do it right and take your time. . Have fun it's a blast getting back on the ice.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Start slow, always warm up - the older you get the longer the warm up.

Basic squat to begin with, then frog jumps, bulgarian split squats later.

Jogging, slow pace, 2 days off, jogging again....if you feel any pain - always stop. Much better to stop, think about the possible cause, try again later.

Jogging -> running -> sprint intervals

As already mentioned above, you don't need extra weights, body weight should do it, build foundation. Def don't push too hard from the get go, ease your way in, let the muscles and tissue know what they're about to experience.

Consistency is the best workout.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Start with basic mobility work…. hips, ankles, shoulders. Work a day or two of yoga in there as well.

Most people skip right over the mobility work and never understand why they can’t bend properly at the knees (for skating and squatting), lack the ultra important flexibility in their ankles, etc

Do an ankle dorsiflexion lunge test and see where you are, I suspect you will find it’s a big problem since you are having trouble bending your knees when you skate.

Mobility work will really help you over time getting that proper bend when you skate.

I’d focus purely on mobility work for awhile. Don’t rush it and really focus on this stage as it will pay off massive dividends if you focus on it and stay consistent.

Add in some light jump rope interval training after a few weeks.

Careful with a lot of jogging and especially jump training.

Don’t do any kind of jump training until you are much further along and understand how to jump properly and land your stick with great form.

Don’t be like the dumb asses trying to jump on 40-50 inch platforms to show off, and they land with their hips in awkward positions.

Also monitor your amount of jump training per week and how many times your feet contact the ground - there are some good studies out there you can research to find the optimal level you feel comfortable with.

Again, don’t beat up those knees with excessive jump training. The idea is to make you more explosive, it shouldn’t be used as a conditioning workout.

Start with snap downs (will teach you how to get in a proper athletic position for jump training), depth drops from 12 inches and focus on form and the stick.

Then work your way up SLOWLY to more advanced jumps. If you can’t land your stick with proper form, put your ego away and use easier jumps.

 

[puckpilot]

About ten years ago, I got sick. f***ed my body up pretty bad. Was like starting over again. First time on skates, I was wobbling like bambi, and only lasted 15 minutes -- that's what she said :p. Any way, I found simply focusing on the simple basics helped me recover. After lock down, when I first got back on the ice, I was feeling quite the same way, wobbly and my shot went to crap.

Again, I went back to basics with skating. Simple drills. And when I went to stick and puck all I did was take classic, sweeping wristshots over and over, just feeling the stick flex and the puck roll off the stick. I found the closer the wrist shot was to normal the better the rest of my shots became.

And finally, you say you're out of shape. Did you gain weight? As I got older, weight crept up on me. During lock down, I lost 20lbs, Did it through tweaks in diet and running, and it made a huge difference in how I felt on ice. Not lugging around a 20lb spare tire helps with everything from skating stamina to shooting, because you're not having to move all that extra bulk around when executing movements.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

About ten years ago, I got sick. f***ed my body up pretty bad. Was like starting over again. First time on skates, I was wobbling like bambi, and only lasted 15 minutes -- that's what she said :p. Any way, I found simply focusing on the simple basics helped me recover. After lock down, when I first got back on the ice, I was feeling quite the same way, wobbly and my shot went to crap.

Again, I went back to basics with skating. Simple drills. And when I went to stick and puck all I did was take classic, sweeping wristshots over and over, just feeling the stick flex and the puck roll off the stick. I found the closer the wrist shot was to normal the better the rest of my shots became.

And finally, you say you're out of shape. Did you gain weight? As I got older, weight crept up on me. During lock down, I lost 20lbs, Did it through tweaks in diet and running, and it made a huge difference in how I felt on ice. Not lugging around a 20lb spare tire helps with everything from skating stamina to shooting, because you're not having to move all that extra bulk around when executing movements.

I have gained weight. I was always lean when I played. My playing weight used to be around 165, now I'm closer to 180 (I'm 5'11") but sadly most of the 180 seems to be in my belly.

To make a long story longer, I had a surgery I needed (fully unrelated to playing muscles/joints/areas) about 16 months ago which unfortunately rendered me mostly bedridden, dr's orders not to lift "more than 10 pounds" for 6 weeks (the first week of which eating was VERY difficult) and to generally take it easy. I lost a lot of strength during that time. Following that, I returned to my toxic job for about 4 more months before I could finally leave it, and that job left no time for physical activity. Last year, I played softball but admittedly wasn't in the best shape for it though it did help. Now with my freedom back and a new job, I realized how much I missed playing hockey again, and after last year mostly taking it easy and getting my exercise from yard work and softball, I'm getting back into generally exercising and since I miss hockey, always felt it's easier to work out when I'm doing something I love.

Appreciate all the advice in the thread and definitely going to work on flexibility again. I've always had tight hamstrings, so it definitely makes sense to incorporate that as well as soft plyo before I do weight training. The cardio makes sense as well, and that's part of the painful realization of not being a kid anymore that I have to actually think about that, so appreciate the reality check. I used to run when I was younger (cross country) but don't really love the pounding (esp shins), so it makes sense to try and do cardio on the ice when I can. Went earlier today actually for about 45 minutes, and pushed myself slightly harder on the skating (no sticks/pucks - or gear - today) mostly just to try a few things at some speed and gently work on explosiveness for the first time, but also spend a lot of time gliding, get comfortable on my edges, and try and feel my skating stance coming back. I'm still struggling with the balance compared to where I used to be - not comfortable skating backwards, and better balanced when pushing off / propelling myself than last week although I'm still working to overcome bad balance when gliding, and not comfortable on outside edges again yet. Almost fell twice, once lost my outside edge working on crossovers and caught myself, the other time getting tired and center of gravity further back than I wanted when I hit a rut and caught myself. Still feel awkward AF. Getting more comfortable stopping although my balance/posture still feels more upright than I'd like, and more comfortable stopping to my strong side than my weak side. Also - pet peeve. When I was a kid I used to skate at a rink where during public skating when the Zamboni resurfaced the ice in the middle, everyone would skate the other way afterwards. This needs to be a thing everywhere LOL. It's hard to find places to work on edges the other way for more than a few feet at a time when every public skate is NASCAR level left turns. But mostly this week, I'm looking to see how my body responds - will I be sore for 4 days like last week or will I recover after 1-2? Definitely planning to try to intensify the stretching a little bit this week. Me and my wife have also been talking about an exercise bike since we'd both use it.

Based on the advice here, I'm thinking any weight training will strictly be upper body only and easing into it (to supplement the skating), but focusing on ice time and cardio would be best. Still get tired way too fast, and have to look into insoles for the skates as my feet haven't changed in size much, but I find my arches end up hurting fairly quickly compared to years ago. I'm also starting to daydream about a piece of synthetic ice for practicing my shot, but I have no idea where I'd put it in the house (maybe basement?) and what I'd use for a net / where I'd put it / how I'd protect the surrounding area so that errant shots don't annoy my wife. I already have a woodshop down there so...

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I have gained weight. I was always lean when I played. My playing weight used to be around 165, now I'm closer to 180 (I'm 5'11") but sadly most of the 180 seems to be in my belly.

To make a long story longer, I had a surgery I needed (fully unrelated to playing muscles/joints/areas) about 16 months ago which unfortunately rendered me mostly bedridden, dr's orders not to lift "more than 10 pounds" for 6 weeks (the first week of which eating was VERY difficult) and to generally take it easy. I lost a lot of strength during that time. Following that, I returned to my toxic job for about 4 more months before I could finally leave it, and that job left no time for physical activity. Last year, I played softball but admittedly wasn't in the best shape for it though it did help. Now with my freedom back and a new job, I realized how much I missed playing hockey again, and after last year mostly taking it easy and getting my exercise from yard work and softball, I'm getting back into generally exercising and since I miss hockey, always felt it's easier to work out when I'm doing something I love.

Appreciate all the advice in the thread and definitely going to work on flexibility again. I've always had tight hamstrings, so it definitely makes sense to incorporate that as well as soft plyo before I do weight training. The cardio makes sense as well, and that's part of the painful realization of not being a kid anymore that I have to actually think about that, so appreciate the reality check. I used to run when I was younger (cross country) but don't really love the pounding (esp shins), so it makes sense to try and do cardio on the ice when I can. Went earlier today actually for about 45 minutes, and pushed myself slightly harder on the skating (no sticks/pucks - or gear - today) mostly just to try a few things at some speed and gently work on explosiveness for the first time, but also spend a lot of time gliding, get comfortable on my edges, and try and feel my skating stance coming back. I'm still struggling with the balance compared to where I used to be - not comfortable skating backwards, and better balanced when pushing off / propelling myself than last week although I'm still working to overcome bad balance when gliding, and not comfortable on outside edges again yet. Almost fell twice, once lost my outside edge working on crossovers and caught myself, the other time getting tired and center of gravity further back than I wanted when I hit a rut and caught myself. Still feel awkward AF. Getting more comfortable stopping although my balance/posture still feels more upright than I'd like, and more comfortable stopping to my strong side than my weak side. Also - pet peeve. When I was a kid I used to skate at a rink where during public skating when the Zamboni resurfaced the ice in the middle, everyone would skate the other way afterwards. This needs to be a thing everywhere LOL. It's hard to find places to work on edges the other way for more than a few feet at a time when every public skate is NASCAR level left turns. But mostly this week, I'm looking to see how my body responds - will I be sore for 4 days like last week or will I recover after 1-2? Definitely planning to try to intensify the stretching a little bit this week. Me and my wife have also been talking about an exercise bike since we'd both use it.

Based on the advice here, I'm thinking any weight training will strictly be upper body only and easing into it (to supplement the skating), but focusing on ice time and cardio would be best. Still get tired way too fast, and have to look into insoles for the skates as my feet haven't changed in size much, but I find my arches end up hurting fairly quickly compared to years ago. I'm also starting to daydream about a piece of synthetic ice for practicing my shot, but I have no idea where I'd put it in the house (maybe basement?) and what I'd use for a net / where I'd put it / how I'd protect the surrounding area so that errant shots don't annoy my wife. I already have a woodshop down there so...

Don't waste time with the synthetic ice - it blows for skating. I talked about it in another thread on here:

Synthetic Ice Question - Finally Getting Back Into It

I’m 29, got a baby on the way (due in about 30 days), and am starting back up playing beer league hockey with some friends. Great time to get back in it, right? My parents didn’t have the money for me to play when I was younger, but I’ve always been obsessed with it. I played a couple beer...

forums.hfboards.com

I talked about Marblades in that thread and highly recommend them.

I would suggest just buying the chassis and not the boot. I've heard their boots are pretty shitty.

Buy a mid tier ice skate and use that as your boot. Most hockey shops will mount the Marsblades on the ice skate boot for like $50.

I think for mine it was like $550 total. $300 for the Bauer M8 on clearance, $200 for the Marsblades chassis and $50 to mount. Sounds expensive, but it's like 1/8 of synthetic ice costs.

Aside from stopping (early on), you can learn to do mostly everything else on the Marsblades - turns, crossovers, crossunders, backwards skating, linear crossovers, etc

You can learn to power stop on Marsblades, but you have to be a really advanced skater, and it's not the same motion as ice.

No idea what your budget is, but Marsblades are definitely an investment that pays off.

We made the jump a few years ago into Marsblades so I could help teach my daughter off the ice, and they have made a massive difference in her skating. It was just getting too expensive for all that stick time after Covid hit, and we moved next to a tennis court so it worked out well.

Everything I teach her on the Marsblades, she instantly translates when she's back on the ice. Buying them has easily been the best thing I ever did to help her skating.

Anyway, just a suggestion if you want to get serious about working on your skating.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

Don't waste time with the synthetic ice - it blows for skating. I talked about it in another thread on here:

Synthetic Ice Question - Finally Getting Back Into It

I’m 29, got a baby on the way (due in about 30 days), and am starting back up playing beer league hockey with some friends. Great time to get back in it, right? My parents didn’t have the money for me to play when I was younger, but I’ve always been obsessed with it. I played a couple beer...

forums.hfboards.com

I talked about Marblades in that thread and highly recommend them.

I would suggest just buying the chassis and not the boot. I've heard their boots are pretty shitty.

Buy a mid tier ice skate and use that as your boot. Most hockey shops will mount the Marsblades on the ice skate boot for like $50.

I think for mine it was like $550 total. $300 for the Bauer M8 on clearance, $200 for the Marsblades chassis and $50 to mount. Sounds expensive, but it's like 1/8 of synthetic ice costs.

Aside from stopping (early on), you can learn to do mostly everything else on the Marsblades - turns, crossovers, crossunders, backwards skating, linear crossovers, etc

You can learn to power stop on Marsblades, but you have to be a really advanced skater, and it's not the same motion as ice.

No idea what your budget is, but Marsblades are definitely an investment that pays off.

We made the jump a few years ago into Marsblades so I could help teach my daughter off the ice, and they have made a massive difference in her skating. It was just getting too expensive for all that stick time after Covid hit, and we moved next to a tennis court so it worked out well.

Everything I teach her on the Marsblades, she instantly translates when she's back on the ice. Buying them has easily been the best thing I ever did to help her skating.

Anyway, just a suggestion if you want to get serious about working on your skating.

To clarify, if I went synthetic, it would be a pad exclusively for shooting/passing just to get more reps of both.

Noted on the Marsblades, will look into that more...could be useful with a shooting pad to simulate being on skates while shooting.

 

[FU Shoresy]

Another thing I did when getting back on the ice. I would practice crossovers on foot. Doing circles forward and backwards. And side to side in a straight line. Helps with the foot work getting your body use to the motion.

 

[Richard]

I was having problems moving on the ice -- got fat. I started running, doing the bike, elliptical in the mornings EVERY day. Literally started at .25 mile run at 9 minute pace. Three months on I'm up to a mile and half, 20 minute high impact bike and then finish with 20 minutes on the elliptical.

IT has done WONDERS for my game. I feel like a 25 year old again. I just keep pushing myself and I cannot wait to run the track and the stairs starting this spring.

YOU GOT THIS BUD.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

So update, with a few questions:

Looking into a good exercise bike. Have been skating weekly except for a week I was sick...went back to stick & puck last week and it was a lot better though still nowhere close to where I want to be. Skating wise, I'm still fighting my ankles and outside edges at times, and mostly still working on conditioning/crossovers/linears/good turns/stops 'till the consistency comes back. I find when I get tired, my legs start to straighten and lag, then they don't do what I want. Fortunately, the gradual increase in my stamina is noticeable after a few weeks.

Two questions:
-Does anyone make a decent elliptical/bike combo (NOT a recumbent bike)? It seems like having both would be good but I only have room for one - if only one would you recommend the elliptical or the bike? Also would prefer a machine that has a heart rate monitor, but nothing that requires an app or a subscription. Recommendations welcome.
-I'm working on easing into skating backwards. Mostly focused on conditioning and form - crossovers, turns, acceleration, stopping thus far. Public skates are too crowded, and it's rare I can get to a stick & puck that's not crowded so I always tend to want to take that time to work on shooting/stickhandling/passing. Any insights I'm missing on better ways to practice this, or should I just catch as catch can, or try and spend some time on skating backwards during the less crowded stick & puck sessions.

Also, funny story. Everyone knows stuff made in China sucks. But I managed to explode a 20 year old Chinese made puck with my wrist shot off the post this past week, so I'm definitely feeling better about my wrist and snap shots since the first post in this thread (and not just b/c I broke a puck). Able to snap pucks top corner bar down from in tight, wrister is feeling better, though not as precise as I'd like but happier with the form. Feeling OK about backhand. Slap shot not so much yet...not hitting the puck right / gotta get my form back.

Hoping I might be ready for D league in the late summer/fall.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

So update, with a few questions:

Looking into a good exercise bike. Have been skating weekly except for a week I was sick...went back to stick & puck last week and it was a lot better though still nowhere close to where I want to be. Skating wise, I'm still fighting my ankles and outside edges at times, and mostly still working on conditioning/crossovers/linears/good turns/stops 'till the consistency comes back. I find when I get tired, my legs start to straighten and lag, then they don't do what I want. Fortunately, the gradual increase in my stamina is noticeable after a few weeks.

Two questions:
-Does anyone make a decent elliptical/bike combo (NOT a recumbent bike)? It seems like having both would be good but I only have room for one - if only one would you recommend the elliptical or the bike? Also would prefer a machine that has a heart rate monitor, but nothing that requires an app or a subscription. Recommendations welcome.
-I'm working on easing into skating backwards. Mostly focused on conditioning and form - crossovers, turns, acceleration, stopping thus far. Public skates are too crowded, and it's rare I can get to a stick & puck that's not crowded so I always tend to want to take that time to work on shooting/stickhandling/passing. Any insights I'm missing on better ways to practice this, or should I just catch as catch can, or try and spend some time on skating backwards during the less crowded stick & puck sessions.

Also, funny story. Everyone knows stuff made in China sucks. But I managed to explode a 20 year old Chinese made puck with my wrist shot off the post this past week, so I'm definitely feeling better about my wrist and snap shots since the first post in this thread (and not just b/c I broke a puck). Able to snap pucks top corner bar down from in tight, wrister is feeling better, though not as precise as I'd like but happier with the form. Feeling OK about backhand. Slap shot not so much yet...not hitting the puck right / gotta get my form back.

Hoping I might be ready for D league in the late summer/fall.

My wife has the Nordic Track S22i bike and she seems to like it.

I train differently than her so I’ve never personally tried it, sorry.

Just remember that getting in true hockey shape isn’t about doing long ass bouts of cardio like jogging and such.

I know you are easing into things, so this is more about long term goals you should focus on.

Sprinting/HIIT training are much more effective. Ie doing 20-30 yd sprints at full power… then working your way up by adding an explosive movement before the sprint (medicine ball throw, depth drop, knee jump).

Also remember that you can’t get faster unless you are stronger.

Yunus Barisik has a lot of good information that lines up with what I believe in, and I use a lot of his methodology to train my daughter.

Start absorbing his info and you will likely be faster/stronger than most D level guys over time.

He’s trained a lot of pro and D1 players, including Bjorkqvist:

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For skating again, if you want to see big improvements, gotta get Marsblades or rollerblades and train off ice. Way too many technical things to learn that will be difficult to practice at public skates.

I recommend ItrainHockey to help you learn all the technical skills:

https://m.youtube.com/@itrainhockey

Also again don’t forget about your hip and shoulder mobility work. If you have stiff hips it will hold back your skating in enormous ways.

 

[Yukon Joe]

-I'm working on easing into skating backwards. Mostly focused on conditioning and form - crossovers, turns, acceleration, stopping thus far. Public skates are too crowded, and it's rare I can get to a stick & puck that's not crowded so I always tend to want to take that time to work on shooting/stickhandling/passing. Any insights I'm missing on better ways to practice this, or should I just catch as catch can, or try and spend some time on skating backwards during the less crowded stick & puck sessions.

So I'm not one to give any advice on the off-ice stuff. I try to do some running/jogging just to improve cardio (and not that I think I'm fat but I could lose 10 pounds around the middle like a lot of guys here).

I struggle with trying to actually work on improving my skating though. You're right that public skating is crowded and not really the place to work on crossovers and acceleration. I play rec hockey but those are games only. My team scheduled our first practice like ever and it was helpful as I was working on doing backwards crossovers, but I need a lot more than 1 ice session to really improve.

My only partial solution has been hitting up ODRs - sometimes you can get lucky and you get the ice to yourself. But other times it's also pretty crowded with people wanting to play shinny. Plus the season is only 3 months long, if it's too cold I don't want to go, if it's above zero they close the ice - there aren't that many opportunities in a winter.

 

[FU Shoresy]

Two questions:
-Does anyone make a decent elliptical/bike combo (NOT a recumbent bike)? It seems like having both would be good but I only have room for one - if only one would you recommend the elliptical or the bike? Also would prefer a machine that has a heart rate monitor, but nothing that requires an app or a subscription. Recommendations welcome.
.

No on the combo. Fitness equipment industry is flooded with junk equipment. Manufacturers are well aware that 90% of equipment sold doesn't get used. Should be able to find good used equipment at significant savings. Buy brands you see in health clubs ie; LifeFitness, Precor, StarTrac. For bikes I've owned several LifeCycles over the years. They're rock solid. Their consumer level bikes are not as reliable. Polar and Cardio Sport both make HR monitors. I like the ones that you put a strap around your chest and it transmits to a watch. HR grips on cardio equipment is hit n miss. FYI, I've been in the fitness equipment business for 36 years.

 

[MartinS82]

Honestly, for me (I am approaching 50) yoga and agility are of more value than weights. YMMV.

Also work on a lot of one footed/balancing type of exercises - like with an agility ladder.

 

[DC4MVP]

So just asking for any of the middle aged or older crowd in here...how do you train off ice from a position of compltely out of shape to ease back into it. People who recovered from surgery? People who like me did nothing for most of a decade+ then decided they missed it, but weren't top players beforehand? Do I send it like I did when I was 21 and just deal with the soreness and my body will get used to it? Do I baby myself with weight and reps then gradually work up. Do I work out more frequently for shorter duration in the beginning? I'm just struggling with needing to be able to do physical things around the house and yard, wanting to get stronger/back in shape, but not wanting to feel like a stiff mummy for a week at a time every time I do something. Any advice welcome.

We make completely custom at-home hockey based workout plans to do at-home based on age, skill level, and what you need. Most of the stuff are things we do on a daily/weekly basis with our teams back in Minnesota and send them out to the kids during the summer that are busy with baseball and what not.

We tend to incorporate non-weight activities and focus more on activating core hockey muscles and working on peak flexibility using yoga, stretching, plyometrics, and calisthenics with conditioning. DM me or check out our site for more info and maybe we can figure out a nice at-home program.

 

[Habsrule]

I find the best way to get back into hockey shape is to jog.

My story is very much like yours. I was a good hockey player and played until I was 25 or so. Then I had a bad back and by 31 I had my lower back surgically fused twice. By 35 I decided that I was going to play hockey again. Just non contact hockey where the guys won’t play me very physical.

I gained a lot of weight and had a lot of work ahead of me to get back into shape. I found that jogging is what works best for me. Jogging is better than a treadmill because on a treadmill all that you do is go in one strait line. I’m hockey that is not what happens. At least with jogging you go up and down hills, left and right.

What I do is set a route to jog and stick to it every time. Use your phone and time yourself. For me it is 5.5 kilometres my route. What you should do is figure out a route that works for you around the 5 kilometre mark and stick with it.

To start just jog for as long as you can until you get really tired and then walk for a minute. Bring your phone with you to time it. During that minute of walking focus on catching your breath. Once that minute is up then start to jog again for as long as you can. Then walk another minute. Keep repeating that until you are finished. Now your next jog your goal is to beat your previous best time. That way you are always pushing yourself harder and harder.

As you progress you will start to see that you are able to jog for longer periods of time and for further distances. You will get in shape doing that. Once you have been doing it for a while and are starting to max out and not cutting time off then start to lower your walking time to 55 seconds and then to 50 seconds and so on.

 

[Boxscore]

I'll tell you exactly what worked for me. Background, I'm hitting 50 and played since I was about 8-years old, throughout high school, followed by open hockey and men's league. Then I took off 9 years from age 36-45 and didn't skate at all, ice or roller. I also packed on about 50 extra pounds due to my career, commute, travel, and lack of time to exercise.

At 45 I wanted to return to the ice. I jumped in cold turkey and it was a complete embarrassment. I felt like garbage, could barely keep up, and lost an edge a few times, hitting the ice. That drove me to take it seriously, especially at my age. It was hard work but I was determined, and this is what I did:

1. Radically changed my diet. I started counting my macros and ate tons of lean proteins, fresh veggies, fruits, and complex carbs -- mostly organic, lightly seasoned, and I cooked my meals myself at home. I also cut out booze 95%. I allowed myself 2-3 drinks a weekend, if that. After 3 weeks of eating perfectly, and drinking water, my body felt completely different, and I started shedding weight (ultimately I lost about 60 pounds over 4-5 months or so). The biggest surprise were the emotional and mental improvements, which kept me even more motivated. I learned how to eat to live, as opposed to living to eat, if that makes sense? I looked at food as fuel, and if it couldn't help me feel my best or perform, I avoided it. I became obsessed and I was shocked how easy it was once my taste buds changed.

2. I began working out 6-8 hours a week, followed by 10-14 hours a week by week 5. Mostly intervals and swapping weights with cardio days. I would do full body workout circuits like a 20-minute jumping jacks routine I found on YouTube, followed by lunges, squats, pushups, etc. Then, I would do 2-3 random exercises a day -- either go for a 35 minute walk, do the exercise bike for 6 miles, shoot hoops in my driveway for a half hour, 25 minutes on the treadmill, or a second 20-minute jumping jacks routine.

3. I stayed active and tried to limit sitting still for more than 20 minutes. I would get up for a walk, do some jumping jacks, or jump rope for 5 minutes, just to get moving. Some nights I would breakout a hockey stick and wood training ball in my living room and just stickhandle while watching the games. I'd do anything to keep moving. I also invested in a Fitbit to keep it fun and motivating. Seeing how much time I spent exercising and tracking my caloric deficit was addictive.

4. I stretched more than I ever did, pre and post workout, and I purchased a massage gun, which helped significantly, believe it or not! I still hate stretching, and don't do it often enough, but I went from never stretching in my life, to at least making an effort.

5. I drank a large amount of water each day, likely a gallon in total or more. No sugary drinks of any kind. No juices, no iced coffees with additives, no sodas, etc. I drank water like I was living in a desert lol.

6. I treated myself to new hockey gear other than skates and twigs. I always wanted some nice Leafs colors so I went out and got prostock mitts, shells, and a bucket, which made it fun.

7. Most importantly, I played, played, played hockey. After a dozen times of getting back on the ice after eating well and exercising, I started feeling comfortable again. Luckily, I was a pretty decent player back in the day, so I still had the mind, creativity, and experience -- I just needed to get my body in decent enough shape to compete. I committed to playing on ice once a week and when weather permitted, I would skate with my rollerblades outdoors and shoot around on a net by myself, just to get all the muscle memory back and keep the skating going. Every little bit helped.

*Here's a trick I will share that was taught to me by a good friend who worked for the Flyers:

If possible, ride the exercise bike while you're watching a game on TV and pick a player to shadow for one full period. While you're watching the game -- even during commercials -- you keep pedaling at a decent, sustainable pace. But when the player you are shadowing (say Mitch Marner) comes out for a shift, you boost the resistance on the bike and pedal like a demon for the 48-64 seconds he's out on the ice. When he changes, you resume pedaling normal. Rinse, repeat for a period.

This is exactly what the players themselves would do when they we're about to return from an injury. They'd watched the game feed in the exercise room and when the player who was suiting up for them took a shift, they would mimic the shift by killing the bike as hard as they could. This gets you used to those 60-second, high-intensity movements that quickly get your BPM to peak.

Best of luck with the comeback. As you get older, you'll realize that you get out what you put in. It's inevitable. Have fun and enjoy yourself. And don't get overly frustrated if you're not the same player you were when you were younger. It happens.