Fatigue/Hockey

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
I'm interested to see if anyone can relate to this....

I am pretty active with both Ice and Inline hockey year-round, I direct an inline league so i play pickup games twice a week and then 1 real game a week. Ice hockey has a more spread out schedule so I am only playing a game once a week, sometimes 2, so all and all I am playing hockey in some form 4-5 times a week. Anyway, over the past couple months (but also at other random times) I have started to notice that my legs and my energy level haven't felt the same as usual. i'm not as concerned with my energy level because it never stays dormant for long, as soon as I am put in a competitive situation i have more than enough energy. my legs are a different story though, I am noticing myself being really fatigued in the legs while i'm playing (and this is NOT after a game or late into a game) i'm talking sometimes before the game starts. I am not young, but i'm certainly not old.... I stretch before every game, and like i said i play hockey so routinely that my fatigue is not caused because i'm using rarely used muscles. I always battle though the fatigue, it isn't debilitating by any means, but it does concern me because I dont know what it causing it. i'd be lying if i said it doesnt affect my play sometimes, i am finding myself not going hard after loose pucks as much, i'm taking much shorter shifts, and my aggressiveness overall is suffering.

If it helps explain why this is happening, I am 6'0" 220lbs. I am not in bad shape by any means but i could be in better shape (who couldn't be). I'm a forward, right handed shot, I am certainly not a novice skater/player (i've been playing competitive inline since i was 11, competitive ice for like 5 years. I did have lyme disease which spread to both my knee joints causing what they call "lyme arthritis", but my knees have never bothered me (not even as a baseball catcher from little league all the way till college). I'm also on my feet most of the day at work.

Sorry for the rant and what might appear to be useless information, but when you ask for help/suggestions it usually helps to cover all your basis.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
by the way, i'm not trying to hide my age, i'm 29 which is certainly not old in my book. I have absolutely no intentions of quitting hockey for a long time so i think everyone can understand why i want to get to the bottom of this issue.

I understand that those who read this can't feel the fatigue i'm explaining, and i'm sure there aren't any doctors reading this, so basically i'm just looking for suggestions. whether it be preparation suggestions, suggestions from similar experience with this issue, etc.
 

Fly Like a C5

Registered User
Dec 22, 2008
819
0
If it helps explain why this is happening, I am 6'0" 220lbs. I am not in bad shape by any means but i could be in better shape (who couldn't be). I'm a forward, right handed shot, I am certainly not a novice skater/player (i've been playing competitive inline since i was 11, competitive ice for like 5 years. I did have lyme disease which spread to both my knee joints causing what they call "lyme arthritis", but my knees have never bothered me (not even as a baseball catcher from little league all the way till college).

How long ago did you have lyme disease? Any chance the fatigue is a lingering effect of the disease. I had a family member with lyme disease and it took more than a year for them to feel like they had energy. It sounds like you had it awhile ago, but I thought I'd ask anyways.


I'm also on my feet most of the day at work.

Maybe your issue is caused by too much strain on your muscles. Four to five games per week plus a job that requires you to stand for most of the day can result in a lot of strain and stress on your legs. Are your shoes worn out? Do you use any type of inserts in your shoes?
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
How long ago did you have lyme disease? Any chance the fatigue is a lingering effect of the disease. I had a family member with lyme disease and it took more than a year for them to feel like they had energy. It sounds like you had it awhile ago, but I thought I'd ask anyways.




Maybe your issue is caused by too much strain on your muscles. Four to five games per week plus a job that requires you to stand for most of the day can result in a lot of strain and stress on your legs. Are your shoes worn out? Do you use any type of inserts in your shoes?

I had lyme disease when i was 13 so it was a while ago, I do understand that sooner or later i will most likely feel some effects of the arthritis, but like i said my knees don't bother me. Yes i am on my feet most of the day, however i do take frequent breaks where i am off my feet, i dont wear inserts, and my shoes do have wear but thats from wearing them everyday i'd imagine. one thing i forgot to mention is that i walk on my toes. i obviously dont do this purposely, it's just the way i walk.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
How long have you been playing at this 4-5 game a week pace? What is your nutrition like?

I have been playing 4-5 times a week for about 4 months now. the inline slows down dramatically during the winter months since we play in an outdoor rink. the pickup games are competitive, but are naturally more laid back than a normal game. my nutrition is ok, i dont eat 100% freely but i dont eat 100% healthy either. i take vitamins every morning, even if i wasn't playing hockey i would still be pretty active athletically.

would poor nutrition possibly be the cause for lack of leg energy? would my legs be the only thing effected by my diet? as i said before, i realize none of us are doctors, but there are some really knowledgeable people who use these forums, therefore i am confident someone can give me some useful suggestions/information.
 

mikey329

Registered User
Oct 21, 2010
21
0
Western N Y
When i was in my early thirty's i played 3 times a week.I also played baseball once a week.I was having the same problem . I went on a diet and lost twenty pounds. I went from 195 to 175. i gained speed and endurance. I couldn't believe the difference. Maybe this will help you.Only an idea. Good luck.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
When i was in my early thirty's i played 3 times a week.I also played baseball once a week.I was having the same problem . I went on a diet and lost twenty pounds. I went from 195 to 175. i gained speed and endurance. I couldn't believe the difference. Maybe this will help you.Only an idea. Good luck.

Thank you for the suggestion, I agree with you and Beth 100%. I have had luck losing weight many times in the past, I had suspected it could be my diet and maybe thats why i seem to go through this "dead legs" period randomly at certain points during my seasons.
 

TheOtter

Registered User
Oct 14, 2007
159
0
New Hampshire
It wouldn't surprise me if nutrition were a big part of it, and it may make sense that you only feel it in your legs, because that's what you use the most in a game.

How much time do you leave between eating and playing? I have found that I have more energy and stronger legs if I make sure to finish eating at least 2.5, preferably 3 or more hours before a game. If it's less than that, I risk dragging quite a bit.
 

Wildturkey12

Do It!
Oct 20, 2010
1,415
15
L.A.
would poor nutrition possibly be the cause for lack of leg energy? would my legs be the only thing effected by my diet? as i said before, i realize none of us are doctors, but there are some really knowledgeable people who use these forums, therefore i am confident someone can give me some useful suggestions/information.

I am a believer that proper nutrition makes all of the difference when it comes to not getting fatigued. Its obvious but are you loading up on water all day as well? It might also be time to add some supplements to your body. Once I hit my 30s I found that, at least protein powder, helps my body recover quicker.
 

ChiTownHawks

Registered User
May 5, 2009
1,288
1
Orland Park, IL
It wouldn't surprise me if nutrition were a big part of it, and it may make sense that you only feel it in your legs, because that's what you use the most in a game.

How much time do you leave between eating and playing? I have found that I have more energy and stronger legs if I make sure to finish eating at least 2.5, preferably 3 or more hours before a game. If it's less than that, I risk dragging quite a bit.

I am the same way. The only time I eat dinner before a game is when I have the 11PM slot. On game days, like today, I eat a good sized lunch a little later. I just finished mine now. Then when I get home from work I'll have something very small like some fruit or maybe a granola bar. If I come home from work and have a big dinner I drag ass the entire game and am useless.
 

beth

Registered User
Sep 10, 2010
544
0
Bellevue, WA
The reason I asked about nutrition is that you're SO active that I'm wondering if you're simply just depleting all your energy stores and not giving them time to build back up. There is a nutritional counselor who was on my team last season, and she gave a sports nutrition talk to our league. One of the things I learned was that the period right after exercise is when you can optimally rebuild your glycogen stores - so it's helpful to eat well within an hour or two after your games. Here is a wiki link that explains it a bit, under "anaerobic exercise":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_nutrition

I know a lot of us play late at night, and probably don't eat right after our games. But maybe it's something to consider?
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
It wouldn't surprise me if nutrition were a big part of it, and it may make sense that you only feel it in your legs, because that's what you use the most in a game.

How much time do you leave between eating and playing? I have found that I have more energy and stronger legs if I make sure to finish eating at least 2.5, preferably 3 or more hours before a game. If it's less than that, I risk dragging quite a bit.

i would agree. the only issue is that my legs are not always getting fatigued as the game goes along, lately they have been tired before or in the very beginning of games.

Most of my inline games are early, and as a director i am there early to prep the rink for the days games. that being said, i dont usually eat much at all before inline games, it's usually after that i eat. ice games are different, as beth mentioned below, most of us play late at night therefore i dont eat after ice games. I keep myself EXTRA hydrated, i drink a lot of liquids.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
The reason I asked about nutrition is that you're SO active that I'm wondering if you're simply just depleting all your energy stores and not giving them time to build back up. There is a nutritional counselor who was on my team last season, and she gave a sports nutrition talk to our league. One of the things I learned was that the period right after exercise is when you can optimally rebuild your glycogen stores - so it's helpful to eat well within an hour or two after your games. Here is a wiki link that explains it a bit, under "anaerobic exercise":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_nutrition

I know a lot of us play late at night, and probably don't eat right after our games. But maybe it's something to consider?

my nutrition combined with the fact that i don't get a lot of recovery time between games makes perfect sense. our ice games range anywhere from 8-30pm-9:50 pm so there are times i feel like i could eat if my game is early enough. I will also try the protein as well, i used to use whey protein all the time when i was working out religiously so i'm quite familiar with the product. as for the time between eating and playing, i don't have a set eating schedule per se, however i never eat close to game-time.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
By the way, thank you all very much for the suggestions. considering I wasn't sure what was causing this fatigue, all this information puts me in a better position to figure it out.
 

Badger36

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
2,326
0
Columbus, OH
Losing a little weight and focusing on nutrition is definetly in order. You might simply be pushing yourself too hard as well.
Im much the same. I try to do it all (work 40 hours a week, exercise, play hockey, play golf and make time for family, friends and my girlfriend) and Im always tired as well. Im guility of not getting enough sleep though. Im lucky to get 5 hours of sleep a night during the week. Theres just too much to get done and not enough hours in the day.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
Losing a little weight and focusing on nutrition is definetly in order. You might simply be pushing yourself too hard as well.
Im much the same. I try to do it all (work 40 hours a week, exercise, play hockey, play golf and make time for family, friends and my girlfriend) and Im always tired as well. Im guility of not getting enough sleep though. Im lucky to get 5 hours of sleep a night during the week. Theres just too much to get done and not enough hours in the day.

i hear you, there just aren't enough hours in a day! like i said i do not have trouble losing weight, I also dont have trouble fighting off my temptations so getting myself in better shape should not be too tough for me. as for seeing a doctor, that was a step i took far before i ever asked for advice here. nothing alarming came up during the work i had done at the doctors, the only thing that showed up was my lyme disease which stays in your system forever once you have gotten it.
 

Badger36

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
2,326
0
Columbus, OH
Wish I had an easy of a time losing weight as you do. I love to cook and I love eating good food.
Wisconsin isnt a good place to be if you want to lose weight. We have way too much yummy, fatty, high-calories food. Not to mention all the great beers we have in this state!
It also doesnt help that I dont get enough sleep, so I dont feel like exercising most the time, my metabolism isnt as high as it could be and I have more cravings because I dont get enough sleep.
 

Jarick

Doing Nothing
Also do you drink alcohol daily? That screws up your rest and recovery process. Do you wake up frequently during the night? That screws up REM sleep and makes you not feel as rested.

I'll attest that even losing 10 pounds can make a big difference in fitness and legs, especially late in the game. Granted I could lose 20-25 pounds but I play a lot better at 175 than I do at 185.

Just read the doctor thing, I don't know if they're too polite but usually so long as I don't smoke they don't care what I do. At 5'8 180 they should probably tell me to lose 20 pounds so I'm not complaining about being tired or having poor circulation or coughing during/after hockey games, but instead they want to give me pills. Yet when I am working out and eating right and closer to 170, those problems "magically" go away.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
Also do you drink alcohol daily? That screws up your rest and recovery process. Do you wake up frequently during the night? That screws up REM sleep and makes you not feel as rested.

I'll attest that even losing 10 pounds can make a big difference in fitness and legs, especially late in the game. Granted I could lose 20-25 pounds but I play a lot better at 175 than I do at 185.

Just read the doctor thing, I don't know if they're too polite but usually so long as I don't smoke they don't care what I do. At 5'8 180 they should probably tell me to lose 20 pounds so I'm not complaining about being tired or having poor circulation or coughing during/after hockey games, but instead they want to give me pills. Yet when I am working out and eating right and closer to 170, those problems "magically" go away.

good points, and some of the things you mentioned are things i should have mentioned when i started this thread. No, i do not drink often at all, i might have a drink once or twice a month at the most. I do not smoke at all, and no i don't get up frequently at night. sometimes i have a tough time falling asleep at first, but once i fall asleep i'm usually out for the night till morning. again, it all seems to be coming back to nutrition. like i mentioned, i am not badly out of shape by any means, but i could certainly eat a bit better and lose a few pounds.
 
Jul 31, 2005
8,839
1,485
CA
I agree with the others who have suggested supplements. You'll hear some people say you don't need them but they usually aren't in their 30's or beyond. I'm 38 and have been taking supplements before I play hockey since I was 31. It helps in the during and recovery process. EAS makes a great post game drink that you can take with you. When I wake up the following day I don't feel fatigued or tired. The one thing I have found is that I have to switch what I take about once a month or I feel like my body gets used to it/it doesn't feel like it's working. My program is pretty simple. Like some have said I can't play with a lot of food in my stomach. On my drive to the rink I have a G2 mixed with a 4/1 protein powder and some form of creatine. Creatine works for me, you will get negative feedback from some but the important part is you need to find a program that specifically works for you. After the game I drink the EAS recovery drink then I eat a meal when I get home. Without this system I would be exhausted the next days, muscles feel fine.
 

Gooseamania

Registered User
May 6, 2011
72
0
East Lyme, CT
I agree with the others who have suggested supplements. You'll hear some people say you don't need them but they usually aren't in their 30's or beyond. I'm 38 and have been taking supplements before I play hockey since I was 31. It helps in the during and recovery process. EAS makes a great post game drink that you can take with you. When I wake up the following day I don't feel fatigued or tired. The one thing I have found is that I have to switch what I take about once a month or I feel like my body gets used to it/it doesn't feel like it's working. My program is pretty simple. Like some have said I can't play with a lot of food in my stomach. On my drive to the rink I have a G2 mixed with a 4/1 protein powder and some form of creatine. Creatine works for me, you will get negative feedback from some but the important part is you need to find a program that specifically works for you. After the game I drink the EAS recovery drink then I eat a meal when I get home. Without this system I would be exhausted the next days, muscles feel fine.

great suggestions, sounds like it's worth looking into, thanks. I mentioned in a previous post in this thread that i did use whey protein when i was working out religiously. well in addition to whey protein, i was also taking creatine for a good while. they say creatine works for some, and not for others, well it DEFINITELY worked for me. the thing is, because of the frequency/repetition when it comes to me playing hockey, i dont feel like my legs are getting fatigued due to actually playing, they are already dead sometime before i even skate....I do like the creatine idea that idea was something i didnt think of, maybe the acceleration in my muscle hydration would help reduce the "dead legs" feeling.
 

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