Fitness and Recreational Hockey

Nurgle · Post by **Nurgle** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:48 pm

I am a weekend warrior.
I play hockey on Sunday nights with a group of guys, who are mostly older than me.

I don't want to go into too much mundane and useless detail, so here's my main concerns and a few questions for any of you who might know better than I.

When I play, I play pretty hard. I push myself constantly, and I find at the end of almost every shift I find myself retching on the bench, and grabbing for a garbage pail. I have asked around a fair bit, and the best suggestion anyone has had for me is that I am probably overheating, and its my body's way of trying to get rid of some of that heat. I've bought the lightest gear I can find... I've replaced my old helmet which didn't have very good ventilation, and I have bought some "hockey underarmour"... and yet I continue to have the same ritual after almost every shift.

I play at 9:15PM, and I won't eat any later than 4:00PM before hockey, because I felt, early on, that eating at, or after, 6PM was not helping my situation.

I hydrate the day before, as well as on Sunday all day... not excessively to the point where I am waterlogged, but a couple litres each day.

Does anyone have any idea what else could possibly be causing me to be physically ill so frequently when i get off the ice? Cardio-wise I feel fine. I have energy to play... I have lots of oxygen, and I breath well. Is it really just heat?

The only other thing that "slows me down" is that about 20-30 mins into a game my legs feel like lead and I have a hard time "lifting" them. I still have plently of strength for pushing off, and for bursts of speed, but actual crossovers are excrutiating. Does anyone know what might cause this?

Any advise for either of my problems would be appreciated.
Thanks

Post by **batdad** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:50 pm

Get thee to a doctor Nurgle. Get thee to a doctor. That should not be happening. Period. Noone can work too hard to have this happen to him every single time. The body would shut down. Get to a doctor about it. Get tests done. You don't need rec hockey ruining your life. I retired from it after Concussion #5. I was out of it for a week...and today still wonder if there are lingering effects.

You do't need this when it is not your life...in any fashion. Get to a doc.

Post by **getzlaf15** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:27 pm

I'm with Batdad here. Although coaches tell you to work hard and should be gasping for breath at the end of every shift due to the amount of effort put in, you shouldn't be doing what you are doing.

Good Luck.

Post by **B. Stinson** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:48 pm

Before we lose another hockey player, I have to agree with batdad. A doctor would be the best idea.

From what I have seen, a normal end-of-a-shift should consist of nothing more than heavy breathing and temporary dehydration... and maybe an oxygen mask for those who really, really, really pushed themselves. But not physical illness.

As for your legs feeling like lead... this doesn't sound good either. Personally, all of the rec. hockey I've done involves one big four to five hour game with minimal breaks, and even that isn't enough to make my legs feel like lead, or be in excruciating pain. And that's saying a lot considering I've never been in good athletic condition.

Nurgle · Post by **Nurgle** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:16 pm

Thanks for all of the quick replies guys.

I'll have to make an appointment and speak with my doctor about this. I know I have a really hard time holding anything back when I am out on the ice. I push myself really hard... perhaps too hard for my current level of fitness.

I can remember as a kid, twenty years ago, having a similar problem and at that point the doctor told me it was dehydration... but that didn't make sense then, and doesn't truely make any sense now.

I'll let ya'll know what my doctor says.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:20 pm

If you had similar problems as a kid, when you were in good condition...get thee to at least a doctor, and maybe a specialist, and another doctor. Not a good sign dude.

Take good care of yourself. I played for over 25 years and trust me,...I had to go hard all the time...extra hard...and I never felt what you have...at any time, including playing in a game where I played 50 of the 60 minutes at age 30. ANd I play hard...the only shifts I had off were for 2 boarding penalties, and 2 elbowing penalties.

Nurgle · Post by **Nurgle** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:27 pm

Hey again everyone,
I just thought I'd drop a little it of an update here.

I havent' been to the doctor yet as things at work have been crazy and there's no time in the day to get there... terrible excuse I know, but that's just the way things go.

This past Sunday I was throwing my hockey gear into my bag to get ready to head out to my game when I discovered one (or more) of my cats decided my shoulderpads would be a good place to go pee. So I ended up putting them in a tub to soak them (if it ruins them then I'll just get new ones anyway, they were old) and took off to my game. I played without them for the first time since I can remember, and I felt GREAT the whole time. I didn't feel overheated, and I didn't feel sick after every shift. I skated with pretty much the same intensity as I usually do (not quite so hard in the corners because I was a little afraid to get smushed without any shoulder protection) and I felt just fine.

So what the heck is causing my problem? I know I need to get to a doctor either way... but sheesh, what a dramatic difference!

**

As a side note, I have also played plenty of "rec" hockey outside in the winter... hours on end on the ice. Just wearing skates and gloves, and the problems have never presented themselves when I play outdoors with little or no gear.