Advice on how to recover between multiple games in one day

[WillyGrips13]

I play in a Sunday league that has games ranging in start-times from Noon to 9:15pm (With 10:30pm being an occasional slot, too). Rare is the Sunday when someone isn't looking for a sub goalie. Also, last summer and perhaps at least part-time next season, I'll be asked to play on two teams. No matter what I do, I am a diminished version of myself in the second game. Whether the second game I play in is right after the first one, or the two games are separated by the entire day's games, I still can't seem to feel good in that second game.

If there's a considerable spread between games, I only live 15 minutes away from the rink, so I can head home and air out my stuff, shower and eat something. I've also aired out my stuff in either the car or out in the sun if I stay at the rink. Most of my gear is pretty old (10-17 years old). Does older gear retain more moisture or take longer to dry out?

What would be your recommendation on how I can feel better in my second game? For example, what foods should I eat or supplements should I take? I usually drink some Powerade after the first game and before the second game. I've eaten almonds between games or PBJ sandwiches. Nothing has been a great remedy. Thanks.

[Chenner29]

4 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

What would be your recommendation on how I can feel better in my second game? For example, what foods should I eat or supplements should I take? I usually drink some Powerade after the first game and before the second game. I've eaten almonds between games or PBJ sandwiches. Nothing has been a great remedy. Thanks.

Powerade has a ton of sugar.  I would stay away from it as it can spike your sugar levels and cause you to crash, this may be the #1 reason you feel like doo doo during game 2.

Biosteel is a good option, a 20 serving container is $25USD which makes it cheaper per serving than Powerade too

Bananas, protein shake, or other fruits and nuts are good.  You need energy.  Energy = Calories = Food.  Just make sure whatever you eat between games is light and easy to digest, otherwise you're gonna bog down your system as it's trying to work through the food you just put in.  Bonus points for protein shakes as they make your farts smell really bad

Remember the episode of the office where Michael puts on a charity run because Meredith got rabies?  And he decides to carb load 30 mins before the race with a giant box of fettucine alfredo?  Don't do that

I wouldn't take a full meal unless I had 2 hours + between games to give me time to poop.  Don't wanna Luongo it

If you can grab a nap or just lay down, do it

Quote

I play in a Sunday league that has games ranging in start-times from Noon to 9:15pm (With 10:30pm being an occasional slot, too). Rare is the Sunday when someone isn't looking for a sub goalie. Also, last summer and perhaps at least part-time next season, I'll be asked to play on two teams. No matter what I do, I am a diminished version of myself in the second game. Whether the second game I play in is right after the first one, or the two games are separated by the entire day's games, I still can't seem to feel good in that second game.

If there's a considerable spread between games, I only live 15 minutes away from the rink, so I can head home and air out my stuff, shower and eat something. I've also aired out my stuff in either the car or out in the sun if I stay at the rink. Most of my gear is pretty old (10-17 years old). Does older gear retain more moisture or take longer to dry out?

I don't think Jenpro as a material has changed much in the last 30+ years of it being offered.  You can try sticking some 3M tape on the sliding surface to help with water repellency, but be prepared to fly when you slide

Take some time and go through breathing exercises between games to calm down your parasympathetic nervous system.  Quiet deep breath through the nose (make sure air is going into your diaphragm and you are not using your ribcage/chest to breathe), brief hold, and exhale through the mouth Source - you'd be surprised how much this can affect your game (ie. between whistles on a long PP in your zone)

Active stretch exercises to help loosen up any joints that have tightened up should help before your 2nd game

I don't recommend passive/hard/long stretching before either game, just take your body through the ranges of motion you feel you'll need.  I'd argue most pro goalies aren't taking their bodies to the full extent of the stretch when you watch them warm up - and notice they're only holding it for 10-15sec max.  Plus a lot of these guys are on the bike or in the weight room before their games

There's been arguments presented that suggest passive/long/hard stretches before physical activity can actually increase injury risk.  Your body isn't used to getting out to that range, and more importantly it doesn't know what to do when you hit that extreme range - let alone how to get back to neutral.

Sorry for the jumble of thoughts, hopefully you can pick some stuff outta here that'll help

[The Teal Terror]

Young green coconut water, full of electrolytes and minerals, always helped me after a workout. Fruit, nuts, dates. Home made power balls would be great and they are cheap and easy to make. Avoiding all the crap you get in the ‘sports nutrition’ equivalents.

Just my vegan, whole foods approach to your query!

[CJ Boiss]

If you want a cheap electrolyte drink that won't give you a sugar crash: G2. I'll mix a scoop of whey protein into a G2, and drink it in the locker room as soon as I come off the ice. Recovery drinks/food should be consumed within 30 minutes of stepping off the ice, for ideal results. Otherwise, I stick to my usual routine: have a meal 3 hours before game time (things like fried eggs, egg/tuna salad, PBJ on rye bread, cheese bake potatoes, roasted chickpeas), and eat nothing after those 3 hours.

Drink more water than you usually would, especially during the warmer months, as being dehydrated can make you feel like garbage even if you do everything else right.

[A.YOUNGoalie13]

Drink a lot of water. Eat something like chipotle or panera where its got protein and carbs but give yourself a little time to digest it before the second game.

[seagoal]

I logged in to say don't sleep on drinking plenty of water and avoiding being underhydrated or dehydrated.  I see there was mention of that already a few times, which is great.  

Start several days in advance, too, not just the morning of, in between, and after playing.  Proper hydration is an ongoing, long term commitment rather than a spontaneous action in a given moment or situation. 

[DL42]

get on a training program that include high interval training that is a high level summary. the rest is sleep, diet and proper training programming.  There is no shortcut magic day of routine to do.  its a life style for better health overall.

 

[WillyGrips13]

On 7/15/2022 at 1:20 AM, Chenner29 said:

Powerade has a ton of sugar.  I would stay away from it as it can spike your sugar levels and cause you to crash, this may be the #1 reason you feel like doo doo during game 2.

I actually only really sip it, so I can't imagine it's doing as much damage as you're suggesting. When is Powerade supposed to be consumed? The Powerade I'm drinking at the moment is the zero sugar one.

On 7/15/2022 at 1:20 AM, Chenner29 said:

Biosteel is a good option, a 20 serving container is $25USD which makes it cheaper per serving than Powerade too

I'll look into it. Are you referring to the powder or the liquid?

On 7/15/2022 at 1:20 AM, Chenner29 said:

I don't think Jenpro as a material has changed much in the last 30+ years of it being offered.  You can try sticking some 3M tape on the sliding surface to help with water repellency, but be prepared to fly when you slide

I'm referring to the equipment internals, the parts that are absorbing my sweat, not the parts making contact with the ice.

On 7/15/2022 at 7:32 AM, The Teal Terror said:

Young green coconut water, full of electrolytes and minerals, always helped me after a workout. Fruit, nuts, dates. Home made power balls would be great and they are cheap and easy to make. Avoiding all the crap you get in the ‘sports nutrition’ equivalents.

What's a power ball? The only Powerball I know is the lottery.

On 7/15/2022 at 7:32 AM, The Teal Terror said:

Just my vegan, whole foods approach to your query!

I am a vegetarian, so my diet is not the same as most. Perhaps, that has an affect.

On 7/15/2022 at 8:08 AM, CJ Boiss said:

If you want a cheap electrolyte drink that won't give you a sugar crash: G2. I'll mix a scoop of whey protein into a G2, and drink it in the locker room as soon as I come off the ice. Recovery drinks/food should be consumed within 30 minutes of stepping off the ice, for ideal results. Otherwise, I stick to my usual routine: have a meal 3 hours before game time (things like fried eggs, egg/tuna salad, PBJ on rye bread, cheese bake potatoes, roasted chickpeas), and eat nothing after those 3 hours.

Drink more water than you usually would, especially during the warmer months, as being dehydrated can make you feel like garbage even if you do everything else right.

I already drink plenty of water. I'm not sure how much more I can drink. More, apparently.

Edited July 17, 2022 by WillyGrips13

[The Teal Terror]

7 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

I actually only really sip it, so I can't imagine it's doing as much damage as you're suggesting. When is Powerade supposed to be consumed? The Powerade I'm drinking at the moment is the zero sugar one.

I'll look into it. Are you referring to the powder or the liquid?

I'm referring to the equipment internals, the parts that are absorbing my sweat, not the parts making contact with the ice.

What's a power ball? The only Powerball I know is the lottery.

I am a vegetarian, so my diet is not the same as most. Perhaps, that has an affect.

I already drink plenty of water. I'm not sure how much more I can drink. More, apparently.

A power ball is a blend of raw dates and nuts rolled into a ball and you can coat in crushed nuts or seeds or raw cacao. Raw, so therefore your not killing off the nutrients.

Careful when having water, a lot is fine, but don’t gulp it down as your kidneys will freak out trying to process it.

[Chenner29]

9 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

I actually only really sip it, so I can't imagine it's doing as much damage as you're suggesting. When is Powerade supposed to be consumed? The Powerade I'm drinking at the moment is the zero sugar one.

I'll look into it. Are you referring to the powder or the liquid?

I'm referring to the equipment internals, the parts that are absorbing my sweat, not the parts making contact with the ice.

Biosteel should function as a full replacement for the zero sugar Powerade you're taking now.

Get the powder.  Better cost per serving.  You can keep a tub in your bag to refill once you run out between games

Depends on the pad, if you're using soft cushy pads there is a chance moisture has seeped through the nylon and jenpro into the soft foam components

[insertnamehere]

14 hours ago, seagoal said:

I logged in to say don't sleep on drinking plenty of water and avoiding being underhydrated or dehydrated.  I see there was mention of that already a few times, which is great.  

Start several days in advance, too, not just the morning of, in between, and after playing.  Proper hydration is an ongoing, long term commitment rather than a spontaneous action in a given moment or situation. 

Ah, you must be a member of r/hydrohomies. 

[WillyGrips13]

How does coffee fit into all this? I have a large iced coffee every day now. 

[ilyazhito]

8 hours ago, insertnamehere said:

Ah, you must be a member of r/hydrohomies. 

What is that?

I would like to second @seagoal and say that hydration is important. Make sure you have enough water before games, drink in small amounts during games (at stoppages with the faceoff in the other zone, after goals, or between periods), and make sure to drink after each game ends.

 

If you have time to shower between games, do that. I've noticed that warm showers help relieve muscle tightness and small aches. You'll also feel mentally refreshed, especially when you put on clean clothes afterwards. I NEED to shower after games because I have sensitive skin and sweat like crazy, but I would say a good shower also helps. 

[WillyGrips13]

I had a doubleheader today, back to back with the same team. I made sure to drink more water than usual starting last night. Tried to eat light before the game. I also ate some almonds between games. I avoided Powerade. I drank the entire bottle of water during each game. 
Results were pretty good. Felt less worn down and my performance didn’t suffer. I’ve done a few rounds of yoga recently, too. That seems to help stay looser. I’ll have to continue with these changes. 

[insertnamehere]

3 hours ago, ilyazhito said:

What is that?

It's a subreddit for hydration enthusiasts. 

[seagoal]

14 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

I had a doubleheader today, back to back with the same team. I made sure to drink more water than usual starting last night. Tried to eat light before the game. I also ate some almonds between games. I avoided Powerade. I drank the entire bottle of water during each game. 
Results were pretty good. Felt less worn down and my performance didn’t suffer. I’ve done a few rounds of yoga recently, too. That seems to help stay looser. I’ll have to continue with these changes. 

Nice! Congrats, good to get positive results in little increments.  Just keep building up more and more positive changes to your routine and your choices and you will improve, for sure.

Someone mentioned above but the older we get, the more proactive we have to be about staying fit and staying healthy and staying strong/durable, especially when doing something as physically violent as playing goalie, let a lone multiple times in one day.

One thing I thought of in-game is little things to improve your longevity and durability, like for example not leaning forward elbows on pads.  Not sure if you do this, but just as an example, doing this creates strain on the legs, hips, back, etc.  Whereas standing upright and straight does not.  So when we are tired or gassed in game, it does feel good to lean forward...I do it all the time...but in the end it works counter to the goal of longevity and durability in a game because it creates optional, unnecessary strain on the body (not to mention it is easier to breathe and take in oxygen standing up straight rather than leaned forward).

Keep doing these little things one by one and the cumulative results will be huge, even though each little thing by itself is small.

[The Teal Terror]

15 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

I had a doubleheader today, back to back with the same team. I made sure to drink more water than usual starting last night. Tried to eat light before the game. I also ate some almonds between games. I avoided Powerade. I drank the entire bottle of water during each game. 
Results were pretty good. Felt less worn down and my performance didn’t suffer. I’ve done a few rounds of yoga recently, too. That seems to help stay looser. I’ll have to continue with these changes. 

Sounds good dude. Kudos on the almonds. If you want to keep your caloric intake high, cashews, macadamia etc. for a fattier nut. Also yoga is a great way to keep supple and limber considering the position at hand. Also raw dates are a great sugar boost. If you can find them, I recommend Zamli dates from Namibia. They’re excellent.

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by The Teal Terror