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Is it bad if my long distance times aren't improving

N

NakaNaka

Diamond Member
I'm a hockey player so in the summer I keep my legs in shape by going rollerblading. I try to go at least once a week and some weeks I go two times. But my times aren't improving. They fluctuate up and down by a couple minutes but no steady improvement. I feel the burn big time (it's Central Park, 6+ miles with lots of hills) so I know I'm getting a workout. I just want to know if it's bad that my times aren't getting better.

-Phil
 
Going once or twice a week wont do much in terms of building endurance.. If you were to up it to say 3 or 4 times a week (every other day basically), then i imagine you'd notice some improvements. not right away mind you.
 
blakeatwork is correct.

And you might try mixing up your workout. Doing the same thing week after week doesn't stress you enough. Try some sprinting drills.
 
agreed, you gotta really work your muscles to see any improvement. Just as an example, I'm running this summer. I started out going 3, maybe 4 times a week, and wasn't improving. Then I started running 5,6 times a week andf in just two weeks have dropped my times substantially. Like going from 8 minute miles to 7 minute miles.
 
Originally posted by: SWScorch
agreed, you gotta really work your muscles to see any improvement. Just as an example, I'm running this summer. I started out going 3, maybe 4 times a week, and wasn't improving. Then I started running 5,6 times a week andf in just two weeks have dropped my times substantially. Like going from 8 minute miles to 7 minute miles.
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Wow that's a big improvement. I didn't realize the body needed that much to make improvements. So I need to guy 5 times a week to get my times down. Damn.

Now - is doing the workouts 2 times a week helping me but not improving my times? Or is it basically worthless?

I also do work leg muscles when I go to the gym a couple days a week on the leg/weight machines.
 
I would say it's better than nothing, so definitely not worthless, just not enough for improvement.

The weightlifting will help too, but I think to see the most improvement you should be blading distance at least 4 times a week, and maybe lifting the other three.

Also, for my improvements, I've been running a while, so it's not like I just started and all of a sudden I can run a 5 minute mile. I just needed the jumpstart to get back into shape, and running that often is what did it. I was in pretty good shape when running 3x times a week, and at 6x I'm in the best shape I've ever been in.
 
what you're doing is not correct for hockey. I play once or twice a week myself and don't know what you're trying to accomplish by getting faster endurance runs. You need to concentrate on sprinting (off-ice) and a lot of stop-and-go skating. Also, building up your legs by doing squats is the absolute best thing for skating as the first step is important.

If it's endurance you're trying to build, you don't need skates for that at all... I have a problem with endurance also... but what you're supposed to do is run laps or run steps. Skating is fine too, but you don't have to beat any time for endurance purposes.

Also, the lateral lunge is a good idea. Btw, for simple off-season training, try some biking also. 😉
 
Alot of what Naka's looking for comes from endurance... obviously, if you're able to push yourself harder for longer durations, you'll complete the circuit faster... Leg exercises help to build the muscle, but you still want to maintain enough flexibility to be able to get good long strides... Having lifter-legs is all well and good, but if you can't extend your legs far enough to get a good push, it doesn't do very much..

I would lift for muscle toning, and maintenance, stretch for flexibility and do a lot of cardio... if all you care about is a short sprint (ie from one end of the rink to the other) then the cardio wont matter as much. However, if you want to play 20-30 minutes a game, you'll need to get out at least 4 times a week, and push yourself the whole way... it's not a leisurely check out the chicks while you do it kind of thing, it's I need to skate faster so that i can cream that guy into the board kind of thing..

😀
 
If you can swim find a health club with a pool and kick as many laps as you can with a kickboard. I'd say atleast 4 times a week. Your legs will be more jacked than ever before.
 
Yeah ... I have good enough speed for a shift. What I'm looking to do is be better rested in the third period. By blading long distances, I am getting endurance in my legs. I hope. Thank you all for the advice. I should definitely do squats. Any advice on how to do them best without hurting your back?

-Phil
 
Originally posted by: blakeatwork
t's not a leisurely check out the chicks while you do it kind of thing, it's I need to skate faster so that i can cream that guy into the board kind of thing..

😀
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Believe me - when I blade I am going through a lot of hills which makes the legs burn like crazy. I am pushing too. By the end of the blade, which lasts about a half hour, my legs are burning and I am dead tired.
 
Originally posted by: NakaNaka
Originally posted by: blakeatwork
t's not a leisurely check out the chicks while you do it kind of thing, it's I need to skate faster so that i can cream that guy into the board kind of thing..

😀
Click to expand...

Believe me - when I blade I am going through a lot of hills which makes the legs burn like crazy. I am pushing too. By the end of the blade, which lasts about a half hour, my legs are burning and I am dead tired.
Click to expand...
Anybody's legs are dead tired after striding for that long consecutively. I used to do the 5 mile (10 mile roundtrip) bike path around school and found it helped me with nothing. Just didn't feel any better from doing it.

Cardio/endurance would be better built from [lighter] running so not a particular part of your body will fail you before your breath does. You can do other exercises to help your stride/legs if you really want to work on that too... I wouldn't incorporate both in one, even if it seems like you're doing it all in 1 shot.

Never heard of NHL players skating laps and laps around the rink for practice, have you ? 😉
 
Originally posted by: NakaNaka
So then what is my best bet for my legs not being as tired in the third period?

-Phil
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do you stretch your legs before each game ? I've found this to help me tremendously - I used to take it for granted thinking I never get hurt... but that's not what it's about. Your muscles NEED to be loose to be able to pull off all that work. Do you drink lots of liquids before and during ?

Other than that, it's just good-ole reps of whatever leg exercise (not too heavy) you choose... you're not going for speed... try for consistency.
 
Originally posted by: NakaNaka
Alright. Would doing sprints blading help? (couple hundred meters or so, maybe more)
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Yeah. Sprint, then cruise and repeat. Have easy days, and hard days.

Mixing up your workouts really does wonders. If you do the same thing all the time, that's all the body figures it needs to be ready for. And that means no progress.
 
So how's this .. College starts in 4 weeks and tryouts in 5.

Alternate between blading and jogging. blading will be sprints until im pretty tired. jogging is 2 miles. (i've been doing a few of these throughout the summer) ... Then I will throw about 3 days a week of lifting weights in there. I guess some squats too. I know I won't radically transform in 4-5 weeks but that's ok. I'm in shape and I'm pretty fast. Just looking for a little extra edge. How's that sound?

-Phil
 
When i recommended sprints, I didn't have endurance in mind. Jogging, eating right, and making sure your muscles are in proper condition (stretching/hydrating) is really the best you can do to condition for a full game. You know how hard it is on your legs shift after shift when you start and stop as much as you have to. You're going to get tired, no matter who you are and how you've prepared. I can only say you need to keep your muscles in the best condition possible. Also using your muscles too often (even if not for games) makes them more susceptible to injury so be careful with constant strenuous activity.

It's really a fine line when it comes to managing everything. You have to balance exercising often enough for conditioning with giving them enough rest. I don't particularly have the end-all solution - like I said earlier, I have endurance problems too. Run run run... so I hear.
 
do you just play with friends or is this a league type of thing ?

I wouldn't mind getting back into playing hockey.
Try biking up hills with a huffy. None of the multigeared bikes. Just straight up 1piece crank bike.
I can recommend that you ride up and down Palisades Park to Fort Lee and back several times.
 
Originally posted by: isekii
do you just play with friends or is this a league type of thing ?
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I wouldn't be doing all this if it was just with friends. College club hockey. Gonna be a freshman/
 
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