Leg day today. I'm also going to run this afternoon, so I didn't go all out on my legs. I feel like I have the timing of workouts vs hockey dialed in fairly well. Last week, I did legs and sprints on Sunday; had a game Tuesday; and practice/training Thursday. My legs and low back were still a little sore Tuesday night; I should have done legs Saturday, though I still skated and played well. It did take a few shifts to get loosened up and be 100% despite some warmup time. Thursday's training went well despite a little soreness from the game Tuesday. My legs were fine this morning, just some lingering soreness/tightness in my low back. That cleared up with a couple of warm-up sets of squats and some stretching.
This week, I play Wednesday night. Training is always Thursday, so that will be rough but that's the breaks. I'm running this afternoon; I will try to run Monday, though it will be a busy day. I would like to get two sprinting sessions in prior to Wednesday's game and for sure I need a day of rest between.
Slept pretty well last night, but not well the night before. I really need to go out to the gym in the evening and stretch before bed. Did not do that Thursday evening. I'm dragging a little bit today but feel pretty good in spite of that.
Leg workout:
Leg stretching and empty bar warm-up set of squats, 1 x 10 reps
135 warm-up: 1x10
185 warm-up: 1x10
225: 1x8
275: 1x6 The first couple of reps I could not do a full squat. I don't know if it's just fear (don't want to reinjure my low back) or if I just need to feel the weight a little bit. I did two half reps and then was able to get deep. I didn't count the half reps, 6 reps means 6 full squats.
I decided to do leg press today (didn't do them last week knowing I was going to run). I took it a little bit easy anticipating the sprints this afternoon:
7 plates each side:
3x5
Stiff leg deadlift:
95 lbs:
2x10 I chose these for hamstrings both because they're a great hamstring exercise but also for the stretch and the low back building, which I definitely need.
I also did some external rotations with a 40lb band for my left shoulder; seated incline db hammer curls (leaning back on the 45° incline bench) - these are good for my biceps tendons, both of which are sore. Great stretch if you rotate the db's "out" while letting them hang. And also some abs/hip flexor:
In & outs:
1x10
Bicycles:
1x20
Also did side planks with a scissor leg raise for adductors/hips:
1x5 each side. I find these very challenging.
I just finished lunch and I think I'm going to go to the high school and see about running on the track. It poured down rain earlier and is extremely humid now, but I'd rather run in the world than on the treadmill today...