Mid-Season Burn Out

Question
I play ACHA Division 1 Hockey so my season goes about 6 months with a 3 week break for Christmas in between. I train hard during the off season starting with heavy strength training for about 6-8 weeks, than I do explosive training for about 4-5 weeks than towards the end of summer I focus more on conditioning and plyometrics. I do an upper body/lower body split for 2 days of in-season training and am on the ice about 4-5 times a week.(2-3 practices/ 2 games) I get to about mid season and I feel like my legs are just dead some days. Could this be from over training them because my off season is pretty long. What is a good off-season leg training regimen so my legs seem fresh all season.

Answer
Eddie,

You wrote: I do an upper body/lower body split for 2 days of in-season training and am on the ice about 4-5 times a week.(2-3 practices/ 2 games) I get to about mid season and I feel like my legs are just dead some days.

Ok, here's the deal.  Keep up with the off season training program.  The pyrometric is key to develop that quick muscle twitch memory fiber within your legs.  The reason for the burn out is that you are not getting enough rest and maybe your diet is off.  This is your body forcing you to slow it down.

Now, to get all of the energy you need, it not about eating spaghetti all the time like it was 20 or 30 years ago.  Coaches have a tendency to spout off that kind of nonsense when they don't know.  However, times have changed.  Now you have to have 6 meals throughout the day.  The normal 3 main meals and three snacks between meals.  In the main meals, you will need a balanced diet of equal portions of protein, complex carbohydrates, vegetables and dairy.  For the in between snacks, eat fruit! Stay away from soft drinks, coffee and beer.  If you have to drink juice.  Water is better!

Last thing is to get rest.  If you have a game tomorrow, don't go out with the guys tonight.  Be smart enough to get 8 hours of rest.  If you can get 9 it's better.  If you can get a nap in two hours before the game that would be better.

In closing, ACHA means that you are at a college playing for a college club.  This also means that you also want a life outside of hockey.  It is important for you to determine how much time you are willing to invest in your hockey career.  With all of the time you are putting into your off season training, it sounds like you have made a major commitment.  The next thing you need to understand and to make things complete is the commitment to your health. This means rest!

Good luck and I hope that this helps.

Head coach