Do You Take Supplements/Stimulants Before Games?

[johnjm22]

I usually drink a cup of coffee, that's it. I know some players do energy drinks before games.

A friend of my swears by this "pre workout" product called Jack3d. He's says it gives him tons of energy. Has anyone tried it? I looked it up and found that a lot people love it, but some athletes have failed drug tests after taking it.

Just wanna hear some thoughts/opinions/experiences on this subject.

 

[AndreD]

I sometimes drink energy drinks before and during games, especially the tough road games when we have long travel and a short bench.

A very quick google shows that jack3d does contain banned stimulants (some explicitly, some by having similar chemical structures to those which are banned). It is illegal to sell Jack3d as a supplement in Canada due to the drugs it contains. Also see:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/0...ng-sparks-military-probe-into-supplement-use/

 

[Jarick]

No, just a cup of coffee or a soda.

 

[Ozz]

I have an energy drink most games but it's more of a placebo than anything. The ones I drink have a cool menthol kinda flavor to them and they remind me of blue raspberry Slush Puppies, so it's more of an enjoy-the-taste-and-chill-before-the-game thing than an energy spark.

As far as true energy I let my actual food intake handle that throughout the day on game day.

 

[jorbjorb]

double double timmies

 

[The Tikkanen]

Once I turned 30 I started taking supplements that contain creatine before I play hockey and before I lift weights. I stick to the products that are for pre-workout/during workout and have found I am very rarely sore or fatigued the day after a game or during the game itself. There are a ton of variables that go into whether or not this kind of stuff will work for you and you will get a lot of people who swear by certain products as well as people who think it will kill you. The best way to find out if you need a supplement is go to CVS or Rite Aid, try a basic OTC product like EAS and drink it before a game and see how you feel. Right now I am using a $30 supplement made by Everlast since I've found that if I take the same brand for a long period I no longer feel any results. Try it out, form your own opinion, that's the best advice I can give.

 

[izzy3]

Most guys at the rinks I visit take coffein, be it coffee or energy drinks. I tried that a few years ago, but apart from the kick at the start I usually felt worse and was lacking energy after an hour.

My system works way better on pure water and bodyfat energy supply.

 

[noobman]

I might sip on a little bit of my sports drink before the game but that's about it.

 

[Power Man]

Protein shake with some creatine


If not, then just water


Like Izzy3, caffeine products dont work for me before exercising

Made me feel weird, and slightly dehydrated

 

[r3cc0s]

Protein shake with some creatine


If not, then just water


Like Izzy3, caffeine products dont work for me before exercising

Made me feel weird, and slightly dehydrated

eeew....

lol
I couldn't imagine the taste of that if it came back up even a little bit

the best games I've played... I was well rested, I ate alot of carbs (both complex and simple)
If it is a late game, I will have a coffee or energy drink and its been proven that caffine is a stimulant that makes you more mentally aware + increase pain threhold and subsiquently indurance
I usually ensure I stay well hydrated and nothing keeps you fuel'd like simple glucose... and Gatoraid really does keep your push going

For "workouts" I have taken Nictric Oxide which is simular to Jack3d for lifting
It keeps a pump, increasing lifting stamina and encourages testostrone production. Then I'll have a good meal or if in a pinch, a protein shake (muscle milk is the only ones I can pallet after years of downing the cheap stuff for Football)

However taking a Nitric Oxide suppliment for high intensity anerobic full on cardio... such as Hockey or Crossfit, could just spike you're blood presure and HR to uncontrolled points... its much more dangerous than just a caffine based Redbull
I remember downing one of those NO Beta-Alanine full drinks before an Indoor game, and I could barely catch my breath on the bench for a full 2minutes... it was scary and I was in the condition where I could run an easy 48min 10k

 

[650X2]

Jack3d is crazy. If you want to be wired the whole game use it. It supplies NO2 to your muscles and basically your legs will never get tired during the game.

 

[Devil Dancer]

The only time I've taken stimulants before games is when I'm sick. Then I'll occasionally pop a Sudafed. Sudafed is essentially an artificial form of speed, so it can get you pretty revved up for a game.

Unfortunately, it's pretty bad for you, and possibly addictive. That's why I've only ever taken it when sick.

 

[r3cc0s]

Jack3d is crazy. If you want to be wired the whole game use it. It supplies NO2 to your muscles and basically your legs will never get tired during the game.

then your heart will go through the roof to supply oxygen to those muscles, and then you'll be out of breath

 

[newfr4u]

Once I turned 30 I started taking supplements that contain creatine before I play hockey and before I lift weights. I stick to the products that are for pre-workout/during workout and have found I am very rarely sore or fatigued the day after a game or during the game itself. There are a ton of variables that go into whether or not this kind of stuff will work for you and you will get a lot of people who swear by certain products as well as people who think it will kill you. The best way to find out if you need a supplement is go to CVS or Rite Aid, try a basic OTC product like EAS and drink it before a game and see how you feel. Right now I am using a $30 supplement made by Everlast since I've found that if I take the same brand for a long period I no longer feel any results. Try it out, form your own opinion, that's the best advice I can give.

creatine is good, but timing its intake does nothing. if you choose to take it, you should just be taking it every day. it's also *way* cheaper to simply buy creatine powder and take a teaspoon of it, and chase it with a glass of water. it's tasteless, it's texture is a bit like undisolved sugar in cold water.

for recovery (fatigue/soreness), you should be taking fish oil. take it every day even if you are not sore.

 

[newfr4u]

Jack3d and NOX both contain a bunch of high-dose stimulants, so they will obviously work, but not necessary. they don't really help you from nutrition point of view, like creatine/protein/fish oil.

i prefer not be increase the stress of the game, but every once in a while i need a cup of coffee before an 11pm game.

 

[SauceHockey]

Strong alcohol and heroin

 

[shawn1331]

Nope, I feel like if you use something like a red bull before a game then you don't naturally have the staminia to play an entire game on your own. Like you depend on it, I do it the natural way. Once in a while I'll chew gum thats it lmfao. usually don't drink to much water either.

 

[esuhock22]

Caffeine doesn't seem to do too much for me. I just stick to being hydrated.

 

[IDuck]

Strong alcohol and heroin

PCP...

i dont use/take anything...but when i use to work out a lot creatine and that NOXplode was a good mix.....i did fine with the NOX but some people it cause's there heart to race (NEVER A GOOD THING), so i will say that stuff works great but if you have never taken it, taking it before a hockey game for the first time IS NOT the time to do it

 

[The Tikkanen]

A lot of this depends on your age. If you're young you shouldn't need to take anything. When you're 38 you need to take something.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

i take my pre workout and it does wonders. Razor8 is the product. I highly recommend it for working out and playing hockey?

 

[Jarick]

I'd add most of my games are late at night so the caffeine wakes me up.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I'd add most of my games are late at night so the caffeine wakes me up.

Yup, like I said there are a lot of variables when it comes to "what do you take before a hockey game/working out". My theory has always been listen to what other people do, try it, see if it works for you and find the best program. Unfortunately, there will always be people who think the way they do it is the best, it's a fact so you should do the same. "Caffeine upsets my stomach so nobody should drink it before a game", "Red Bull makes my heart race so nobody should take it before a game". Then you find out the kid who drinks Red Bull is drinking a 24 oz can with sugar, is 40 lbs overweight and thinks working out is playing Call Of Duty with a sweat suit on.

 

[Droid6]

Most guys I know know drink beer before the game. I played with these two guys from NASA and they would drink the three stage Gatorade products every game and I used to find it humorous because they were the slowest guys on the team.

 

[Kulluminati]

I took 1.M.R once before a game, I felt like I was skating faster than ever before... I actually had a pretty good game, put up a few points.

Might do it again