Late night exercise and early starts

[Type R Tom]

I play basketball in a local league for a number of years now which I really enjoy. The problem is we share our court with the 2nd team and ladies team so due to other constraints we end up starting our matches at 9:15pm. This means I don’t get home to nearly 11:00pm and by the time I shower, eat something and calm down enough to sleep its gone 12 (and usually around 1:00 am before I drop off). I then have to be up again at 4:30am for work.

This isn’t usually a problem on the odd occasion but I’ve just seen this year’s fixture list and every home match is a late one, I don’t want to give up playing but I really struggle at work the next day, both with muscle fatigue and general tiredness.

So I’m after some tips, can people recommend anything to help? I try and warm down as much as possible but not easy as we are always chucked out quickly by the caretaker after a match and try and eat something like a ready meal or small portion of left overs but 11:00pm is really too late.

So any food / stretching / routine that could make work the next day a little easier (i.e. less painful and more productive) would be greatly appreciated!

[taaffy]

I play Ice hockey and our training time is 11pm. that means after training, showering and my drive home I don't get into bed until about 1:30.

My recovery drink for getting through the next day is a mix of 30 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbohydrate as a shake drink in 500 mls of water.
Take this drink as soon as you stop training or your game, as a shake rather than food it gets into your system quicker to start the recovery process faster. Also stay hydrated throughout your activity.

If I don't take this drink after training I feel flat and tired all of the next day.

Edited by taaffy on Wednesday 17th October 10:20

[Happy82]

Like Taffy, I play ice hockey at silly o'clock and usually have a protein shake after training and a slice of toast with nutella that seems to do the trick

As for stretches, I usually do a lap of the rink followed by my warmup stretches as a warmdown

[Tiggsy]

Type R Tom said:

I play basketball in a local league for a number of years now which I really enjoy. The problem is we share our court with the 2nd team and ladies team so due to other constraints we end up starting our matches at 9:15pm. This means I don’t get home to nearly 11:00pm and by the time I shower, eat something and calm down enough to sleep its gone 12 (and usually around 1:00 am before I drop off). I then have to be up again at 4:30am for work.

This isn’t usually a problem on the odd occasion but I’ve just seen this year’s fixture list and every home match is a late one, I don’t want to give up playing but I really struggle at work the next day, both with muscle fatigue and general tiredness.

So I’m after some tips, can people recommend anything to help? I try and warm down as much as possible but not easy as we are always chucked out quickly by the caretaker after a match and try and eat something like a ready meal or small portion of left overs but 11:00pm is really too late.

So any food / stretching / routine that could make work the next day a little easier (i.e. less painful and more productive) would be greatly appreciated!

That's grim. The late night should be fine, I play as well, 4 nights a week - we often get off the court around 10.30 so I'm eating at 11pm - but I dont get up till 8am on those days (at the earliest!)

Quite how you'll do on a few hrs sleep I wouldn't like to think! Not great!

PS. Where do you play? If you're a big in the Wessex league we may bump into each other!

[Halb]

You'll get carbs out of your food as soon as the saliva hits it whether its solid or liquid. Whey protein has quicker uptake than casein protein drinks I have read, but since you will be going to sleep anyway and your goal isn't muscle mass I doubt it will affect you. You need carbs, fat and protein for your body to recover and you also need sleep. Your body recovers in sleep, if you keep short changing it, it will fk you up, rebuilding happens in the deepest layer of sleep which we move in and out of through the night.

edit.
If you're gonna bother with protein drinks, get a good one made from raw milk and not heat processed. Also drop in a dollop of peanut butter or coconut oil into it. Or get one of those ready made pasta meals that you get in supermarkets in tin trays. I'd also have a squirt of honey as soon as you've finished your game.

This may not help your recovery but could help staying alert. I subscribe to the sleep bank theory.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8504867.stm

Edited by Halb on Saturday 27th October 16:40

[Type R Tom]

Thanks for all the comments; I’ve bought 1 portion of For Goodness Shakes 3:1 Sports Recovery Powder from Boots to try after the match this week. Didn’t fancy spending £20+ on a big tub if I don’t know it works so will try it and may consider buying a tub and a later date. They aren’t cheap but will probably be worth it.

Had a look into homemade shakes, came across a few recipes I may try without buying all the different powders, anyone got a good recipe?

Tiggsy said:

PS. Where do you play? If you're a big in the Wessex league we may bump into each other!

I'm a big & play in a Kent league, did play at Caister this year though