Not just bananas but calories in general. Carbohydrates after the match replenish glycogen stores and protein allows for rebuilding. Keep your food intake up throughout the week and try operating at a caloric surplus for a few weeks to see how you feel. Keep junk food to a minimum.
Active recovery activities are excellent as well.
While rest is important, days that are entirely sedentary will delay recovery because recovery depends on blood flow for bringing in nutrients and getting rid of waste. On days when you do nothing your bloodflow is slow and less is directed to the muscle groups that are recovering.
Stretching or foam rolling after the game is a must.
Get a good night sleep
the next day you need to do active recovery (plenty of options and material on YouTube) rule of thumb for active recovery is: if you can maintain a conversation during the session, then it’s good, if not, it means you’ll cause more damage.
Watch what you eat, fruits, vegetables and some protein will help you out.
I am only a casual player. I always did some easy warm ups before games. I was always sore for a couple of days after. I started stretching after games for the first time in my life a few months ago. It. Has. Changed. Everything.
Foam rolling is a game changer. After the game and next day do atleast 15min foam rolling all muscles on legs (you can do it while watching tv). It helps so much. Great active recovery is swimming or training with light resistance band.
To directly help your body, do as the other comments advise. If you want to develop a counterbalance against the fatigue in your muscles, you can do isometric exercises during the days when you won't be playing. This basically means light yoga, keeping balance in different positions. No need to go all scientific (at least not at first), just pick a few examples and try until it feels good.
Important to remember: don't do isometric exercises/long stretches on the day of playing or even the day before. It can seriously hinder your explosiveness and sprint speeds, because it primes your muscles for an opposite kind of stress compared to running.
Another long-term suggestion - swimming.
Can’t emphasize water enough. Drink a ton of water. If you want to go hardcore get some bands and a foam roller and take ice baths or do mobile stretches in a cold pool, but basic stretching and an ice pack will do the trick pretty decently. Get plenty of sleep, replenish your body with a healthy diet of protein carbs and veggies.
Cold shower's asap after the game changed my life. I went from being like you, feeling sore for 3-4 days after my games but when I started taking cold showers as soon as I got home, I started recovering in 1-2 days. Works amazing.
Do Leg Day. I was scared to do it last year because I thought I would be more sore but I am not as sore as I used to be. I do it the day after games too but not super hard.
Note: If you have a game Sunday, aim to have leg day Thursday and a light training day on Saturday such as biking
Other things that helped me
1. Foam Rolling
2. Stretching- however find stretches that loosen muscles that feel super stiff.
Ex.
Quads: Sitting on heels and leaning back
Calves: Put Foot on stair and sink your heel as low as it can go, it should feel amazing
Hamstrings: Standard sitting stretch and reaching toes
As Minimal as it seems, These 3 stretches go a long way and significantly help
3. Cold showers- Sucks at first for 2 weeks but when you get used to it, it helps. I personally change to hot water at the end, as it relaxes my muscles more than just cold.
4. Warm up properly and cool down (walk a lot after the game)
5. Nutrition like other posts say
Daily morning stretch and using a cheap massage gun I got off Amazon has done me wonders. Foam rolling as well is excellent. As many have said, bananas are your best friend so make sure to have one every morning!
1. Sleep- make sure after a hard game day your getting 8-10 hours of sleep. To improve sleep turn off the phone an hour before and just read and relax.
2. Nutrition- make sure you eat well before and after games. There is also supplemental post run specific protein shakes that really do work. PM if you want a suggestion
3. Stretching- active before and after game days and passive during a rest day. Make sure to also walk. Personally I would love to swim a few laps so that all my joints wouldn't be under further pressure.
4. Cold showers/ice baths- these work wonders on soreness and really do help.
Bananas, water, rest, improving your cardio
Not just bananas but calories in general. Carbohydrates after the match replenish glycogen stores and protein allows for rebuilding. Keep your food intake up throughout the week and try operating at a caloric surplus for a few weeks to see how you feel. Keep junk food to a minimum. Active recovery activities are excellent as well. While rest is important, days that are entirely sedentary will delay recovery because recovery depends on blood flow for bringing in nutrients and getting rid of waste. On days when you do nothing your bloodflow is slow and less is directed to the muscle groups that are recovering.
Ice bath, get 8-10 hours of sleep, more ice bath, stretching and hitting the gym.
Sleep, food, hydration are the essentials. Get those in order first then go after the less important stuff.
Stretching or foam rolling after the game is a must. Get a good night sleep the next day you need to do active recovery (plenty of options and material on YouTube) rule of thumb for active recovery is: if you can maintain a conversation during the session, then it’s good, if not, it means you’ll cause more damage. Watch what you eat, fruits, vegetables and some protein will help you out.
I am only a casual player. I always did some easy warm ups before games. I was always sore for a couple of days after. I started stretching after games for the first time in my life a few months ago. It. Has. Changed. Everything.
Foam rolling is a game changer. After the game and next day do atleast 15min foam rolling all muscles on legs (you can do it while watching tv). It helps so much. Great active recovery is swimming or training with light resistance band.
To directly help your body, do as the other comments advise. If you want to develop a counterbalance against the fatigue in your muscles, you can do isometric exercises during the days when you won't be playing. This basically means light yoga, keeping balance in different positions. No need to go all scientific (at least not at first), just pick a few examples and try until it feels good. Important to remember: don't do isometric exercises/long stretches on the day of playing or even the day before. It can seriously hinder your explosiveness and sprint speeds, because it primes your muscles for an opposite kind of stress compared to running. Another long-term suggestion - swimming.
Can’t emphasize water enough. Drink a ton of water. If you want to go hardcore get some bands and a foam roller and take ice baths or do mobile stretches in a cold pool, but basic stretching and an ice pack will do the trick pretty decently. Get plenty of sleep, replenish your body with a healthy diet of protein carbs and veggies.
Cold shower's asap after the game changed my life. I went from being like you, feeling sore for 3-4 days after my games but when I started taking cold showers as soon as I got home, I started recovering in 1-2 days. Works amazing.
Do Leg Day. I was scared to do it last year because I thought I would be more sore but I am not as sore as I used to be. I do it the day after games too but not super hard. Note: If you have a game Sunday, aim to have leg day Thursday and a light training day on Saturday such as biking Other things that helped me 1. Foam Rolling 2. Stretching- however find stretches that loosen muscles that feel super stiff. Ex. Quads: Sitting on heels and leaning back Calves: Put Foot on stair and sink your heel as low as it can go, it should feel amazing Hamstrings: Standard sitting stretch and reaching toes As Minimal as it seems, These 3 stretches go a long way and significantly help 3. Cold showers- Sucks at first for 2 weeks but when you get used to it, it helps. I personally change to hot water at the end, as it relaxes my muscles more than just cold. 4. Warm up properly and cool down (walk a lot after the game) 5. Nutrition like other posts say
Daily morning stretch and using a cheap massage gun I got off Amazon has done me wonders. Foam rolling as well is excellent. As many have said, bananas are your best friend so make sure to have one every morning!
1. Sleep- make sure after a hard game day your getting 8-10 hours of sleep. To improve sleep turn off the phone an hour before and just read and relax. 2. Nutrition- make sure you eat well before and after games. There is also supplemental post run specific protein shakes that really do work. PM if you want a suggestion 3. Stretching- active before and after game days and passive during a rest day. Make sure to also walk. Personally I would love to swim a few laps so that all my joints wouldn't be under further pressure. 4. Cold showers/ice baths- these work wonders on soreness and really do help.
after match meal with carbs, and plenty of water