Sunday and Monday Aug 19

Sunday was a rest day. I drank a lot ... of water, juice ... what ever was at hand.

Monday was a training day ... so I got this in four rounds. I think. My youngest was in the garage with me after not having a nap and he was into everything and not really thinking of safety. I mean who puts an empty bar in the hands of one of their stuffed animals and expects it to hand it over when he's ready for a bench press? Who, in their right mind, falls off a quarter inch mat, hurts their bum, runs to their father as he's finishing the last of a rear to the deck back squat and demands a hug?

My youngest, that's who. Someday he'll be an awesome training partner. Today ... man, he was another obstacle on my way to getting this done:

8-10 deep (lower than parallel) squats. 100 lbs on the bar
10 kb snatches
10 kb cleans
10 kb overhead presses (all both sides, poundage varied with His Grace. 30-50lbs used)
10 bicep curls
10 triceps extensions (both with a 60 lb bar)
3 assisted chin ups ... I had to get them back in. So I did.

Saturday Aug 17

The fat lady sang ... and had a few of these after the games today

There are only two words I needed to keep in mind this day, and I forgot about them:

Match preparation.

I didn't eat at all, really, before trying to play in two rugby games. I had lots of water, just nothing to eat, except an apple. That's just not enough energy to get through two games.

What. An. Idiot.

I got through the first game all right. No worries. Even had a few minute break before I noticed how many guys had called in sick or vacation for the day. A really different team this week from last week.

In any case, I got to about the 65th minute of the second game on my calves just went "no". Not as seriously painful as other times I have cramped out on a rugby pitch, but severe enough. I subbed myself off.

In any case ... with the coach still away and the president of the club more concerned with the Ontario Blues game at the end of the day ... I got asked to be a replacement for the first team.

What could I say? I had to say no. There was really no way I could play.

I had a couple of Gatorades to help with the cramping and then had a shower, then a lot of water, then Somersby.

The season is over, as all three teams lost by a lot on this final day.

I'll have to do some thinking on paper before I sum up the season. But I'll post my thoughts here at some time in the future.

Thursday and Friday Aug 16

Thursday was a training night. Sort of. Even the club captain and president stayed away. I played touch for about 10 minutes before packing it in and doing this for three rounds:

5 tire flips
5 x 50m sprints
20 feet up push ups
20 seated knee tucks
10 kettlebell snatches - 30 lb bell used for each side

After that, I iced my hurting parts after some stretching, too. It was interesting to watch the Atlantic Rock rugby team train on the other end of the pitch. Much more motivated team with a lots of decent play. I don't think the Ontario Blues have much to worry about, however....

Friday was interesting ... some swimming after doing this for three rounds:

10 kb cleans
10 kb presses each side
10 kb snatches - 30 or 40 lb bell used, depending on the round
20 step ups, unweighted
10 bicep curls, 10 tricept extensions - finished with 60lbs on the bar
ab exercise

The last one varied with each round, depending on what my training partner was doing at the time. Sometimes, he was on the chin up bar, sometimes on the mat. I had to make due with whatever he wasn't using.

Tuesday and Wednesday Aug 14

Tuesday was a rugby training night - except the coach didn't show up. The club captain showed up, as did the President of the club .. and we played touch for about 20 minutes.

Yeah.

So, I got this done for four rounds before it got too dark:

5 x 50m sprints
5 tire flips - the big ones at the rugby club ... must be 300 pounds.
20 seated knee tucks
20 feet up push ups.

During the day, I went to African Lion Safari with my parents and kids, and got a chance to ride an elephant. While I enjoy the memory of riding such a nice animal with my two girls, my hip didn't enjoy being on the pachyderm. It hurt. Icing it later was .... uncomfortable.

Wednesday was a light training and recovery day. Lots of rolling and stretching with some light kettlebells just to get a sweat going. A lot of Advil and I was still feeling a little sore.

Sunday and Monday Aug 12

I was pretty sore on Sunday, so I laid low and hung out with my family. I did have some thoughts about the post season today, but it's not time to share those ideas here yet.

You never know who's reading this.

In an case, Monday I got this done early, with a little "Assistance" from my youngest:

Four rounds of:

15 step ups (first round without any weight, last 2 rounds with the new 50 lb sandbag on my back
10 kb snatches 40 lb kb used
10 bicep curls 40 lb barbell used
10 tricept extensions 40 lbs used
150 lb deadlift x 6-8
10 bench flies (40 lb db's used)
10 ab exercises

The last one changed from round to round. I tried hanging flat leg raises, but my grip gave out on me, so I sent to lying flat leg raises. Meh, it worked for me.

Friday and Saturday Aug 10

Friday was a rest day. I needed to drink lots of water and just keep myself ready for the game on Saturday. I did do some light kettlebells and bodyweight stuff. Just enough to get a sweat going and let my body work out some of the morning aches and pains.

Saturday was an exercise in frustration. I played Seconds XV, with an excellent team. We scored 15 tries, including me catching a nice off load from a wing, scrambling 10 meters for a try under the posts. Final score was 81-0.

What was frustrating was the First XV. Didn't see the point in keeping dressed for it, so I didn't. The two other front rowers that played with me in the Second XV got in, but not me. I don't complain. So, as soon as that game was lost, I left for home and cuddled with my kids and wife.

Wed and Thursday Aug 8

Wednesday ... was DOMS ... I painted two rooms in my new house ... it was painful to move at times. Seriously.

I did do some light kettlebells and bodyweight training. Basically just stretching with some swings to get a sweat on.

Thursday was a training night. After the light session, I got this done for three rounds:

5 x 50m sprints
15 flat straight leg raises
20 feet up push ups


                         

Tuesday Aug 6

So ... yeah..Tuesday is a training night.

Yup, we trained alright. A lot.

After a warm up we did 3 x 100m sprints. Then we did 3 x 200m sprints.

Then we did one two drills for the next hour: a drill on tackling (which we did need) and a Sandbox drill, in which we just played rugby in a confined space.

Nothing fancy, but really demanding.

I didn't get my usual sprints in as I had to get home for some fundraising thing for my kids.

Sat, Sunday and Monday Aug 5

Saturday .... I felt so bad ... no game, no rugby. I'm glad I got the game in on Wednesday. I was still sore, man. Lots of stretching, man. I also went for a long walk with my family.

Sunday... I was freaking busy for the entire day. However, I did get another walk in with my family before going to a barbecue for the afternoon and evening. Simply awesome.

Monday, again I was busy, but I got this done after the youngest went to bed, around 7pm.

Four rounds of:

can't say I look like this guy .... yet

20 step ups with hand weights (10-30 lbs, depending on the round)
10 bench flies - 30 lb dumbbells used... haven't done this one in a while
8-10 deadlifts - 150 lbs ... not my max
10 kb snatches each side
10 flat straight leg raises
10 bicep curls - 40 lbs used
10 triceps extension - 40 lbs used

Friday Aug 2

Well, there's no game tomorrow - kind of sad, really.

Not bad for the first time trying them

So, instead of resting, stretching and preparation for a game, I did four rounds of this while being rudely interrupted by my youngest training partner who should have been napping, but instead decided it was a good time to work on his skills as an opera singer.

So, I got this done for four rounds:

10 squats weight varied - got up to 100 lbs, if only because I've not squatted with weights in a while
10 step ups leading with both feet (20 all together) with 10 lb hand weights
10 Kb snatches - using the 40lb kettlebell
8-10 hanging frog leg raises

I was most impressed with my ab work today - I've never tried this exercise ... at least not as an adult. The last time I attempted something like this, I was in grade school and I didn't do it very well. I'll try to incorporate something more difficult in my after rugby sessions than seated knee tucks. It's time.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Aug 2

Tuesday was a training night.

I spent the day with my kids, going for a couple of long walks and trying to get the youngest tired out.  Getting that kid to sleep is the highlight of my day - active and non-stop, man.

After training, I had some company doing my sprints, as he had missed a train to get to training.

So, we did this together for three rounds, and I added an extra sprint on the end.

5 x 50m sprint
20 seated knee tucks
20 feet up push ups

Wednesday was supposed to be a low intensity day, some stretching and rolling and the like ... when I got an offer I couldn't refuse. I got the chance to play a game on a Wednesday night.

actual image from Wednesday.... ;)

So .. under the lights with a nice cool rain on grass ... I played hook for a team in Mississauga. I was the smallest in the front row - and I weigh about 110 kilos (about 230 pounds). Needless to say, we won a lot of scrums. Muddy, rainy and warm with no fears of sunburn. Simply awesome.

And not a single idiotic comment from the crowd. It was almost bliss.

Thursday normally is a training day, but I would like to stay married, so I stayed home. It is a holiday weekend here in Ontario, and so there are no games on this weekend. Last night my club had a game, but I wasn't supposed to play. So... I stayed home and let myself heal. It was a metaphorical Sunday, after all.