Sat and Sunday Dec 29

Right, Saturday was another wash. I had to be a dad and clean my house and make sure the stuff happened when it needed to happen. I also had a Wedding Anniversary date, so ... yeah. Twelve years, man. Don't they go by in a blink.

Sunday I had to make time ... literally ... had to fight to get time to get into my own garage and get this done:

10 rounds of heavy bag
2 minutes of punching
1 minute of kb cleans or swings with the 40 lb bell.

I felt sore after, man. I should have taken some time for a bit of a roll or something, but nope. I also had a few ideas about getting on to the mats at McMaster after the Break, too. We'll see what I can make happen there, too.

Dec 26 and 27

Thursday was a wash - i was driving people everywhere and getting nothing done. When I was home, I was helping people put together puzzles or making sure they weren't being silly. Meh, at least I made surf and turf. Awesome.

Friday I had to wait until after the kids were in bed to get some training done. I used the 40 lb bell and got this done for four rounds before heading into the house:

15 kb clenas
10 kn clean and press
10 kb snatch
15 step ups each side

Nothing awesome, but had to move the numbers up a little, just to make sure I'm making some sort of progress.

Monday, Tuesday and Wed Dec 25th

Monday was a pretty cool day, I must say. My crew let me sleep in until about 8am. That was not a typo; it was awesome.

I managed to get a workout done too. I'm liking the ten rounds of heavy bag these days and I got that one done, again:

2 minutes heavy baf
2 minute kettlebell swings - used the 50 lb bell

Tuesday was a family day - lots of traveling around a rather snowy Ontario. Thanks, I know I should have done something, but man ... I just wanted to enjoy my day.

Wednesday was the big day. It started early ... I mean EARLY. We were done opening stuff by 7am. No that was not a typo either. My kids had me up stupid early, man.

After a breakfast and a nap, I supervised my kids' workouts again. Then I got this done for four rounds:

10 kb cleans
10 kb clean and press
10 kb snatches
10 step ups to an 15 inch step

First two rounds was with a light kb, last two with a 40 lb bell. Nothing drastic, just to work some of the Christmas cheer off.

Friday, Sat and Sunday Dec 22

Friday was ... really sore. I needed a recovery day and I took it. I got a chance to reconnect with my kids, taking them shopping for Christmas and just hanging out with them.

Saturday was more of the same, but I got to get a heavy bag session in at my house. I squeezed the same session in on Sunday, too.

2 minutes of hitting the bag
1 minute of 50 lb kettlebell swings or cleans.

On Sunday I had a training partner in the garage with me, or I had one until he fell on his nose and went away crying. However, it was still pretty cool to take my other two children through a training session, too. Their coaches emailed me a workout program for both. Kinda nice to be training with them.

I also saw the location and date for the 2015 Senior National GR Wrestling Championships. It's making my everything itch. This time it's before the ladder for the Olympic Trials for Rio, so there might be a lot more people taking it seriously this time around. Or not. It's Greco after all.

Tuesday, Wed, Thursday Dec 19

Tuesday and Thursday were the same basic workout.

Tuesdays was this:
10 rounds of hitting the heavy bag like this:
2 minutes of hitting the bag
1 minute of ropes

 Thursday was like this:
10 rounds of hitting the heavy bag like this:
2 minutes of hitting the bag
1 minute of 50 lb kettlebell swings or cleans

I liked both workouts; I just need more practice / experience on the ropes to make them a worthwhile part of my training. Still, they were good sessions.

Thursday night was indoor rugby. I think we won two games, but not sure. Still, by the end, I was pretty well done for the night.

Wednesday was a wipeout for me during the day, but I did get home and do a flow kettlebell session on my own for about 20 minutes. I just kept the bell off of the ground, doing swings, H2H, halos, releases and the like. It wasn't much, but it didn't need to be.

Monday Dec 16

It was a slow drive in, with all the left overs of snow everywhere.

I got myself a workout and got this done for three rounds before settling into a roller for about ten minutes:

20 bw squats
10 bodyweight rows
20 push ups
20 KB swings (50 lb bell used)
20 step ups with 15lb db's in each hand
20 seated knee tucks - I slowed these down today. A lot more tug on the abs
10 zottman curls - 15 lb dbs used

Oh, I was sore getting out of bed this morning. I had a crappy breakfast but at least my lunch was ok. At least after this session, I felt alive.

After the youngest was in bed, got a chance to do a 4k run in the snow. Not cold, not really cold to my mind, just slippery and snowy. 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday Dec 15

Friday I was nursing a hamstring tweak from Thursday's rugby session. Meh, at least we won the game during which my leg went kerploopy.

I did a light kettlebell and bodyweight workout, followed by some gentle stretching and rolling. I didn't track the routine, but rather just kept the kettlebell moving for about 20 minutes. I then did a session on the

Saturday was a snowy day around here ... lots of snow. About three or more feet of it. At least. And so ... I was stuck in my house. Except I wasn't. I did shovel the drive, twice. Then I had to walk around a fairly empty mall while two of my children did some fundraising for their club. I walked for about two hours. Then we drive home and I had to shovel the drive again.

Sunday was another snowy day, and it was a tough one. I got home about 9pm to see the bottom of the driveway blocked with a strip of snow about two feet high and sixteen to eighteen feet across. Yeah, I did that one. Then the nice neighbours' driveway. The another and another and another. I did five drive ways. I'm hoping karma was watching.

Wed and Thursday Dec 12

Wednesday was a wash. Just not enough time in the day for me to train. I needed the rest, anyway.

Thursday was my comeback day. I did this workout for ten rounds:

2 minutes "working the heavy bag" (A new term that someone said to me)
1 minute of rope work

This was a cool session, man. Seriously. Got a good sweat going, heart rate was up about 150 a minute or two after I was done. According to others, this is about where I want to be with that. A few minutes later my heart rate was a lot lower.

I talked to the owner for a few minutes after, he mentioned that NFL football linemen use the ropes to train. It seems it's easier for them to get a cardio and it easy on their knees. My hamstrings would humbly disagree, but probably because it was the first time I did this workout.

Later on, it was a rugby night. We lost two and won one. A few key players weren't there; a few of my teammates were a little too intense ... man ... whatever. I was laughing and having fun playing rugby. Passing the ball and sprinting were key to the night.

Sunday and Monday and Tuesday Dec 10

Sunday was a chase the kids around the city day. I did get some stretching and some basic recovery done. I still need to plan out a diet for the week and stick to it.

Monday was an ugly day. Just ugly. I did recover enough to get a basic session done. I got this done four times before my stomach said enough:

10 kb cleans
10 kb clean and presses
10 kb snatches
20 bw squats
20 seated knee tucks
First round with a 30 lb bell, the last three rounds with a 40 lb bell.

Not today's pic, but a pic

Tuesday I felt a lot better and got myself in to work. When appropriate, I got this done for four rounds:

20 bw squats
10 TRX body rows
20 push ups
20 two handed kb swings (50 lb bell used)
10 step ups each side (last three rounds with 15lb db in each hand)
20 seated knee tucks
10 Zottman curls

Saturday Dec 7

Saturday was the Santa run in Burlington. I ran the 5k in just under a half hour.

Not my best time, to be frank, but at least I was up and running.

Friday Dec 6

Over the last few days, I've been cheating on my diet. Being dumb is more the truth, to be honest, but .. I'll go with the traditional "cheating". After last night's rugby, my legs were more than a little tender, so I decided on something that I could do and get myself ready for the Santa run tomorrow...

Boxing cardio. Again! (Besides, I had new gloves to try out.)

The clearest pic I took today

Let's just start my saying that punching the heavy bag with the "new" gloves was like punching something with a pillow compared to the UFC grappling gloves I've used up to this point. I'm glad I got the ones with the thick broad velcro strap - made putting them on and taking them off much easier between rounds.

And ... I've said this before and I'll say it again ... there is a huge difference between using a 30 lb kettlebell and a 50 pound kettlebell. Today, I used the fifty pounder ... and I found this a hard workout:

10 rounds of 2:20 seconds of punching
 then 1:20 seconds of KB two handed swings.

Each round I got to about 40 swings each round before going back to the punching. I'm serious when I had to dig deep to keep going with this workout. It was hard.

I'll take tonight off and take a look at my Santa suit for tomorrow.

Tuesday, Wed and Thursday Dec 5

So, yeah ... I guess I haven't updated in a few days. My bad.

Tuesday was a weird day. Well, actually, let me just tell you that the last few days would all qualify as weird. Lots of driving, lots of meetings. Heck, there was even an Ahnold imitation done at a big fancy meeting. But I digress.

I got this done for four rounds before having to go and be an adult:

10 kb cleans both sides

Still easier said than done

10 kb clean and press both sides
10 kb snatches
20 bw squats
20 feet up push ups

I had to be a dad and was unable to go for a run that night.

Wednesday was a complete wash. I took it as a rest day, as my groin, legs and back were still sore. After going to bed early, I felt really good on Thursday.

On Thursday I did this for ten rounds with a 40 lb kb:

2 minutes heavy bag hitting
1 minute two handed kb swings

That afternoon, after work, I got to get to a used sports equipment place and got me a new pair of boxing gloves. I think I'll have to use them tomorrow

Later on Thursday night, I got to play indoor "touch" rugby. It was a lot better night for two very good reasons ... one was that we won all three of our games. The second was that I didn't cut myself while stretching.

Mon Dec 2

I'm scattered today ... littlest one was up coughing last night, without a fever. Nothing really to be done. I'm pretty sure he's ok. Just rough with trying to keep my brains about me.

I got this done for four rounds today:

20 bw squats
10 TRX body rows
20 regular push ups
20 step ups ... last three rounds with 15 lbs in each hand
20 two handed kb swings first round with 35, then 40, last two with 50lb bell
10 hanging knee tucks
15 zottman curls 15lbs used, .... at least I think I used 15's. Might have been 20's. 

I think I forgot my iPhone there, too. Uggggh. Going to make like a little more difficult today.

Going to try for a run tonight, too. Depends on the weather.

Sat and Sun Dec 1

Ok, it's the end of the year ... I'll have ot see about how my goals are doing so far ... I run on a school year, not an annual year, so this is only half way for me.

In any case, Saturday was a recovery day. I had a young child's birthday to plan and execute. It ended up being a lot of fun. I did get a lot of errands done and new turf cleats for this winter's indoor rugby and springs outdoor league rugby.

Sunday I got this done for four rounds with a rather cranky training partner.

10 kb cleans each side
10 kb clean and presses each side
20 kb two handed swings
10 kn snatches each side

nothing too hard, just something to help with getting stuff done this weekend.