Thursday May 30

Man, it was a beautiful day. I need to get to the beach at some point in time.

The pic that started drama

In the morning, did a nearly half hour walk, just to get my legs moving and a sweat on. Since my shorts don't have pockets, I wore a hoodie while on the walk ... I was pretty sweat by the end. Throughout the day, my mother and my Facebook friends commented on my black eye. It was funny, but also just painful to read.

After work, had a few more u18's show up and I coached a u18/16 squad for a bit. I rather do enjoy coaching, especially that age group. Some talented rugby players there...

In any case, I had a rather grueling session right after that. Two hours of technical work - lineouts, scrums and team play. But if it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it.

After the session, got this done for two rounds before going to ice random body parts.

20 kb cleans
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
10 indian club reels and casts each side

That last one was to work on some flexibility and range of motion in my shoulders. Felt good after, too. I used one of the longer pegs from the sled as an indian club. Quite a nice heft and size to it and it seemed to work well.

Tuesday and Wednesday May 28

Tuesday was a training day ... in the morning, I got this done for three rounds before having to go off and be an adult.

20 kb cleans
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
20 bw squats

I think I should just start to click and paste that from other workouts, man.

Wednesday I was the paragon of sore. Legs were off, shoulders, everything. I took the day to try and recover ... eventually just collapsing on my bed. Rest day.

Sunday and Monday May 26

Sunday was nothing but disappointment for me.

Firstly, I was pretty sore from Saturday's game. A good session of rugby would have helped soreness and pain. I'm sorry to say that didn't happen, as I was needed in my house. So, rather than being bitter, I took advantage of the time and did some light gardening and such. I got the lawn mowed and some weeding done. All the time, just kept hydrating and taking advil for pain.  My black eye is a nice shade of blue this morning...

I also pondered about what I should be doing now in my morning workouts. Time to put away the grovelling and start to do some work.

I wanted at least a 30 minute session of cardio today. So, I did a light 16 minute run and then did a kettlebell and steps session. 2o swings and then 20 step ups for 15 minutes. It was so sunny and bright in my garage, I needed to wear my sunglasses. Tunes were good too.

Later on, I did a 35 minute walk at a moderate level. It was nice to see the neighbourhood without any snow.

Rugby games are the feedback I need right now - didn't get too many, thanks to the lousy weather we had all April and most of May. At least the we got one in the win column.

Friday and Sat May 24

Friday was a rest day ... lots of time spent with family. Light stretching.

I think this man punched me

Saturday was the first game of the season. I was not impressed by my standards in the game, but we won. I was 30% on my line out throws, and I hit rucks with four or five touches of the ball. I started off at hooker, but was moved to tight head as that is where I was needed. The scrums went well; I took a few off of their less experienced pack. I did also lose one as it stuck on someone's foot as we were turned. It was weird getting used to the new scrum laws, too. Still, my fitness was not where it needed to be.

We did win, and it was a far better team second half with the wind than it was in the first half. A few key substitutions at the right moments really helped us. I did take a nasty right hand to the face from their 10. He looked just like Andy Garcia. Seriously.

In any case, I couldn't stay long, as I had to get to a memorial mass about a 90 minute drive away. I made it just in time. It's all good.

Thursday May 22

Today was ... another wild one.

I got my kids off to school/daycare/whatever ... and had about an hour to myself. So I got this done for four rounds and got myself to be a grown up

20-25 hand to hand kettlebell releases ... kind of cool.
10 squat wall ball throws

took about 20 minutes and had a decent sweat on.

Later on, I got to rugby training ... lots of technical work with a focus on working together as a team. I was throwing line outs, hitting rucks, taking on ball ... everything a front row dude should be doing.

After I got this done three rounds:

20 kb cleans (I used both the 16 and 12 kilo bells ... meh, I was sore...)
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
5m kb overhead press walks

I was outside, in shorts tshirt and barefoot. I was sweaty and training. The sun was setting and the sky was brilliant colours, clouds pink and the background darkening quickly as I got this done.

In that perfect moment, like Tyler Durdan on his beach, I can point to and say I was complete.

Tuesday and Wednesday May 21

Tuesday was a training night.

I got my session done with a few dropped balls, and some nice throw ins. I stepped up to hooker during the training session and loved every minute of it. I was only one of two people who could throw at the session. I got some pretty awesome throws done, too. Nice long ones to the flankers at the end of the line out.

The session was a wet one, but got this done in the rain for three rounds after we were done:

20 kb cleans - 16 kilo bell used throughout
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
20 bw squats

After that, I got a chance to go and help with selections. I got myself picked for Second XV hooker for the weekend. I'm ok with that. I'm juggling a whole bunch of stuff.

Wednesday was an off day. I should have done my training in the morning, but just needed more sleep and so I took a nap after getting my kids to school.

I got this done though much later in the day for four rounds:

5 deeeeeep squats with 80 lbs on the bar
10 over head presses
10 double kb cleans and presses (12 kilo bells used)
15 hanging knee tucks

It was nice having the garage door open, letting in some fresh air. It's still wet out ... my lawn looks pretty good. Still need to do some gardening with it. In any case, after that, it was off to be a dad and a husband. I was pretty sore, but it is always worth it.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday May 18 and Monday May 19

This was a wild weekend. Not wild as in "Drink your head off and be stupid" but wild as in "I wasn't paying attention and I agreed to this so now I have to do it" wild. My wife left for a swimming meet for the entire long weekend. Left Friday after dinner and came home Monday.

Yeah, three kids all to myself.

I'd whine, but I had fun.

Friday I did some recovery work when the kids were all in bed.

Saturday was crappy. I drive for three hours to a cottage, arriving at 11am. Cops were everywhere. I drove the speed limit and listened to my book. I got there to find out my parents were not coming to help me move a dock. So, I got my middle child to look after the youngest and I went and moved a dock by myself. Not a big deal.

My arrow was the one in the meat, obvs.

As a reward, the middle child and I did some archery out in the woods together. The little one was there, behind us, climbing trees and generally being good. I got to shoot a 50 lb compound bow. My middle child got to shoot their own bow for the first time. It was pretty cool.

After that though, we drove home the three hours. I just didn't want to be at a cottage with two little ones just yet. Next time.

Sunday was a lazy day, sort of. I got a lot of my gardening done. Mowed the lawn, picked the weeds, generally got things done around the house. At the end of the day, I got a fair stretching session done. My flexibility sucks.

Monday, more of the same, except with doing dishes. Nothing else, though.

Wed and Thurs May 15

Wednesday I got the all clear that my foot wasn't broken .... not even a little. More RICE for that poor little stomped on digit.

When I train in my garage, I'm usually barefoot, so getting shoes on for that was never really a problem.      I got this done for three rounds before having to be a father and a husband:

20 kb cleans
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
15 hanging knee tucks
20 step ups

Thursday, of course, is a rugby night. The weather here is awful. We were supposed to have a game tonight, but it was cancelled. I like playing games instead of training before long weekends; at least it is some fitness and some money over the bar at the club. Our field was closed due to water on the pitch - it was so bad I didn't do my sprints on the field barefoot.

We did run around and worked on positioning around the ruck and other things on defence in rugby. I guess you would call it a "technical" session. There was a lot of contact and fitness, too. All in all 90 minutes of rugby on turf ... not too bad.

After that 90 minutes, I got this done for three rounds:

20 kb cleans
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
20 bw squats

After that we watched rugby on the big screen in the clubhouse. A half of the 2014 Reds - Stormers Super 15's game. I love YouTube.

Sunday Monday and Tuesday May 13

I've been off these days, mending a medium sized blister on the back of one foot. The other foot was stomped on badly enough to have it swell.

Yeah, RICE for me - Rest Ice Compression and Elevation....

The image at right is not my foot, but rather .... a foot. I did get an xray done, and I'm waiting to hear if there is nothing wrong ... in the mean time ... RICE and RICE again.

Eessh.

Friday and Saturday May 10

Friday I should have trained, but was needed by my family.

yup, that's me ;)

Saturday was a rugby day - I played prop ... gasp ... and did fairly well. I was pretty good in the offensive lineouts and scrums. Defensive scrums I was merely ok, we did turn the ball once, which was cool. We won almost all of our scrums; I did get in the way of one of our hooker's strikes at the ball and they won it against the head.

I did also do a decent job at getting used to the new scrum engagement and didn't earn a penalty. I didn't like the kick off set up, but it's something I'll get used to.

Oh, and I did score a try ... I'd love to tell you it was a ten or fifteen metre run ... but, it was a pick and go and a drive at someone's knees to get over the try line to a falling down just over the white paint.

Wedneday and Thursday May 8

Wednesday I intended to train. Instead I had to be a husband and a dad. I know I am going through the toughest part of my year - a lot of people in my profession are. I think April/May is as tough a time to get through as November/December.

The only Christmas we get during this time of year is June. And the weather has been awful for fields and rugby in general.

So Wednesday I had to put off training to be a husband and a dad. A shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold. I think that is as important a thing as I can do on this planet.

Thursday was an interesting day. I went to a conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Connect 2014 was the name of the event. I liked it. I took copious notes on the workshops I attended and I have a lot to think about in the next year. I would like to go back and .... I got a selfie with a couple of the big guns as I was stepping out the door.

On the way back home, I stopped off at a high school rugby game and chatted with some of the guys I coached a year or two ago. That was a pleasant little deistraction and I took some pictures and uploaded them to each team's Facebook group. In order to not have my email flooded with request for comments and tags, I changed my settings on Fb to allow them all. Ugh, last thing I need is fifty high school kids tagging people and requiring me to allow the tags.

In any case, After that it was go home, be a dad and a husband and eat steak and shrimp. Yup, that was as tasty as it sounds.

I got to rugby training and into the first real contact Union training session this spring. Scrums and a bit of contact in the open play.

After, I got this done for two rounds:

from StudentofMovement.ca

20 kb cleans - 16 kilo bell used throughout.
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches
2 x 5m kb overhead walks
10 around the waist hand to hands
10 two handed swing to high release and catches
5 "halos" around the head with the kettlebell

and then got to chit chat with the new coaches. Seems I'll be in the front row this year; my dreams of being a wing have been dashed .... again...

Monday and Tuesday May 6

Monday was a stretch and recovery day. I did get a nice walk in, though.

Tuesday was a rugby training night. My wife missed a swimming session, trying to get caught up with a work at home evening.

After a lot of sprinting with balls in the hand, and then having a ball with some sprinting ... I got this done for two rounds.

20 kb cleans
20 kb clean and presses
20 kb snatches

I went home and ate in a silly manner. Carbing out. Meh, life goes on, man.

Sunday May 4

May the fourth ... be with you ...

Yeah, whatever, man ... release your inner geek.

I had a "training partner" again today ... he was awesome. He still quotes CT Fletcher and says that it is still my turn to do bench ... and it was a sort of a leg day.

In any case, I got this done four rounds before having to be a dad:

10 stiff leg KB deadlifts 40 and 50 lb bells used
20 step ups to a 16 inch step
10 two handed cleans and presses

Fri and Sat May 3

Friday was a recovery day. Stretching and giving thanks to the end of the week.

Saturday was supposed to be a rugby day, but I didn't go on tour. I'm following on twitter, but it's not nearly as fun

my son teaching his duck to use a 50 lb kb

Got this done, along with a small upgrade to the walls in my garage.

20 kb cleans
20 two handed kb swings .. used the 50 lb bell for this one
20 feet up push ups
10 hanging knee tucks with some frog legged ones, too

and I had to give a few rides on the sled to my son. It was awesome.

Wed and Thursday May 1

Wednesday was an off day. I'm just stressed from work. It's too much, but coming to an end

Thursday got this done for four rounds:

20 kb cleans
10 kb snatches
10 hanging knee tucks
20 step ups

then did three rounds of
8 deeeeeep squats, focused on form with 70 lbs on bar.
10 overhead presses with the same bar

I was supposed to go to rugby for training tonight but was overruled. Meh, it happens.

I got there and got registered for the upcoming season.