Tuesday July 29

Tuesday was a training night, but I bought a roller today ...

so in the morning, I rolled my quads, my ITB bands and my hamstrings ... it felt good.

I got to training and did sprints, ball handling ... all of it. No contact and no lifting/scrums.

After, I got this done for three rounds:

10 large Indian club two and one handed swings - both directions
20 Kb swings
20 Kb snatches
10 medicine ball slams

then rolled my legs again.

On my way to the change room, I recalled a video I saw on facebook with a guy doing Indian club swings with a sledgehammer. I grabbed the one the rugby club has and gave it a go, first with two hands and then with one hand. I looked after I got this done and saw that it was a 16 lb hammer. I am awesome.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday July 28

Saturday was awesome. We hosted like six games of rugby at my club, starting at 9:30ush and finishing after 6pm. What a day. I did play in two games, being subbed out at about the 65th minute while playing hook in the seconds XV game. We won by 30 points, so it was ok. The first XV, I subbed in at loose head, after throwing in at hook for one throw in. Since we won that lineout and mauled it for like five meters, I figure I can call myself a 100% hooker for the day .... just kidding.

I for in for about 20 minutes for the first team game. I did spend a fair amount of time in the hot tub at the side of the pitch before and after each game. I didn't drink or do anything stupid until after I was done playing for the day. I did have to run away after playing to be a dad and son. It's all good.

Sunday I was rather sore, and I took some time in my garage gym and just did mobility and stretching for about a half hour.

On Monday I was still kind of sore and did this for five rounds:
20 Bw squats
 15 bicep curls with the elastic handles
15 hanging knee tucks

after that I did three rounds of scrummaging like wall holds with a 50 lb sand bag on my back then I had to try out my rowing machine.

I did some light rowing for about five minutes. I can see why it's recommended for rugby players. Personally, it'll take some playing with the settings on the machine itself before I get what I want out of it. Still a nice sweat.

After that, I did some rolling with the medicine ball. Then I took out my middle child and bought a proper roller from XTC Fitness. Not a bad roller, man.

 Much later, did a 3k walk. More rolling. Seriously.

Thursday and Friday July 25

Thursday was a pretty cool day. I had a stretching /therapy session in the morning. As it was the first time I'd totally focused on just trying to get muscles to feel better by stretching, I was sore after. I had a nap in the passenger seat as my wife drove the family to Niagara Falls for a day trip. It was pretty cool. Chocolate always seems to please my troops.

I got to training late, as I was needed as a dad. It was a technical session when I got there, working on hands and positions. Seems I'll be hooking on Saturday for the Second XV and then being a sub for the First XV. It's going to be our big show, I guess.

After rugby training was done, I got this done for three rounds:

double Indian Club casts
Indian club head circles
20 KB cleans
20 KB snatches

After that, I did a 10 lb medicine ball squat and overhead throw and chase.

Then, I did about fifteen minutes of rolling on my legs. I knew that if I didn't, Friday's physio session would be a painful one.

Friday was a "Make sure nothing goes wrong" day. I got to my Physio appointment and I was right ... lots of "stripping" done to my ITB band and hip flexors. Man ... I'll get on them again and again. More rolling needed. More rolling needed.

Tuesday and Wednesday July 23

So Tuesday was a rest day. It wasn't supposed to be, but it was as I had a family thing going on. I did make it to physiotherapy. That was incredibly needed, man.

I wanted to get out for at least a walk, but I was needed as a husband.

Wednesday I wanted to lift, but again.... I was needed to be a dad. I did get a 4km walk/run in before sunset, after the kids were in bed.

That felt good.

Can you tell when I started to run?

Sunday and Monday July 21

Sunday was a recovery day. I got a nice walk in during a break in the afternoon showers. I had to do something after as my legs were just so achey from rugby, so I got some rolling done, too.

everything hurts

Monday was another recovery day, so I took my youngest into the gym and got this done for five rounds:

20 bw squats
20 step ups to 12 inch step
10 hanging knee tucks
10 bicep curls with black elastic bands

After that I got a chance to clean up. I took a t shirt to the rowing machine and stripped off the moldy handles. I'll get some tennis racket tape on them shortly. I also noticed that I need to really do the "Fire Drill" workout before the end of July.

That's always a good time around here. I've also managed to get a power washer, so the floors and walls will get some extra loving this time around.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday July 19

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

20 BW squats
20 double Indian club casts
5 medicine ball throws and chases

The last one was to try and start getting some sprints back into my after training fitness. I think after this, I'm just going to go back to my BW and sprint fitness. Its easier and more effective.

Friday was a recovery and therapy day. I went to get an assessment done at Progressive Sports Physio and things are not good. Lots of aches and pains, man. None of it good.

Saturday was rainy and crappy and we had a three hour drive to get to rugby. I had an especially long day, too. I played for the second XV in Chatham, Ontario. That was a tough game, rainy and chilly for a Canadian July. Lots of scrums as the ball was wet and a lot of scrums as a result. A long day as a tight head prop.

After that game was over, I got back in the car for another 45 minutes or so and got to the first team game in Windsor, Ontario. Another game. Faster this time, but not nearly as physical. We did very well in these scrums, pushing them off the ball with a lot of force. I got in at loose head at about the 65th minute.

After that was a long trip home.

Sunday, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday Jul 16 July

Sunday - I got a walk done really early, then traveled north.

Monday -I got not much done. I had to sprint after my youngest, watch more Kung Fu and not much else.

Tuesday was a "Hey dad, can we watch something?" Day - So, we watched Cain in the show "King Fu". Then we went home and dad got to go to rugby.

After rugby, I got this done for three rounds:

20 BW squats
20 KB snatches
Indian club work - botht he two small ones and one big mace.

Tuesady to Saturday July 12

Yeah, this is a recovery week for me.

I keep getting selected for second team ... this week was brutal

Tuesday was a training night, but I was up north. I did my own.

Wednesday I was traveling and was sore.

Thursday I got to Physio and made sure that I could move

Friday I made sure nothing went wrong

Saturday I was made to get through a game where we lost by a lot. It sucked.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday July 7

Saturday was a disappointing rugby day. I just couldn't get myself around the pitch quickly enough. 

Line out throws were awful, at least according to the referee. Scrums were good, but I did let a significant percentage of them retain their possession. However, I did steal some ball. 

Open play made me shocked at how slow I've gotten. I missed at least one tackle, but that's one too many. 

In any case we lost. It was a drag. We could have won that one with some tighter, more fired up play. There were moments of such play in which we did score, but not enough.

Sunday was a recovery day. Lots of low intensity activity. Some stretching, some moving.

Monday was a travel day, but I did get this done for three rounds:

20 kb swings

20 kb cleans

20 kb clean and presses

20 kb snatches

20 step ups - about a 30cm step

20 Indian club casts

Thursday and Friday July 4

Thursday was a training day. I was up late and so no morning training with my kids.

I did get to rugby training and spent 90 minutes rucking and doing rugby things. After I got this done for three rounds:

20 kb swings

20 kbs cleans

20 kbs clean and presses

20 kbs snatches

20 bw squats

10 Indian club casts - with the two short sled handles

Not a bad session, but I know that I need more sprints. I know that 

Tuesday July 1 and Wednesday July 2

July 1 was a driving day ... I drove home and moved stuff out of the van and into my house. I have a lovely house, but it's full of crap I don't need. I'm going to spend a lot of this summer discarding things that don't help me get where I want to be.

Wednesday was the start of work for my wife for July. I got up early and got my training done, then went into Dad mode for a good chunk of the day. I ended up at a Rugby League game, which was cool. Watching Canada lose that badly wasn't though. At least I got to watch some rugby.

On to tomorrow!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday June 30

Friday was a recovery day. I was up late and up early, so it wasn't pleasant going in to work. I was sore and tired the whole day.

Saturday was a driving day - up to a cottage for a few days. Took a couple of kettlebells with me, but I was busy and doing physical activity all weekend long. For example, Saturday I carried a bunch of things down to the dock and back up a rather steep and long hill.

Sunday ... the same. this time four or five times up and down the hill.

Monday ... more of the same.

Lots of activity, not a lot of formal exercise. But it's this stuff I train for, so it worked out ... ha ha ha ha ha