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.

Sunday and Monday

Sunday was a recovery day. I was pretty ill after the dinner, I'm not going to lie. I still had to get up early and take my son out to let the others rest. I still had to entertain three kids and clean the house and vacuum.

Why make it harder to get these things done?

Lots of water and ... I even got the lawn mowed.

In any case, I went on two hour long walks with the youngest to see about getting him tired. Those walks really help getting my sore body past Saturday's game.

Monday, I got this done for four rounds:

6 tire flips
20 two handed Kb Swings
10 kb snatches each side
20 feet up push ups
20 seated knee tucks

I did this one at the rugby club.