Indoor Workout, Indoor League

It was a double-whammy tonight.

Warmup, then plyos: 2x20 ricochet jumps, 20/leg step-ups, 20/leg step-downs, 20/leg side step-ups with hip rotation. Then stations, 1 minute on and 30 minutes rest: superman hold, right leg pumps, left leg pumps, pushups (uneven, 20 right 18 left), wall sits, squats, decline pushups (20), squat jumps. I kept track of pushups because I could. I did another 20 decline pushups afterwards, for fun.

Then the indoor league game against Team 2. We started on D and went up by 3 right away, let them catch up and gain a lead, then tied things up 10-10 at the half. We built another lead, let them close the gap, but held them off at the end of the game for our first victory, 18-16 (or so). It was fun, I got some good matchups that really made me work. Got embarassed a couple times, but also made a few plays.

Short Climb

Hit the rock wall after a film screening and had enough time to fail a G3, then hit the top on a different G3 (took a short rest halfway up, though, hanging by the rope and recollecting my strength). That shit is no joke, man. I love the problem-solving it takes, and I'm definitely a noob when it comes to the skills required to make it up the wall. But I'm learning...

Machine Run, plus some climing

Morning:
8 suicides (6, 12, 18, 12yds) with 90 seconds rest
(distances are a guesstimate)

Evening:
2x8 L-hang pullups, top half of the motion only
3mi in 21:36 (10:50. 10:46)

Then DB and I climbed the wall. I went up a G0 to warm up, then hit the top of two different G2s on my first time for each. That was pretty sweet. My arms and shoulders still hurt from the abuse they have taken lately, which worries me a little--it's not so much soreness as pain. Ah well, what doesn't kill you...

Cross-training

45 minutes indoor soccer (I suck)
45 minutes fencing (I used to not suck)
30 minutes climbing the rock wall
15 minutes stretching

Practice, Lift

Forgot my cleats and had to break into my own second-floor apartment by scaling a wall. That was an adventure. Remind me not to be forgetful.

Anyway, I made it back and cleated up in time for dynamics, which is perfect because I am not a big fan of the warmup jog or extensive static stretching prior to a workout. After the warmup was thrower-marker drill, and I worked on varying my distance to put different kinds of pressure on the thrower within the same stall count. I was throwing with the gardening gloves, which didn't give me the same kind of problems other gloves have.

After that we split up into A and B, and A further split into O and D for an X-pull. The focus was on the pull play, so I got to run through some of the different positions and get back into full-field Ultimate. The D team got one chance to score after they forced a turn, but they only scored once--most of their attempts were cut short by Growney's kickblocks (absurd). Our team scored several times, but I don't think the pull play ever put the point away by itself. It was cold. After however many reps of this, we added the B team kids into the mix and made it a fully live game to 7. The D team had us 4-6 and we came back with three straight to win it. That felt good, and I think I played well overall. Solid defense. I threw some turnovers, but our lines were a little watered down and I guess I took more shots because of it. Yelled at a couple newer kids when they were unaware that they were in my way. Overall, it was a good practice--we had 15 A-teamers and a solid group of B guys, so I was pleased about that. Although it makes me wonder why they don't come out for Saturday pickup...

Later, in the gym:
6 overhead squats, 45lb
6 overhead squats, 6 shoulder press 55b
6 overhead squats, 6 shoulder press 65b
6 overhead squats, 5 shoulder press 75b
Back squats: 6 at 115, 6 at 125, 6 at 135lb
Incline bench press: 4 at 115, 8 at 95, 3 at 105lb

with a 5lb DB held between the feet:
3x10 seconds hanging knee tuck+hold
5 pullups, knees tucked

Lift, Pickup

Deadlift warmup: 3 at 45, 3 at 115lb
3x(3 deadlifts, 6 squat jumps) at 135, 155, 185lb
4 L-hang pullups, 4 pullups with knees tucked
3x(clean and jerk) at 45, 95, 115, 115lb

Numbers were low at Buccleuch but we had enough for Boot. We played three games to five, then hit Tijuana Burrito for some lunch.

Anxious

I'm itching to play Ultimate. I hope tomorrow there's a good turnout for Buccleuch, I'm worried Club TiV might cut our numbers a bit.

Tonight sucked. I was going to go swimming, but I forgot to bring my ID to the gym and had to take the bus back to my apartment to get it. Once I got back to the gym I found out the pool was closed, the weight room was closed, and the entire facility would be closing in ten minutes. So DB, AS and I hopped a bus back to College Ave, ran one lap of the 1.5mi loop, and then threw in Denier Park for half an hour. I kept up a moderate pace, picked up speed around halfway through, and then pushed myself hard for around thirty percent of the total run.

Indoor League

Lost by one this time, against Team 1. I matched up with Mio most of the time, which was a fun challenge. I'm still getting used to the surface and my teammates, but I like how I'm feeling out my re-entrance to real Ultimate.

Also, I had the disc on the goal line, tied with 20 seconds on the clock. We would have won if I had thrown a Weez. Instead, my throw to the far back corner was too flat and high for the receiver (not a tall or young man, but thrower error all the same). Damn.

Intervals and Suicides

10x(30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy)

full recovery

5 suicides (15, 25, 40 feet)
--loser does 10 pushups
--winner does 2 pistol squats per leg

(I won the first, second, and last suicide vs Frenchy)

30 minutes throwing, focusing on speed control

Well, I lost some strength

12 pullups, 6 pullups with 40lb assistance
Bent-over rows: 8 at 45, 55, 65, 85lb
Hang clean to push press: 6 at 85, 3x6 at 95lb
Bench press: 1 at 115, 1 at 125, 1 at 135lb

30 minutes throwing in the squash court, focusing on accuracy at different speeds. We didn't have enough to play ultisquash this time. I also did a few more pullups, but they were mostly singles at different grip widths or with tucked knees, L hang negatives, etc. Just trying to get stronger. I failed to get 145 up on the bench, maybe I was tired. I did the singles right in a row, so who knows. It was just for fun anyway. Unlike the hang cleans, which were a bitch on my grip, especially after all the pullup attempts.

Not enough, not even close.

Medicine Ball Circuit

With a 5kg medicine ball,

3 rounds:
(20 med ball squats,
20 pushups,
20 med ball alternating chops)

full recovery

3 rounds:
(20 med ball catch, crunch + toss,
20 med ball backhands,
20 med ball forehands,
1:00 rest)

Rest for the first 3 rounds was that Frenchy and I alternated at the end of each round. I did my pushups on the medicine ball for the first round. We timed the first three rounds, and my times were 1:53, 1:28, 1:31 (so those were Frenchy's rest times, mine were around the same). Medicine Ball Backhands/Forehands were just a lunge out to the proper side, and a double-hand throw across the body for backhand or what was basically a shot-put throw for forehand. Maybe they don't mimic the motion very well, but we figured it could increase power through hip rotation in the lunge position, and that can't be bad. The first three rounds were significantly harder than the last three, for me.

Gunswick Pickup

Damn, was it cold today. Single digits I heard, so it was nice that Walt let me borrow a glove for at least one hand. Decent turnout, enough for 6v6 until Dono had better things to do and we played 5v5. There was little traction to be had on the ground, snow-dusted and hard frozen as it was, but I felt pretty good until I tweaked my ankle near the end. It hurt for a while, but either because it's better or because ibuprofen really works it doesn't hurt right now. I iced it, hopefully it's fine. Definitely worth the trip out there, and the Machine captains/officers and I (minus Joe) had a productive meeting afterwards, getting a lot of business handled for the team.

I'm getting more and more excited about the season.

Hills, Winter Indoor League

4x200m sprints uphill
30 minutes throwing in the cold

Indoor Winter League game. 5v5, we lost 9-12.

I felt better than I thought I would, got a couple of D's and moved the disc well. I also squeaked a couple throws through and made one crap forehand huck--stopped disc, nobody was really moving, so I tried to hit the tall kid deep because he was covered by a girl. Unfortunately, what I put up was a blade too short to reach the kid and it got eaten up pretty quickly. I felt pretty good getting open when I needed to, especially by faking out my defender and making a short cut near the disc, but my teammates usually weren't looking for what I gave them. I'll have to figure out what they are looking for. I really liked taking it to the house--most of the hucks to me that weren't OB were goals. I think my team has less depth overall, but I hear we're picking up Walt so that should help. We do have height on our side, which is nice.

Deck of Cards

Spades = Burpees
Hearts = Pushups
Clubs = Mahlers
Diamonds = Squats

1-9, 10-K = 10, A = 15

No water, no rest. As fast as possible.

My time: 31:29.
My draw: Ks, Qd, 10s, Ah, 4c, 3h, 3d, 4d, Ad, Kd, 4h, Kc, 7h, 9h, Jd, Jh, As, 10h, 5h, 9d, 8h, 8d, 6d, 7s, 2s, Qh, Qs, 5s, 10c, 9s, 7d, Ac, 4s, 2d, 10d, 6s, 2c, 6d, 7c, Js, 9d, 5d, 3c, 2h, Kh, 6h, Qc, 5c, 8d, 3s, 8s, Jc

Swim

Some laps in the pool, some stretching while in the water, and a few lessons from my girl on how to swim more efficiently (mostly how to breath for freestyle). Then I did a couple laps trying to take as few breaths as possible, and finished up with some water polo passes while treading water--she plays for BC, so I was helping her practice passes before the season starts. It was a lot of fun, and I think it may have been good for my thumb as well. Catching single-handedly and having to palm the ball puts some light stress on the joint and requires application of force, and that's what I need to be working on.

Speaking of which, I've been doing my thumb exercises almost every day, but haven't kept track--the exercises are not easy to describe or even really useful to record. Suffice to say I've been working to get my hand back in shape by our first spring tournament, and I plan on strengthening both hands after the left catches up a bit.

Dumbbells and sweat

Pyramid Set:

10x(deadlift with a bent-over row,
high pull, curl, shoulder press) with 15lb DBs
15 seconds rest
10x(deadlift with a bent-over row,
high pull, curl, shoulder press) with 20lb DBs
15 seconds rest
5x(deadlift with a bent-over row,
high pull, curl, shoulder press) with 25lb DBs
15 seconds rest
10x(deadlift with a bent-over row,
high pull, curl, shoulder press) with 20lb DBs
15 seconds rest
10x(deadlift with a bent-over row,
high pull, curl, shoulder press) with 15lb DBs

5x(DB squat 25lb, DB shoulder shrug 25lb, 10 BW lunges) no rest

4 of 10 for 10

10 rounds for time of:
10 pushups, 10 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 10 supermans

Completed in 11:30 (first 5 in 4:20, last 5 in 7:10)

The pushups were difficult in the last five rounds, not unexpectedly. What I didn't realize, though, was that the supermans would be so tiring and awkward to do as reps. Overall it was a good workout, fast and taxing.

I can finally

...bench my weight. It feels good.

Bench press: 10 at 120, 6 at 130, 1 at 140, 1 at 145, 7 at 120lb

I did another set at 120lb too, but don't remember how many I pushed out. Maybe 5. I also did a few overhead squats at 50lbs, but that was just for esses and gees.

I've got my sprints to keep me warm

Amidst the ice-storm:
4x(110yd stride uphill, jog down
110yd sprint uphill, walk down)

Back indoors:
25 burpees, 25 crunches

I was going to do more inside, but got invited to dinner out at the last minute. The strides were similar to sprints, but with a focus on exploding from each leg. For sprints, the focus was covering ground as quickly as possible...obviously!

Run

3.8mi in 29:10 (2.8 in 21:20, last mile in 7:50)
2 minutes rest, then:
as many rounds as possible without rest:
10 pushups, 10 crunches

I got through 5 without rest, then did one more set with a two second pause between each of the last five pushups (no rest for the crunches). So, 6 rounds total. I emphasized good form on my pushups, exploding up and going through the full range of motion with each rep. I stopped after 6 rounds so I wouldn't have to sacrafice form.

300

10 rounds for time:

10 DB squat + high pull, 15lb
5 DB lunges per leg, 15lb
10 crunches

Total time: 10:05

Lift

Another session in the Rowe basement:

Bench press: 2x8 at 120, 4 at 130, 6 at 125, 3 at 120lb
17 pushups
Deadlifts: 8 at 120, 8 at 170, 1 at 230lb

Good improvement, I think. Time to start running again.