Run

Bought new running shoes. It is time.

1.3mi in 11:02
1.2mi in 8:35

Very hilly terrain. The first quarter-mile is at least a 30degree incline. My knee felt okay, but my shins were a bit unhappy with the steep decline running (I lengthened my stride, so I knew that it would put stress on my legs). It was hot, and I had not had much water all day so I was fairly uncomfortable. Especially because this is the first legitimate run I've done in several weeks--jogging a cut or two in a game doesn't count, nor does the breif jog I did after MCUDL the other night, because it was 3/4th of a mile at most. I'm hoping that the time I took off helped more than I felt like it did while taking it, because I was feeling all sorts of weirdness--hamstring tightness, knee discomfort, and heel pain were the most common. I think my body doesn't deal well with being sedentary, so it is time to take a more active approach to recovery.

Summer League Shenanigans

Took stats again in our MCUDL game vs Roots of Rhythm. We played a game to time, and lost 8-21. A lot of weird decisions from the team, some bad throws, and less effort overall than the Pennsbury+ kids. I played three points, walking the whole time...the last point was ended by time though (nobody scored), so we scored 50% of the time I was on the field. We would have scored 100% but my throw was too crisp and the receiver dropped it in the endzone. We would have scored the final point, but the receiver misread my huck (to be honest, it floated a little more than it probably should of, but it was flat and afforded an opportunity to box the defender out). Maybe I'm just feeling egotistical about my play because I was in jeans and work boots, so please ignore my ridiculous boastin. I had a lot of fun.

Practice?

Well, not quite. I went to a yoga class this morning before breakfast to get myself back on the road to recovery, because I've been doing next to nothing for the past couple weeks other than what is required of me for work. The job, unfortunately, has been rough on my body by itself, due to the long hours and constant walking, kneeling, etc in less-than ideal footwear. Gotta get some new kicks, work less crazy hours, get better sleep, and--most importantly, in my mind--start being active again. I think my body has responded poorly since I started asking less of it, so I don't want to wallow in the pool of tendonitis anymore. Hopefully I can heal within another two weeks or so with just rehab exercises and swimming, because right now my knee-area still hurts and I don't want to start running again until it doesn't. Unless, of course, I go back to a doctor or PT and they tell me otherwise.

In any case, I made the trip down to Philly for Pike practice, trying to learn some of the offense and become a member of the team. We've been working mostly on handler motion; even though the offense I've (ostensibly) been playing with for the last two years is not foundationally different, there are subtle differences that I think make a global difference in the game. For instance, in college we often stressed that the dump had to be set up in proper position before making his cut. Now, I'm realizing that being set up is nice, but it's silly to waste precious time trying to go set up when really you should get the disc. While it may not be with ideal momentum or strictly within "the offense," it is probably less risky overall than being unavailable for a few seconds, then rushed while the thrower is forced into a bail-out situation.

And then, of course, the ho-stack look is new, but with similar handler principles. I have sort of resisted ho in the past, but I like it more as time goes on, have been ready for it since the beginning of this year because I felt having only one offense means you're going to be predictable, which is bad even in college.

Scrimmage tomorrow morning!

Nothing

I played some 5v6 pickup today. I only walked during the game. I've done nothing but rest, stretch, and work for the past two weeks. Time to do yoga and body weight exercises.

Pike Invite - Day 2

Woke up 6:45am, threw my shit in a bag and flew to Ariel's house, picked him up and flew down the Turnpike. Made it down to the fields at 8:03, so we made great time.

Use what you got

In Boston, visiting the girlfriend, I have no access to a gym. So I use what I got.

4 ledge pullups (ouch, hurt my hands)
10 pullups (on a sprinkler pipe, so not full ROM)
8 pushups
4 pushups with a 115lb person on my back (top half ROM)
3x8 RDL with a 115lb person piggy-back

Lift

A little light something before dinner.

12 pullups
6 jump pullups (imitating the first 20secs of this)
Narrow mixed-grip chinups, 2 to each side (bar perpendicular to chest)
6 narrow parallel-grip chinups
3x8 upright DB row 25lb
abs (situps, bicycles, v-ups, etc)

Jump pullups...frackin' hard. I was going from wide grip at the bottom to narrow grip at the top (reverse of what those dudes do), plus it was after a PR in consecutive dead-hang pullups, but my "jump" was only like 6 inches. Those dudes are ridiculous. I'll definitely have to try it again, if I can find a suitable place.

Lift

Went with Frenchy to the gym.

24 decline ex. ball pushups
8 DB shoulder press 25lb
4 overhead DB squat 15lb
24 decline ex. ball pushups
8 DB push press 30lb
4 overhead DB squat 15lb
24 decline ex. ball pushups
8 BB push press 65lb
4 overhead BB squat 65lb
2x8 incline bench press 65lb
abs (incline med. ball situps, etc)

Lift

12 dead-hang pullups, 12 90degree pullups, 12 chin-ups
Bent-over BB row: 8 at 45, 8 at 65lb
3x8 BB high pull, 65lb
8 single leg 30lb DB snatch (opposite leg)

Pike vs PoNY

Woken up at 5am by the thunderstorm, had lucid dreams until 8am. Watched a few highlight videos, showered, had a pear and two slices of bread (all I had in the dorm).

At the fields around 10:20am, throwing around and cleating up, then warming up and getting ready for my first tryout experience. We played three or four scrimmages as X/Y teams, then one Pike vs PoNY scrimmage (lost 9-15). I made a couple poor throwing choices--one, in particular, where I tried to rush a huck after boasting that I have hucks (stupid)--and a few execution errors. Mostly, though, the difficulties I ran into came from not knowing the team very well. I did feel strong as a handler behind a zone, and I definitely made some strong deep cuts (and even caught a few huck goals, one after a good box-out in the big game). I didn't always know what spaces were open, but I cut hard and often got open, after finding open space. I put in a lot of effort when I was on the field, but my tendonities came back by the third scrimmage and limited my playing. I definitely favored offense after my knee started to hurt, but still got in some D points. I think my downfield D was pretty good, and I definitely stayed tight when I was on handlers, but this is one area where I'd like to put some extra focus--playing shut-down defense on club players is a skill that will directly translate to my play with Machine. So I'm learning. I was somewhat hazy on whether I should be taking away the io or oi break at any given time, and thereby let off a few around backhands--but in general kept a low, active mark. I didn't feel 100% but I felt good working hard.

For the next two weeks, it's rest and rehab again--except for the alumni game.

Lift

First, I tried to do a muscle-up. After failing, I did a few with 30lb assistance, did 4 explosive pullups, then tried a few times to muscle-up with only 20lb assistance. It didn't work, so I moved on.

10 pullups
One-hand+two-finger pullups: 2 each hand
2x4 one-leg overhead DB bench squat, 10lb
2x10 clap pushups
2x(8 rapid jumps, 4 quarter-squat jumps, 4 one-leg jumps each leg)
8 upright BB row, 65lb
8 upright DB row, 35lb

I also did some various warmup work with the 45lb BB (squats, deadlifts, hang cleans, presses), a few reps of SL DB RDL at 10lb, and a few 45degree extensions at +10lb using one leg at a time. Trying to loosen up those legs without irritating the knee. I did lots of stretching before the lifting.

Quick Lift

8x(pushups + 15lb DB row)
8x(pushups + 15lb DB row), +12lb on back
8 pushups, +16lb on back
8 wide-grip pushups, +16lb on back
2x8 decline pushups

I added to my body weight with bags of lead shot, attached to a diver's belt and hung around my neck. There was little to no rest between sets. My hamstings feel tighter than is comfortable, which always happens after a good hamstring workout...it's the only kind of tightness that makes me angry, because it's so painful to stretch that I won't do it, or will stop after a few seconds. Which, of course, means they stay tight for longer. It sucks. Gotta suck it up.

Lift

My knee hurts, so I stretched for 20 minutes and then did some exercises that (hopefully) won't make it worse.

Muscle-ups, 30lb assistance: 5, 5, 3
4 pullups
4x(hang clean, press, press) with 45lb BB
45degree extensions: 8 at body weight, 8 at +25lb
2x8 (deadlift, hang clean, military press) with 25lb DB's
2x6 single leg 30lb DB snatch (opposite leg)
4 explosive pullups
ab circuit

More icing/stretching tonight...

Throwing, Series Prep

I've been throwing every day. Stepping out, crisp catches, and mixing it up:

Throwing blades to myself to practice hard catches
Throwing off pivot-foot only (forehand and backhand)
Throwing while falling into a lunge (release before foot touches ground)
Letting the disc pass by me before catching it (trailing edge catches)
Turning my back to the disc for a few moments after the thrower releases, then spinning around and finding it in the air before catching it, and then quickly throwing (simulating a surprise reception and quick disc movement)

I love that last little variation. I've had trouble in the past tracking discs or catching things that are thrown over my shoulder/head, dropping discs when I didn't expect to be thrown to, that sort of thing. After looking at some of that fre-flo-do stuff, I realized it might be beneficial to develop some muscle memory outside of the standard step-throw and catching from a standstill. Even a couple years ago, I would try to attack the disc while throwing around, especially as I tried to become more consistent at catching hard passes. But losing sight of the disc, finding it again and then attacking it feels useful--and it's fun! I would make sure to try to get off an accurate quick-release after each catch, too, and I especially worked on hammers here. I wanted to make sure I am able to pick a target and hit it quickly, regardless of how far away or how the wind is blowing. I feel like if you're always standing still, hitting stationary targets, of course it's going to look like you can throw hammers. But being able to do it in a game, from motion, while finding a target whose specific position you were not aware of until you caught the disc and looked up? More difficult, and good to practice.

More things to add to the throwing drills are self-macking (to practice bobbled catches) and razors/blades. I still feel like I need to toughen up my hands and not be afraid of the damn disc, even for an instant.

As for my knee, the doctor diagnosed a mild case of patellar tendonitis. I did a pistol squat for him when he asked me to squat and tell him if there was any pain...he was impressed by the "strength and balance" and said he had never seen anybody do that before. That sort of makes me worry about his credibility and knowledge of sports medicine. Disregarding that, he said that I was okay to play, though I probably should rest, and if I decided to play through any pain (he understood what Sectionals means) then I can take some Advil, because the risk-benefit ratio was in my favor. Weird things have been going on with the knee since I saw him, so I'm still icing, etc. I intend to play at 100% on Saturday.

I went swimming on Sunday, and today did a short workout in the gym--stretching, 10 dead-hang wide-grip pullups, 2 muscle-ups with 30lb assistance, and two complex reps with the 45lb bar (2 deadlifts, hang clean, 2 presses, squat, snatch, overhead squat, 2 presses). Practice tonight, some rehab exercises, stretching, and preparation for the weekend.