Sunday to Wednesday

Played some indoors on Sunday...


Monday and Tuesday didn't get any fitness done, but I finally re-signed up to a gym on Tuesday after a two weeks without gym membership. Signed up to fitrooms near my office, who gave me a good deal (though I will be getting it free from July through work), and they have some really good facilities for an independent gym. I went there today and it felt good to be back in the gym after two weeks off.

Warm up:

Medium pace short run
Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)
4 way hip stretching
SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

Main Session:

A
1. Single arm Kettlebell swings (3 * 10 / arm @ 16kg *increase*)
2. Yoga Table (3 * 10 deep breaths)
3. Swiss Ball Plank (3 * 10 deep breaths)

B
1. Single Leg Deadlifts (3 * 10 / leg @ 16kg *increase*)
2. Chin Ups (3 * 5)
3. Wide Leg Push up taps (3 * 10)

C
1. Skater squats (3 * 10 / leg @ 5kg)
2. Lateral Bound + Stick (3 * 6)
3. Single Arm Kettlebell Curl to Overhead Press (3 * 5 / arm @ 12kg)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching
Hamstring stretching

SMR

Will do the Bear Cav core routine Thursday, hit the gym again Friday, and do the core session on Saturday and Sunday as well. It felt good to be back in the gym.

10th Feb to today

It's been a pretty hectic two weeks.
Last week was good! I was able to get in the Bear Cav core session on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday! I went to the Gym on Wednesday and had Ka-Pow! trials at the weekend! I intended to go to the gym on Friday as well, but real life caught up with me and I didn't have the time. Still a good week though.

Core session:
Plank (40s)
Plank with knees to elbows (15 reps each knee)
Side plank (30s each side)
Short rest
Squat jumps (30s)
Leg raise and pulse (15 reps)
Hand Walkouts (10 reps to good extension)
Crunchy Frogs (25 reps)
Short rest
Lunge jumps (30s)
Mason Twists (45s)
Skater Squats (10 reps @ 4kg)

Gym:
Warm up

Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)
4 way hip stretching
SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

Main Session

A
1. Dumbell Snatch (3 * 5 / arm @ 16kg)
2. Yoga Single Leg Bridge (3 * 10 deep breaths / leg)
3.  Swiss Ball Plank (3 * 10 deep breaths *new*)

B
1. Single Leg Deadlifts (3 * 10 / leg @ 14kg (DB))
2. Dumbell Row (3 * 10 / arm @ 16kg)
3. Dead bug series (3 * 10 / leg / movement)

C
1. Rear foot elevated Split squats (3 * 10 / leg @ 32kg)
2. Single Leg Plate Hop + Stick (3 * 6 / leg)
3. Single Arm Kettlebell Curl to Overhead Press (3 * 5 / arm @ 10kg)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching
Hamstring stretching
SMR

For Ka-Pow! Trials, see this post.


This week (commencing 17th), real life has taken over and I've completed 0 core sessions, 0 gym sessions and I'm unfortunately having to miss Bear Cav training this Saturday with the move to the new flat. I'm not sure packing/lifting/unpacking boxes and cleaning counts as fitness, but it was sure tiring like fitness. I will try and at least get a core session in this weekend, as well as finding a new gym to try and hit twice a week starting next week and starting to cycle again.

Ka-Pow! Trials 2

The second weekend of Ka-Pow! trials went so well and I'm really excited for this season. We appear to have talent across the roster and have some great prospects on the training squad.

On Saturday we did some drills focussing on cutting patterns, did some 3 v 4 to work on defensive positioning/poaching and the offensive flow and taking open passes and played some games.
On Saturday night, we went for dinner at a Polish restaurant before hitting up a bowling alley to test the trialists' bowling skills (not taken into account in squad selections).
On Sunday the players were split into three teams and the day was taken up entirely with games between the teams. It was another tough weekend, but great fun as well.

The selections process has been tough, as there have been plenty of high quality players fighting for spots. The squad will be quite familiar to those to saw the squad list from last year, but we have some really high quality additions and in the new faces is a mixture of raw talent and experience!

This is going to be a good year, I can feel it!

Last week (3rd-9th Feb)

This week I felt like I was getting back into a good rhythm in terms of fitness (which will unfortunately be disrupted next week whilst I move to a new flat). Monday I did the Bear Cav core session, adding in Skater squats with some small dumbells I have in the flat. I learned about Skater squats when I attended the Morrill Performance/Ka-Pow! London Strength and Conditioning session. When there, I found them pretty difficult, and still find them difficult during normal sessions when they fall towards the end of an already difficult session. I do find them really useful though, and this article explains why they are so good.

Core session:
Plank (40s)
Plank with knees to elbows (15 reps each knee)
Side plank (30s each side)
Short rest
Squat jumps (30s)
Leg raise and pulse (15 reps)
Hand Walkouts (10 reps to good extension)
Crunchy Frogs (25 reps)
Short rest
Lunge jumps (30s)
Mason Twists (45s)
Skater Squats (10 reps @ 4kg)

I also managed to hit the gym three times this week. I completed session 1 on Thursday evening, session 2 on Saturday and a routine based around a combination of the Bear Cav core session and exercises from the other sessions on Sunday.

Thursday Gym:

Due to the fact that the gym I'm currently using has a max kettlebell weight of 10kg, after the first set of SLDLs I switched to a dumbell. Good session, but getting into the gym as late as I did on an empty stomach made it pretty difficult.

Warm up

Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)
4 way hip stretching
SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

Main Session

A
1. Dumbell Snatch (3 * 5 / arm @ 16kg *increase*)
2. Yoga Bridge (3 * 10 deep breaths)
3.  Swiss Ball Plank (3 * 10 deep breaths *new*)

B
1. Single Leg Deadlifts (3 * 10 / leg @ 10kg (KB), 16kg (DB), 16kg(DB))
2. Dumbell Row (3 * 10 / arm @ 16kg *increase*)
3. Dead bug series (3 * 10 / leg / movement *increase*)

C
1. Rear foot elevated Split squats (3 * 10 / leg @ 32kg *increase*)
2. Single Leg Plate Hop + Stick (3 * 6 / leg)
3. Single Arm Kettlebell Curl to Overhead Press (3 * 5 / arm @ 10kg)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching
Hamstring stretching
SMR

Saturday Gym:

Just did SLDLs with dumbells this time. Another good session!

Warm up

Medium pace short run
Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)
4 way hip stretching
SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

A
1. Single arm Kettlebell swings (3 * 10 / arm @ 10kg)
2. Yoga Table (3 * 10 deep breaths)
3. Front Plank + Side Plank both sides (3 * 10 deep breaths / front and each side)

B
1. Single Leg Deadlifts (3 * 10 / leg @ 14kg)
2. Chin Ups (3 * 5)
3. Wide Leg Push up taps (3 * 10)

C
1. Skater squats (3 * 10 / leg @ 4kg)
2. Lateral Bound + Stick (3 * 6)
3. Single Arm Kettlebell Curl to Overhead Press (3 * 5 / arm @ 10kg)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching
Hamstring stretching
SMR

With another canceled Winter League, I decided to hit the gym again on Sunday. I based it on the Bear Cav core session mixed with exercises from my regular sessions.

Sunday Gym:

Warm up

Medium paced short run
Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)
4 way hip stretching
SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

Main Session

Plank (40s)
Plank with knees to elbows (15 reps each knee)
Side plank (30s each side)
Short rest
Squat jumps (30s)
Leg raise and pulse (15 reps)
Hand Walkouts (10 reps to good extension)
Crunchy Frogs (25 reps)
Short rest
Lunge jumps (30s)
Mason Twists (45s @ 4kg)
Skater Squats (10 reps @ 4kg)

Single arm Kettlebell swings (2 minutes 30 seconds, changing arm mid swing after 5 swings)
Pull ups (5 reps)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching
Hamstring stretching
SMR

Last week (27th Jan – 2nd Feb)

Last week started well, I completed the Bear Cav Core session on Monday evening. I was going to do it on Tuesday as well but didn’t get round to it. I was also intending on going to the gym on Wednesday, but didn’t get home until late again, so ended up doing the Bear Cav core session I was intending to do on the Tuesday. I then did go to the gym on Thursday.

Core session:

Plank (40s)

Plank with knees to elbows (15 reps each knee)

Side plank (30s each side)

Short rest

Squat jumps (30s)

Leg raise and pulse (15 reps)

Hand Walkouts (10 reps to good extension)

Crunchy Frogs (25 reps)

Short rest

Lunge jumps (30s)

Mason Twists (45s)

Gym:

Warm up

Medium pace short run

Internal/External Shoulder Rotations (1*15 @ 8kg)

4 way hip stretching

SMR (Foam Rolling and Hockey Balling)

Main Session

A

1. Single arm Kettlebell swings (3 * 10 / arm @ 10kg)

2. Yoga Table (3 * 10 deep breaths)

3. Front Plank + Side Plank both sides (3 * 10 deep breaths / front and each side)

B

1. Single Leg Deadlifts (3 * 10 / leg @ 10kg)

2. Chin Ups (3 * 5)

3. Wide Leg Push up taps (3 * 10)

C

1. Skater squats (3 * 10 / leg @ 4kg)

2. Lateral Bound + Stick (3 * 6)

3. Single Arm Kettlebell Curl to Overhead Press (3 * 5 / arm @ 10kg)

Warm Down

4 way hip stretching

Hamstring stretching

SMR

The big problem with the gym that I’m using for this month is that the heaviest Kettlebell they have is only 10kg...

I then went to Bear Cav training on Saturday. It was a tough session for me trying to get my head around the strategy they want to employ this year. The setup is a regular vertical stack formation, but their premise about where they want the disc to go and how they want to flow up the field took me some time to get my head around. Luckily, the drills had been designed to set up this movement/flow attack and by the end I thought I had my head around it. The elements were a little tough, but in general shouldn’t have been too problematic, but I felt a bit rusty. I feel a bit out of it at the moment with Winter Leagues being cancelled and not having the best access to the gym, and just generally working later and cycling less. Hitting the gym twice this week and will try to do the core sessions three times as well. Whilst I’ll hold out hope that Winter League this weekend isn’t cancelled, I’ll try and get a track/throwing session in if it is as well this week.