Rugby practice 090226

We practiced for abut two hours on Thursday. Most the practice was full field, opposed. We also did some handling drills and lines. It was so warm and humid that I didn't even warm up.

WOD 090224

Press

• 135 x 5, 145 x 5, 155 x 4, 155 x 4, 155 x 3, 145 x 4

Muscle up developers

• ~30 rings rows in false grip
• ~20 ring dips
• ~20 transitions from ring row to ring dip with toes on floor
  

Back squat:

• 5 x 5 275 lbs

I also tried last week's hero workout.

"Joshie"

Complete three rounds for time of:

• 40 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, right arm
• 21 L Pull-ups
• 40 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, left arm
• 21 L Pull-ups

I scaled this like crazy because I forgot the workout. My scaled workout was 2 rounds for time of:

• 35 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, right arm
• 35 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, left arm
• 21 L Pull-ups

~15 min 30 sec. Not bad after heavy squatting. Not sure why I thought it was only 2 rounds.

Rugby match 90221

Yesterday I played a full 80 minute match on the wing versus Bay Area. We were pretty disorganized. Our midfield defense was soft -- allowing too many half breaks off first phase -- and our set pieces were spotty. Our pack did not get around the pitch very well in the first half and we kicked away too much possession... long kicks down the middle of the field that were not covered well. Other than that, we played fairly well. We lost the match 29-19 I believe. As for myself, I made my tackles, stole a few balls, had a few small breaks, and did not lose any possession in the tackle. Anyway, this was my first full match since 2005 so it felt good to be back. I definitely felt fast enough to play on the wing. This week is another step and something to build on for the rest of the season. I need to spend the next two weeks hitting the weights hard and dialing in on my diet.

Rugby practice 090219

Typical THR practice... long warm up, ball handling, sprints, defensive line drills, lines, then some full team runs. I'm slotted to play fullback in the B game versus Bay Area. It should be fun. I'd realy like to get on at scrumhalf, fullback, or flanker.

WOD 090218

Heavy dead lift

• 135 x 10, 225 x 5, 275 x 3, 315 x 1, 325 x 1, 335 x 1, 345 x 1, 355 x 1

I finished with Grace.

• 30 clean and jerk (135 lbs) for time

My time: 6:40

On September 20th I did Grace in 9:15. I improved by ~30%. I think I can finish Grace < 5 minutes when fresh (no heavy dead lift first) if I focus on keeping good, efficient form.

Rugby practice 090217

Made it through Tuesday practice without pulling a muscle. Maybe I ran out of muscles to pull. We did some ball handling drills, ran some 50m sprints, then ran full field ball handling drill relay races, then practiced team defense from the loose pieces with live tackling. We ended with a few Henny Mullers. It was humid, warm, foggy, and muddy. A good time was had by all.

WOD 090216

Press

• 5 x 135, 3 x 155, 1 x 160, 1 x 65, 1 x 170, 1 x 175, 1 x 180, 1 x 175, 1 x 175

I changed 5 x 1 to 7 x 1.

CF photos from July

Here are a few photos from when I started CFing in July.

CF Photos

WOD 090215

Back squat

• 275 x 3, 285 x 1, 295 x 1, 305 x 1, 315 x 1, 315 x 1, 315 x 1

7 rounds for time of:

• 10 sumo dead lift high pulls (95 lbs)
• 10 ring dips

11.5 minutes

This was a good one. My grip started giving out of the SDLHP's midway through the 5th set.

WOD 090211

dead lift 5 x 3 315 lbs

did not feel good but i got through it with a lot of stretching

WOD 090210

• Press 5x3 155lbs

I also did a muscle-up progression --

3 rounds of:

• ~5 false grip pulls to assisted muscle up, toes on floor
• ~5 ring dips
• ~5 false grip ring rows

I need to improve my grip strength, ab strength, and technique to have any hope of muscle ups.

WOD 090209

Second block of strength phase.

• Back squat 5 x 3 w/275 lbs

I hope my shoulder feels better by tomorrow and my calf feels better by THR!

Justin Whitehead Cup

Today I turned a new page in my rugby career. After a four year layoff, I returned to the pitch to play in the 3rd annual Justin Whitehead Cup match between the Austin RFC and the Austin Huns RFC. The cup is named in honor of Justin Whitehead, a former Hun rugger who died from ALS in 2007. Justin exemplified the spirit of rugby on and off the pitch. I was lucky enough to play next to Justin for the Huns 1998-2000, so participating in this match meant a lot to me personally.

I arrived at Burr Field at 2:45 PM, well after the 2:00 kick off, because I was selected to play in the 2nd side match against San Antonio. However, when I showed up, Kirk Tate -- the Huns coach and my former coach -- informed me that I was on the Blacks 22 man roster for the match. He joked that he new the Blacks were desperate for numbers when he saw my name. Well, it was news to me, but within minutes of my arrival Todd Oosterhouse asked me to warmup and play 30 minutes on the flank.

After a brief warm up I took the pitch at blindside flanker. We (Austin Blacks) were losing by 5 points. We scored a converted try to take a 2 point lead before Kregg Hyer -- a touch rugby league teammate of mine -- broke free for an 80 meter unconverted try. The Huns lead by 3 with approximately 15 minutes to play. They followed with another uncoverted try after a long recovered kick.

Our prospects looked bleak with less than 10 minutes to play and trailing by 8 points. The Huns were winning every set piece -- easily outjumping our locks in the line outs and shoving us off the ball in the scrum. With 5 minutes to play we scored a converted try after winning a Huns 5 meter scrum against the head. On the next restart the Huns were penalized for diving over in the ruck. Our scrumhalf pinned them deep in their own territory and we won the ensuing lineout. With very little time left our fly half attempted a drop kick. Although his opposite number-- Luis Sanchez -- got a hand on it, the ball went over and we won by 2 with no time to play. It was a dramatic finish to a sloppy but hard fought match.

Now the record stands that in the 31 years of the Huns existence they still have yet to beat the Blacks. Furthermore, the Blacks retained the Justin Whitehead Cup. I joked to Luis after the game that I always knew the first time the Huns beat the Blacks, I would be playing for the Blacks. But it didn't happen today. I was proud of my small role in the victory but I was even more proud to have been a part of this special match played to honor the memory of a departed friend.

This was one of those glorious rugby days where the weather was perfect and the competition was fierce. When I stopped playing rugby four years ago, I was surprised to find that I really missed the relationships more than even playing the game. Today I reconnected with many of my former teammates as a player and a friend.

rugby practice 090305

I went out to rugby practice tonight. I warmed up well and felt good at the outset. By the end of practice I was limping badly. My left calf is very tender from knee to ankle. Not sure whether I'll be up for the match on Saturday or not. I'll just have to rest it and then see how it goes. Maybe it would have been better today if I did not dead lift heavy yesterday.

In terms of rugby, the Blacks numbers are way down. They are light in the forwards and the backline lacks the talent I've seen over the past decade. There are a few notable exceptions. I think I can work myself into the first side if I can get and stay healthy. That would be quite a feat.

WOD 090204

Dead lift 5 x 5 275 lbs

I lost count and threw in an extra set for good measure. It may have been 6 x 5 275.

I also did a few sets of 7-10 kipping pull ups.

Rugby practice 090203

I went to rugby practice last night and did an hour of fitness (running), contact drills, and passing drills. I didn't warm up well and tweaked my left calf pushing off for a sprint. Hopefully it will be better by Thursday.

WOD 090203

• 5 x 5 press, 135 lbs

WOD 090202

Today's CF WOD is 30 muscle ups for time. I'm entering a strength phase so I'll scale the WOD after my main workout.

Strength phase:

• 30 days
• 3 movements: squat, press, dead lift
  
• 3 loads: 5 x 5, 5 x 3, 5 x 1
  
• 2 rounds
• 18 workouts (3 x 3 x 2)
• so 3 days on, 2 off in any 5 day span

Today:

• 5x5 back squat, 245 lbs

3 rounds of:

• ring dips to failure (13, 15, 13)
  
• L-sit chin ups to failure (10, 9, 7)

I also did a few false grip rows from the floor.