so what, i'm still a rockstar

something i realized this weekend.

i am not training and working for playing time.

i am training and busting my ass for playing opportunities.

if you take the opportunities given, the time on the field will come.

take these opportunities and be great with them.

it is going to be an awesome and painful few weeks.

let's work.

opportunities........

house in the country

after feeling like absolute hell on wednesday, went for a 1.6 mile run on thursday.

this felt allright, with my legs not feeling great, but got into the swing of things.

into active.

some throwing and then scrimmaging with zoo.

felt allright scrimmaging and my legs finally had some pop to them. still not getting out of the blocks well or getting my body in the way as much as i want to. dictate more effectively. also, when you see that disc go up, accelerate, don't just coast through.

and be the one who catches all your tears

was supposed to do some track work yesterday, but my back is not in a good place. also, my legs are absolutely dead. moral of this story is that i need to be running more. next week, i am going to keep up with the plyos, but not lift and substitute runs. some more rest as well.

proposed schedule for next week
monday- bike
tuesday- plyos at track, maybe miracle mile
wednesday- track for some sprint work
thursday-plyos and practice
friday- rest
sat/sun- practice

remember

it doesn't matter how hard you can work when you feel strong, you are defined by how hard you can work when you are weak.

aye calypso, i sing for your spirit

gym today

5 minute warmup on treamill

active in gym

plyos
3x15 laundry jump
3x30 yards frog hops
3x30 single leg bounds
3x30 bounds
3x30 power skips
3x10 alternating lunge jumps
2x30 ankle hops
3x10 rim jumps

weights
overhead db press
2x8 w/40s
1x8 w/45s

calf raises
3x15 @ 45

lat. pulldown
3x8 @ 135

ab bench
3x20
3x15 each side

deadlift
1x8 @ 125
2x8 @ 135

chest touch
3x20 w/30s

single leg bulg. squat
3x8 w/25s

single leg rdl
3x8 w/25s

chest fly on ball
3x8 w/25s

situps on ball
2x30

bench
3x5 @ 135

ab decline
3x10 rocky

felt pretty good by the end. back was still feeling weird, but the sauna helped. hoping everything heals up pretty quick.

what are you going to do with all that junk?

on a little bit of a sidenote, i have been very happy with my "measurements" lately.

getting on the scale, i have been consistently up at 158-160, which is what i have been trying to get up to. also, my body fat % has been right around 13. this is also really good because i have gained almost 10 pounds and it has been mostly muscle. actually kind of exciting.

the way i have been able to do this is by eating a freaking ton of food and making sure i am working out on my schedule. lots of protein, fruits, vegetables, and carbs. who woulda thunk it?

schedule for this week.

monday- rode bike
tuesday- plyo+lift
wednesday- track
thursday- plyo/practice
friday- stretch, maybe at gym, not sure
saturday/sunday- sectionals. will also be doing a fair amount of scrimmages with ourselves.

they threw money in her pants

was contemplating taking the day off to recover, but really wanted to get muscles warm so i went for a bike ride.

about 10 miles, little bit hilly, but a lot of sloping downhill, which was awesome. pushed a little bit. overall, just wanted to warmup so i can stretch.

i will describe the scene from my bicycle this evening.

there is no better place than western mass. in the fall. even on this first day of fall, the leaves have already started to get a little bit darker green, some beginning to rust and show signs of their color to come.

the sun, blazing orange against deep purple, pink, and blue. as you trace the skyline away from the sun, the purple, pinks, and blue begin to soften and fade.

the smell is that of leaves, just starting to rot, the moisture left over from the morning and evening dew, soon to be replaced by frost. mixed with the leaves, still the freshness of summer, bringing you back to just weeks earlier. amid these two, you can detect the fertilizer, the earthy and robust smell.

the air nips at you, but still it comforts you. fading into twilight, to be repeated tomorrow.

stretching now.

tear down that self-made cross you bear

damnit.

really, a very unsatisfying practice weekend. body feels like shit.

pulled right lower back muscle that wraps around to groin.

IT band is acting up something fierce.

groin, both hamstrings are not happy.

left knee is now acting up and not sure why.

all things i am going to fight through, but not easy.

didn't practice well this weekend either.

this week, keep the same schedule.

push through it and it will pay off, i know it.

recognize weakness within yourself and then attack it.

so that's what you call a family...

went down to the fields of umass practice.

active warmup

plyo workout from tuesday

and then played some points at zoodisc practice.

should have stretched.

whoomp there it is

track day.

felt pretty tired getting there, but was tight for time so it forced me to get into it quickly, which is good.

couple laps, building speed. one lap of jog curves, stride straights.

active

12x20 yards w/20 seconds
2minutes
10x30 yards w/30 seconds
3minutes
8x40 yards w/45 seconds
4minutes
6x60 yards w/60 seconds
4minutes
5x80 yards w/60 seconds

happy with how this went. really focused on getting out quickly, lots of steps and then getting into a powerful stride.

work.

fireworks at lake michigan

gym today.

really felt like ass. quick, easy, 5 minute treadmill warmup

active in the gym. this felt pretty good.

plyos

2x15 laundry jumps
2x30 yards frog hops
2x30 yards single leg bounding
2x30 yards both legs bounding
2x30 yards power skips
2x10 alternating lunge jumps
2x10 rim jumps

next week, move up to 3 for each

weights

overhead db press incline
2x8 @40s
1x8 @45s

calf raises
3x15 each leg w/45

lat. pulldown
3x8 @135

ab bench thingy
3x20
3x15 each side

deadlift
1x8 @125
2x8 @135

benchpress
3x5 @ 135

single leg bulg. split squat
3x8 w/25s

single leg rdl
3x8 each leg w/25s

db swing
3x8 @25

ab decline
3x10 rocky

db fly on balance ball
3x8 w/25s

chest touch thingy
3x8 w/30s

full stretch

sauna.

good day in the gym. pretty happy about it.

no bra with that blouse...

went for the aforementioned bike ride.

again, was really happy with my effort. made sure the hills were rocked, kept the pace up on the straights and then used the downhills to get the legs back.

moon looked awesome from 116.

the whole world is watching. what are you going to do?

look at that peacoat, tell me he's broke

updateville.

thursday was planned plyo/lift day but ended up being a going to the pond and being a tard instead. oh well. actually tried to run around a little bit and got some sprints in.

thursday night. less of that.

friday was an off day, felt like hell, not just from thursday night either.
stretched a little bit.

saturday and sunday were practice days.
tough days to push through, that's for sure. really was running on low energy after nearly no sleep friday night and a stomach thing that was killing me. overall, actually felt like i had a good practice saturday.
sunday was more of the same. didn't have any energy, but still pushed through and made sure i was getting as much out of the practice as possible.

didn't really stretch afterward, but don't feel too awful today. a positive i wasn't expecting.

today i am going to hop on my bike and rock my amherst loop. hopefully i will get the chance to push as hard as i did last week and make the hills really worth it.

overview of the shape i am in right now.

straight line speed is coming along well. if a disc goes up and i am even or a little bit behind or ahead, i am confident i can get to it and at least have a play.

i really need to focus on my change of direction speed. this weeks track workout and also adding in some change of direction stuff with cleats or agility/sprint stuff in a gym will really put me in the next level or defender and cutter.

hopeful schedule for the week.
today-bike
tuesday-plyo/lift
wed. - track
thursday - possibly plyo and zoo practice, if not, lift/plyo
friday - stretch and maybe short run
sat/sun - practice

let's go get 'em. you have put a lot of work in the past 9 months, don't get distracted by that. the work you did in april, march, or january ain't going to mean shit if you don't work harder now.

pretty sure there are still a lot of doubters out there.......

we the people do not want war

ugh.

attempted the track workout today.

first two sets went really well.
28,29 28,30

and then my entire body started to cramp, including my face.

took a decent amount of extra time to stretch and have some water, but could not do anymore 200's, so i did a mile of sprint/stride the straights and jog the curves.

took 7:24 to do the mile, so i wasn't going too slow on the corners.

really felt like i needed to some more sprinting after seizing up earlier and did 8x30 yards, switching up my front foot and starting from different positions (like in a stack)

full stretch with situps.

stupid body

fight with tools

gym dayshow.

treadmill.

about 4 minute warmup, moderate pace
10 minute interval run
1 min. on/ 1 min. off

active in gym

plyos

2x15 laundry jumps
2x30 yard frog jumps
2x30 yard single leg bounds (each leg)
2x30 yard both leg bounding
2x30 yard power skips
2x10 alternating lunge jumps
2x10 rim jumps

weights

overhead db press incline 5
2x8 @ 40
1x8 @ 45

calf raises
3x15 each leg w/45

ab bench
2x15 on weighted one
2x10 each side
1x20 unweighted

lat pulldown
3x8 @ 135

chest touches
3x10 each arm w/30

deadlift
1x5 @ 115
1x8 @ 125
2x8 @ 135

benchpress
3x5 @ 135

single leg bulg. squat
3x8 each leg w/22.5

single leg rdl
3x8 each w/25

ab decline bench
1x10 rocky style
1x11 rocky
1x12 rocky

ab ball crunch
1x30

man tacos
1x20

full stretch

sauna

not a bad day. didn't feel great, but felt like i am making progress.

remember this.

http://www.bailey-russel.smugmug.com/gallery/5887207_wfNkn#365892904_UaQEa

i leave the party early, but at least with no regrets

bike ride was awesome. did the loop i was hoping too and killed the hills and really was very happy with how i finished on the last hill as well. "coasted" home from in town.

2x30 crunches
2x20 tacos

rapid recovery.

tiny stretching, should have done more, but actually feel really good today.

good dinner.

today, to the gymnasium. i am going to do one more set of each plyo and continue to add more weight on the lifts.

find peace and strength in your ability to work hard.

sunshine, on my shoulder, makes me happy

ok. trying to remember my schedule.

thursday i went down to pickup and played a little bit, but not enough to constitute a workout.

friday i finally got back to the gym.

treadmill warmup.
warmed up and then did 5 intervals.

active in the gym and then plyos.

laundry jump
2x15

frog hops
2x30 yards
single leg bounding, each leg
2x30 yards
two leg bounds
2x30 yards
power skips
2x30 yards
alternating lunge jumps
2x10
rim jumps
2x10

weights.
overhead db press
3x8 @ 40

calf raises
3x15 each leg w/45

lat. pulldown
3x8 @ 135

ab bench
3x20
2x15 each side

deadlift
1x8 @ 115
1x8 @ 125
1x8 @ 135

db swing
3x8 @ 22.5

single leg rdl w/ 2 db's each 25lbs
3x8 each leg

single leg bulg. squat
3x8 each leg w/20's

benchpress
2x5 @ 135
1x3 @ 135

3x10 rocky style decline abs

db chest fly on ball
3x8 @ 22.5

ab ball crunch
1x30

roman chair 1x15

chest touches
3x10 each arm w/30's

full stretch

steam room

homeshow.

saturday and sunday ended up being rest days. oh well.

schedule for this week.
monday- bike ride. around 15 miles
tuesday- gym for plyos and weights
wednesday- track workout
thursday- gym for plyos and weights
friday- easy run or ride
saturday and sunday- practice

i can't get to sleep....

i hate when it erases what i wrote. damnit.

anyway. yesterday i did not go to the gym. i did bike downtown and home.

today, probably will not be able to work out again. definitely some pushups and situps though. full stretch.

as i typed before and then got erased, i have two choices.

mope around and let everything i have worked for physically go to hell or to keep working hard and find peace in your workouts and your ability to endure more pain than anyone else you know.

i feel tired, sad, numb, and many other awful things, but if you can push through now, you will know that you truly are unstoppable.

i can be great. i am unstoppable. get ready sarasota, because by the time i get down there, i am going to be unstoppable.

i've seen better days

little catching up to do.

major life change and not really sure how i am going to deal with it, but, keep working hard and stay motivated.

wednesday i ended up just doing some stretching with situps and pushups.

thursday was gym. treadmill warmup, got the heart rate up there and started sweating a little bit.

active
plyos
2x15 laundry jump
2x30 yards frog hops
2x30 yards single leg bound
2x30 yards bounds
2x30 yards power skips

i think that is all i did. i might have done the alternating lunge jumps, not sure.

climbed for a little bit. 4 or 5 climbs.

little stretching

some pickup in noho for a little while.

friday was nothing. tried to drink a lot of water to get ready for the weekend.

saturday and sunday was labor day.
quick recap.

doublewide- played all right, nothing special. didn't feel in control of my man and wasn't dictating well.
jam - crazy playing against these guys. players i have heard so much about. started playing a little better in this game. got a layout d that i got called for a foul. it wasn't. contest. send it back. bummer.
pony - lost this game, but personally felt ok. really enjoy guarding a few guys on their team. also had a catch that i was excited about for a score.
sockeye - won this one, which was sweet. got scored on twice and both times didn't do a good job of getting in fron of my guy. basic stuff that i need to do better.
rhino - pretty easy game. nothing really stands out
subzero - this was a fun one. i really am glad we beat them. personally, got stuck on a handler at one point and he worked me pretty good. i definitely need to get better at guarding handlers.
bravo - argh. we should have won this game. i had 2 or 3 close bids on in-cuts that i really want to be d's by regionals and nationals.

overall, happy about the team on the weekend. thought we showed some heart in coming from behind as a d-line and making some plays.

get better.

monday was awful. no workout either.

today, heading to the gym for some plyos and lifting.

train with fire. you have the potential to be great. let's try and reach that potential.