Aug 18 Rest
Aug 19 Agility, Arms, Vikings Training
Aug 20 Knights Training
On August 18 I had finally had a rest day. Although I moved some big furniture around and up stairs the rest of the day was casual and relaxed. Calf muscles were almost crippling first thing in the morning, but within a few hours the tenderness had reduced to some quite specific points deep within the lower calves and there was no pain to speak of for the rest of the day. I am thinking it was an extreme case of 'muscle soreness'.
I took advantage of the mild winter weather on August 19 to do my agility drills out under the back veranda. Took about 20 minutes to go through sets of Forward and Backward Line Drills, Lateral Line Drill, Split Leg Shuffle and Split Leg 45' Shuffle. Reps were between five and ten seconds each for the line drills, five seconds for the much simpler shuffle patterns. I did five reps per set and kept the rest intervals between sets to 25 seconds. The patterns were less confusing to my feet than they had been the first time I tried them.
I went straight from my Agility circuit to my arm strength circuit. Kept up patterns of twin circuits of ten reps for each type of lift. I am trying to increase the tempo of the lifts themselves, and have now reduced recovery time to 1 minute. I might hold it here for a while as this was a challenge at a couple of moments in the circuit.
A couple hours later I set off for Vikings Training at Gawler. There was a fair stress on anaerobic conditioning, with two sets of 'suicide sprints' (line sprint interval training) and a couple commando crawls. My upper body strength was quite handy for the pushups and the commando crawl but my anaerobic threshold needs to be raised to be able to compete at the higher intensity of sustained anaerobic activity.
On August 20 I limited myself to going to Knights' training. Don't want to inadvertently overwork myself in the leadup to Vikings finals and the season opener on the ice (besides, I was pretty darn busy sorting things out around the house). Coped pretty well with the aerobic and energy demands, lacking a bit in core strength (sore afterwards) and will need to brush up on skating techniques.
Fridge
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Off Season Day 48
Aug 15 Vikings Games
Aug 16 Arms
Aug 17 Agility, Run, Legs
In the afternoon and evening of August 15 I played in two games of inline hockey at Gawler. This was the second week in a row I've done this. I think I coped with it better despite both games being more demanding than their counterparts from the week before. Importantly, the next morning I was nowhere near as sore either.
The first game had been four v four (ie. only one on the bench for each team) and every player could skate. Thus, recovery periods were short and shifts were long and one had to be disciplined. In the second game I played the role of 'responsible reserve' and tended to give as much time as they wanted to the team's own players. This time, though, there were only two 'naturals' playing with us, so that led to more and harder minutes than the week before.
My aerobic recovery on the bench was sufficient to the task in both games and I was able to sustain play through extended shifts allowing others to recover. Keeping my legs moving as soon as I had regained breath and, importantly, through the period between the games dissipated much of the lactic build up I was probably suffering and, I think, made a big difference the following morning.
The improvement from the week before is probably most due to a 'conditioning effect', of knowing what to expect (allowing conscious mindfulness) and having prepared the body for the experience (freeing up the mind). Although I had eaten sufficient for the task through the day, probably the easiest way to further improve my performance will be through better dietary energy loading.
On August 16 I was still a little fatigued (though less than I had been in the previous week) and thus was again in danger of declaring the day an unplanned 'rest day'. I did manage, however, to motivate myself to the extent of doing an arms session, usual weights, two circuits of ten reps, cutting the recovery time from 90s to 75s.
On August 17 I commenced my new life as a self funded layabout (having taken a package in return for my day job) so I put my status to good use and spent about ninety minutes on training activities. I started with 25 minutes of agility drills, limiting myself to the four 'easiest' of them and trying to keep all movements slow and measured so I can drill into my neuromuscular self the movements needed before I step up the pace. I did five reps of each drill, limiting myself to about the 5s per rep that is recommended for beginners with 25s recovery periods.
I found that by the end of the fifth rep I generally had the gross movement patterns down and was starting to concentrate on the 'popping' of the steps (removing the pause between contraction and extension motions), the point of the exercise. If the motions are drilled in it will be interesting to see how the quickness develops in the next agility session. For the record the four agility drills I commenced today were Forward (and Backward) Line Drill, Lateral Line Drill, Split Leg Shuffle and Split Leg 45' Shuffle.
I then went for my usual run. I didn't stop to stretch and walked only twice (about 100m each time). I was taking smaller steps than in past due pain in my calves from some ill considered isometrics I was doing yesterday (serves me right, I should know better) so my time was still relatively slow at 24 minutes. Going at the slower pace, however, also allowed me to be a little more fine tuned with my breathing awareness, able to track VO2 efficiency (I suppose) against energy demand as I varied the pace. Hopefully the legs feel better tomorrow.
To finish off the day's exercise I spent about a half hour going through my core leg exercises. I left hardly any time between sets, and generally only 5-15s between reps. Even so I didn't manage to fit the whole routine into the time available (no squats or Swedish Ball Planks).
Aug 16 Arms
Aug 17 Agility, Run, Legs
In the afternoon and evening of August 15 I played in two games of inline hockey at Gawler. This was the second week in a row I've done this. I think I coped with it better despite both games being more demanding than their counterparts from the week before. Importantly, the next morning I was nowhere near as sore either.
The first game had been four v four (ie. only one on the bench for each team) and every player could skate. Thus, recovery periods were short and shifts were long and one had to be disciplined. In the second game I played the role of 'responsible reserve' and tended to give as much time as they wanted to the team's own players. This time, though, there were only two 'naturals' playing with us, so that led to more and harder minutes than the week before.
My aerobic recovery on the bench was sufficient to the task in both games and I was able to sustain play through extended shifts allowing others to recover. Keeping my legs moving as soon as I had regained breath and, importantly, through the period between the games dissipated much of the lactic build up I was probably suffering and, I think, made a big difference the following morning.
The improvement from the week before is probably most due to a 'conditioning effect', of knowing what to expect (allowing conscious mindfulness) and having prepared the body for the experience (freeing up the mind). Although I had eaten sufficient for the task through the day, probably the easiest way to further improve my performance will be through better dietary energy loading.
On August 16 I was still a little fatigued (though less than I had been in the previous week) and thus was again in danger of declaring the day an unplanned 'rest day'. I did manage, however, to motivate myself to the extent of doing an arms session, usual weights, two circuits of ten reps, cutting the recovery time from 90s to 75s.
On August 17 I commenced my new life as a self funded layabout (having taken a package in return for my day job) so I put my status to good use and spent about ninety minutes on training activities. I started with 25 minutes of agility drills, limiting myself to the four 'easiest' of them and trying to keep all movements slow and measured so I can drill into my neuromuscular self the movements needed before I step up the pace. I did five reps of each drill, limiting myself to about the 5s per rep that is recommended for beginners with 25s recovery periods.
I found that by the end of the fifth rep I generally had the gross movement patterns down and was starting to concentrate on the 'popping' of the steps (removing the pause between contraction and extension motions), the point of the exercise. If the motions are drilled in it will be interesting to see how the quickness develops in the next agility session. For the record the four agility drills I commenced today were Forward (and Backward) Line Drill, Lateral Line Drill, Split Leg Shuffle and Split Leg 45' Shuffle.
I then went for my usual run. I didn't stop to stretch and walked only twice (about 100m each time). I was taking smaller steps than in past due pain in my calves from some ill considered isometrics I was doing yesterday (serves me right, I should know better) so my time was still relatively slow at 24 minutes. Going at the slower pace, however, also allowed me to be a little more fine tuned with my breathing awareness, able to track VO2 efficiency (I suppose) against energy demand as I varied the pace. Hopefully the legs feel better tomorrow.
To finish off the day's exercise I spent about a half hour going through my core leg exercises. I left hardly any time between sets, and generally only 5-15s between reps. Even so I didn't manage to fit the whole routine into the time available (no squats or Swedish Ball Planks).
Sunday, 9 August 2015
Game Day - Wheelers (6) d Rockers (3)
On Saturday night we played the Rockers in the early game for Round 11 of the Vikings Div II Inline Hockey Winter season. We had our full roster turn up. The Rockers had four of their regular skaters, with young Rachel playing up as a reserve and Andy in goal. If we won we remained in touch with the Bumpers at the top of the ladder, a loss and they'd clinch top spot. If they won, the Rockers would remain in touch with us for second place and a valuable second chance in the playoffs.
Our 'Young line' opened both halves, scored within the first half a minute of the game. The Rockers responded with two goals in the ensuing 12 minutes, giving them the lead and me a slightly sinking feeling. Brenton then scored to tie up the game, and Natasha hacked in another with a couple minutes to go. We led at half time 3-2, having outshot them 17-5.
In the second half, the Rockers equalised with their first of five shots for the period, resulting in the game being tied 3-3 until the 14 minute mark when Crystal put one in unassisted. Rather than go into defensive mode, we stepped it up, resulting in a one timer off my stick from an offensive faceoff win and another unassisted goal from Crystal with two minutes left. We totalled 23 more shots for the period against their 5, skating out clear winners 6-3.
We played a better team game than last week, generally down to functioning dyads or triads in each line, and a lot more communication. We also put more emphasis on taking shots, with a greater tendency for at least one skater to be rushing the net or holding their ground in front of the crease.
We ran two consistent lines through 90% of the game, only minorly mixing it up when a couple shifts needed to change on the fly (returning to standard lines shortly afterwards). Shift length was pretty evenly spread, with both lines taking short shifts on occasion.
Our only overly long shift was at the beginning of the second half, when the Young line was stuck on the rink for about five minutes (not the first time we've started the second shift like this) undoing the good work that we had done earlier when we gave the Old line a short one minute shift at the end of the first period so that the Young line could have a three minute break over half time to be relatively fresh for the beginning of the second half. We have improved a lot this year in how we do this but there is still more work to do.
In the Young Line, Natasha tended to be the 'third skater' back behind the centre line. I think she needs to trust herself a little more and play more forward, putting herself into the sights of Josh and Crystal as they create havoc deep in the offensive zone. To her credit, nothing dangerous got past her and she wasn't afraid to carry the puck in for a shot when opportunity presented. Josh and Crystal got into trouble occasionally by finding themselves too deep without an effective reset option, so if Natasha came more forward it would fulfill a number of needs.
Our Old line played slightly shorter minutes than the youngsters. We were a pretty fluid trio and didn't play fixed roles, rotating off the backline as opportunity presented. Playing with our third skater still above the redline, nothing dangerous got past us. We had enough energy left at game end to know that we could have gone longer and stronger had the need presented (in fact, all three of us played as reserves in the second Div II game later that evening).
As seems to be the case these days, I was happy with my game. I had no issues with any of my various injuries, gave myself no new aches or pains. I didn't put myself into any major anaerobic breakdown, kept my feet moving as soon as I had aerobically recharged at the end of my shifts. I was back in control of myself and ready to go again generally after a minute.
The training is paying off in other ways also. For example, I had a couple physical matchoffs with Matt (ex Wheeler) and didn't lose any of them. He is significantly heavier and more bulky than me and is not afraid of using his strength so holding my ground while protecting the puck, instead of relying on my skating to get clear, was in itself a marked improvement (as it created options).
I was involved in our second goal, getting a point for my assist pass to Brenton who scored from the slot. I had gone on a rush down the boards but faced a congested centre when I entered the zone. I held up the puck briefly, advanced, held it held it held until a passing lane opened into the slot and Brenton had come in with stick primed for the pass and his second favourite type of shot (gather, stop, aim, wind up, shoot). Goal! Besides the pleasure of this type of hockey, it also shows the benefits of varying my speed to suit the situation and create opportunities. I'll have to pay more attention to the concept of slowing down in future.
I scored my own goal with a one timer from a faceoff victory pass by Merrilyn from the right offensive faceoff dot. I hit it sweet and it rocketed in above the Goalie's pad and beneath the glove. Like most of my other shots, it was a hard shot from middle distance. Unlike most, it went through above floor level. Some of the other shots were lovely aimed snaps, but moving on the rink surface slows the puck down, allowing the goalie further time to get pad or stick in the way. If I could only lift the puck at will ... must figure out a practical practice set up to allow me to master this.
Next week we play the Bumpers in a top of table end of season clash. We can theoreticcally take top spot (if we win by 8 goals or more). This would be extremely unlikely but, if it were to happen, it would also not be inconceivable that I could score a career high six points more than Craig to take our Division's individual point scoring title from him (though his 25 goals easily ensures he will be the Division's leading goal scorer, unless Crystal scores 8 goals to take that title from him). As I said, extremely unlikely, but one of the reasons we play sport is to dream!
GP 11 G 10 A14 Pts 24 +19 8/3/0
Inline 47
Our 'Young line' opened both halves, scored within the first half a minute of the game. The Rockers responded with two goals in the ensuing 12 minutes, giving them the lead and me a slightly sinking feeling. Brenton then scored to tie up the game, and Natasha hacked in another with a couple minutes to go. We led at half time 3-2, having outshot them 17-5.
In the second half, the Rockers equalised with their first of five shots for the period, resulting in the game being tied 3-3 until the 14 minute mark when Crystal put one in unassisted. Rather than go into defensive mode, we stepped it up, resulting in a one timer off my stick from an offensive faceoff win and another unassisted goal from Crystal with two minutes left. We totalled 23 more shots for the period against their 5, skating out clear winners 6-3.
*
We ran two consistent lines through 90% of the game, only minorly mixing it up when a couple shifts needed to change on the fly (returning to standard lines shortly afterwards). Shift length was pretty evenly spread, with both lines taking short shifts on occasion.
Our only overly long shift was at the beginning of the second half, when the Young line was stuck on the rink for about five minutes (not the first time we've started the second shift like this) undoing the good work that we had done earlier when we gave the Old line a short one minute shift at the end of the first period so that the Young line could have a three minute break over half time to be relatively fresh for the beginning of the second half. We have improved a lot this year in how we do this but there is still more work to do.
In the Young Line, Natasha tended to be the 'third skater' back behind the centre line. I think she needs to trust herself a little more and play more forward, putting herself into the sights of Josh and Crystal as they create havoc deep in the offensive zone. To her credit, nothing dangerous got past her and she wasn't afraid to carry the puck in for a shot when opportunity presented. Josh and Crystal got into trouble occasionally by finding themselves too deep without an effective reset option, so if Natasha came more forward it would fulfill a number of needs.
Our Old line played slightly shorter minutes than the youngsters. We were a pretty fluid trio and didn't play fixed roles, rotating off the backline as opportunity presented. Playing with our third skater still above the redline, nothing dangerous got past us. We had enough energy left at game end to know that we could have gone longer and stronger had the need presented (in fact, all three of us played as reserves in the second Div II game later that evening).
*
As seems to be the case these days, I was happy with my game. I had no issues with any of my various injuries, gave myself no new aches or pains. I didn't put myself into any major anaerobic breakdown, kept my feet moving as soon as I had aerobically recharged at the end of my shifts. I was back in control of myself and ready to go again generally after a minute.
The training is paying off in other ways also. For example, I had a couple physical matchoffs with Matt (ex Wheeler) and didn't lose any of them. He is significantly heavier and more bulky than me and is not afraid of using his strength so holding my ground while protecting the puck, instead of relying on my skating to get clear, was in itself a marked improvement (as it created options).
I was involved in our second goal, getting a point for my assist pass to Brenton who scored from the slot. I had gone on a rush down the boards but faced a congested centre when I entered the zone. I held up the puck briefly, advanced, held it held it held until a passing lane opened into the slot and Brenton had come in with stick primed for the pass and his second favourite type of shot (gather, stop, aim, wind up, shoot). Goal! Besides the pleasure of this type of hockey, it also shows the benefits of varying my speed to suit the situation and create opportunities. I'll have to pay more attention to the concept of slowing down in future.
I scored my own goal with a one timer from a faceoff victory pass by Merrilyn from the right offensive faceoff dot. I hit it sweet and it rocketed in above the Goalie's pad and beneath the glove. Like most of my other shots, it was a hard shot from middle distance. Unlike most, it went through above floor level. Some of the other shots were lovely aimed snaps, but moving on the rink surface slows the puck down, allowing the goalie further time to get pad or stick in the way. If I could only lift the puck at will ... must figure out a practical practice set up to allow me to master this.
*
Next week we play the Bumpers in a top of table end of season clash. We can theoreticcally take top spot (if we win by 8 goals or more). This would be extremely unlikely but, if it were to happen, it would also not be inconceivable that I could score a career high six points more than Craig to take our Division's individual point scoring title from him (though his 25 goals easily ensures he will be the Division's leading goal scorer, unless Crystal scores 8 goals to take that title from him). As I said, extremely unlikely, but one of the reasons we play sport is to dream!
GP 11 G 10 A14 Pts 24 +19 8/3/0
Inline 47
Friday, 7 August 2015
Off Season Day 38 - Back on Track.
Aug 5 - Arms, Legs
Aug 6 - Knights Training
Aug 7 - Legs, arms
By the morning of 5 August I was feeling reasonably confident about my right arm again. It'd been four days since I had slightly strained the lower bicep and there was only a slight sensation of 'difference' so, after deciding that I hadn't had enough sleep and therefore wouldn't go to Vikings Training in the evening, it was a fairly straight forward choice to pick up the weights again.
My session lasted a full fifty minutes and was moderate to high density. I worked my way through my entire weights circuit, peforming each set twice before moving to the next, allowing two minutes minimum between sets, all sets now of nine reps (except the overhead and chair lifts, which are ten reps). I found myself fatiguing on the last lift of each set, though not totally.
It will be interesting to see what ten reps per set achieves, which should be by this time next week. After that I start to shift emphasis from power to endurance, reducing recovery periods and increasing the tempo as I head into pre-season training and a maintenance schedule for the strength.
In between sets of weights I performed a complement of core exercises that worked primarily on the legs (sumos, squats, lunges, high lunges, single led balances, hamstring suspensions, sideways lying leg lifts). I did two sets of each or on each leg, as appropriate (one during each weight recover period). This usually left less than a minute for complete rest between the end of a drill and the start of a weights set. Thus the 'high density' for the session overall.
At the end of it I notice that my right arm was a little more tired than the left and that my legs have returned to what passes for their normal state ('normal' since I did my PCL last year, that is), in that the right leg is more challenged than the left by most of the activities.
On August 6 I limited my exercise to a training session at the Ice Arena with fellow Knights and friends. From a strength and conditioning perspective I coped with it much better than I have to date, most recently about a month ago. My core feels exercised but not under done, and my leg strength was not the limiting factor to my skating. Aerobically, I stayed within the zone, muscle fatigue was more of a challenge than running out of breath. Anaerobically, my recovery time was 2-3 times that spent in the battle zone. It was deficiencies in skill and technique which let me down the most.
Note to self: Progress!
August 7 was originally going to be a rest day. This had been an easy decision as I was feeling a little stiff and sore from the night before and had a dinner engagement in the evening. I did however manage a short twenty minute leg session in the morning (squats, high lunges, single leg balances, hamstring suspensions, side lying leg raises, sumo squats). I did twin sets of all exercises, of each leg where appropriate. For the leg raises, I did ten raises of ten seconds each on each leg. And then I got home from work a bit early and so managed to do a full arms workout (10 reps in first set of each lift, 9 in the second, hitting fatigue on most) before going out for dinner.
Aug 6 - Knights Training
Aug 7 - Legs, arms
By the morning of 5 August I was feeling reasonably confident about my right arm again. It'd been four days since I had slightly strained the lower bicep and there was only a slight sensation of 'difference' so, after deciding that I hadn't had enough sleep and therefore wouldn't go to Vikings Training in the evening, it was a fairly straight forward choice to pick up the weights again.
My session lasted a full fifty minutes and was moderate to high density. I worked my way through my entire weights circuit, peforming each set twice before moving to the next, allowing two minutes minimum between sets, all sets now of nine reps (except the overhead and chair lifts, which are ten reps). I found myself fatiguing on the last lift of each set, though not totally.
It will be interesting to see what ten reps per set achieves, which should be by this time next week. After that I start to shift emphasis from power to endurance, reducing recovery periods and increasing the tempo as I head into pre-season training and a maintenance schedule for the strength.
In between sets of weights I performed a complement of core exercises that worked primarily on the legs (sumos, squats, lunges, high lunges, single led balances, hamstring suspensions, sideways lying leg lifts). I did two sets of each or on each leg, as appropriate (one during each weight recover period). This usually left less than a minute for complete rest between the end of a drill and the start of a weights set. Thus the 'high density' for the session overall.
At the end of it I notice that my right arm was a little more tired than the left and that my legs have returned to what passes for their normal state ('normal' since I did my PCL last year, that is), in that the right leg is more challenged than the left by most of the activities.
On August 6 I limited my exercise to a training session at the Ice Arena with fellow Knights and friends. From a strength and conditioning perspective I coped with it much better than I have to date, most recently about a month ago. My core feels exercised but not under done, and my leg strength was not the limiting factor to my skating. Aerobically, I stayed within the zone, muscle fatigue was more of a challenge than running out of breath. Anaerobically, my recovery time was 2-3 times that spent in the battle zone. It was deficiencies in skill and technique which let me down the most.
Note to self: Progress!
August 7 was originally going to be a rest day. This had been an easy decision as I was feeling a little stiff and sore from the night before and had a dinner engagement in the evening. I did however manage a short twenty minute leg session in the morning (squats, high lunges, single leg balances, hamstring suspensions, side lying leg raises, sumo squats). I did twin sets of all exercises, of each leg where appropriate. For the leg raises, I did ten raises of ten seconds each on each leg. And then I got home from work a bit early and so managed to do a full arms workout (10 reps in first set of each lift, 9 in the second, hitting fatigue on most) before going out for dinner.
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Off Season Day 35 - End of Week 5
3 Aug - run, lower core
4 Aug - run, core
On 3 August I returned to my program. Or at least those parts I felt safe doing. I was able to do this because the pain in the butt that resulted from Saturday's game was almost all gone this morning and my leg movement was almost entirely free of adverse sensation (eg. when mounting the stairs).
I took my run at a slightly slower and regulated pace, keeping to a fairly inefficient technique for the running itself to shelter my muscles. I felt I've taken quite a large step forward with my running as I managed the entire circuit with only a short break for some basic stretches in the middle. Apart from that, I ran the whole way. Perhaps not surprisingly (as the run consisted of smaller than usual steps and less spring in my step) my time was a good but not great 20 minutes.
Upon return home I counted my heart beats and averaged it up for a full minute. The result was 100 beats per minute at the end of the exercise. If I'm average for my age this is about 60% of my maximum and the least required to derive a training effect from the exercise. Next time I'm out I'll aim at extending my paces a little, perhaps lope a bit more, push the heart rate up and the time down.
After I'd performed a few stretches at the end of my run I moved straight into a round of leg/core exercises, still respecting the fact that I am sheltering my arm muscles after their weekend strain. Total time for the evening's exertions was 50 minutes.
On 4 August I still was not confident regarding my arm muscle, though they could carry weight without pain in the morning there was still a discomfort. So I gave it another rest and more or less followed the same plan as they day before, though with a greater emphasis on upper body and abdominal core exercises and a total duration of 55 minutes.
My run time was approximately the same as the day before, but heart rate had dropped significantly in comparison. I am aware that there can be quite marked gains in the early days of any exercise program, but to drop from about a hundred to about sixty is ridiculous. Admittedly, I felt a lot less fatigued and a lot more in control of my breathing throughout the journey, but even so... Perhaps I need to get some sort of objective heart rate monitor?
For exercise routine, I added sumo squats and most of my Swedish ball exercises to what I did the day before. I must have stepped up the intensity because I managed to fit it all in and still be at it only five minutes longer.
That completes week 5 of my program. I have coloured it Yellow on the sidebar to mark the fact that I didn't complete all elements according to plan (didn't perform any interval training). Partly because this lack was due to injury, partly because I managed to perform all other routines required, I didn't colour it orange or, worse, red, and still feel I am making significant progress each and every day.
4 Aug - run, core
On 3 August I returned to my program. Or at least those parts I felt safe doing. I was able to do this because the pain in the butt that resulted from Saturday's game was almost all gone this morning and my leg movement was almost entirely free of adverse sensation (eg. when mounting the stairs).
I took my run at a slightly slower and regulated pace, keeping to a fairly inefficient technique for the running itself to shelter my muscles. I felt I've taken quite a large step forward with my running as I managed the entire circuit with only a short break for some basic stretches in the middle. Apart from that, I ran the whole way. Perhaps not surprisingly (as the run consisted of smaller than usual steps and less spring in my step) my time was a good but not great 20 minutes.
Upon return home I counted my heart beats and averaged it up for a full minute. The result was 100 beats per minute at the end of the exercise. If I'm average for my age this is about 60% of my maximum and the least required to derive a training effect from the exercise. Next time I'm out I'll aim at extending my paces a little, perhaps lope a bit more, push the heart rate up and the time down.
After I'd performed a few stretches at the end of my run I moved straight into a round of leg/core exercises, still respecting the fact that I am sheltering my arm muscles after their weekend strain. Total time for the evening's exertions was 50 minutes.
On 4 August I still was not confident regarding my arm muscle, though they could carry weight without pain in the morning there was still a discomfort. So I gave it another rest and more or less followed the same plan as they day before, though with a greater emphasis on upper body and abdominal core exercises and a total duration of 55 minutes.
My run time was approximately the same as the day before, but heart rate had dropped significantly in comparison. I am aware that there can be quite marked gains in the early days of any exercise program, but to drop from about a hundred to about sixty is ridiculous. Admittedly, I felt a lot less fatigued and a lot more in control of my breathing throughout the journey, but even so... Perhaps I need to get some sort of objective heart rate monitor?
For exercise routine, I added sumo squats and most of my Swedish ball exercises to what I did the day before. I must have stepped up the intensity because I managed to fit it all in and still be at it only five minutes longer.
That completes week 5 of my program. I have coloured it Yellow on the sidebar to mark the fact that I didn't complete all elements according to plan (didn't perform any interval training). Partly because this lack was due to injury, partly because I managed to perform all other routines required, I didn't colour it orange or, worse, red, and still feel I am making significant progress each and every day.
Monday, 3 August 2015
Game Day - Wheelers (6) d Shufflers (3)
On Saturday night we played the Shufflers. They only had two roster players plus a 'new' one, two reserves (both Bumpers) and Andy in the net. We had five roster players and Nicole in goals, so let Jana play with us as a reserve to fill out our lines.
We started with our 'old' line first, being Brenton, Merrilyn and me. We played a vigorous two minute shift, were pretty knackered at the end of it. Josh scored a neat singlehanded goal at the end of the next shift, and then it was about ten minutes of trading chances with them before Craig first equalised, and then put them in front a couple minutes later. Lucky for us, Josh again closed his next shift with a singlehanded goal. Near the end of the first half there was a pair of penalties against them, which we sadly failed to capitalise on. We went into half time 2-2.
Almost immediately this was over early in the second half when Brenton got stung for tripping after probably the longest board battle I've seen (him and Merrilyn for our side), the puck never leaving the board as it was battled around from one centre wing, behind their goal and up to the opposite central wing. We saw off the penalty kill (I didn't play at this point) and then Brenton hit the rink with a vengeance out of the box. This was the only time our lines got 'muddled'.
Josh gave Crystal an assist to give us the lead after about five minutes. She scored again (on her own this time) a couple minutes later for what was to prove ultimately the game winning goal. Me and Merrilyn combined two minutes later, Craig dropped in his third for the Shufflers, and Merrilyn and I repeated our combination goal with one and a half minutes to go to close out the game 6-3.
We outshot them 10-8 in the first half and 15-5 in the second. Nicole's goal tending continued to improve, with her basic body positioning and butterfly technique starting to occur 'naturally'. She says that she's organised childcare for the rest of the season, so she should be in something approaching her standard form by the time finals come around. Excellent.
Josh continues to improve, going like a runaway train almost the whole time he is on the rink (as Merrilyn puts it). The changes he's made to his lifestyle in the last month are really showing their effect in his skating and general game play, let alone the consistency of his scoring output. Crystal also took a significant step forward, showing how hard she can skate in the last couple shifts of the game. I think maybe when she learns to trust her decisions a bit more, this will become a feature of her game. She's actually quite quick when focused. Jana played generally with Josh and Crystal, added a little defensive stability to an otherwise improvisational line. I only played the one shift with her, and managed to block her best shot at goal.
Brenton played a stirling game, taking all of our line's faceoffs and winning them all. He might not have gotten any points but he saved a few goals just by his faceoff performance. It's a pleasure playing wing to him when he does this. Merrilyn was her usual hard playing self, taking it close to her physical limit every time she goes out on the rink. I played the mobile sweeper for our line, complementing the positionally sounder play of my partners. It was really nice to start connecting passes again to Merrilyn in front of goal (we haven't played on the same regular line for several games) and feel the chemistry work. Both her goals came off tape to tape passes by myself on the wing/corner, the second after I had held the puck waiting for a passing seam to open.
I was pretty chuffed with my game. It didn't quite have the physical element the last game had, though I did have to exert my strength a couple times against Mike and Craig to ensure they didn't muscle the puck from me. I didn't take faceoffs because Brenton was on fire with them. I put several good shots on goal, one of which was apparently quite memorable. I think it was the one where I dodged my way through traffic to cut across the face of goal just outside of reach of the goalie until it seemed that I was too wide to shoot, and then flicked a no look backhand with a lot of power right on the net (barely saved with a deflection of the goalie's blocker).
But the chemistry evident in the passing game with Merrilyn (and to a slightly lesser extent, Brenton) was my highlight. Together with the fact that I had more than sufficient energy once the aerobic system kicked in at about the five minute mark.
It was about half way through the second half that I felt a loss of power in my left leg, associated with upper rear muscles. Not knowing better, I thought it might be a hamstring strain, took it a bit easier, considered even stopping. Played it out and then worried about what I'd done. Turns out it was all okay.
Very pleased.
GP 10 G 9 A 13 Pts 22 +18 7/3/0
Inline 46
We started with our 'old' line first, being Brenton, Merrilyn and me. We played a vigorous two minute shift, were pretty knackered at the end of it. Josh scored a neat singlehanded goal at the end of the next shift, and then it was about ten minutes of trading chances with them before Craig first equalised, and then put them in front a couple minutes later. Lucky for us, Josh again closed his next shift with a singlehanded goal. Near the end of the first half there was a pair of penalties against them, which we sadly failed to capitalise on. We went into half time 2-2.
Almost immediately this was over early in the second half when Brenton got stung for tripping after probably the longest board battle I've seen (him and Merrilyn for our side), the puck never leaving the board as it was battled around from one centre wing, behind their goal and up to the opposite central wing. We saw off the penalty kill (I didn't play at this point) and then Brenton hit the rink with a vengeance out of the box. This was the only time our lines got 'muddled'.
Josh gave Crystal an assist to give us the lead after about five minutes. She scored again (on her own this time) a couple minutes later for what was to prove ultimately the game winning goal. Me and Merrilyn combined two minutes later, Craig dropped in his third for the Shufflers, and Merrilyn and I repeated our combination goal with one and a half minutes to go to close out the game 6-3.
We outshot them 10-8 in the first half and 15-5 in the second. Nicole's goal tending continued to improve, with her basic body positioning and butterfly technique starting to occur 'naturally'. She says that she's organised childcare for the rest of the season, so she should be in something approaching her standard form by the time finals come around. Excellent.
Josh continues to improve, going like a runaway train almost the whole time he is on the rink (as Merrilyn puts it). The changes he's made to his lifestyle in the last month are really showing their effect in his skating and general game play, let alone the consistency of his scoring output. Crystal also took a significant step forward, showing how hard she can skate in the last couple shifts of the game. I think maybe when she learns to trust her decisions a bit more, this will become a feature of her game. She's actually quite quick when focused. Jana played generally with Josh and Crystal, added a little defensive stability to an otherwise improvisational line. I only played the one shift with her, and managed to block her best shot at goal.
Brenton played a stirling game, taking all of our line's faceoffs and winning them all. He might not have gotten any points but he saved a few goals just by his faceoff performance. It's a pleasure playing wing to him when he does this. Merrilyn was her usual hard playing self, taking it close to her physical limit every time she goes out on the rink. I played the mobile sweeper for our line, complementing the positionally sounder play of my partners. It was really nice to start connecting passes again to Merrilyn in front of goal (we haven't played on the same regular line for several games) and feel the chemistry work. Both her goals came off tape to tape passes by myself on the wing/corner, the second after I had held the puck waiting for a passing seam to open.
I was pretty chuffed with my game. It didn't quite have the physical element the last game had, though I did have to exert my strength a couple times against Mike and Craig to ensure they didn't muscle the puck from me. I didn't take faceoffs because Brenton was on fire with them. I put several good shots on goal, one of which was apparently quite memorable. I think it was the one where I dodged my way through traffic to cut across the face of goal just outside of reach of the goalie until it seemed that I was too wide to shoot, and then flicked a no look backhand with a lot of power right on the net (barely saved with a deflection of the goalie's blocker).
But the chemistry evident in the passing game with Merrilyn (and to a slightly lesser extent, Brenton) was my highlight. Together with the fact that I had more than sufficient energy once the aerobic system kicked in at about the five minute mark.
It was about half way through the second half that I felt a loss of power in my left leg, associated with upper rear muscles. Not knowing better, I thought it might be a hamstring strain, took it a bit easier, considered even stopping. Played it out and then worried about what I'd done. Turns out it was all okay.
Very pleased.
GP 10 G 9 A 13 Pts 22 +18 7/3/0
Inline 46
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Off Season Day 33 - Injured Recovery
2 Aug - Rest
On Sunday 2 August I had an enforced rest day due injury. The night before I'd been thinking that due the leg muscle strain from the game the night before I wouldn't be able to do anything that activated the upper hamstring / glute interface, but I could do specially selected core exercises and strength work. Definitely no interval training until I am ready.
Alas, this was not to be. Because I have become naggingly aware of a right inner lower bicep strain (minor aggravation of previous hyperextension of the elbow?). This is probably due something I did in the wee hours, lifting a bunch of heavy music gear around. Bottom line of this, is that has put paid to arms and upper core work also. Which basically cuts out pretty well everything. So I spent quite a while lounging around with about twenty minutes of icing on the leg for every two to four hours. As for the arm, am just observing the strain as I work through daily life, try and figure out if simple rest or a more active treatment is advisable.
Assuming I don't get back to the program in the next day or two, this week will be a relative write off in terms of off ice progress. So it won't qualify for a green highlight on the sidebar chart that is up presently. However, it's not like I've slackened off or anything, so I won't colour it red. Maybe a neutral yellow will do. We'll see.
In any event, I obviously didn't take up on the offer to skate as a reserve in Division I. Hopefully I get another chance when able to take up on it.
On Sunday 2 August I had an enforced rest day due injury. The night before I'd been thinking that due the leg muscle strain from the game the night before I wouldn't be able to do anything that activated the upper hamstring / glute interface, but I could do specially selected core exercises and strength work. Definitely no interval training until I am ready.
Alas, this was not to be. Because I have become naggingly aware of a right inner lower bicep strain (minor aggravation of previous hyperextension of the elbow?). This is probably due something I did in the wee hours, lifting a bunch of heavy music gear around. Bottom line of this, is that has put paid to arms and upper core work also. Which basically cuts out pretty well everything. So I spent quite a while lounging around with about twenty minutes of icing on the leg for every two to four hours. As for the arm, am just observing the strain as I work through daily life, try and figure out if simple rest or a more active treatment is advisable.
Assuming I don't get back to the program in the next day or two, this week will be a relative write off in terms of off ice progress. So it won't qualify for a green highlight on the sidebar chart that is up presently. However, it's not like I've slackened off or anything, so I won't colour it red. Maybe a neutral yellow will do. We'll see.
In any event, I obviously didn't take up on the offer to skate as a reserve in Division I. Hopefully I get another chance when able to take up on it.
Off Season Day 32 - hamstring
July 29 Vikings Training, Arms, Legs and lower core
July 30 Rest
July 31 Arms, Legs (core)
Aug 1 Wheelers Game, lower Core
On July 29 I went to Gawler for Vikings Training. Upon my return home I did a workout lasting 40 minutes. It consisted of 2 cycles of my six 'arms' sets, using 6 kg weights (plus the bars) for curls, butterfly raises and overhead lifts (10 reps for these), 4kg for forwards and sideways raises, and the coffee table for my 'chair' lifts (10 reps). Between each of these strength exercises I performed various of my leg/lower core drills. Namely two Sumo Squats, 2 sets of ten squats, 2 x single leg balances (3 reps per leg), 2 x hamstring plank (40s each leg), 2 sets of nine lunges (used to fit ten into the stretch of floor I use). So it was a pretty dense session. Had meat and bread afterwards.
I had a rest day on 30 July. I hadn't originally planned to do so but was absolutely knackered after work and decided not to push myself any further that day. Perhaps just as well, because the next day I felt rested and more healthy. Just as the recovery time during a workout is perhaps the key time of the whole session, so in some ways a rest day in a longer term program. Life gets busy for me the next couple of weeks, so I'll probably have a few more.
On July 31 I pretty much repeated my exercise routine from the 29th, with the added pleasure of performing nine reps in the second set I did of any particular strength exercise (except for those exercises which I do ten reps for anyway), and carrying weights when I performed my squats and lunges. I'd originally planned to also go for a run, which would have given me over an hour of exercise, but time and practicality intervened so I was limited to the stay at home exercises. I seemed to cruise through the forty minutes so I might need to step it up with something else on future occasions.
August began with a forty minute core workout, picking up on most of the exercises in my usual routine which I have not done for a few days. I upped the intensity of the session by limiting recovery to 15 seconds between sets most of the time (up to 30 seconds if the next set of exercises would work the same or similar muscle groupings). Thus I did 2 high lunges per leg, 2 sets of 3 seated twists, 2 side planks per side of 45s, 3 sets of 10 leg lifts, 10 McGill Curls per side, 10 thigh rock backs, 3 10s bridges, and 2 45s Swedish ball plank leg lifts per side. I have thus extended my plank times by 15 seconds (both on floor and ball) and doubled the number of leg lifts over the past month. I guess that's success.
In the evening I played with the Wheelers at Gawler. In this post I will limit commentary about the game to the health and fitness aspects only, and even then only as much as they affect my off season program (and the fact that we won 6-3). Of most significance is the fact that I appear to have strained a muscle in the upper rear leg, just beneath the big glutes. I am icing it as I write this about six hours later, having also put an ice pack on a couple hours after the injury and a liberal dosing of arnica shortly afterwards. I had been asked to play as a reserve in Div I game tomorrow but I think I'll have to give it a miss. As with any other running activiy, and exercises that drive the hamstring muscle group. If I'm lucky, I'll be back on track by Monday. If not then, Wednesday training might be the next best restart time. If not then, next Saturday's Wheeler's game.
Until the injury, I had thought the challenge was to work in sprints and runs as well as workouts, work and family commitments over the next few days. Sigh. I'm sure there's some other things I can do in the meantime however.
All part of the meta-drill.
July 30 Rest
July 31 Arms, Legs (core)
Aug 1 Wheelers Game, lower Core
On July 29 I went to Gawler for Vikings Training. Upon my return home I did a workout lasting 40 minutes. It consisted of 2 cycles of my six 'arms' sets, using 6 kg weights (plus the bars) for curls, butterfly raises and overhead lifts (10 reps for these), 4kg for forwards and sideways raises, and the coffee table for my 'chair' lifts (10 reps). Between each of these strength exercises I performed various of my leg/lower core drills. Namely two Sumo Squats, 2 sets of ten squats, 2 x single leg balances (3 reps per leg), 2 x hamstring plank (40s each leg), 2 sets of nine lunges (used to fit ten into the stretch of floor I use). So it was a pretty dense session. Had meat and bread afterwards.
I had a rest day on 30 July. I hadn't originally planned to do so but was absolutely knackered after work and decided not to push myself any further that day. Perhaps just as well, because the next day I felt rested and more healthy. Just as the recovery time during a workout is perhaps the key time of the whole session, so in some ways a rest day in a longer term program. Life gets busy for me the next couple of weeks, so I'll probably have a few more.
On July 31 I pretty much repeated my exercise routine from the 29th, with the added pleasure of performing nine reps in the second set I did of any particular strength exercise (except for those exercises which I do ten reps for anyway), and carrying weights when I performed my squats and lunges. I'd originally planned to also go for a run, which would have given me over an hour of exercise, but time and practicality intervened so I was limited to the stay at home exercises. I seemed to cruise through the forty minutes so I might need to step it up with something else on future occasions.
August began with a forty minute core workout, picking up on most of the exercises in my usual routine which I have not done for a few days. I upped the intensity of the session by limiting recovery to 15 seconds between sets most of the time (up to 30 seconds if the next set of exercises would work the same or similar muscle groupings). Thus I did 2 high lunges per leg, 2 sets of 3 seated twists, 2 side planks per side of 45s, 3 sets of 10 leg lifts, 10 McGill Curls per side, 10 thigh rock backs, 3 10s bridges, and 2 45s Swedish ball plank leg lifts per side. I have thus extended my plank times by 15 seconds (both on floor and ball) and doubled the number of leg lifts over the past month. I guess that's success.
In the evening I played with the Wheelers at Gawler. In this post I will limit commentary about the game to the health and fitness aspects only, and even then only as much as they affect my off season program (and the fact that we won 6-3). Of most significance is the fact that I appear to have strained a muscle in the upper rear leg, just beneath the big glutes. I am icing it as I write this about six hours later, having also put an ice pack on a couple hours after the injury and a liberal dosing of arnica shortly afterwards. I had been asked to play as a reserve in Div I game tomorrow but I think I'll have to give it a miss. As with any other running activiy, and exercises that drive the hamstring muscle group. If I'm lucky, I'll be back on track by Monday. If not then, Wednesday training might be the next best restart time. If not then, next Saturday's Wheeler's game.
Until the injury, I had thought the challenge was to work in sprints and runs as well as workouts, work and family commitments over the next few days. Sigh. I'm sure there's some other things I can do in the meantime however.
All part of the meta-drill.
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Exercise Induced Asthma Attack - Pt 2
Continues (after a hiatus) from the previous post. I'll keep this short as I have a fair bit to catch up on from my hiatus period.
I was still thinking of managing this on my own as I rolled from the rink, hoping to get to my keys and then my car with as little fuss as possible. I was relieved, however, when I was met by one of the good citizens of Viking Nation as I started to make my way up the back corridor, asking if I was alright and if I needed anything. I said I needed a 'puffer' and he said follow me and from that moment on I was in the hands of good people.
Before I knew it I was being taught to use a 'spacer' device with a puffer, had people measuring my heartbeat as I had more ventolin than I thought was safe but which I was assured was within limits. At four puffs every ten minutes, each puff being inhaled four times through the 'spacer', I was getting the ability to speak in short sentences back within the half hour. It was about then that an off duty nurse called her paramedic friend and sought some basic advice, then they conferred with me about calling an ambulance. They weren't keen to put more ventolin into me without medical supervision as my heart was racing along. Early in the piece it had been 140, it was down to about 90 by the time the ambo's measured it. They said they'd like to take me to hospital. Not totally reluctantly, I agreed.
There followed my first ever trip in an ambulance, chatting the medic in the back as she gathered info from me before depositing me in the waiting room. One of the hockey family who'd been caring for me back at the rink drove separately and together we waited and chatted in the room for a couple hours. At some point a nurse checked my various signs. I waited some more and watched the passing parade of broken bones and crying kids which is the typical fare of an early Saturday night in Gawler.
Eventually it was my turn and I got to see the gruff middle aged Malaysian doctor who never repeated himself and was all business. I think once he worked out I wasn't a drunken thug and I was interested in what he was doing he slowed down his speech a little, took a little extra time to explain or describe what he was doing and what he observed and what he thought as he went along. I walked out of their feeling better about my lungs than when I'd gone in, with a script for some preventative medication to help avoid in future, the earnest intention to see my own doctor some time in the not too distant future and a general feeling of wellness. Not typical for someone leaving hospital, I'll warrant!
The whole experience was pretty enlightening. At no point had I panicked or even really gotten scared. I appreciated being able to trust others to guide my decisions, and the obvious concern but respectful distance provided by the club's members. It meant a lot to have opposition members check in on me as I slowly recovered on the sidelines.
For the record, I think the attack was due a combination of factors, a 'perfect storm' as it were, that just awaited the right trigger moment. Which I provided when I didn't do any real prepatory skating, thus not warming up my airways, thus allowing huge lung fulls of very cold air to penetrated very deep and shock everything into paralysis of the airways. The combination of factors was the fact that I'd been a little 'off colour' for a few days (though not even arising to a level of a low grade cold), the cold and dry weather, the burning off that was occuring in rural south australia, and my own personal 'static' factors (smoker, history of bronchial complaint, middle aged) and it was an attack waiting to happen.
Sigh.
I was still thinking of managing this on my own as I rolled from the rink, hoping to get to my keys and then my car with as little fuss as possible. I was relieved, however, when I was met by one of the good citizens of Viking Nation as I started to make my way up the back corridor, asking if I was alright and if I needed anything. I said I needed a 'puffer' and he said follow me and from that moment on I was in the hands of good people.
Before I knew it I was being taught to use a 'spacer' device with a puffer, had people measuring my heartbeat as I had more ventolin than I thought was safe but which I was assured was within limits. At four puffs every ten minutes, each puff being inhaled four times through the 'spacer', I was getting the ability to speak in short sentences back within the half hour. It was about then that an off duty nurse called her paramedic friend and sought some basic advice, then they conferred with me about calling an ambulance. They weren't keen to put more ventolin into me without medical supervision as my heart was racing along. Early in the piece it had been 140, it was down to about 90 by the time the ambo's measured it. They said they'd like to take me to hospital. Not totally reluctantly, I agreed.
There followed my first ever trip in an ambulance, chatting the medic in the back as she gathered info from me before depositing me in the waiting room. One of the hockey family who'd been caring for me back at the rink drove separately and together we waited and chatted in the room for a couple hours. At some point a nurse checked my various signs. I waited some more and watched the passing parade of broken bones and crying kids which is the typical fare of an early Saturday night in Gawler.
Eventually it was my turn and I got to see the gruff middle aged Malaysian doctor who never repeated himself and was all business. I think once he worked out I wasn't a drunken thug and I was interested in what he was doing he slowed down his speech a little, took a little extra time to explain or describe what he was doing and what he observed and what he thought as he went along. I walked out of their feeling better about my lungs than when I'd gone in, with a script for some preventative medication to help avoid in future, the earnest intention to see my own doctor some time in the not too distant future and a general feeling of wellness. Not typical for someone leaving hospital, I'll warrant!
The whole experience was pretty enlightening. At no point had I panicked or even really gotten scared. I appreciated being able to trust others to guide my decisions, and the obvious concern but respectful distance provided by the club's members. It meant a lot to have opposition members check in on me as I slowly recovered on the sidelines.
For the record, I think the attack was due a combination of factors, a 'perfect storm' as it were, that just awaited the right trigger moment. Which I provided when I didn't do any real prepatory skating, thus not warming up my airways, thus allowing huge lung fulls of very cold air to penetrated very deep and shock everything into paralysis of the airways. The combination of factors was the fact that I'd been a little 'off colour' for a few days (though not even arising to a level of a low grade cold), the cold and dry weather, the burning off that was occuring in rural south australia, and my own personal 'static' factors (smoker, history of bronchial complaint, middle aged) and it was an attack waiting to happen.
Sigh.
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Exercise Induced Asthma Attack - Part One
As described previously, on Saturday night I had to abandon the first game of the season before it got to half time due to an exercise induced asthma attack. Quite a drama, resulting in me having a trip to Gawler Hospital in an ambulance and quite a few concerned people. As promised, here's a post on the experience.
If you've never had an asthma attack, it feels like you're being starved of oxygen no matter how deep and how hard you breathe. The purpose of breathing is to drive airborne oxygen into the tiny bronchiole passages in the lungs, where the blood whooshes by and absorbs the life giving element. The blood carries the oxygen to where it's needed, where it converts to energy and life. In an asthma attack, those tiny capilliaries in the lung go rigid and constrict and the oxygen uptake of the blood to reduce. Thus, you are slowly strangling even if the lungs are bellowing away. Quite scary. I'd hate to imagine how much so if one didn't know what was happening.
Which, luckily, I did, so when, in the fourth shift of my game, I felt my breath not functioning properly I started modifying my play. Initially this was me getting off earlier than I would normally. Then it was taking an extra 'transition' on the bench before heading back out (by which time my breathing hadn't returned to normal, which it normally would have well and truly). Then, in my fifth and final shift, I just stayed around the centre line, slowly skating east/west like I was patrolling a blue line on the ice, intercepting, passing, threatening. Quite effective, but my breathing was now beginning to struggle, so I got off.
Several minutes until half time, I thought I'd try and do as well I could on the bench until the siren, use that time to go and get my car keys and head out to my car where I had a asthma 'puffer'. These are amazing medicine, causing the air ways to open up within the lungs, providing almost instant relief. So, I sat panting on the bench.
My breathing kept getting more laboured, so I took off helmet and gloves and made it clear that I couldn't go back on. A minute later I thought that I'd better head off now, not wait for half time, and left the court.
If you've never had an asthma attack, it feels like you're being starved of oxygen no matter how deep and how hard you breathe. The purpose of breathing is to drive airborne oxygen into the tiny bronchiole passages in the lungs, where the blood whooshes by and absorbs the life giving element. The blood carries the oxygen to where it's needed, where it converts to energy and life. In an asthma attack, those tiny capilliaries in the lung go rigid and constrict and the oxygen uptake of the blood to reduce. Thus, you are slowly strangling even if the lungs are bellowing away. Quite scary. I'd hate to imagine how much so if one didn't know what was happening.
Which, luckily, I did, so when, in the fourth shift of my game, I felt my breath not functioning properly I started modifying my play. Initially this was me getting off earlier than I would normally. Then it was taking an extra 'transition' on the bench before heading back out (by which time my breathing hadn't returned to normal, which it normally would have well and truly). Then, in my fifth and final shift, I just stayed around the centre line, slowly skating east/west like I was patrolling a blue line on the ice, intercepting, passing, threatening. Quite effective, but my breathing was now beginning to struggle, so I got off.
Several minutes until half time, I thought I'd try and do as well I could on the bench until the siren, use that time to go and get my car keys and head out to my car where I had a asthma 'puffer'. These are amazing medicine, causing the air ways to open up within the lungs, providing almost instant relief. So, I sat panting on the bench.
My breathing kept getting more laboured, so I took off helmet and gloves and made it clear that I couldn't go back on. A minute later I thought that I'd better head off now, not wait for half time, and left the court.
Monday, 11 May 2015
Game Day - Wheelers (6) d Shufflers (1)
The Vikings winter season opened on Saturday night. We played in the first Div II game against the Shufflers. They had six skaters of whom five are on their roster. We had five skaters (to start with) of whom only me, Merrilyn and Brenton were on the roster. We also had Craig (Bumpers) and Rachael (U14's) playing with us. In goal, we had our new goalie, Mike. The Shufflers had Jye in net.
I was only active for the first fifteen minutes during which time I put in maybe five shifts. It was on the fourth shift that I picked up my solitary point for the evening, collecting the puck behind their goal line and angling a shot on net as I crossed the red line, which deflected off of Jye's pad into the slot for Craig to hammer it home for the only goal of the half.
My last shift was highly abbreviated as by that time my Exercise Induced Asthma Attack was grabbing a hold of me, to the extent that I just hovered around the centre line, limiting myself to rolling East West and using my head to best position myself to either direct or deflect passes. It was a productive minute resulting in at least one good chance at goal before I had to get off due lack of breath.
I hovered on our bench, making it clear that I was not able to come back on. I was trying to hold out to half time, which I planned to use to get my keys and get to my car to get the asthma medication I keep there for just such an emergency. However, with only a couple minutes to go, I realised that things were worse than I'd thought and so left the game to sort myself out.
What follows is a summary of the remainder of the game, of which I was only vaguely aware while I sat on the sidelines receiving treatment. More of that in a future post...
The Shufflers scored on the first shift after half time, but from there it was all Wheelers. Craig played a part in every goal, putting in another three himself and getting a helper point on the two remaining goals. Brenton and Merrilyn each scored both a goal and an assist. It was a comprehensive win. I suspect it would have been points to us even if Craig hadn't played (assuming I had remained healthy) but we'll never know and he certainly made a difference.
In my five shifts I participated in about five face offs, or which I won four. My favourite play involved a swoop in from the boards across the goal front, somehow capturing a puck and doing a spin o rama to pass it to an open Brenton (?) in the slot. It didn't end up in a score but drew a few comments at the time. Crazy move, for me!
Mike our goalie will be a real asset to our team. He is very focused and has a good loud voice to lash us into activity. I don't mind the play being directed as long as there's a hockey brain behind the voice. I think we get both with Mike.
GP 1 G 1 A 1 +1 1/0/0
Inline 30
I was only active for the first fifteen minutes during which time I put in maybe five shifts. It was on the fourth shift that I picked up my solitary point for the evening, collecting the puck behind their goal line and angling a shot on net as I crossed the red line, which deflected off of Jye's pad into the slot for Craig to hammer it home for the only goal of the half.
My last shift was highly abbreviated as by that time my Exercise Induced Asthma Attack was grabbing a hold of me, to the extent that I just hovered around the centre line, limiting myself to rolling East West and using my head to best position myself to either direct or deflect passes. It was a productive minute resulting in at least one good chance at goal before I had to get off due lack of breath.
I hovered on our bench, making it clear that I was not able to come back on. I was trying to hold out to half time, which I planned to use to get my keys and get to my car to get the asthma medication I keep there for just such an emergency. However, with only a couple minutes to go, I realised that things were worse than I'd thought and so left the game to sort myself out.
What follows is a summary of the remainder of the game, of which I was only vaguely aware while I sat on the sidelines receiving treatment. More of that in a future post...
The Shufflers scored on the first shift after half time, but from there it was all Wheelers. Craig played a part in every goal, putting in another three himself and getting a helper point on the two remaining goals. Brenton and Merrilyn each scored both a goal and an assist. It was a comprehensive win. I suspect it would have been points to us even if Craig hadn't played (assuming I had remained healthy) but we'll never know and he certainly made a difference.
In my five shifts I participated in about five face offs, or which I won four. My favourite play involved a swoop in from the boards across the goal front, somehow capturing a puck and doing a spin o rama to pass it to an open Brenton (?) in the slot. It didn't end up in a score but drew a few comments at the time. Crazy move, for me!
Mike our goalie will be a real asset to our team. He is very focused and has a good loud voice to lash us into activity. I don't mind the play being directed as long as there's a hockey brain behind the voice. I think we get both with Mike.
GP 1 G 1 A 1 +1 1/0/0
Inline 30
Monday, 13 April 2015
The Week and a Bit that was.
April 2nd (Easter Thursday) was Blake's first hockey training with his new team mates and opponents. He'd been wary due the fact that he had a school sports day beforehand, but made it and did his best and did quite well. He will account for himself well in this league, didn't embarass himself despite being one of the youngest, smallest and least experienced players out there.
April 3rd (Good Friday) I went down the school in the late morning before my day was going to get busy. I realised very quickly that Good Friday was not going to be the day to be shooting record scores. In fact, my heart wasn't in it at all and for the first time ever I abandoned my shooting drills through lack of interest. Instead, I just lazily skated around the court for about twenty minutes of low intensity half hearted drills. Then I skated home.
As a side note, we had two groups of visitors, afternoon and evening. In the afternoon I met Vic, a Canadian who had (of course) once played hockey. In the evening I met Neil, who had played ice hockey some time in the eighties in Adelaide. First time ever I met these guys, first time ever I've met two people in one day who have a hockey history independent of mine.
April 4th (Easter Saturday), I confirmed my willingness to play inline hockey at Gawler in the winter season. On the assumption I'll play 2nd Division again, I opted to stick with the Wheelers as first preference but stated could change teams, divisions, days available (eg can play either Saturday or Sunday) to suit the coordinator's needs.
I also got confirmation that will be in the first Noarlunga Shinny of the off season, two weeks later. There are more skaters than spots available for these shows, is great to be in at the start. I won't be attending them too frequently, but it is really nice to know that I'm able to play with this group of comrades. It will be fun to play and compare tales of our respective seasons and experiences.
April 5th (Easter), take a friend (Steve) to watch the C Grade All Stars game at the Ice Arena. It was his first ever game and he enjoyed it more than he thought he would. He ended up watching the whole of what turned out to be a good competitive game.
April 8, I walked around with a grin for the rest of the day once I learned that Edmonton had beat the LA Kings 4-2, making things very tough for LA to get into the playoffs (they subsequently failed to do so). I was too tired after a busy day at work to go skating that night, so for the second Wednesday in a row didn't go to the Ice Arena.
April 11, Go skating down the school in the morning and put a couple hundred shots on target. Interspersed with about eight drills of limited duration involving puck carrying and handling. Didn't push it hard either at the school or on the hill climb home due the fact that I hadn't skated for over a week and was a little light on hydration. For my efforts, scored a record 35% shooting rate for the first hundred shots!
7/10/12/6, 8/8/6/3 (30%)
So, despite very little skating, not a bad week and a bit. I have had a good rest. Perhaps as a result, have noticed my knee is almost back to full mobility - there is no discomfort or pain produced in any of the postures and angles that previously did so. Just in time for the commencement of my off season campaign.
Inline 25 and 26
April 3rd (Good Friday) I went down the school in the late morning before my day was going to get busy. I realised very quickly that Good Friday was not going to be the day to be shooting record scores. In fact, my heart wasn't in it at all and for the first time ever I abandoned my shooting drills through lack of interest. Instead, I just lazily skated around the court for about twenty minutes of low intensity half hearted drills. Then I skated home.
As a side note, we had two groups of visitors, afternoon and evening. In the afternoon I met Vic, a Canadian who had (of course) once played hockey. In the evening I met Neil, who had played ice hockey some time in the eighties in Adelaide. First time ever I met these guys, first time ever I've met two people in one day who have a hockey history independent of mine.
April 4th (Easter Saturday), I confirmed my willingness to play inline hockey at Gawler in the winter season. On the assumption I'll play 2nd Division again, I opted to stick with the Wheelers as first preference but stated could change teams, divisions, days available (eg can play either Saturday or Sunday) to suit the coordinator's needs.
I also got confirmation that will be in the first Noarlunga Shinny of the off season, two weeks later. There are more skaters than spots available for these shows, is great to be in at the start. I won't be attending them too frequently, but it is really nice to know that I'm able to play with this group of comrades. It will be fun to play and compare tales of our respective seasons and experiences.
April 5th (Easter), take a friend (Steve) to watch the C Grade All Stars game at the Ice Arena. It was his first ever game and he enjoyed it more than he thought he would. He ended up watching the whole of what turned out to be a good competitive game.
April 8, I walked around with a grin for the rest of the day once I learned that Edmonton had beat the LA Kings 4-2, making things very tough for LA to get into the playoffs (they subsequently failed to do so). I was too tired after a busy day at work to go skating that night, so for the second Wednesday in a row didn't go to the Ice Arena.
April 11, Go skating down the school in the morning and put a couple hundred shots on target. Interspersed with about eight drills of limited duration involving puck carrying and handling. Didn't push it hard either at the school or on the hill climb home due the fact that I hadn't skated for over a week and was a little light on hydration. For my efforts, scored a record 35% shooting rate for the first hundred shots!
7/10/12/6, 8/8/6/3 (30%)
So, despite very little skating, not a bad week and a bit. I have had a good rest. Perhaps as a result, have noticed my knee is almost back to full mobility - there is no discomfort or pain produced in any of the postures and angles that previously did so. Just in time for the commencement of my off season campaign.
Inline 25 and 26
Monday, 30 March 2015
Post season began yesterday...
I went down the Primary School in my inlines yesterday morning, the day after the Vikings Grand Final night, for my (now) usual three hundred shots at the netball goal post from the shooting circle. Again, interspersed with a sequence of increasingly complex stickhandling drills, culminating the whole with a tired journey home up the hill.
Shooting stats were down on recent sessions, though still respectable in the bigger scheme. Of greatest note was the fact that I potted eight in a row forward facing snapshots, a new record that doubled the previous highest 'scores in a row' on any type of shot. This went along with the highest ever percentage of the bracket (ie of 25 shots) hitting the target (15).
Here's the numbers: 6/6/9/3, 5/5/15/2, 6/9/3/5 (22.8%)
For drills, I started with a few laps of the entire court, each way, carrying the puck on the end of my stick using only my left hand the whole way, deking it on the straights and holding it on the outside when turning. This then morphed into figure eights across the court. After the first set of shots, I lined up five pucks about two metres apart and then skated down the line and back, deking the puck on the right side of the body between the pucks when I went one way, and on the left side when I returned. After the second set of shots I skated tight figure eights in the middle of the court, keeping the puck on the outside at all times. After the third set I skated in between two pucks on the left boards and then between two more on an angle towards the 'house' before snapping a shot.
The stickhandling is improving, and the shots continue to be more settled in approach. With the shooting, all bar one of the sets were consistently within an inch or two at most of the post, even though the number that hit was lower than recent norms.
*
I had planned to go down again today after work, taking advantage of the fine weather and this last week of daylight saving, but have a cricked neck from the way I slept last night and so had day of rest instead. Hopefully tomorrow...
Inline 23
Shooting stats were down on recent sessions, though still respectable in the bigger scheme. Of greatest note was the fact that I potted eight in a row forward facing snapshots, a new record that doubled the previous highest 'scores in a row' on any type of shot. This went along with the highest ever percentage of the bracket (ie of 25 shots) hitting the target (15).
Here's the numbers: 6/6/9/3, 5/5/15/2, 6/9/3/5 (22.8%)
For drills, I started with a few laps of the entire court, each way, carrying the puck on the end of my stick using only my left hand the whole way, deking it on the straights and holding it on the outside when turning. This then morphed into figure eights across the court. After the first set of shots, I lined up five pucks about two metres apart and then skated down the line and back, deking the puck on the right side of the body between the pucks when I went one way, and on the left side when I returned. After the second set of shots I skated tight figure eights in the middle of the court, keeping the puck on the outside at all times. After the third set I skated in between two pucks on the left boards and then between two more on an angle towards the 'house' before snapping a shot.
The stickhandling is improving, and the shots continue to be more settled in approach. With the shooting, all bar one of the sets were consistently within an inch or two at most of the post, even though the number that hit was lower than recent norms.
*
I had planned to go down again today after work, taking advantage of the fine weather and this last week of daylight saving, but have a cricked neck from the way I slept last night and so had day of rest instead. Hopefully tomorrow...
Inline 23
Friday, 27 March 2015
Wednesday skate, derby players, knee and family updates
Last night I went down the Ice Arena for the first time in a fortnight, enjoying a social skate with Jess and Craig. There were quite a few people there, including a number of women who knew each other and who, despite all but one wearing blue house skates, all knew how to skate. Their kneepads and wrist guards, not to mention the weird and dangerous looking powerslide stopping techniques of their leader, gave them away as inline skaters. This was only confirmed by the fact that several wore, or had at least brought along, a pink tracksuit top with a roller derbyish team name on the back. They stuck it out and weren't afraid to have a go. We skaters are indeed a brave bunch.
I spent about 90 minutes evenly between highish speed laps, backwards and forwards edge work, tight turns and transitions in the corners, buzzing around chatting. I tried to keep an awareness of my posture and stance throughout. At the end of the session I felt I'd had good workout.
Today, can feel at times a tiredness in the muscle structure linking above and below my right knee, but apart from that all is good. It's been just on six months since I had my knee crashed while playing with the Knights. I think it is strong enough now to cope with what I plan to do over winter in my 'off season' (though will still be playing inline hockey with the Vikings).
Jess is coming along in her inimitable fashion, making big breakthroughs in crossover and stopping technique. A is apparently loving his lessons earlier in the day. B's training with Pee Wee hockey starts next Thursday, and the season in less than a month. I play my Grand Final on Saturday afternoon with the Wheelers, Jess played in a netball Grand Final on Monday night. The Grand Final playoff series for C Grade Ice Hockey also happens over the weekend (Flyers won game 1 against the Redwings with an overtime goal).
It's a grand time of year.
Ice 22
I spent about 90 minutes evenly between highish speed laps, backwards and forwards edge work, tight turns and transitions in the corners, buzzing around chatting. I tried to keep an awareness of my posture and stance throughout. At the end of the session I felt I'd had good workout.
Today, can feel at times a tiredness in the muscle structure linking above and below my right knee, but apart from that all is good. It's been just on six months since I had my knee crashed while playing with the Knights. I think it is strong enough now to cope with what I plan to do over winter in my 'off season' (though will still be playing inline hockey with the Vikings).
Jess is coming along in her inimitable fashion, making big breakthroughs in crossover and stopping technique. A is apparently loving his lessons earlier in the day. B's training with Pee Wee hockey starts next Thursday, and the season in less than a month. I play my Grand Final on Saturday afternoon with the Wheelers, Jess played in a netball Grand Final on Monday night. The Grand Final playoff series for C Grade Ice Hockey also happens over the weekend (Flyers won game 1 against the Redwings with an overtime goal).
It's a grand time of year.
Ice 22
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Game Day - Wheelers (5) d Bumpers (0)
The Wheelers had a good win against the Shufflers in the early Div II game last night at North Vikings, Gawler, We had five skaters, the Bumpers had four. We had Allun in goal (usually plays Div I), The bumpers had Nat, their regular goalie. Half way through the season, we are equal on points with the Rockers but below them on goals-for, therefore sitting sitting in third spot. We now have the midsummer break, coming back after the Vikings Cup on the Australia Day weekend (Jan 26). I get my Saturday nights back!
The day started full of good intentions. Despite my recent muscle tiredness I resolved to go for a shooting session at the primary school. All kitted up, I set off. Only to find the oval and netball court spaces being used for some boys' activity and barbeque. So I kept skating, thinking that if I felt like it still when I got there I could go and get a bit of puck handling in at the O-bahn car park. Meanwhile, noticing that for once it seemed that every third stride my wheels were snarling up with detrius on the footpath or road surface, I said to myself that I'd better be extra careful with my skating today because it seemed that nothing was easy. I'd only just had an image of what if I stumbled if a mad dog starts chasing me when I passed a big house with big fence, and big dog with big teeth charging towards me wanting to kill. Lucky for the fence. Not being one to ignore fateful warnings continually, I cut my trip short and took an abbreviated loop through the suburb to get home safe.
I got to Gawler on time in the evening. We had five skaters; the three Pfeiffers, Krystal and myself. Craig has apparently been shuffled to the Rockers so us five was a full roster. It was cool to be with them, they are my team. Was feeling pretty good as we warmed up, knowing that none of us is a slacker. I started on the opening line.
Within two minutes I'd opened the scoring with an unassisted goal off my one person rush. I fired it in from thirty feet, hoping to put a bit of pressure on and chase for the rebound if there was one. Instead, puck found back of net about half way up. 1-0.Our second goal came about four minutes later. Again, I was near the top of the slot, picked up my own rebound. Krystal was heading out of the right corner area. I passed it to her. She was able to take it in and fire it home. 2-0.
It must have been frustrating to them because they were getting off more shots than us on goal, but we were up. The next five or so minutes saw them receive two minor penalties. We didn't score on the power play in either instance. I was off the rink when we scored our third goal. It was nice to be able to call out with absolutely no condecension, "Go Girls!" as they celebrated.
I closed off the scoring for the period about three minutes from the end. The play was mainly Merrilyn's as she battled the puck out of the corner and eventually behind the goal, fighting for it all the way before finding a moment of space and passing it to me up in the central slot. Her pass was tape to tape, giving me the opportunity despite all the bodies in between the goal and me to notice that the goalie had left a gap of a few inches between her pad and the right post. So that's where I shot the puck and that's where it went in and we were up 4-0 going into the break.
The second half was much more even, if a bit good naturedly brutal at times. Lots of push and shove with Donna, strong clashes over the puck at face off, lots of stick checking from both sides. Me and Mal both charged from opposite sides towards a puck on the central boards, neither of us willing to give way, both crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and sticks. I'm leaving due a sore left thigh (corked it) when hear whistle. Circle back to have the referee say 'sorry but two minutes'. So I got my second ever penalty for tripping and a nice bruise with which to mark the occasion. I think the reason I was penalised is that I was leading with my blade on the rink surface, thus contacting his skates in the moment that we collided. Luck of the draw. No complaints. They didn't score on the power play and I needed the rest.
Six minutes after returning to the rink Merrilyn and me combined for another goal, our motions more or less mirroring what they had been before but this time with me passing it from the slot to her near the goal. 5-0. And thus it remainded till the final siren.
They'd outshot us 33-26. Allun kept them out of our goal which was good because we let them through a number of times (by being sucked forward and forgetting their lurking player in front of our goal). In my defence, I think that I generally made sure the D was covered when I was on the floor, but could notice it from the bench when I was off. Krystal found the pain of being blatantly boarded in the last minute of the first half very painful, and even more so as the foul wasn't called (though it seems everyone in the building except the ref's saw it).
I ended up with a corded thigh (which at least took my mind off of my tightly taped right knee), and sore spots on left knee and bicep and right forearm. Also, won only maybe 2 of 5 face offs. Used my speed to stay ahead of them most of the time in races to the puck. Really enjoy playing with this team now as we have no super stars or ego trippers (although I lead in goals, assists and points I am not apparently playing in a different league to the rest of my team).
And now, a xmas break and the return of my Saturday nights for about six weeks.
Yay!
GP 6 G 7 A 5 Pts 12 +8 2/2/2
The day started full of good intentions. Despite my recent muscle tiredness I resolved to go for a shooting session at the primary school. All kitted up, I set off. Only to find the oval and netball court spaces being used for some boys' activity and barbeque. So I kept skating, thinking that if I felt like it still when I got there I could go and get a bit of puck handling in at the O-bahn car park. Meanwhile, noticing that for once it seemed that every third stride my wheels were snarling up with detrius on the footpath or road surface, I said to myself that I'd better be extra careful with my skating today because it seemed that nothing was easy. I'd only just had an image of what if I stumbled if a mad dog starts chasing me when I passed a big house with big fence, and big dog with big teeth charging towards me wanting to kill. Lucky for the fence. Not being one to ignore fateful warnings continually, I cut my trip short and took an abbreviated loop through the suburb to get home safe.
I got to Gawler on time in the evening. We had five skaters; the three Pfeiffers, Krystal and myself. Craig has apparently been shuffled to the Rockers so us five was a full roster. It was cool to be with them, they are my team. Was feeling pretty good as we warmed up, knowing that none of us is a slacker. I started on the opening line.
Within two minutes I'd opened the scoring with an unassisted goal off my one person rush. I fired it in from thirty feet, hoping to put a bit of pressure on and chase for the rebound if there was one. Instead, puck found back of net about half way up. 1-0.Our second goal came about four minutes later. Again, I was near the top of the slot, picked up my own rebound. Krystal was heading out of the right corner area. I passed it to her. She was able to take it in and fire it home. 2-0.
It must have been frustrating to them because they were getting off more shots than us on goal, but we were up. The next five or so minutes saw them receive two minor penalties. We didn't score on the power play in either instance. I was off the rink when we scored our third goal. It was nice to be able to call out with absolutely no condecension, "Go Girls!" as they celebrated.
I closed off the scoring for the period about three minutes from the end. The play was mainly Merrilyn's as she battled the puck out of the corner and eventually behind the goal, fighting for it all the way before finding a moment of space and passing it to me up in the central slot. Her pass was tape to tape, giving me the opportunity despite all the bodies in between the goal and me to notice that the goalie had left a gap of a few inches between her pad and the right post. So that's where I shot the puck and that's where it went in and we were up 4-0 going into the break.
The second half was much more even, if a bit good naturedly brutal at times. Lots of push and shove with Donna, strong clashes over the puck at face off, lots of stick checking from both sides. Me and Mal both charged from opposite sides towards a puck on the central boards, neither of us willing to give way, both crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and sticks. I'm leaving due a sore left thigh (corked it) when hear whistle. Circle back to have the referee say 'sorry but two minutes'. So I got my second ever penalty for tripping and a nice bruise with which to mark the occasion. I think the reason I was penalised is that I was leading with my blade on the rink surface, thus contacting his skates in the moment that we collided. Luck of the draw. No complaints. They didn't score on the power play and I needed the rest.
Six minutes after returning to the rink Merrilyn and me combined for another goal, our motions more or less mirroring what they had been before but this time with me passing it from the slot to her near the goal. 5-0. And thus it remainded till the final siren.
They'd outshot us 33-26. Allun kept them out of our goal which was good because we let them through a number of times (by being sucked forward and forgetting their lurking player in front of our goal). In my defence, I think that I generally made sure the D was covered when I was on the floor, but could notice it from the bench when I was off. Krystal found the pain of being blatantly boarded in the last minute of the first half very painful, and even more so as the foul wasn't called (though it seems everyone in the building except the ref's saw it).
I ended up with a corded thigh (which at least took my mind off of my tightly taped right knee), and sore spots on left knee and bicep and right forearm. Also, won only maybe 2 of 5 face offs. Used my speed to stay ahead of them most of the time in races to the puck. Really enjoy playing with this team now as we have no super stars or ego trippers (although I lead in goals, assists and points I am not apparently playing in a different league to the rest of my team).
And now, a xmas break and the return of my Saturday nights for about six weeks.
Yay!
GP 6 G 7 A 5 Pts 12 +8 2/2/2
Thursday, 13 November 2014
Wednesday Skate - full movement!
I went on my own to the Arena for about eighty minutes' skating last night. It was a good session, not a huge amount a people so there was lots of room to be able to push myself through various large scale maneuvers at speed. I didn't once push myself into overspeed, but took things to my skill limited maximum velocity for several laps at a time while powerstriding, 'running', forwards and backwards crossover and gliding slaloms across half the ice with each loop, tight forwards and backwards slaloms and heel to heels along the goal lines, transitions both ways along the boards and on bends. I ended the evening with tight figure eights using outside edges, heel to heels, forwards and backwards crossovers both with and without transitions. Basically, my essential hockey skating routines without my stick.
No pain. No limitations out of my right knee. I intentionally put myself through routines featuring elements that had jammed my leg as recently as one week ago. This took a bit of fortitude, but the idea was to test out my recovery to see if I am ready for the next phase. It seems that I am.
Better get to it then...
No pain. No limitations out of my right knee. I intentionally put myself through routines featuring elements that had jammed my leg as recently as one week ago. This took a bit of fortitude, but the idea was to test out my recovery to see if I am ready for the next phase. It seems that I am.
Better get to it then...
Monday, 10 November 2014
Game Day - Knights (7) d Kings (2)
We played the early game on Sunday afternoon against the Kings at the Ice Arena. It was our biggest victory to date in terms of score. We played with ten skaters and Tommy in goal. The Kings had eight skaters plus goalie. I found out after the game that the Kings had had their star centre promoted up to First Division (he'd been dominating the ice too much in the five previous games).
We scored our first goal after half a minute, the second was seven minutes later. In the second period we scored within the first two minutes, and then again five minutes later. The only penalties were simultaneous slashing and roughing minors given to Aaron for his striking back at their goalie for her constant chipping at our player's feet, and subsequently pushing their D into the boards when that unfortunate skated in to defend his goalie. On the subsequent penalty kill we scored a short handed goal and they got onto the board with one of their own. Five minutes later we put on our sixth goal. In the final forty seconds of the game we scored our seventh, and they put in a final rushed goal with three seconds to go.
We had three players who scored three points on the day, with five others scoring at least a point. We now sit second on the ladder, one game behind the Flyers (our season opener victory over them being their only defeat). We lead the table in penalty minutes, and have the two most penalised players. Next week we play the lowly placed Sharks.
I played around twenty four minutes on the ice. I started on the wing for a couple of shifts, was just making the mental adjustment from having played defence so far this season when was given first option to go back to defence. I had no problems with doing this and played out the rest of the game there, generally partnering Mike. I was given the option to go back on offence if I wished, but I was more than happy learning my chops on D (one also gets more ice time on a the back end). I didn't get any points but was on the ice for three of our goals. I was also present when they scored their power play goal (though I didn't have any direct input around their scoring play).
My two shifts on the wing were played in the offensive zone, nothing particularly memorable in them except that I was beginning to get the feel of it again by the time I was given the option of moving back into defence.
For a change, I didn't ice the puck once, wasn't caught offside, didn't pass the puck offside, didn't have any of my passes intercepted. I kept the puck in their zone a couple of times, and several times held it in the neutral zone before relaunching the attack. Did a couple of nice D to D passes in these circumstances. I was not involved in the play which resulted in their first goal, this despite being out there on the penalty kill. The only advice I was given on my play through the game was after a couple shifts on D when Coach gave me some guidance on positioning (the concept of one up, one back) which I followed from then on.
I had a couple of shots towards goal from the point in the first period, neither with a chance of going in as I effectively put it into a melee of players before the crease. These were my only shots all game, the rest of it was generally in a containment role (when we were in attack) or last line defence.
I lost my feet from under me on four occasions when skating. Once in the first when back checking on a rushing forward with no one else between me and the goalie. I managed to control my slide so that still kept the opposition on the outside, giving time for our centre to get involved. I also fell down once on the break (transition) with no loss except a possible scoring opportunity (I would have been clear into the O zone if hadn't fallen) and once in the corner.
My most dramatic play was the fourth time I lost my feet. It was in the third period and I'd come out from the right corner to protect the goal from two lurking forwards. Two of us tangled and we both went down, me releasing my stick in the move so that I didn't get called for tripping. The puck was on the ice in front of my loose stick as I could see the second forward coming in for the shot, our goalie was down and out of position behind me. I didn't try and grab my stick, instead pushed it with both hands to block the shot (which I did, twice, the second time the forward came down). Then there was a welter of sticks and blades and skates striking at the puck, with my stick the main line of containment until others piled in also. Eventually there were four bodies on the ice, me and my stick on the bottom, when Tommy finally got his glove over the pile and onto the puck and brought on the whistle.
I was pretty happy with my role in this one. It was nice to have a nice win. After the game we thought that we'd been much better with our on ice communication. To me, this was confirmed in separate conversations I had with three Kings players I know after the game. All of them independently brought up the fact that our passing had been very good. I saw this as a consequence of our increased chatter. I also know that a couple of times when I either got drawn down on the offence or onto the left boards in defence (and thus out of position) I was able to direct either my wing or D partner to cover my zone, and they did. Good stuff.
My knee gave no grief. This is good as it is now five weeks since I got trampled, I was hoping to be returning to full capacity by now. Although I continue to tape it when skating I am now at the point where I need to work on its flexibility, and get back to building strength in the legs and core more generally while I rebuild my match fitness. I didn't suffer any lasting effect from playing inline hockey the night before so the back to back games every weekend might be having their own positive effect in this respect.
Next weekend, Wheelers v Rockers and Knights v Sharks.
GP 4 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 +2 3/1/0
We scored our first goal after half a minute, the second was seven minutes later. In the second period we scored within the first two minutes, and then again five minutes later. The only penalties were simultaneous slashing and roughing minors given to Aaron for his striking back at their goalie for her constant chipping at our player's feet, and subsequently pushing their D into the boards when that unfortunate skated in to defend his goalie. On the subsequent penalty kill we scored a short handed goal and they got onto the board with one of their own. Five minutes later we put on our sixth goal. In the final forty seconds of the game we scored our seventh, and they put in a final rushed goal with three seconds to go.
We had three players who scored three points on the day, with five others scoring at least a point. We now sit second on the ladder, one game behind the Flyers (our season opener victory over them being their only defeat). We lead the table in penalty minutes, and have the two most penalised players. Next week we play the lowly placed Sharks.
I played around twenty four minutes on the ice. I started on the wing for a couple of shifts, was just making the mental adjustment from having played defence so far this season when was given first option to go back to defence. I had no problems with doing this and played out the rest of the game there, generally partnering Mike. I was given the option to go back on offence if I wished, but I was more than happy learning my chops on D (one also gets more ice time on a the back end). I didn't get any points but was on the ice for three of our goals. I was also present when they scored their power play goal (though I didn't have any direct input around their scoring play).
My two shifts on the wing were played in the offensive zone, nothing particularly memorable in them except that I was beginning to get the feel of it again by the time I was given the option of moving back into defence.
For a change, I didn't ice the puck once, wasn't caught offside, didn't pass the puck offside, didn't have any of my passes intercepted. I kept the puck in their zone a couple of times, and several times held it in the neutral zone before relaunching the attack. Did a couple of nice D to D passes in these circumstances. I was not involved in the play which resulted in their first goal, this despite being out there on the penalty kill. The only advice I was given on my play through the game was after a couple shifts on D when Coach gave me some guidance on positioning (the concept of one up, one back) which I followed from then on.
I had a couple of shots towards goal from the point in the first period, neither with a chance of going in as I effectively put it into a melee of players before the crease. These were my only shots all game, the rest of it was generally in a containment role (when we were in attack) or last line defence.
I lost my feet from under me on four occasions when skating. Once in the first when back checking on a rushing forward with no one else between me and the goalie. I managed to control my slide so that still kept the opposition on the outside, giving time for our centre to get involved. I also fell down once on the break (transition) with no loss except a possible scoring opportunity (I would have been clear into the O zone if hadn't fallen) and once in the corner.
My most dramatic play was the fourth time I lost my feet. It was in the third period and I'd come out from the right corner to protect the goal from two lurking forwards. Two of us tangled and we both went down, me releasing my stick in the move so that I didn't get called for tripping. The puck was on the ice in front of my loose stick as I could see the second forward coming in for the shot, our goalie was down and out of position behind me. I didn't try and grab my stick, instead pushed it with both hands to block the shot (which I did, twice, the second time the forward came down). Then there was a welter of sticks and blades and skates striking at the puck, with my stick the main line of containment until others piled in also. Eventually there were four bodies on the ice, me and my stick on the bottom, when Tommy finally got his glove over the pile and onto the puck and brought on the whistle.
I was pretty happy with my role in this one. It was nice to have a nice win. After the game we thought that we'd been much better with our on ice communication. To me, this was confirmed in separate conversations I had with three Kings players I know after the game. All of them independently brought up the fact that our passing had been very good. I saw this as a consequence of our increased chatter. I also know that a couple of times when I either got drawn down on the offence or onto the left boards in defence (and thus out of position) I was able to direct either my wing or D partner to cover my zone, and they did. Good stuff.
My knee gave no grief. This is good as it is now five weeks since I got trampled, I was hoping to be returning to full capacity by now. Although I continue to tape it when skating I am now at the point where I need to work on its flexibility, and get back to building strength in the legs and core more generally while I rebuild my match fitness. I didn't suffer any lasting effect from playing inline hockey the night before so the back to back games every weekend might be having their own positive effect in this respect.
Next weekend, Wheelers v Rockers and Knights v Sharks.
GP 4 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 +2 3/1/0
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
Knights Training
On Tuesday night we had Knights training at the small ice at the Arena. Coach couldn't make it for personal reasons, so Nick took the session. He's a goalie, which was good for the two goalies we had turn up (one of whom was our new Knights goalie, Tommy). There were about six other players, both Div I and II players, so it was a nice size grouping.
Commenced with basic tight turn skating drills, forwards and backwards doing full loops around all the circles. I pulled off tighter loops with more accuracy going in reverse! Then, side stepping practice across the ice up and back, basic breakout drills from the corners, centre based D drill, Big passing horseshoes, point to point passing, 3 on 3 small game, closing off the hour with a few runs at penalty shots. Totally knackered by the end of the 3 on 3.
Knee held up on me beautifully. Very encouraging considering that I didn't hold back on any of the drills. Only the one minor moment of weakness when didn't bend the knees enough on the tight turns. Conditioning will need work, but survived better this week than would have done last week. Doubt that I'll make it next week due work commitment, but will if I can.
When I got home my knee felt the best it has in over a month, nice and loose and no dramas. Was good to get the tape off of it (am only leaving the tape on for games and skating now, taking it off for general day to day stuff as much as possible).
Will try and start up with some quickness and conditioning exercise over the next few days leading into the Wheelers game on Saturday (when we play the Bumpers) and the big one on Sunday (playing the Kings for what will be a tough match in the early game).
Commenced with basic tight turn skating drills, forwards and backwards doing full loops around all the circles. I pulled off tighter loops with more accuracy going in reverse! Then, side stepping practice across the ice up and back, basic breakout drills from the corners, centre based D drill, Big passing horseshoes, point to point passing, 3 on 3 small game, closing off the hour with a few runs at penalty shots. Totally knackered by the end of the 3 on 3.
Knee held up on me beautifully. Very encouraging considering that I didn't hold back on any of the drills. Only the one minor moment of weakness when didn't bend the knees enough on the tight turns. Conditioning will need work, but survived better this week than would have done last week. Doubt that I'll make it next week due work commitment, but will if I can.
When I got home my knee felt the best it has in over a month, nice and loose and no dramas. Was good to get the tape off of it (am only leaving the tape on for games and skating now, taking it off for general day to day stuff as much as possible).
Will try and start up with some quickness and conditioning exercise over the next few days leading into the Wheelers game on Saturday (when we play the Bumpers) and the big one on Sunday (playing the Kings for what will be a tough match in the early game).
Monday, 3 November 2014
Sunday Skate
The Knights had the bye during the current round in Div II ice hockey so I had Sunday afternoon off. Came through on my promise to B, that we'd get to the Arena on those weekends when I don't play on Sunday. We were accompanied by Craig, who is definitely developing a taste for the sport of skating.
We were there just under ninety minutes. I stayed on the rink the whole time. I didn't go over once. I took it very easy for the first fifteen minutes, then slowly worked my way through the various maneuvers, paying particularly careful attention to those that have previously given me discomfort or pain. The only maneuvers that I drilled with any discipline were maybe thirty stops, tight gliding turns, 'running' crossovers. I spent much of my time skating backwards, trying to replicate a few of the moves I do fairly comfortably forwards (eg C cut power strokes, slalom and outside edge turns, alternating crossunders).
By the end of the session I'd given my body a good workout, hitting about 90% effort at times. The knee held up admirably, and didn't swell later. Starting to regain my skating confidence. It's now been four weeks since I was crashed and trampled. On schedule, in other words.
I have Knights training on Tuesday, possibly a public skate on Wednesday, Wheelers game on Saturday. I'll need to keep my priorities clear, DON'T injure myself again before the game on Sunday arvo, DO push my limits further with each session and start regaining game condition.
We were there just under ninety minutes. I stayed on the rink the whole time. I didn't go over once. I took it very easy for the first fifteen minutes, then slowly worked my way through the various maneuvers, paying particularly careful attention to those that have previously given me discomfort or pain. The only maneuvers that I drilled with any discipline were maybe thirty stops, tight gliding turns, 'running' crossovers. I spent much of my time skating backwards, trying to replicate a few of the moves I do fairly comfortably forwards (eg C cut power strokes, slalom and outside edge turns, alternating crossunders).
By the end of the session I'd given my body a good workout, hitting about 90% effort at times. The knee held up admirably, and didn't swell later. Starting to regain my skating confidence. It's now been four weeks since I was crashed and trampled. On schedule, in other words.
I have Knights training on Tuesday, possibly a public skate on Wednesday, Wheelers game on Saturday. I'll need to keep my priorities clear, DON'T injure myself again before the game on Sunday arvo, DO push my limits further with each session and start regaining game condition.
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