The Ice Dragon Goes North

[britonarius]

I'm caught up on the read. I love this slogan, "Safety is no accident". Stay healthy and best wishes for the new contract!

Keep up the intense workouts and rest well.

I am not certain i would take another contract - i think that all the time i can play as well as i am so far , i would seriously consider it. The slogan is great Marty , it actually means what it says. Back to the contractual issue , problem is my son , he remembers the mauling i got in my last ever union match when i had 13 stitches inserted in a head wound , he hates rugby because of that, so returning back saturday night with stitches had him saying sunday when we met up words along the effect of - do you have a death wish or are wanting to be like Rocky Balboa?Just another punch drunk has been?Given his distaste of my sport [ i still love rugby more than anything!] and my regard for my son , i would think twice. However it didn't stop signing initally [ haha!] so i guess if i could maintain form , and not degrade further i would do it all again.

[britonarius]

Cool journal title.

I got the nickname from my rock solid defensive play , my coolness under pressure and as i had come originally from London Welsh [ the Exiles as they are affectionally termed ] the dragon to mark my Welsh descent was taped to Ice hence Ice Dragon.

[britonarius]

Morning session is a 5 kilometre run , medium pace followed by a practice match and speed sprints - over the distances of 10 metres , 15 , 20 , 25 and 40 metres.
Afternoon session is a 1 kilometre jog followed by bull bar pushes , push ups , press ups and jumping jacks. Tricep dips and frog hops are over 90 seconds per discipline
We got added scrum play practice this afternoon , our pack is quite weighty but still lacks weight against a few clubs. Scrumming needs a powerhouse push to gain advantage. Modern play often sees tactical scrum collapse , a problem if you have stolen advantage from the opponents.Scrums are an important part of rugby and tactics are paramount to winning scrummages.

[britonarius]

Friday - lightest day of the week - its pretty much all cardio - 1 kilometre run followed by speed passing [ running down the pitch passing the ball out as we go - ] - solo bull bar pushes against the clock - set at 140 kilos - its pushed the length of half the pitch.We do 5 of these then more speed passes but with full width of the pitch this time.
afternoon is 2.5 kilometres at pace - pace is injected by 5 chosen runners - choice is varied each week .So we all get chance to pull the group along. Finally push ups - jumping jacks tricep dips and frog hops

[britonarius]

Ok sunday - no post yesterday as i was playing - we won 40-6 - but the side we beat were places below us [ 8th i think ] - however it allows us a safety factor - we lie 5th - but have played 17 matches , most have played 15. It was as the score suggests an uneventual match , we cruised through easily. The type of game most of us want each time [ idllyic world - haha!] but its not often. The other side had injury problems as well , so i guess they were feeling it a little more in that respect. Today as i write this i am back in Holland - brilliant fine weather though cold and i am taking part in a school charity run - have a great day.

[britonarius]

2 phases morning and afternoon -
morning - 5 kilometre run - followed by speed training of running and jogging in teams of 5 like relay - run to the 1st mark jog back - - 5 marks - 10 metres - 15 metres - 20 metres - 25 metres -40 metres then practice match and passing - follwed by defensive practice - then 2.5 kilometre run -
Afternoon is 1 kilometre run - followed by bull bar push - that is team event - set of 7 men pushing the bull bar machine at various weights - starts at 700 kilo to 1000 kilo - its designed to mimick the scrum. Tyre run - speed passing - practice conversion kicking and drop goal kicking.
Did some passing practice and kick practice at a local secondary school - part of our friendly assistance , meet the players programme run by the club to promote not only future players but future spectators of the sport. That was monday!

[britonarius]

Tuesdays training - 2 groups again - morning session - 10 kilometre run followed by a practice match - afternoon session was 1 kilometre run then push ups , sit ups and jumping jacks - 3 sets of 25 each one - 1 minute of tricep dips on the parallel bars followed by frog pushes for 1 minute - the last 2 exercises done in groups of 5 as a competition event - then we had practice line outs and scrums - plus spot kicking
Got urined and blood tested - -we get these at times as surprise from the federation - just to make sure we are clean.

[britonarius]

Wednesdays training - again we do a morning and afternoon session - basically cardio based again but with our weekly visit to the gym on this day.
Morning session - 10 kilometre paced run - we run in groups of 5 , each member must take pace at sometime during the run , we use armbands to show the group. After the run we went into the gym , its basically set up for rugby rather than for bodybuilding or general training. Gym work concentrates on the legs and back more than the arms or upper body. We use the squat cage , hack squat, and T-bars [ lying and standing ] , 5 sets of 12 repertitions - along with leg press and calf raises. We can use a smith machine for chest and shoulders plus the dumbbells and b/b's for arms and other areas.
Afternoon session is set in 2 phases - 1 kilometre run at pace followed by practice with the juniors and passing / kicking sets - practice of set pieces and line outs
I finished the morning run tailled off , i have a niggling ankle injury that is getting gritty on runs ; i failed to get onto pace at anytime during the run and was struggling to stay with the back markers after 2 kilometres - at 5 kilometres i was way back.Usually i can do this easy in 50 minutes, but 72 minutes today! The afternoon kilometre despite heavy support strapping went little better.

[britonarius]

Morning session is a 5 kilometre run , medium pace followed by a practice match and speed sprints - over the distances of 10 metres , 15 , 20 , 25 and 40 metres.
Afternoon session is a 1 kilometre jog follwed by bull bar pushes , push ups , press ups and jumping jacks. Tricep dips and frog hops are over 90 seconds per discipline.
Ankle is still a problem but i will start in line up again - last week i played all 82 minutes - weight is good - hit 214lbs on scales today - so 14lbs to go to 200 target - i might try to get to 186/188lbs but i need to see how drop affects scrummage push power.

[Bronzebird]

Great win and sounds like you are injury free...cool. Good goals to add speed. But for the game you play 210 pounds would be reasonable weight for a lean mean Rugby machine. 190 is stripping muscle off your big frame!

[britonarius]

the team did this - Friday - lightest day of the week - its pretty much all cardio - 1 kilometre run followed by speed passing [ running down the pitch passing the ball out as we go - ] - solo bull bar pushes against the clock - set at 140 kilos - its pushed the length of half the pitch.We do 5 of these then more speed passes but with full width of the pitch this time.
afternoon is 2.5 kilometres at pace - pace is injected by 5 chosen runners - choice is varied each week .So we all get chance to pull the group along. Finally push ups - jumping jacks tricep dips and frog hops
I got physio for the ankle as it is crucial i am at match fitness - this time of the season with a small club , injuries have us low to bottom strength for team selection , so i received some treatment though these resources are scare at a small club as well , there is a guy who gets called in if needed otherwise the team management do the remedials.

[britonarius]

Great win and sounds like you are injury free...cool. Good goals to add speed. But for the game you play 210 pounds would be reasonable weight for a lean mean Rugby machine. 190 is stripping muscle off your big frame!

I agree with you - lowest playing weight i ever had was 201lbs as a 17year old. Its tempting to try and get to the target [ 200] to see if it does make a difference but i think as you do 190 though nice is too low.Injury free - sort of - niggling ankle but its useable.

[britonarius]

We played yesterday - i managed to get through the match despite the ankle but it affected my game plus we were key players short due to injury and illness [ some virus sweeping the area] and we lost 46-18 but the rivals are higher in the league than us and we get next week free allowing injuries and illnesses to subside. As we are not playing next saturday we get a free week from training , so i am staying in Holland all week [ yippee!] and hopefully i will get chance to catch up on a few friends and get some road work and light training done. I intend to allow the ankle to recover by staying training free till thursday at least.

[britonarius]

OK ankle is getting easier - good news for me but i have opted not to hit any training this week what so ever.
Supps - i still use certain ones despite the fact i am not actually gym using as such.I can't use a lot of the ones i used to due to random dope tests that certain chemical additives would cause me to fail. The one sweeping Europe at this stage [ supp!] is Crack by revolutions and many of my dutch friends use this in training - i don't use it but it gets 5 star ratings by those who do.
I use Waxy Vol by Ph.d but its a club requirement - i don't actually rate it and think if you really want a re energiser - its Gator whey that is still tops but the club gets a deal so we have to use it. I use 5 phase proteins though i still use Freak Fix as well. I am meant to use Ph.d's 5 phase protein but its crap. I can get it via the club for 10 dollars [ 71 servings] but its rubbish so i pay 30 dollars for Inner Armours 5 phaser.Also a 71 serving bag. vitamins , the club uses Arsenal by Met RX and this is better than animal pak , never thought i would ever say that but it is. 6 tabs not 11 , cheaper but way more effective for me at least. Other supps? Green magnitude and Glycer grow both by controlled labs, these pass urine tests. In out of training phases , i use Armegeddon and Evolution X10 but they can if fresh in system cause repeat request readings from urine samples. For in running , in training drinks i use Monster Maize by Cytosport or Carbo by Olimp [ Polish company]- i tend to alternate these [ am /pm ]- stand by proteins are platinum whey by San - freak Fix [ love this the greatest protein ever , no doubt !!!] or for added cals Mammoth by interactive- this is for sure the best mass gainer on the market. Reserve mass gainer is Goliath. How often do i use mass gainers?- before and after a match is the answer.

[britonarius]

Ok again just a rest day - did some great shopping as just over the border in Belgium they have a great military store , guy made me laugh, i was asking about real US military combat trousers, he looks me up and down , he says you will find it difficult to find them in your size! i replied ooh are they all sort of less than 34 inch waist - no he says American soldiers are very short in height and very very fat - you are tall and too slim for any i have seen. Guess its not often i get called slim. So solution is?? get a bulking diet and shrink in height!

[britonarius]

Going to get some shopping done today with my wife as i have ample opportunity to do so - no training till monday - hope you have a great weekend.

[Bronzebird]

Some good reads this week on your Sups reviews. I tried the freak fix protien last summer and it taste awesome! Good energy levels throughout wo. I'm back with Gold Standard 10 pound bag of vanilla. I mix 1/3 orange juice with fat reduced 2% milk. The OJ mask the bitterness of sup additivies to my homebrew. The Gator sounds like another one I will try when experimenting.
Take care of the ankle and have fun with the misses!

Thanks for the kind words on the inspiration reps.

[britonarius]

Some good reads this week on your Sups reviews. I tried the freak fix protien last summer and it taste awesome! Good energy levels throughout wo. I'm back with Gold Standard 10 pound bag of vanilla. I mix 1/3 orange juice with fat reduced 2% milk. The OJ mask the bitterness of sup additivies to my homebrew. The Gator sounds like another one I will try when experimenting.
Take care of the ankle and have fun with the misses!

Thanks for the kind words on the inspiration reps.

Inspiration words were richly deserved as you constantly inspire many around you - guess many are too modest to admit it! Gator whey - its the best value energy supp on the market bar none. Gold standard is a good protein - i have used it on occassions.
Lets talk rugby union - 6 nations drawing to a close - French and Irish are streets ahead but land of my fathers [ our anthem] Wales just killed Italy so at least i have a happy saturday. England - shadow of the world cup winning team - Johnny Wilkinson is dropped - no surprise - a shadow of his former self he basically has little match skill left - just his punishing kicking power. Sadly no one needs a kicker that badly that other skills are ignored. It cost Wales dearly in the 90's when the talentless Neil Jenkins took to the pitch match after match just because he could kick, Wales suffered by being a man down for about 65 minutes of each match.I personally admired Wilkinson when he debuted for England , young , full of talent - now a wreck basically, time to forget internationals Johnny - before you are remembered as a bloody has been just making up the numbers.We all have our day of brilliance in this game , you like me had yours.
Back to training monday - have a great sunday !

[britonarius]

2 phases morning and afternoon -
morning - 5 kilometre run - followed by speed training of running and jogging in teams of 5 like relay - run to the 1st mark jog back - - 5 marks - 10 metres - 15 metres - 20 metres - 25 metres - then practice match and passing - follwed by defensive practice - then 2.5 kilometre run -
Afternoon is 1 kilometre run - followed by bull bar push - that is team event - set of 7 men pushing the bull bar machine at various weights - starts at 700 kilo to 1000 kilo - its designed to mimick the scrum. Tyre run - speed passing - practice conversion kicking and drop goal kicking
I did my fastest time in the 5 kilometre since returning from injury - the ankle felt good - so i can say that i am back. Going to try and hit low 40 minutes for the 10 kilometre this week - all going well.

[britonarius]

Tuesdays training - 2 groups again - morning session - 10 kilometre run followed by a practice match - afternoon session was 1 kilometre run then push ups , sit ups and jumping jacks - 3 sets of 25 each one - 1 minute of tricep dips on the parallel bars followed by frog pushes for 1 minute - the last 2 exercises done in groups of 5 as a competition event - then we had practice line outs and scrums - plus spot kicking - best run over 10 kilometre since 1999 - hit 44.51 or there abouts [ timer watch said 44.51] so i guess my feeling about dipping under 40 minutes will have to wait a while [ like forever! ] however i think i could if running flat out hit under 42 minutes.

[britonarius]

Wednesdays training - basically cardio based again but with our weekly visit to the gym on this day.
Morning session - 10 kilometre paced run - we run in groups of 5 , each member must take pace at sometime during the run , we use armbands to show the group , this is despite my age a training event i really like as i was a cross country during my school days plus a steeplechaser, so pace forcing is a thing i like to do and more often than not i find myself on point for about half of the run as was the case today. After the run we went into the gym , its basically set up for rugby rather than for bodybuilding or general training. Gym work concentrates on the legs and back more than the arms or upper body. We use the squat cage , hack squat, and T-bars [ lying and standing ] , 5 sets of 12 repertitions - along with leg press and calf raises. We can use a smith machine for chest and shoulders plus the dumbbells and b/b's for arms and other areas.
Afternoon session is set in 2 phases - 1 kilometre run at pace follwed by practice with the juniors and passing / kicking sets - practice of set pieces and line outs

[britonarius]

OOps meant to say i am going to try a 3000 metre steeplechase in the closed season - to hit 11.30 minutes would be pleasing given my age and the fact i haven't steeplechased since 1972 [ i won that one!] - but i am unsure of the time. Actually my record in the steeplechase was pretty good , i won 11 out of 15 and worse placing was 4th.So i am curious to see what will happen , a local sports club has an event that it welcomes us rugger guys entering, so as i always loved it , i am going to give it a shot.

[britonarius]

Morning session is a 5 kilometre run , medium pace followed by a practice match and speed sprints - over the distances of 10 metres , 15 , 20 , 25 and 40 metres.
Afternoon session is a 1 kilometre jog followed by bull bar pushes , push ups , press ups and jumping jacks. Tricep dips and frog hops are over 90 seconds per discipline.
Training this week feels pretty good. Got a needle match of sorts saturday as the opponents are 6th in the league and we are 5th. However we are at home and home advantage will help. Plus we have a better win record than they do. Weight is now 213lbs and it feels pretty good - 13lbs to go to hit the target. Ideally i would like to drop the waist a little as well but i guess that might not happen.

[britonarius]

Friday - lightest day of the week - its pretty much all cardio - 1 kilometre run followed by speed passing [ running down the pitch passing the ball out as we go - ] - solo bull bar pushes against the clock - set at 140 kilos - its pushed the length of half the pitch.We do 5 of these then more speed passes but with full width of the pitch this time.
afternoon is 2.5 kilometres at pace - pace is injected by 5 chosen runners - choice is varied each week .So we all get chance to pull the group along. Finally push ups - jumping jacks tricep dips and frog hops. Running was good - i pulled the lads for just over a kilometre hitting a real good pace at one time.

[britonarius]

Ok we won yesterday - 46 - 12 - so we are well safe in 5th and though we have played 2 games more [ they have to win them!] than the 4th placed outfit , we are only 3 points adrift of them. I feel the team has worked well this season and can hopefully build on this.

[britonarius]

morning - 5 kilometre run - followed by speed training of running and jogging in teams of 5 like relay - run to the 1st mark jog back - - 5 marks - 10 metres - 15 metres - 20 metres - 25 metres -40 metres then practice match and passing - follwed by defensive practice - then 2.5 kilometre run -
Afternoon is 1 kilometre run - followed by bull bar push - that is team event - set of 7 men pushing the bull bar machine at various weights - starts at 700 kilo to 1000 kilo - its designed to mimick the scrum. Tyre run - speed passing - practice conversion kicking and drop goal kicking

[Bronzebird]

More good news on your team wins and the up comming steeple chase event. I like your motivation to work on "fine tunning" the physical profile of your atheletic build...hence the bodybuilding forum!
Take care and keep challenging the youngsters which in turn challenges u!

[britonarius]

More good news on your team wins and the up comming steeple chase event. I like your motivation to work on "fine tunning" the physical profile of your atheletic build...hence the bodybuilding forum!
Take care and keep challenging the youngsters which in turn challenges u!

Exactly - the term bodybuilding covers all aspects of training not just the aesthetic pure body shaping that is generally accepted. I still use the gym when i get the chance - club is tight on the regs for this - no mad weights , no supersetting - no animal factor - all this is due to injury risk. Small teams can't in all honesty afford to have too many guys out injured and as we age , we are more suseptible to injury. I also have many real fine motivating friends here - and i am drawn to the positive comments that are offered.

[britonarius]

morning session - 10 kilometre run followed by a practice match - afternoon session was 1 kilometre run then push ups , sit ups and jumping jacks - 3 sets of 25 each one - 1 minute of tricep dips on the parallel bars followed by frog pushes for 1 minute - the last 2 exercises done in groups of 5 as a competition event - then we had practice line outs and scrums - plus spot kicking
Plus added gym work - 5 x 15 x 100 kilo stiff legged deads.
5 x 15 x 125 kilo hacks
5 x 15 x 125 kilo leg press

[britonarius]

Wednesdays training - again we do a morning and afternoon session - basically cardio based again but with our weekly visit to the gym on this day.
Morning session - 10 kilometre paced run - we run in groups of 5 , each member must take pace at sometime during the run , we use armbands to show the group. After the run we went into the gym , its basically set up for rugby rather than for bodybuilding or general training. Gym work concentrates on the legs and back more than the arms or upper body. We use the squat cage , hack squat, and T-bars [ lying and standing ] , 5 sets of 12 repertitions - along with leg press and calf raises. We can use a smith machine for chest and shoulders plus the dumbbells and b/b's for arms and other areas.
Afternoon session is set in 2 phases - 1 kilometre run at pace followed by practice with the juniors and passing / kicking sets - practice of set pieces and line outs