The CasinoApe's Rugby Training Journal

[CasinoApe]

Seeing the physio later today, he said i might be able to start running this week, we'll see how todays session goes, just doing lots of glute exercises and some rehab stuff for dat dere hip

[CasinoApe]

Went for a small run, felt pretty good actually, the more i did the better it all felt, and i'm in quite a good mood now, I was surprisingly quick and felt quite powerful, i was actually moving very quickly even at about 70% of my max i think, though i didn't try to push it too much. I am definitely very unfit though, was panting for breath after 70 metres or so lol.

I ran for a bit, then walked for a bit as the physio instructed, probably did about 800metres all together, not much, but i just wanted to go easy today.

Gonna do some more glute stuff and stretching, peace.

[CasinoApe]

Another run today, did about 1500m so just under a mile.

Definitely feeling better, but i was shattered after this lol! Muscles are all sore, my hip was feeling a little weird towards the end, but no pain, so alls good, lungs were really burning too and i could barely do anymore, so my fitness is terrible. Probably took my 8-9mins to do so thats pretty slow, but considering i've had so long off, I think its not too bad, and it'll improve quickly.

Gonna take this all slowly, do some running every other day, continuing with the glute/stretching stuff. Physio says i should be more than fine to start sprinting in 3 weeks time.

Things are looking up! Was a pretty nice day aswell, feeling pretty good right now.

[CasinoApe]

Ran about 2100m, really had to push for that, tough but pleased i managed to get through and its a steady improvement.

Ankles still feel a little weird running though, but i'll just keep slowly building up, might time myself next time around.

[CasinoApe]

Another run, did just a mile this time, felt better, getting quicker.

[CasinoApe]

Ran a lap and a half plus a little bit more, so thats about 2600m.

Felt pretty good, ofc my fitness still sucks but I am getting quicker and the distance is going up nicely, hit about 60% on the final 150m and that felt pretty good, certainly felt quite powerful running with a good stride. The physio wants me to start running for around 25mins now, however I'm not sure I can run that long at the moment, and in any case I don't think 25minutes of jogging is particularly useful for rugby, but I'll give it a go anyway. I still go at a fairly slow pace for most of the run, but I get some twinges and pains in my ankles and knees, so I'm just keeping to low impact/low intensity running for the moments. Their not particularly worrying pains, just the sort of stiffness you'd expect from running after such a long break, and they're getting better with each run anyway, so not to concerning.

Will do glute strengthening exercises later, off to do some maths/chemistry, fun fun fun.

[CasinoApe]

Ran 2 laps, so thats 2 Miles/3200m, and i'm very very pleased with that!

Didn't feel very good when i started and really had to push through alot of it, but I feel great now that i've managed to do 2laps. I finished with a pretty nice kick over the last 100m or so, and it was better than last time, so alls good. Was still pretty slow though, gonna try to remember to take a watch and time myself when I go again. Hip still feels pretty odd, gonna keep an eye on it to see how it feels tommorow.

[CasinoApe]

Run - 2 Laps/3200m

Feel good, no pain in the Hip, should be able to start sprinting soon, physio said I might be able to even start playing rugby next month, but I think it would be better to wait till next season and spend the time getting fitter/stronger rather than rushing in and being at risk of another injury again.

[toad1]

good to see your back running bro, i can't wait to run again. what are you doing laps off i'm assuming its not a rugby pitch, i think a lap of a pitch is 300m. 3k run is pretty good progess.

[CasinoApe]

Played around in the park yesterday, just kicking a ball around, actually played a little bit of touch rugby, I definitely have a surprising amount of speed all things considered, although in absolute terms its nothing special yet, did my glute exercises too, Major doms today, but it feels good, Hip felt a little odd running still, but I think it improving.

[CasinoApe]

good to see your back running bro, i can't wait to run again. what are you doing laps off i'm assuming its not a rugby pitch, i think a lap of a pitch is 300m. 3k run is pretty good progess.

There's a local park which is 1mile following the perimeter, yeah i've been very happy with 3k, I don't think I really need to go much further than that for rugby too, should be better too just work on recovery and running those laps a bit quicker. Just taking it slowly with the hip, think I'm gonna wait till next season to start playing, hopefully by then I'll be in really good shape.

Any idea how long till you'll be running again? It feels great to be back exercising, though its pretty tough getting back into it as general fitness will be lacking after long breaks lol.

[toad1]

There's a local park which is 1mile following the perimeter, yeah i've been very happy with 3k, I don't think I really need to go much further than that for rugby too, should be better too just work on recovery and running those laps a bit quicker. Just taking it slowly with the hip, think I'm gonna wait till next season to start playing, hopefully by then I'll be in really good shape.

Any idea how long till you'll be running again? It feels great to be back exercising, though its pretty tough getting back into it as general fitness will be lacking after long breaks lol.

i'm hoping to running again late may/june depending on rehab, i'm really hoping my fitness hasn't dropped to much but there is only so much i can do on a bike and rowing machine.

i've got a program somewhere for back row's that said a good 2.4k(about a mile and a half) is 9.30-9mins, duno what your times are like but thats something to aim for.

id be duying to get back playing but id agree with you no point rushing back for the end of season games.

[CasinoApe]

Physio gave me these exercises to do in a circuit:

Burpees (With press up)
Step ups with knee raise
Jump into squat and then jump back

Did 2 sets with 8,20,10 reps respectively with a rest inbetween sets, basically a small HIIT circuit.

[CasinoApe]

Same HIIT circuit as before, did 3 sets this time, took less rest this time, roughly a minute inbetween sets, took about 2 for the last set. Was so tired out by this lol!

[CasinoApe]

Same HIIT circuit, this time completed 4 sets and reduced rest time inbetween circuits.

[CasinoApe]

Saw the physip today, told me I didn't need any more sessions and that I was good to go sprinting now. He performed a few tests and was happy with it all, but just to take the sprinting easy to start off with.

[CasinoApe]

Been on two runs over the past few days.

1st run - 1mile (1 lap) with 3 80% 20second bursts, otherwise just going pretty easy.

2nd run - 800m (1/2 lap) with 3 80-90% bursts, was too busy in the park to run, felt shattered doing it aswell.

So still feel pretty odd running but there has been improvement.

[toad1]

good to hear you've been passed fit again. i can't wait to start running again once my injury has healed. i feel like i'm so close yet so far away.

solid hiit circuirt i love those things. clean pulls s/s burpees s/s long jumps or lunges is my favorite one.

[CasinoApe]

Was warming up with a quick jog round the park for a HIIT circuit yesterday and i got attacked by a rottweiler! I managed to dodge it at the last second and avoid it getting hold of my leg, its tooth scrapped down the back of my leg, no cuts, but it ripped my trousers. Fortunately for me it was wet out and once it missed its initial lunge at my leg it slipped sideways and I manged to give it a fuking strong kick to the abdomen which put it to the floor whimpering and the owner got a hold of it. Big dog too, just attacked me as I was running past, had to file a police report afterwards but nothing much has happened.

Fortunately i'm ok, gonna do the circuit today instead, will update later.

[CasinoApe]

good to hear you've been passed fit again. i can't wait to start running again once my injury has healed. i feel like i'm so close yet so far away.

solid hiit circuirt i love those things. clean pulls s/s burpees s/s long jumps or lunges is my favorite one.

Yeah i know what you mean about running, I can go for a jog now but my knees still feel a little funny and I have a few problems with my hip, I'm just trying to focus on whats right infront of me now and move up little by little rather than expecting alot of myself immediately.

Now that I can start doing the HIIT ciruits its a huge boost to me, I'll be able to train anaearobically and aerobic systems, start getting some good endocrine responses to get the HGH flowing and lose some fat too which i desperately need to do, gonna try to drop from 100kg to 90kg. Then i'll move onto sprinting hopefully, I think i'm gonna wait a while till i get back into the weightlifting, hopefully nearer to the end of the year.

How long you reckon till you're back running?

[CasinoApe]

Ran half a lap of the park (roughly 800m) for a warm up, then did a HIIT circuit:
30seconds of press ups at 100% effort
90seconds of lunges/sit ups at slow pace
30second of burpees at 100% effot
Repeat

Did this so I had completed 4 x 30 second bursts of max effort, was shattered afterwards, whole thing took me about 9mins to complete (Theres some latency with switching between exercises and picking stuff up so it takes a little longer than 8mins to do 4 sets)

Notes:
-Used 20kg plate gripped at chest level for lunges
-Sit ups started using v sit up variation but switched to regular sit ups once I had fatigued to much to maintain proper form.

At this point my waist it 39" girth at belly button when relaxed, hopefully looking to bring that down to low 30's over the next few months.

[CasinoApe]

Walked for 30mins and foam rolled my thighs, they are tight as fuuuk.

Noticing some odd pain in my left hip (not the one I injured) when I put alot of weight on it and move around, feels like a nerve pinching or bone rubbing type pain, goes away quickly however, just making a note of it to keep an eye on it.

Will do some glute exercises in a bit, will update later.

[CasinoApe]

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90seconds

Repeat (4 100% sets completed)

Time - 8:38 seconds

Notes - Faster than last time, will probably try moving up to maybe 5/6 sets next week
- Left hip felt fine, I think the pain I was feeling over the last few days was due to extra muscle tightness in the quads from the circuits. After some foam rolling the pain has gone so no problem.
-Knees feel good after foam rolling, no pain during exercise which is great, very little concern with them now, I feel they are no barrier to me sprinting.
- Right hip still feels a little odd, due to the success I had reducing pain in the left hip I will try more work with it, I need to up the glute work, I havn't done any in a while which is pretty indolent of me.
-Leg imbalances feel better, still feel as if the right leg is dominant and taking more strain, but this has definitely decreased.

Overall a good session.

[CasinoApe]

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90seconds

Repeat (5 100% sets completed)

Time - 9:58

Notes - Knees fine, some discomfort but nothing much, just twinges
- Hips fine, some popping in right but no discomfort
-Imbalance of strength between left and right leg feel decreased.
-20kg plate held when performing lunges (As always for these circuits, just incase I haven't stated that, this will continue unless stated otherwise)

Overall a good session, feeling pretty good.

[CasinoApe]

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps - 90seconds

Repeat (6 100% sets completed)

Time - 15:17

[CasinoApe]

Noticed some popping in my right hip while walking along today, making a note of this to record that there are still problems significant enough to be a cause for concern.

I believe this was becuase my glute are a little fatigued from some hip thrusts I performed over the previous few days, and also my failure to perform significant hip flexor stretches and foam rolling, causing the hip to be pulled out of place. This isn't a hugely pressing concern, just noting it.

I am also going to make some slight adjustments to my recent training:
- To the HIIT circuits I will add pull ups to the 90 sec reduced intensity period
-I will also begin to perform more glute strengthening exercises, mainly weighted lunges and hip thrusts. These will be performed before the HIIT circuit (As the HIIT circuit is maximal exertion and is effort rather than performance based, any fatigue in the muscles when beginning this exercise is of little concern.) They will preferably be seperate and some time before the HIIt circuit.

Overall I'm optimistic, I feel that if I continue at this current rate of progression I will be able to begin sprint training using the 30sec max 90 sec reduced intensity pattern.

[CasinoApe]

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90seconds

Repeat (6 100% sets completed)

Time - 13:37

[CasinoApe]

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90seconds

Repeat (6 100% sets completed)

Time - 15:37

(Performed 2 days ago)

[CasinoApe]

Weighted lunges - +40kg (1 20kg plate held in each hand) - 3x12 reps each leg

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90seconds

Repeat (6 100% sets completed)

Time - 15:47


These were performed several hours apart.
Will perform Hip thrusts later.

[CasinoApe]

Weighted lunges - +40kg (1 20kg plate held in each hand) - 3x12 reps each leg

Hiit circuit:
Press ups - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90 seconds
Burpees - 100% 30 seconds
Lunges/situps/pull ups - 90seconds

Repeat (7 100% sets completed)

Time - 17:31

Edit - Weight now up to 224lbs, I have been gaining weight over this phase, not really too much concern, I have been expecting weight gain, there has been about half and inch of my waist too now, so its all good.


These were performed several hours apart.

Bumped it up to 7 sets this time, shattered!