Feb. 17, Sunday, One week before the Feb. Tennis tournament.

February 17, 2019, Sunday - Tennis.

Today, the responsibility of writing the BLOG for the Tennis Club BLOG fell to me.  There were 13 of us there and I was the first to draw in the lottery...  BAM! I got the red stick!  So I wrote the BLOG.  So, I'm going to put it here since I put a lot of time into it.  Then, I'll add the match info at the end.

Welcome to the Le Grand Tennis Club’s

ENGLISH (with a little 日本語) BLOG!!!

Table of Contents (目次)

1.  Introduction

2.  Practice Review, Level 1

3.  Practice Review, Level 2

4.  Tennis English: 1-Point Lesson

5.  Tennis English: 英語と日本語の違い

6.  Conclusion

1.         Introduction

“HELLO!”

The first word Naomi Osaka said in her speech after winning the 2019 Australian Open.  It was so simple and sweet, and original. I have never heard any player beginning a victory speech with a simple, “Hello!”  I was not expecting to choose the RED chopstick after practice today because I was positioned right next to the “member-in-charge” today.  I was the first one to pick and I picked the RED chopstick.  At first, I was like, “OH NO!”, but it is actually a privilege to get to write the Le Grand BLOG.  So I will do my best to produce an interesting and readable BLOG entry.

2.         Practice Review, Level 1:

Today is Sunday, February 17, 2019.  Practice at the Meiwa tennis courts started at 10 o’clock in the morning.  Unfortunately, I arrived about thirty minutes late.  When I arrived, 12 tennis club members were already into the first drill, “Volley and Stroke” practice.  The second drill was “Serve and Receive” practice.  I thought it would be colder today, but when the sun was shining, it was very warm.  It felt good to be outside exercising and breathing the fresh air.

Around 11:15 pm the “Serve and Receive” practice ended and we split the two courts.  One court was used for playing matches, and the other court was used for drills.  Special thanks to the tennis coach for running the drills.  There is a tennis tournament next Sunday in Chiran.  There will be 4 teams representing Le Grand in that tournament.  So, the match court was mainly for those teams playing in next week’s tournament.  Matches were played until the end of the practice.  Drills were done in many different variations until the end of the practice.  It was a very fun practice today.  It was a very good practice today.  I think that everyone who came to today’s practice improved their tennis skills.  Good job, everyone!

3.         Practice Review, Level 2:

Today’s practice started at ten in the morning as usual, but unfortunately, I was not able to go to the practice on time.  I actually ended up going to the tennis courts around half-an-hour late.  When I arrived, the courts were buzzing with activity.  Everyone, about twelve people, was going at it with the first round of drills, “Stroke and Volley”.  The pace of today’s practice was a bit faster than normal Sundays.  I’m not sure why, but I assume that it is because the practice leaders wanted to have a lot of time for “Match Practice” because of the tournament which will be held next Sunday in Chiran.  There are four teams who will be representing Le Grand in the tournament, one team for the mixed doubles on Saturday, and then three teams for the men’s doubles on Sunday.  In about 90 minutes, there were six or seven matches played on the match court.  For me, match-play practice is extremely valuable because the weakest part of my game is the mental part.  I need to put myself under the match-pressure so I can get used to it and learn to deal with it.  When I am down 40-15 on my serve, I need to learn to buckle down, get my first serve in, and gut out a win.  Thanks to Le Grand Tennis Club, I have been able to strengthen my mental game considerably over the last year and a half. 

On the drill court, as I said, there were several varieties of drills going on.  First, the coach was feeding two balls alternating between two lines, the first ball was to go down the line and the second ball was to go cross-court.  The next drill was two balls at a time, first to the player on the ad side, then the player on the deuce side.  The first ball was a short ball for an approach shot, and the second ball was a volley.  Keeping the movement forward was key in this drill.  Footwork to get in position for each shot was also key.  During the drills, I switched over to the match court, so I missed participating in some of the other drills.  There was an Overhead drill that I just missed that I wish I could have done because my overhead smash is awful.

The practice went right up to 1 o’clock so everyone had to cooperate to pick up balls and brush the courts.  With everyone working together, as always, the clean-up went very fast.

4.         Tennis English: 1-Point Lesson

“COME ON!!!”

In the introduction, I spoke about Naomi Osaka and how she said “Hello!” to start her victory speech at the Australian Open.  Another phrase we heard her use a lot during the match was “COME ON!”.  The correct pronunciation is “カッマーン” but don’t emphasize the “m” sound or hold it too long. 

There are several meanings for the phrase “Come on”:

1.  Come on = 頑張れ / やれやれ

2.  Come on = 何してるんだ？ （ちょっと怒ってる気持ちで）

3.  Come on = 行くよ

4.  Come on = 違うでしょう！ / あれ！なんで？

など

When Naomi Osaka hit an incredible shot or an awesome winner, she would shout, “COME ON!” (#1).  逆にwhen I hit a bad shot, I shout, “Come ON!” (#2). 

次回の練習で、良いショットを打ったら、”COME ON!” を大きく叫んでみて下さい。周りを気にしないでください。

楽しいよ！楽しみにしてます！

5. Tennis English: 英語と日本語の違い

「わっち」

日本語テニス用語で、「わっち」と言う言葉聞いたことがありますか？ 使い方は、ダブルスの時、敵のボールがアウトになりそうでしたら、後ろの選手は，「わっち」を叫んで、ネットの選手はボリーを打ちません。実は英語テニス用語で、「わっち」(WATCH)と言う言葉はありません。同じ場面で「Let it go!」か「NO!」か「IT’S OUT!」です。「わっち」を初めて聞いたときに、「なにを見て欲しい？」と思いました。結局ぼりーを打ちました。ダメでした。「わっち」は英語で、「watch a movie」とか「watch TV」とか 「watch the kids」です。テニスの用語ではありません。

6. Conclusion

I hope you were able to read and understand today’s BLOG entry.  I actually write my own BLOG about my personal workouts, so writing this BLOG was a nice change from that.  Feel free to use Google Translator for the English parts of today’s entry.  If you have any questions about today’s practice or English or anything else, feel free to ask me, Daddy!  Thank you, and see you on Wednesday.  Our next practice is on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.  I believe the venue is at Frespo, the indoor courts.  Thank you, and Good Night!

-----------------------------

I played three matches with the number 1 girl in the club because her partner was absent.  We actually played very well together.  The first match we played we won 4-0.  We played against two older but experienced players.  We were getting all the breaks and catching the lines.  It was a good match.  

Our second match was against another team entering the tournament, and we lost 1-4.  My serve suddenly decided to take a vacation.  In my one and only service game, I double-faulted four times.  You just can't win when you hit four double faults.  

Our last match was against a member team not in the tournament, but we promptly lost the first two games, but we came roaring back winning the next 4 out of 5 games taking the match 4-3.  I hit two aces that just clipped the service line, and then an incredible topspin lob that our opponent let go because he thought it was going out, but it landed inside the line.  They were good wins.

In the end, I burned a good 1765 kcals.  The main reason for the low Sunday burn was the fact that I came over 30 minutes late to the practice.  That initial warm up and starting the drills are necessary for getting and keeping my heart rate up for the whole three-hour practice.

Feb. 14, Thur. Valentine's Day Yoga Recovery

February 14, 2019, Thursday - P90X3 - X3 Yoga + Shoulder Care Yoga.

Today is Valentine's Day all over the world, but here in Japan, it is a day for women to give men gifts.  Then, men return the gifts on, what I can only assume is exclusively a Japanese creation, "White Day", March 14.  Truly a commercialized holiday created purely for profit and greed of businesses.  I do not participate in the White Day Fraud on a personal level so I gave my wife and daughter a small token of my love today.  Nothing on White Day.  But socially, I do white day as it is a social thing, if I receive something.  I did, so I will.

Anyway, today was a relatively free day, but I did have a little work to do in preparation for my business trip tomorrow.  After that prep was done, I got really sleepy.  I ended up taking a nap which lasted way longer than I had expected.  That oversleep put me into a time crunch for my workout.  I had intended to do X2 Yoga which is about 70 minutes long, but I ended up having to do X3 Yoga plus the 14-minute Shoulder Care routine.  I felt stronger this time around and the push-ups during the Vinyasa were not painful.  But my legs were still pretty sore from LIIFT4 Legs on Tuesday.  The routine went very well, but there was one move that is sort of my benchmark for X3 Yoga success.  Yes, you got it, the "Wrap" move.  I barely was able to do it last time, but today, I think it was mostly because of the stiffness and soreness in my legs, but I couldn't even touch my fingers together on either side.  It wasn't even close.  Last time I was able to grasp a bit on both sides, but today, not even a glancing touch or brush.  One bright point was the fact that I was able to hole Crow Pose for 25 seconds.  I felt very stable in it.

The shoulder Care was good, I am getting to be able to slowly open up my shoulders.  I did cut out the portion of the routine that is done in Warrior two pose.  I was using a smaller towel today and it wouldn't have really done anything today because I wouldn't have been able to extend my arms or pull my shoulder tight.

In the end, I burned a very modest 230 kcals.  Pretty much what I expected.

Feb. 13, Wed. - Night Tennis

February 13, 2019, Wednesday - Tennis.

There was another rain scare, but it stopped early enough so the courts were totally dry by 7 pm.  It was a very warm day, no coat necessary, but there was an extreme chill in the air at night.  I had sort of dressed thinking it would be a little warmer, but I was wrong and I felt chilly most of the night.  Plus, my legs were so sore from doing Legs yesterday.  I knew it was going to affect my mobility especially, but I was pretty sure I would feel it in all aspects of my game.  I was right.

I wasn't able to move my feet as quickly and just taking steps towards that ball was tough and painful.   I was trying to keep my moaning and groaning to a low rumble.  But good strokes were few and far between.  For my serve, I was just not getting anything in.  I couldn't jump to the ball and I was unstable on my stance, to begin with, so my base was mucking up the whole thing.  But that first hour and some change must have loosened me up some because when I started to play a match, I was moving much better and smoother and my serve was finally starting to go in.  I won my first two service games almost both at Love.  But I must have tired because my third game was junk and I hit 4 double-faults giving the game away. 

It was a warm day in the afternoon, but it got very chilly at night.  I was dress expecting a warmer temperature, but I got cold.  That probably had some effect on my play as well.

In the end, I burned a good 1377 kcals.  Again, not too bad for a winter's night.

Feb. 12, Tues. LIIFT Finishing Week 5.

February 12, 2019, Tuesday - LIIFT4: Week 5, Day 4 - Legs LIIFT 50/50 + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF + Push-Up 50.

Second day in a row of resistance.  The weighted leg day in LIIFT4 is brutal but quick.  I went with a heavy weight, but not too heavy because I knew if I did, I would cramp up really quickly.  My shoulders were sore and aching, but the only move that gave me a problem with was the very first move because I have to rest the dumbbells on my shoulders.  Aside from that, it was fine.  Here is the workout roundup:

Set 1
Front Loaded Squats - 17x2 kgs x3
Calf Raises - 17x2 kgs x3

Everything went well, but I started to feel the strain on my quads from the end of the first round.  I should have used heavier weights on the Calf Raises if I do both legs at the same time, or I should have gone with one leg at a time.

Set 2
Goblet Squats - 22 kgs x3
Reverse Alternating Lunges (double reps)- 10x2 kgs x 3

The 10 kgs for the Reverse Lunges was ambitious, but I got through it.  I was feeling a cramp coming on, but I slowed my pace and range of motion a bit and I was able to finish it out.  Next time, I should lighten my weight and not sacrifice range of motion.  I regret doing that now.

Set 3
Deadlifts - 17x2 kgs x3
Alternating Side Lunges (Double reps) - 10x2 kgs x 3

I should have lightened my weights for the Deadlifts.  I still need to be very careful about my back giving out.  I don't want to be laid out because I'm trying to go too heavy.  The most brutal move is the Alternating Side Lunges.  10x2 kgs was too heavy.  And even though I got through it, I again sacrificed range of motion and definitely form in the last round. 

Core Set
Dumbbell High Toe Touch to Extension - 5 kgs x3
Leg Lifts - 10 reps x 3 (+? sec.)

I was keeping up with Joel's pace in the first round, but as the burn got more intense, I had to go slower and even stop a couple times to breathe.  So, I decided to keep the 10 rep ceiling instead of the 30 second time.  So, I did 10 reps no matter what, and in the last couple of rounds, it took a little longer than 30 seconds.

I'm wondering how I'm going to do at tennis tomorrow after having done two resistance days in a row.

The other parts of the whole workout were fine.  But one new addition is the 50-Push-up rush.  I actually started it a few workouts ago but kept forgetting to add it to the entry.  Yesterday, I went for 50 reps, but only got to 40 reps, then I did the remaining 10 after a quick breather.  Today, I nailed 50 reps straight.  I want to keep that number at least 50 reps.

In the end, I burned a good 786 kcals.  Leg Day with weights is brutal.

Feb. 11, Monday - LIIFT4 Shoulders

February 11, 2019, Monday - LIIFT4: Week 5, Day 3 - Shoulders LIIFT Intervals + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

Today was a national holiday so I was able to do a workout today.  It is rare for me to be able to workout on a Monday, so I took advantage.  It did pose a small problem for me because I would be forced to do two resistance workouts on consecutive days, then have a tennis day on Wednesday.  I wonder how that will be. 

Anyway, here is my workout roundup:


Set 1
Upright Rows - 14.5kgs x3
Shoulder Press - 17 kgs x3
Single Let Plyo Lunges - 15 seconds each leg for a 30 second total.

Actually, on the Upright Rows, the first round was the toughest.  Once I got warmed up and my muscles woke up, the later rounds were a little easier.  The Shoulder Presses were tough and I hit failure on the last set because I had to take a mid-set break at 8 reps, then finish out the set.

Set 2
Front Raises - 6.25kgs x3
Lateral Raises - 6.25kgs x3
180 degree Squat Jumps - 24 reps, 26, reps, 28 reps in 30 seconds

Here again, the third set was brutal.  I had to really gut it out to the end.  But I pushed it hard on the cardio move.  I was able to progressively speed up each round and get a couple more reps each time.

Set 3
Shoulder Flys - 6.25 kgs, 5 kgs, 5 kgs.
Y Raises - 6.25 kgs, 5 kgs, 5 kgs.
Twisted Mountain Climbers - Averaged 12 double reps in 30 seconds

This was the toughest.  I was only able to do the first round with the heavy weight, then I had to drop because I was just swinging the dumbbell up on the last reps of the weighted moves.  The cardio move is a lot tougher than it seemed because it combines core and cardio.  I had to pace myself and stick with it.  I could have blasted the beginning, but then I couldn't have lasted the full time.

Core Set
Dumbbell Drivers - 5 kgs x3, 10 reps in 30 seconds
Prayer Crunches - Averaged 12 reps in 30 seconds

Got a good burn and I was feeling the pull in the last round, for sure.

The Shoulder Care Yoga was very helpful this time around.  I really wanted to keep my shoulders open after this routine.

In the end, I burned a good and surprising 839 kcals.  See! That combo of Resistance and Cardio is potent in burning calories.

Feb. 10, Sunday - Tennis.

February 10, 2019, Sunday - Tennis.

Another rain scare, but again, luckily it cleared up in time for the court to be in good shape and we could play.  It was rather cold the night before so I think a lot of the members were thinking it would be really cold during the practice as well, but actually, although it started out a little chilly, it sort of warmed up to the point that I had to take off my outer jacket.  I still had on three layers of thinner shirts, but it was fine without the insulated jacket.  There ended up being only 10 people attending on two courts, so we sped through the drills and started matches about halfway through the practice.  We played many matches.  I myself played four matches, while some others played five.  I could have played five, but I bowed out of the last match to let a guy sitting out the previous match play.  Plus, there wasn't enough time to play a full match, so it was all good.

In my first match, I was paired with a guy who has been absent from practices for over two months because his wife had a baby.  I was a little afraid that he might be out of it, but we played really well together.  However, we dropped the first two games going down 0-2.  But we promptly broke back and I held my service game to tie it at 2-2.  Two holds later, it was 3-3 and the deciding game was on. Luckily we were able to take that game and win the match.  I was starting to get my timing for poaching as well, and I had some good poaches.  The team we played is a team that is paired for the upcoming tournament on the 24th.  The same tournament I'm playing in with my son.  So they were worried about losing this practice match.

Match two, I was paired with the same guy and it was the same story in the end, but this time, everyone held serve with no breaks getting to a 3-3 tie.  Again, we were able to take the deciding game.  It is a lot more fun to win than lose.  My serve was a lot better in this game, only a couple of double-faults, and a win at Love.

Match three, I thought I was going to have the same partner again, but the team we were playing had already lost two of their matches so one of the guys kind of wanted a new partner.  So, after doing Rock-Paper-Scissors, I ended up with the weaker of the two.  We promptly lost the first two games, then I was up to serve.  I took the game at Love.  My serve was feeling really good.  We were able to break and hold, and they held one, so it was back to my serve as the decider.  I really wanted to hold, but the double-faults started to creep in and the game went to deuce.  I decided to go for it on my strokes so no holding back, no timidity.  BOOM! Took the game and match.  All day, my strokes were feeling really good.  I had a lot of confidence in them.

In the final match for me, I was paired with the same guy as the last match, but as a tell-tale sign, from my last service game, my serve started to fall apart and I was not able to hold, but we fought as best we could, but we ended up losing 2-4.

Today was a big boost to my confidence in my strokes and my serve.  I was able to start to get a sense of my contact point and really hit out on the ball.

In the end, I burned a good 2231 kcals.  Pretty big burn for a cold day with lots of matches.

Feb. 8, Yoga and Recovery Stretch day.

February 8, 2019, Friday - Shoulder Care Yoga + P90X3 - Cold Start + X3 Yoga + TCF.

Today, I was able to make it home with enough time to do a series of Stretches, Yoga, and Flows.  My goal was to be able to do the Wrap move without cramping or hurting my shoulders or back.  That is why I started with the Shoulder Care.  I wanted to get my shoulders loose so I could do it in X3 Yoga.  But after I got started, I realized that I should have started with Cold Start, then do the Shoulder Care and finish off with X3 Yoga.  Next time.  Long story short, I was able to do the Wrap move and I didn't hurt anything, but I wasn't able to grasp my hands/fingers as much as I used to be able to.  So, that is my new goal, to get flexible enough to do the Wrap with room to spare on my flexibility.  Doing the Push-Ups in the Vinyasa's was painful at first with the soreness setting in from the two resistance routines, but as the routine went on, the pain slowly dissipated.  I was very happy about that.

In the end, I burned a good  373 kcals.  Modest, but good burn.

Feb. 7 Time for the dreaded QUAD SETS!

February 7, 2019, Thursday - LIIFT4 - Week 5, Back and Biceps Circuit + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

I always look forward to Back and Biceps day up until I realize that it is Quad-set time.  Today was no different.  I dread the Quad-set.  However, after doing them today, it wasn't that bad.  I am getting used to the deep burn and of course, you got to love the PUMP!  And, this time, I actually went up in weight for most of the rounds.  In the second set, I went up in weight for the first round, but had to drop back to the previous weight in the last two rounds.  But let's see how it went.  Here is the blow-by-blow of the routine (all the weighted rounds consisted of 10 reps, even in the Burnout):

Set 1
Traditional Rows - 17, 17, 17kgs
Bottom Curls - 8.75, 8.75, 8.75kgs
Reverse Flys - 6.25, 6.25, 6.25kgs
Top Curls - 8.75, 8.75, 8.75kgs

This set took a bit longer than the video because I had to switch plates on my adjustable dumbbells twice, first, from the Bottom Curl's weight to the Reverse Flys weight, then back to the Top Curls weight.  I only have two sets of adjustable dumbbells so the lighter set had to be switched each time.  I don't have that size of safety clip like I do for my heavy dumbbells so I have to screw the stopper off and on each time I change plates.   The 8.75kgs is up 1.25kgs from last time, and that small weight makes a huge difference.  The final round was BRUTAL!!!

Set 2Pullovers - 17, 19.5, 22kgsHammer Curls - 8.75, 7.5, 7.5kgsWide Rows - 12, 12, 12kgsWide Curls - 8.75, 7.5, 7.5kgs

Here, you can see the drop in weight in the second round to 7.5kgs.  My right arm probably could have kept with the 8.75kgs through the second round, but definitely not the left.  So I made the switch.  The second round was definitely easier, but I barely got the last few up in the final round on my left.  I was gutting it out for my right.  Then, to go back a bit, I was feeling good on the Pullovers and probably could have gone even heavier than the 22kgs.  The Wide Rows weight seems a bit low, and it is, but the reason for that is that I was protecting my shoulders.  I thought it was over, but I forgot about the Burnout.

Burnout Set
Back Extensions - 30 seconds (around 12 reps each round)
Biceps Curls - 30 seconds, 10 reps each round, 7.5kgs for all.
Yep, this burned out my arms and my back was on the verge of the pinch cramp.  No break is brutal.

Core Set
Straight Leg Bicycle Twists - 30 seconds x3
Low Plank to Sphinx Rockers - 30 seconds x3
These core moves don't seem like much, but I always get a good burn by the time the final round.  Today was no different. Burny burn burn!
After the routine ended, I was ready for Shoulder Care.  I think I am ready to go it on my own next time.  I know what I like, I know what works, and I know what doesn't.  So, I can tailor the shoulder stretch to maximize my time.  Today was extra painful because of Tuesdays workout on my chest.  But it was a good pain so I could stretch my chest out as well.   I capped my workout with a good Flow Series.

In the end, I burned a good 539 kcals.  Hoping for a Friday Yoga day.

Feb. 6, 25th Anniversary Tennis.

February 6, 2019, Wednesday - Tennis.

It was raining like crazy in the early morning, but luckily it cleared up in the late morning so there was plenty of time for the courts to dry.  When tennis time came around they were nice and clean.

Today is my wife's and my 25th wedding anniversary.  And we celebrated by going to play tennis with our club.  We didn't tell anyone, but we enjoyed playing.  It was a good night and I got an old racket out of storage to get it into the rotation.  I have four rackets and the one that was in storage was the one that had the loosest strings.  I put it away instead of just keeping it out and working it in.  That was stupid on my part.  So, I finally got it out and I am now putting it into my rotation.  It is still at a lower tension, but when it rolls around, I'm going to try and play with more spin and see what happens.  I will have to change the grip on it though.  The Tourna Grip was crumbling in my hand.

The menu was back to normal starting with a warm-up, then Volley/Stroke, Serve/Return, and then finally Game Sims.  I don't really know what I was feeling tonight.  I was sort of up and down.  I couldn't really find my groove.  But the ups were a little longer than the downs.  But my serve was still not on.  I just couldn't get anything in consistently.

In the end, I burned a good but below average 1379 kcals.

I wanted to get a shot at the courts, but no chance, so the next best thing!

Feb. 5 Starting Week 5 of LIIFT4.

February 5, 2019, Tuesday - LIIFT4 - Week 5, Chest and Triceps 50/50 + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

I got started a little late today because I took my daughter shopping for a protective sheet for her new iPhone XR right after getting back from work.  She is a proud new owner of a new iPhone XR and she couldn't wait any longer.  So I didn't get started with my workout until after 7:30 pm.  So I was glad that this was as long as it is.

Anyway, here is a rundown of today's main routine:

Set 1
Chest Flys, 12 kgs
Triceps Presses, 12 kgs

On the first round I felt some strain in my shoulders but in the following rounds I worked it out.  The burn came on the last two reps in the first round, then got earlier and earlier in the following rounds.  Those 12 kgs got tough.

Set 2
Rotating Presses, 17 kgs
Skull Crushers, 8.75 kgs

17 kgs for the press move was fine in the first round but like the first set, the burn set in earlier and earlier.  The Skull Crushers were tough from the outset.  But working at a slow pace, I was able to grind through it.

Set 3
Chest Press, 19.5 kgs
Triceps Kickbacks, 8.75 kgs

I failed right at the end of the final round, I couldn't have gone any longer.  I'm right where I should be with regard to weights.  The Kickbacks were tough right from the start and just got tougher, but I was glad for the little breaks between moves. It gave me a chance to recover a bit.

HIIT Set
Single-Leg Plyo-Jump, 30-sec. X2
2x2 Mountain Climbers, 45-sec.
High Knee Sprint, 30-sec.

The final round on the first move brought the pain.  I almost got that cramping feeling, I could feel it was ready to come, right in my hamstrings.  Those double version Mountain Climbers were tough.  Round 1, I took at a slow pace for the whole time, the second round I picked up the pace and made it 2/3, then I finished out the last third after a short break and rewind.  The final round was a struggle. This is the hardest move of the bunch.  Absolutely crushed me.

Core Set
Dumbbell Toe Reaches, 10 kgs
Straight Leg Windshield Wipers

I felt the cramp coming along in the final round and that 10 kgs felt like a ton.  I was able to stay consistent with the pace and range of motion on the final move.  Crushed my obliques.

After three days, it was good to get back to the Shoulder Care.  I can't do that again.  I need to do it at least 5 times a week to really open up my shoulders. But today felt great!  And of course the capper, my flow series.

In the end, I burned a good 664 kcals.

Feb. 3 Rainy Tennis Day.

February 3, 2019, Sunday - Tennis.

The forecast was rain from noon.  In the past, the weather held well past the predicted rain, but today, the rain started earlier than forecast, but, it was more of an on and off light drizzle type of rain.  So, I went to the court and sure enough, there were a few diehard members getting ready to start the practice.  At the most, eight members were there, so instead of doing drills, we just played matches.  At the beginning after warming up some, and there were only seven members, we started playing a doubles match on one court and a singles match on the other.  I was playing in the singles match.  I was playing one of the top players in the club.  But I was feeling good.  But, unfortunately, my serve wasn't feeling the same way.  I served first, and I promptly double-faulted over have the points away, but I was able to work to 30-40, but another double fault doomed me.  But I came back and I was able to break his serve and tie it a 1-1.  My serve was still way off and the double-faults kept coming and I dropped the next game and he held.  I was down 1-3.  Then, in my next service game, I was still not hitting good serves and I lost the last game, unable to hold any of my service games.  I was very disappointed, but aside from my serve, I was relatively satisfied with my play.  Out of the five games we played, three of them when to a deciding point with me winning one and losing two.  The other two games I got to 30, so I wasn't getting skunked.  But one of these times, I will be serving well and stroking well and I will win.

My second match was a doubles match and I was partnered with a guy who is good but extremely erratic.  Not to put all the blame on him because I missed my share of shots, but on three game points he totally shanked easy, or what should have been easy put-away shots.  We should have won 4-1, but we ended up losing 3-4.

In the final match of the day, I was paired with the partner I had for my last tournament.  And we played well together.  Up until the tournament, whenever we were paired together, we just couldn't win.  But now, we play really well together and it is fun.  We were playing a pair that is, on paper, better than we are, but we just outplayed them today. and we took the match 4-2.  It was just about two hours when the rain started to really come down and the clay court started getting too muddy for play to be safe, so we called it a day.

In the end, due to a shortened Tennis day, I burned only 1352 kcals.  Short of the Sunday average by over one thousand.  I'll have to make up that deficit somehow.

Feb. 1 Yoga Recovery and Stretch Day.

February 2, 2019, Friday - Upper Body Yoga + LIIFT4 Stretch and Roll Recovery + Ab Yoga + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

Today I was freer so I could come home earlier than usual and do a nice little triplet of Yoga routines.  First, I did a 30 minute Upper Body Yoga routine with the girl that does the Shoulder Care routine.  It wasn't that hard, but I wanted to try a different Yogi to see how she directed a routine.  Not bad, but there are a lot of asumptions of knowing poses and cues so I had to stop and look up a lot to learn moves and cues.  Getting used to a new Yogi style will take a little time.  She directs a little differently than how she does the Shoulder Care routine so that was a bit tough to get.  I can take a lot more upper body stuff though.

Then I tried the LIIFT4 Roller routine.  Joel uses the roller they way Tony tells us not to use the roller.  But I was still able to find the knots that needed rolling out.  That was a painful journey.

The guy that did the abs/core routine had a better leading style, but I had to tap out several times because the short little 10-minute yoga ab routine was brutal.  Slow is Pain!  But I got a good burn right where I expected it.

I ended with the Shoulder Care and then I added some more foam rolling and did more back work and shoulder work with the Butterfly move trying to open up my shoulders even more.  I used to be able to touch my hands and elbows at the same time, but I can't anymore.  I want to get back to when I could and more.

The capper was the Flow series so the breathing calms.

In the end, I burned or toasted a modest 216 kcals.  Not all that unexpected for a low impact series of yoga and stretching.

Jan. 31 Finishing up Week 4 of LIIFT4.

January 31, 2019, Thursday - LIIFT4 - Week 4, Legs HIIT + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

The Legs HIIT routine is actually sort of a relief for me compared to the weighted leg days.  Just a quick rundown of the routine which is just 4 moves done in three rounds, then they are done three more times in a Burnout.  Here are the four moves with their times for the main HIIT:

Soccer Run/Sprint - 60 sec.
Triple Bear - 45 sec.
Sumo Squat Jumps - 30 sec.
Single Leg Plyo Lunge - 15 sec.

There is a 15-second break between each move, then a 30-second break at the end of each round.  The Burnout is the same four moves all done for 30 seconds each with no breaks between the moves and only a 30-second break at the end of each round. 

Doing this routine is a good burner for me and I was feeling it by the time I hit the Burnout.  When I went down the stairs, I could feel the wobbliness in my legs.  That's how I know I got wasted.

The core block was these two moves:

Prayer Crunch
High Plank Alternating Leg Lifts

Three rounds of 30-seconds each move with a 15-second transition period.  I almost made it without a tap out, but pushing it on the crunch, trying to get my shoulders higher, BURN and CRAMP!!!

The Shoulder Care really opened up my shoulders.  I need to do it more often if I really want to see results.  Ended with the Flow series.

In the end, I burned a good 639 kcals.  Good for a short workout.

Jan 30, Tennis back on the Hard Courts again.

January 30, 2019, Wednesday - Tennis.

Finally got back to the hard courts at the city proper courts.  I like playing on that surface because the ball is way easier to read and the ball reacts better to my stroke.  Today there weren't many people so we did a lot of Game and point Sim practice.  We got to serve for the sims as well and not just feeding the balls.  So the menu was totally different from what we have ever done before on a Wednesday night session.  Just different variations of shifting people around to practice doubles.  We also split the women from the men which was very new.  But it was kind of nice not having to pull up on my strokes.

I had a great time playing the sims today.

In the end, I got a great burn of 1449 kcals.  Average for a Wednesday night, but high for a Wednesday night in winter.

Jan. 29 Got in a 10 Km of biking before my LIIFT4

January 29, 2019, Tuesday - Biking + LIIFT4, Week 4 - Shoulders Intervals + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

Last week, my daughter got the flu right after bringing her bike into the shop for repairs.  I had to go and pick it up and bring in another bike for a check.  So, I rode one bike to the shop and my daughter's bike back home.  That is a good ride of around 11 km.  Most of it is flat, but the last push is a steep incline up to our house.  It was a good warm-up for my regular workout.  Oh, and notice that I say "biking" because the bike I rode was more of an upright easy rider bike, not my recumbent bike.  If it was that, I would have said "cycling".

When I got home I was pretty sweaty so I toweled off and got right to it.  Every time the Interval workout comes around I say the same thing, that this is the style I would rather do than any of the others.  I like the mix of resistance and cardio right there.  And this routine gives a great pump and burn.  Here is the rundown of the routine, as usual, it progresses in three rounds for each set, and the two weighted sets have 10 reps each then 30 seconds of a cardio move.  Here we go:

Set 1
Lateral Raises
Front Raises
Speed Skaters

Set 2
Shoulder Press
Shoulder Flys
Squat Jumps

Set 3
Upright Rows
Swimmers
Soccer Sprints

Core Set
Scissor Kicks
Reaching Situps (I used two 4 kg dumbbells even though Joel doesn't.)

Oh man, by the end of this one, I was needing that Shoulder Care and when I did it, MAN! Did it feel good!  Followed by the Flow series.

In the end, I burned a good 1039 kcals.  It kind of wet my appetite for cycling again.

Jan. 27, Tournament Day!

January 27, 2019, Sunday - Tournament Day!

This is the day I have been preparing for the past month.  After my terrible showing in the New Year's Singles tournament, my confidence was somewhat shaken and my desire and purpose for continuing to play tennis were in question.  So, to get some of that confidence back, I entered a C-Class tournament just to see what my level was like in a lower class.  I had a hard time finding a partner from my club because the "good" players felt they were too good to play in a C-Class tournament.  But finally, I was able to find a good player to be my partner.  There were only 9 teams signed up so we were put into three groups of three and we would play a group round, and then unlike previous tournaments, we went to the placement group round.

Our first match was against an older team and we started off quickly, winning the first two games, but then we slowed and promptly lost the next two.  We traded breaks and keeps and we ended up playing a tiebreaker.  I was playing particularly not good because out of three service games, I lost two and won only one.  Then, I lost the first two-point on my serve in the tie-breaker which was the death knell of the match for us.  So we lost in a Tie-breaker, 6-7.  If I had won just one more service game it would have been a totally different story.  Our next match was against a lower level team and we crushed them, 6-2.  So we got placed in the Second Place group and had another two matches there.  One of the teams had a player whom we knew to be very good.  I was afraid we would psych ourselves out, but when we started playing that team, we just rolled.  And we gained more confidence.  I was striking the ball much better now.  And it also seemed like we had more luck on our side because some shots were total miracles.  I also started getting used to the lob style of play.  I don't like it, but I have to learn to beat that style and we beat it hard today.  We won the first match 6-2.  The second team we played lost big to the team we just beat, so we also put the beatdown on them, winning 6-0.  MERCILESS!!

Needless to say, I felt like I got my confidence back and tournament tennis became fun once again.  I'll tell you, winning is a lot more fun than losing.

We ended up winning the second place group's first place.  We even got a prize and were honored in the award ceremony.  We were watching the first group teams play and we really wanted to play in that group more.  Next year, we have to start fast and stay there.  But through this tournament, I have a better feel for my level and what I need to do.

A shot of me and my partner at the awards ceremony.

In the end, I burned a big 3647 kcals.  Big burn for a great day.

Jan 24, Last strength workout before my tournament.

January 24, 2019, Thursday - LIIFT4 - Week 4, Back and Biceps 50/50 + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

I was torn as to whether or not to go full tilt on this routine or hold back and save myself the soreness and pain on tournament day.  I almost held back and actually started to go at a lower weight, but once I got started instinct took over and I had to push the limits.  In the middle of the routine, I was calculating when the soreness would be at its worst and I determined that it would be on the decline by Sunday.  So that made it a little easier for me to push. The routine was with the usual protocol of three sets, three rounds, all ten reps for the resistance half, and for the three HIIT moves, three rounds of descending time as noted.  Then, three rounds of the two core moves.  Here is the rundown for the routine:

Set 1

• Wide Rows
• Wide Curl

Set 2

• Reverse Fly
• Full Curl

Set 3

• Traditional Row
• Hammer Curl

HIIT

• Squared Squats – 60 seconds total
• Wide Mountain Twists – 45 seconds total
• Plyo Lunges – 30 seconds total

CORE/ABS

• Side Reaches
• Dumbbell Plank Tops

I hit the burn pretty quickly, but the pump took a little longer to manifest itself. On the HIIT, I was pushing it and I didn't even let up on the Plyo Lunges, no setup bounce, full bore from the top.   The Core Block was good, but I was able to control the crunches.  

On the Shoulder Care, I tried to activate the muscles around my shoulder and in my arms to support and get a deeper stretch.  I didn't catch that piece of advice from the trainer in previous runs.

In the end, I burned a good 711 kcals.  Good pump and burn!

Jan. 23, Last practice before my tournament.

January 23, 2019, Wednesday - Tennis.

Today was my last practice before my tournament.  So I really wanted to focus on my contact point, form and keeping my eye on the ball.  All seem like elementary stuff, but in the heat of the moment, I tend to forget the basics.  The menu for today was pretty normal so I was able to choose who I would rally with so I could focus on those points.   My serve was a little off, but I was able to start to hit a flat serve again.  And it was going it.  I was able to also find a good contact point and keep my eye on the ball.  I was feeling good after this practice session so I feel confident for Sunday's tournament.

In the end, I burned a good 1721 kcals.

Jan. 22. Starting Week 4 of LIIFT4 + Tournament Prep.

January 22, 2019, Tuesday - LIIFT4 - Week 4, Chest and Triceps Circuit + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

It is a week before a tennis tournament I'm playing in and before my last tournament about a month and a half ago,  I decided to take it easy on the weights so I wouldn't be sore on tournament day. Well, it seems that that plan was a failure.  Sure, I wasn't sore, but I also lost strength and stamina, and I played terribly.  So, this time, I'm not changing my weekly workout routine and I'm going to just play through the soreness if I have any. 

I'm starting Week 4 of LIIFT4 so back to the beginning.  Here is the rundown of the routine.  This time, we work on Quad-sets and no cardio, all weights.  I liked it better this time because the chest moves were mixed in with the Triceps moves.  In previous circuit routines, Joel Freeman did half of the moves on one body part first, then the last half on the other body part.  I don't like that style.  Today's style is more my style.  So here it is:

Set 1

1. Chest Press
2. Tricep Press
3. Flys
4. Tricep Kickbacks

Good moves.  Staple moves for the chest and triceps.  I felt strong going into the first round, but by the final round I could feel the pump and burn.

Set 2

1. Decline Press
2. Skull Crushers
3. Rotating Chest Press
4. Single Side Crushers

My arms and chest were already almost fried at this point, so I went down a little in weight and I still got even more fried.  I hit failure by the end of the third round.

Burnout Round

1. Wide pushups – 30 seconds
2. Tricep pushups – 30 seconds

I was totally fried at this point.  I had to do both variations of Push-Up on my knees and even then I hit failure at the end of each set and round. Talk about Rubber arms.

Core

1. Reaching Situps– 30 seconds
2. Bicycle Twists – 30 seconds

Joel does the situps weight free, but I added some weight to it today.  At the very end of the second round, I could feel my abs starting to cramp and involuntarily flex, especially when rolling back onto the floor.  That was really tough and I fried my abs.

When I did the Shoulder Care Yoga, Oh the pain.  Especially in my chest.  I could feel my shoulders really starting to open up, the keyword is "Starting" to open up.  I have a long way to go before I'm satisfied with my shoulder flexibility.  My ending flow was also good.  I'm getting it back on the right side, but it still feels a bit off for some reason, not totally natural.

In the end, I burned a good 552 kcals.  Not bad for a shorter routine.

Jan. 19. Yes, I worked out on a Saturday night! Not tennis!

January 19, 2019, Saturday - LIIFT4 - Week 3, Legs 50/50 + Shoulder Care Yoga + TCF.

This past week's schedule was extremely hectic so I was not able to workout on Thursday or Friday, and I knew I would have to work on Sunday and Monday.  So that meant that if I didn't work out today, I would not be able to work out for five days straight.  I couldn't do that, so I went for a Saturday night workout.

Today was the finisher for Week 3 of LIIFT4, Legs 50/50.  It was a burner with weights.  The 50/50 denotes that half of the routine is resistance and the other half is cardio.  All the resistance sets were done in three rounds and each move was 10 reps each.  Here is the rundown of the routine after the warm-up:

Set 1

1. Sumo Squats–  10 reps
2. Bridges – 10 reps

Set 2

1. Front Loaded Squats–  10 reps
2. Calf Raises – 10 reps

Set 3

1. Alternating Side Lunges–  10 reps
2. Deadlifts – 10 reps

HIIT (cardio)

1. Soccer Runs – 60 seconds
2. Catchers – 45 seconds
3. Lunge jumps – 30 seconds

Core

1. Side Plank (right side) – 30 seconds
2. Side Plank (left side) – 30 seconds

The toughest set was Set 2.  The Front Loaded Squats really burn out the whole body, struggling to stay upright with those heavy dumbbells on my shoulders was extremely tough.  I did a lot more Calf Raises than 10 reps though.  Set 3 seemed like it went on forever!  The Side lunges really racked my inner thighs and I felt a cramp coming on in the last set.  I also started to modify a bit because I felt a little twinge in my right knee.  I was very careful about the angle at which I came down, but I still felt some knee pain.  

For the Cardio,  It was tough, but if I had to choose, the last move, even though it is the shortest, was the toughest.  I did a half modified pace, with a set bounce between the switch jump.  But I did the standard style for the last set which thrashed me bad.

When I heard that it was only planking for the core, I thought I was given a break, and it was relatively easy for the first set and a half, but it became a real struggle during the last set and a half.  I felt the BURN in my obliques.

I also did the Shoulder Care even though I didn't really work my shoulders today, I will do the shoulder stretch whenever I can because I want them to open up.

In the end, I burned a good 736 kcals.  That is a lot for a 40-minute routine. Happy to get it done!

Wednesday Tennis has come again.

January 16, 2019, Wednesday - Tennis.

Today was a normal tennis day.  I thought I was going to be colder than it was, but it was cold when I took off my jacket so I had to play with it on.  I did try taking it off but got chilly because of my sweat combined with the breeze coming in from open doors and windows of the indoor courts.  Today's menu was, as usual, starting off with Stroke/Volley then progressing to Serve/Return and then finally Game Sims.  There weren't a lot of people so we didn't have a lot of waiting time between drills so it was a good workout.  Almost constant cardio.  But as more people arrived, there was a chance for a little bit of a breather.  Here is a little video of part of a Game Sim.  I'm playing with three ladies.

In the end, I burned a good 1512 kcals.  I hit the average even in winter!

Jan. 14 Working on my shoulders' strength and flexibility.

January 14, 2019, Monday - LIIFT4 - Week 3, Shoulders + Shoulder Care Yoga.

Today was a free day because no night class so I could come home a do a workout.  But I will have to take a break tomorrow to make up for today's missed class. 

This was another day for shoulders, just working on the strength with the LIIFT4 program.  Here is a run through of the workout after the warm-up.  All weighted sets are 10 reps and all sets are done in three rounds:

 Set 1

1. Lateral Raises
2. Front Raises
3. 30 seconds of Speed Skaters

Set 2

1. Shoulder Press
2. Shoulder Flys
3. 30 seconds of Squat Jumps

Set 3

1. Upright Rows
2. Swimmers
3. 30 seconds of Soccer Sprints

Core (15-second set up break between each set but not for resting.  Three rounds.)

1. Scissor Kicks– 30 seconds
2. Reaching Situps – 30 seconds

This was a great routine because, as I said before, I love the mix of weights and cardio in the same routine.  But not like the 50/50 routines where I do resistance in the first half then cardio in the second.  This was a good mixing of the two.  My heart rate went up and I got a good pump and burn on my shoulders.

This time, I also did my Shoulder Care Yoga.  My shoulders are still really tight, so I'm going to do this little shoulder stretcher for a while until I see clear results.  Of course, the capper was my Flow Series.

In the end, I burned a good 638kcals.  Not too bad for a shorter rotuine.