Baseball:

Threw for about 30 minutes in Arlington. Then went up to Chevy Chase to throw and take infield.

Stats after two baseball games

I'm hitting a scorching .000 this season. Though the results are not as bad as they seem, I'd still like to get bat to ball.

Stats after 2 games:

* 0 - 6
* 3 Walks
* 1 Strike out
* 3 Stolen bases
* 2 Runs scored
* 1 Reach on Fielder's choice
* 1 Error

Some light climbing and a little bit of shoulder and forearm work.

4 x 20 Reverse wrist curls (5#, 8)
4 x 10 Rotator cuff exercises (5#, 8)

GTG: 100 Push-ups

Baseball:

I threw short and long toss for about 45 minutes this afternoon, trying to beat the rain. While practicing some pitching, I threw the nastiest curve ball I've ever thrown, heading straight for the batter and braking late, down and away, over the plate. I sort of caught me off guard.

I've been messing around, on and off, with a submarine delivery, since I'm not that tall and lack velocity. This delivery style gives the pitcher a lot of movement, but he has to be sure to keep his pitches down around the knees. Leave them up in the zone and they're bound to head the other way in a hurry.

Then I headed to the cages to work on my swing.

Warm-up:
4 x 10 Overhead Squats
4 x 5 Divebombers

WOD:
(3 sets of each)

10 x Pull-ups
20 x Push-ups
10 x Dips
10 x Good mornings (15#, 15, 20)
10 x Lunges (10#)
30 x Squats
10 x Dumbbell snatches (10#)

4 x 10 Rotator cuff exercise

Baseball:

45 minutes of throwing & long toss

First Baseball Game

After a couple months of practice, I had somewhat of a disaster of a game. I struck out and ground out on my first two at bats, and misplayed two fly balls in left field. In addition, in my excitement, I tried to knock the snot out of the ball, forgetting my best asset on the field--speed on the bases. On my last at-bat, I drew a walk, stole second, advanced to third, and eventually scored at home. Strength and endurance is great, but I should make better use of the most important body part I've got: my noodle.

I'm glad I had a CF base of fitness or I would have been completely wrecked on Monday. Tough recovery with soreness in my hips, upper legs, and shoulders.

Final Score: 11-10 Win

WOD:

4 easy climbs on toprope

(4 sets)
10 Pull-ups
20 Squats
10 Dumbbell thrusters (25#)
20 Push-ups
10 Dumbbell flies (15#)
10 Rotator cuff exercises (5#)

Baseball:
30 minutes of throwing and long toss
2 x 12 slow cage
3 x 12 medium cage
2 x 20 live batting practice

Toproping at Metro Rock

This is another video I found of me toproping at Metro Rock from over a year ago. This was a 5.10a that Matt Mendonza put up and asked me to rate his route setting.

300: The Movie

I just saw 300, the Frank Miller movie about 300 Spartans who held back the tyrannical hordes of Persia over three days.

It was OK.

But I did want to come home and do 300 push-ups afterwards, then spear my enemies, pulling them closer through the shaft to watch the light in their eyes extinguish. But, I did neither. I thought about it though. It was that sort of day at work.

GTG WOD:
(10 rounds for form, easy pace: 40 minutes)
5 Dips
5 Kipping pull-ups
5 Dumbbell thrusters (35#)
5 Dead hang chin-ups

100 barefoot calf raises

5 x 10 Rotator cuff exercises (8, 5#)

Two guys at the climbing gym were watching me with keen interest. I worked with them on their form for kipping pull-ups, thrusters, and overhead squats. I realized how far I had come in the last few months, watching these guys struggle with form and shoulder flexibility. These are strong climbers who climb hard.

Baseball:
30 minutes of throwing, long toss, and flat ground pitching

Things to work on:
Sinker and slider for strikes
Curve ball out of the zone
Fastball on the corners
Base stealing
Extra base line drives
Plate discipline i.e. force my pitch

Injury Report: Turf Toe

Turf toe is a strain, partial tear, or full tear in the area around a toe joint (commonly the big toe), so named for pro football players who are often afflicted with this injury. In football, it happens when the knee is down and the toes are bent on the ground. One or more players fall on a player's calf, thus hyper-extending the toe joint.

This has been a chronic nagging injury for me, first happening in Boston while climbing overhangings. On small holds, you can only put your big toe on a jib or hole, while propelling yourself upward.

The tenderness comes and goes, but lately it's been hurting from baseball. I changed my swinging leg mechanics to pivot on my right foot toes, then explode towards first base on contact. My cheap cleats are, no doubt, way too soft for everyday playing.

Climbers and baseball players, who have almost nothing in common, but often suffer the same injuries. So far I've had tennis and golf elbows, hammer finger, and now turf toe.

Remedies:
* 6-8 weeks of rest
* Ice or alternating hot/cold treatments
* Buddy taping toes together
* No weight for severe injuries

Google Search: Turf Toe

This is my longest hiatus from WODs without being sick--1 week. I suffered again today. I feel weaker in stamina and endurance, and have been for the last few weeks.

Quote of the day: "Just finish. You're not going to feel that much better if you stop."

Warm-up:
Overhead squats (PVC)
Shoulder dislocates (PVC)
20 Squats
10 Push-ups
20 Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Jumping jacks


Easter WOD: 12 Stations of the Cross(fit)
Dumbbell walking lunges - perimeter of basketball court
20 Burpees
30 Sumo dead lift high pulls (1 pood)
Wheelbarrow walk - 2 lengths
50 Windshield wipers
Bear crawls - 3 lengths
Mini Cindy - 5 ring pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats (5 rounds)
20 Jumping jack burpees
50 Push press (12#)
50 Goblet squats (20#)
Stretch

Cleans - 30 minutes for form
(45#, 85#)

I need to work on this once a week on my own and once a week with Russ. I have adequate technique and power on the squats and push-presses. Now, I've got to get the middle piece.

If cleans are a 4 part progression: 1) address bar 2) slide along thigh 3) explode upward, and 4) catch and squat, I need most of the work on phase 3.

Baseball:
1 hour of throwin, long toss
Pitching on flat ground to batter
30 minutes in the medium cages

Baseball:
1 hour of throwing, pitching, long toss
(knuckleball, tailing fastball, fastball, sidearm curve)

WOD: On a basketball court

50 Squats
Shuttle run (1/2-full-1/2 court)
50 Squats
Burpee broad jump / bear crawl
20 Dumbbell thrusters (20#)
30 Sit-ups
Shuttle run
20 Dumbbell push press (20#)
30 Sit-ups
Overhead walking dumbbell lunge (20#)
Bear crawl / backwards bear crawl
20 Sit-ups
Shuttle run
Overhead walking dumbbell lunges (5#)
20 Dumbbell Thrusters
Shuttle run
20 Dumbbell burpees (20#)

Time: 45 minutes

Squat clean for technique: bar weight and 85#
5 x 1 clean + 3 front squats 85#

We had our baseball team draft tonight. Opening Day is two weeks away. Com'on... who's excited? Who's exited?