Balance

Balance, like moderation, is one of those things that is really important in life. And like moderation, I suck at it. But when a friend offered an opportunity for me to stray from my normal hops heavy beer, I jumped at the chance. And I was rewarded: this home-brewed wheat beer is complex and delicious, earthy and malty, full-bodied, with a hint of a Belgian sour at the finish. It is the cat's meow!

Survive and Move On

The holidays can be challenging to a fitness routine, and this year's Thanksgiving week was no exception. In addition to the normal overindulgence, we added what I fear is a new tradition this year: the pickleback. In this case, a shot of Jim Beam followed immediately by a shot of kosher dill pickle juice. It was, against the odds, really good! The pickle juice has that nice, elusive umami taste.

Anyway, despite the lack of workouts (only 3 all week), the weight gain (a few pounds), and my new holiday pickleback habit, I went 3-2 on Saturday, bringing my 2011 record to 28-39. In addition to the "despites" above, I won games despite wretched shooting on my part. Had I made lay-ups I would've been 5-0. Back to practice this week!

The Best Happy Hour in Portland for Beer Geeks

At Mama's Crowbar all draft beers are $3 every day between 4 and 6. And I'm not talking about a Shipyard Export or a Coors Light--Mama's got Allagash Black and Thing 1 and Oxbow's FPA and Maine Brewing Company's Zoe!

So how does this tie into basketball? Well, it doesn't really, except that it's important to be focused and go all in. If you are playing basketball, even if you are old and more of a never-was than a has-been, it's still important to give it your all. And if you are a beer bar serve great beer, and cater to folks who like great beer by offering it at a really good price. And don't trick it out with distractions like food and televisions and trivia contests and credit card machines. Keep the background music in the background--conversation counts. And keep the magnetic poetry unsophisticated enough so even beer geeks get it.

Conventional Wisdom

Despite the clear, irrefutable evidence supporting beer as the perfect recovery beverage, I tend to follow conventional wisdom, which dictates holding off on beer until lunch time. So my Saturday morning post-basketball routine includes a sauna (this is probably a mistake, since I've already sweat a lot, but it feels good), which is included in the $5 gym entry fee, followed by a bagel and lox. These are very simple pleasures that add to the basketball experience.

Improvement

I was 2-2 today, which brings me to 25-37 for 2011. I felt good about the results given that I started in an 0-2 hole. My energy level was reasonably high throughout.

I can't decide if my new ball (pictured here) played a role in the outcome. Probably not, but I like it.

Too Much Head

Actually, too much of everything. My weight is creeping up (wrong direction!). My theory is that food and beverage intake is a factor. There is some science behind this radical hypothosis, evidently.

It's Maine Beer Week, and I paired a magnificent burger with a bottle of Maine Brewing Company's Peeper Ale. Simple elegance!

Two-A-Days

My plan is two workouts a day Monday-Thursday (inclusive). The general pattern is a 30 minute workout in the morning, and a 10 minute "fitness blast" in the early evening on Monday and Wednesday, with my basketball skill workout at noon(ish) on Tuesday and Thursday. Friday morning is a 30 minute workout, and Saturday is gameday. Sunday is an easy day but generally includes a long (more than an hour) walk/bike ride/cross country ski/snowshoe, depending on time of year and weather conditions.

So my MWF morning workout is a warm-up, then 8 X 2 minute on/30 seconds off of bodyweight and Kettlebell work, targeting the whole body but including push-ups and pull-ups.

My Tuesday and Thursday morning workout is a warm-up followed by 5K on the indoor rower (steady state aerobic pace). I stretch my back thoroughly after the rowing sessions.

The warm-ups are 5-10 minutes, and include Jumping-Jacks, hamstring and quad stretches, and some yoga sun salutations.

The 10 minute fitness blast is intense but excuse free (it's always possible to find 10 minutes). It includes Jumping-Jacks, Burpees (you know this one, but there's a picture here--the jump at the end makes them particularly tough), the Turkish Get-Up (picture above right), Dead Cleans, Get-Up Sit-Ups (picture, above, of the 2 dudes finishing this move), and the Snatch (picture labelled in Greek or maybe that's Russian).

I've added a warm-up to my basketball skill workout that includes 20 drop-steps. And a cooldown that includes 3-point shots.

Result, Analysis, and Recovery

Game day was a success by the most crucial measures: it was a terrific workout; it was fun; and I came away uninjured. I was 1-2, however, which brought my 2011 record to 23-35. Ouch!

I had a pretty good first game and then tailed off as fatigue set in. I need to lengthen the duration of my workouts, I think, to build in more endurance on game day. I'll focus on that this week.

The rest of the day was a tribute to the kind of post-workout recovery possible only here in the great state of Maine. A drive up the coast to the Oxbow Brewery, for tastes of the FPA, the Freestyle #2 (a chocolate stout), and the Oxtoberfest. Had a terrific pulled pork sandwich, catered by the Newcastle Publick House, while there and came away with a growler of FPA. Stopped at the Lion's Pride (Brunswick) for a glass of Hugh Malone on the way home.

Game Day

It's Saturday morning which means it's game time! The best--but only if I push myself constantly--and riskiest workout of the week. Actually, it's the only workout where I feel that there's a chance of an injury, although I suppose I could tweak something in any of my other workouts, or climbing out of bed in the morning, for that matter.

It's also the most fun of any of my workouts. And although I should've grown out of this long ago, I have to confess it's more fun to win than to lose.

I Use This

That's right: a gymboss. It's a programmable timer that beeps to begin and end workout intervals. It can be really mean and tough and can make a minute last a long time. But it's very effective.

Important Rules

Senior Basketball games are 3-on-3 halfcourt, an adaptation that is appropriate and just. Also, in pick-up games, we don't go "skins", for reasons which would be obvious if we did. The protocol is to bring both a light colored shirt and a dark colored shirt to the game, so you can go both ways, in a sense, even if you only go to your right, or left.

Another very important rule is that senior players (geezers) are asked to purge their closets of all of their 70s era short shorts. This rule is also obvious, just glance at the unfortunate photo shown here--from the 90s--for proof.

Lederhosen

No, I'm not suggesting that strapping on leather panties will somehow help your game resemble Dirk Nowitski's. But when in New York City (as I was this weekend) a stop at Lederhosen for the Schnitzel and the seasonal beer (Octoberfest in my case) will upgrade your mental frame of mind in such a way that you will perform better the next time you step on the court. In addition, the combination of carbs and protein makes for the perfect recovery meal.

I also found the Lagunitas IPA poured at Wilfie & Nell to be appropriate sustenance. The game at the West 4th Street "Cage" was a little disappointing, though. Not the inspiration I was looking for.

Unfortunate Timing

Although I've found the perfect recovery beverage it remains important to continue to source alternate recovery drinks, given the potential for shortages and drought and what-not. Be that as it may, I will miss a tremendous opportunity to scout geezer hoop fuel because I'll be out of town this weekend and therefore unable to attend the Maine Brewer's Fest.

The good news is that I'll be in New York City, where they are reputed to have ample amounts of the fuel that makes geezers go. So I'll scout there, and report back in with the results.

Some Explanations Necessary

Ok, some explanations are in order. The Mary Katherine is an explosive lunge named for the SNL charachter.

The Sumo Squat Leap is a leg exercise.

I trick out the Mary Katherines and the Sumo Squat by holding a basketball in my hands, although I'm not sure that does anything.

The Mikan Drill is terrific, and actually challenging cardiovascularly. I do 3 variations. The first is straight on (a conventional lay-up), then the reverse mikan, from underneath the basket, then one that introduces a baby hook shot. I should make every one of these shots, but I don't. George Mikan was the first great big man in the NBA, he played for the Lakers when they were in Minneapolis, and therefore when their name made sense.

The Catch-and-Shoot drill I use is similar to the link here, except that my shots are in and around the paint, and they don't go in as often.

Practice!

That's right, I'm talking about practice.

Fitness improvement means playing at a higher level, and it's injury preventative medicine. Practice means basketball skill improvement, which facilitates playing at a higher level. I've developed a practice routine that I can do by myself that incorporates both skill development and fitness improvement. This is it:

1:00 Mikan drill/:30 push-ups
1:00 Reverse Mikan drill/:30 plank
1:00 Mikan baby hook drill/:30 Sumo Squat Jump
1:00 Catch-and-shoot/:30 Mary Katherines
1:00 Catch-and-shoot/:30 jump rope
2:30 10 free throw attemps

That's Round One. I do 3 rounds. I try to minimize the rest time between rounds. The last time I did this, I averaged 52 baskets made (excluding the free throws). I made 20 of my 30 free throws, and completed the 3 rounds in 34:37. My heart rate bangs into anaerobic threshold range and averages mid-aerobic range throughout the workout, despite falling during the free throw sessions.

My hope is that, over time, I'll be a better player with help from this workout