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.