Workout 10/4/12

I meant to update this yesterday evening, but I ended up attending a shadow boxing workout at 7:30 yesterday evening and I was too tired to get to the computer. In addition I had lifting with the Kings High School Basketball team. Trying to act like I know more about basketball than them is a joke. Anyways, enjoy the cardio.

Track Circuit

1 mile warmup jog

1 mile (jog 100/ sprint 100 / jog 100 / sprint 100)

1 mile (Sprint 200/ Walk 200 / Sprint 200 / Walk 200)

Shadow Boxing

10x:

1 minute speed jump rope / 30 seconds of prison pushups

10 rounds

30 seconds of shadow boxing (instructor calls out different combinations 1-8)

1: Left Jab

2: Right Cross

3: Left Side Jab

4: Right Side Jab

5: Left Upper-Cut

6: Right Upper-Cut

7: Left Kick

8: Right Kick

Spider Pushups

6x 20 yards

If you need any information concerning the movements let me know.

Make it a great Friday.

First Fitness Entry

Branching off into a new category. It only seemed right considering my love of personal fitness.

Being an ex-athlete, I have struggled with channeling my competitive nature. From my viewpoint, I had a much different undergraduate college experience than your average student. Caught somewhere between scholar and a Division 1 (Paid) Football player, I was a kid that grew up in an athletic family, that was just not athletic enough to make it to the big time.  I went to school in Springfield, OH, home of the tiny Wittenberg University. This is a school blessed with tradition, great academics, and a picturesque setting. It’s funny how children end up like their parents. All through high school I pledged that I would never follow in my parents’ footsteps and be a Wittenberg Tiger. Fast forward to 2012 and I am walking across the stage in Commencement Hollow getting my degree.

After reminiscing for a moment, let me get back on track (my apologies)….

What to do now? For so long my schedule was rigid and completely booked. Wake up at 7:15 a.m., Breakfast at the CDR at 7:30, Class from approximately 8:00 – 12:00 p.m., Game Film from 1:00-2:30, Practice from 3:00-6:00. Dinner at 7:00 p.m., Homework, Lights-out, Repeat.

In the winters it was much the same, only rotate the practice with strength & conditioning in the Heinzen Strength Center.

Today, my structure is much different. With a 40 minute commute to and from school, I don’t have as much flexibility to get my training in. However, I refuse to “give up the dream”. Who says I can’t stay in the best shape of my life because of my changing schedule. Change is the only constant thing in life, and I plan on staying just as fit and healthy. The goal of this blog is to update you with the methods that I have used to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Following a healthy lifestyle is anything but easy. Myself included. However, the fun of “blogging” about it is knowing that others face the same upward climb everyday. By going at with a team attitude, it is my hope that the “group will equal something greater than the sum of its parts”.

Stay-tuned as I keep you updated on workouts, eating, supplement reviews, and lifestyle choices. You don’t have to agree, and many of you won’t. However, as with my Sports Entries, if you don’t enjoy my entries, find something else.

Embrace the Struggle.

-C

Sickness Can’t Keep Me Down

What a week.

Last monday (9/24) started off very promising. Had to study for not one but two -read that two- mid-terms that were to be held on Tuesday (9/25). Literally, the entire night was spent in front of the computer with Five Hour Energy (Extra Strength) running through my veins. Woke up the next Morning, dominated the slow traffic of I-71 and proceeded to scissor-kick both of those mid-terms. Now, a week later, I believe my poor hand is still recovering from the cramping. Oh well, I made it through the day clicking my heels and fist-pumping all the way to the Green Parking Garage.

And then it was Wednesday…..

I’m not sure it was because of the lack of rest from the week, but I woke up Wednesday with a fever and poison ivy covering my face. You can imagine my concern. Miss a class. Check. Miss the Career Fair. Check. It was exactly the week that I didn’t need to happen. After four days on the couch, 30+ hours of television, and obscene amounts of antibiotics and steroids (for the poison ivy), I am back in action. SO, don’t worry about me, let’s get back to a week in sports.

My beloved Horseshoes had the week off. Needless to say, they needed a week to regroup. I’m loving what we are getting from our young offensive skill, but that o-line and defense is tough to watch. As a former college player, I believe I am entitled a small amount of leeway when it comes to armchair quarterbacking. I was excited about the prospect of winning 7-8 games this year, but unless our defensive secondary heals up…….wait a minute….no one is hurt…..THAT IS OUR STARTING DEFENSIVE SECONDARY. I am just hoping the bye week can bring something of a pass rush/pass defense/run defense….basically a rejuvenated defense. With a game against the assassin known as Aaron Rodgers (and the Green Bay Packers) next week, 1-3 could be staring us dead in the face.

In other news, the RedLegs had a very respectable 6-4 week and finished the regular season home finale with a walk-off victory. How cool. It has been a fun season to be a part of and I am looking forward to the NLDS in the next week (we have home field advantage for this round).

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention something about Homer Bailey. I will be the first to admit that I have had a trying time when it comes to loving Homer in the last 5 years. His inconsistency was painful. PAINFUL. However, kudos for the guys on the third floor of the front office for sticking with him and allowing him to develop. He has grown into a bona fide power pitcher with breathtaking curve. Homer Bailey has been doing his best wine impersonation, “He is only getting better with time”. I apologize for the overused reference, but it fits. After pitching the first no-hitter since Tom Browning’s perfect game in September 1988, Homer Bailey is firmly enshrined in Reds lor. You want to talk about vindication? I never thought I would say it, but, “I believe in Homer Bailey”. Also, I wish he could pitch about 15 games in Pittsburgh a year. He is a phenom in the Steel City. Call me a Homer (I’m so punny….sorry), but I believe we have the pitching staff to make some noise in the upcoming postseason.

Alright faithful followers, this post is getting a bit wordy, and the whole department is racing to get things done before the NLDS.

Have a great Monday, make it great.

-C

Reds Clinch!

Me and Jay Bruce celebrating Saturday’s victory! The Cincinnati Reds clinched the National League Central and are heading to the NLDS!

 

Sports Weekend (9/14/12-9/17/12)

This was definitely a weekend of highs and lows from the home (sports) front. What was originally intended to be a fun filled weekend of sports got off to a rocky start. My beloved Kings Knights football team lost in a heartbreaker to those nancies from Forest Hills, the Turpin Spartans. The game was featured on the regional television network Fox Sports Net (Ohio), so I was able to watch from UC’s own watering hole, Catskellar.  My spite for the Spartans began my junior year of highschool (2006) when I was apart of the first Knights loss to Turpin in many years. Since then the rivalry has grown into something of an Eastern Cincinnati (Division 2) Ohio State-Michigan skirmish. The great thing about a loss on Thursday night is that you have the entire weekend to regain the mojo.

Saturday I migrated back up to the old stomping grounds of Wittenberg University. Springfield is not by any means the perfect town, but it has character and I grew to love it. The Witt Tigers were under the lights in a Titanic struggle against the new-to-the-conference DePauw Tigers. Unfortunately, the game was anything but a struggle and I was safely back at the tailgate at half-time with the Tigers holding a comfortable 35 to 7 lead. I have to give a shout out to my old roomie Chris Stone for playing an exceptional free safety and for keeping our old house from being condemned. I got to see a lot of old faces that I missed (and some that I didn’t). In the end, I woke up on a couch with a headache and a grin.

Sunday brought a big s̶t̶u̶d̶y̶  FANTASY football day. As the football gods would have it, my man Dwayne Bowe caught two garbage time TD’s that probably pushed me to victory. With an 18 point lead heading into Monday Night Football, I need Tony Gonzalez to have a Tony Gonzalez-type day. Nothing spectacular, but he can’t disappear either. It also wouldn’t  break my heart if Michael Turner misremembered his way to the Georgia Dome.

In other news my beloved Horseshoes won their first game of the Andrew Luck/Chuck Pagano era. It wasn’t pretty, but I will take a “W” any day of the week. The Colts have now one exactly 50% of the games they won in 2011! I might be bold, but if the terrible (read: TERRIBLE) offensive line can just up their play to “Bad”, there is every reason to try for 7 victories. That would be an accomplishment considering the make-over that the entire program went through. I’m optmistic, but again this is the NFL.

This post has gotten a bit lengthy, so it is time for me to get some actual work done…..WAIT! ONE LAST THOUGHT. The Reds are currently a magic number of “5″ from clinching the Central. Since the rest of the division has decided to wave the white flag, it wouldn’t surprise me if they won it all this weekend. Couldn’t happen at a better time, at home against the Dodgers.

Now I am finished. Sorry for the lengthy display. Good bathroom reading.

Go World.

-C

I-74 Sports

How is it going out their Midwestern sports fans? Currently sitting in a very informational E-Marketing class that has me diving into the world of blogging. So what is the premise for this blog. Being a washed up and broken former athlete, it only seemed right to blog about the teams I love. College football, Major League Baseball, and the NFL are the points of interest. Before you get too involved be forewarned; I was born in Indianapolis and raised in Cincinnati (I-74 is catchy eh?). I commit my full allegiance to the Horse Shoes and Pacers of Indianapolis and the Cincinnati RedLegs. Being a newly anointed graduate student at UC, I will be sprinkling in some Bearcat football as well. I will not, under any circumstances, have anything supportive to offer about the Cincinnati T̶h̶u̶g̶s̶ Bengals. As long as you agree to those terms, your more than welcome to ride along for this class project. If not, well I’m sure your bus will be around sooner or later.

Long live D3 sports, beer, and fantasy football

-C