The season that should have been.

So, as the season winds to a close, I start thinking about all the things I could have done different, to make this a successful season, personally.  As a team, we didn't have a great season.  Personally, my season was an absolute disaster.  It started with me hurting my left hamstring during a company softball game.  As the left one started to heal, I hurt my right hamstring during a league softball game.  So, here I stand, training hard since October of 2011 to play semi-pro football, and I have 2 hamstring issues and haven't even played a game yet.  Needless to say it effected the first 5 games of the season.  I played sparsely in the first 3 game.  I could play a few plays, and would have to come out, stretch out, and go back in.  So I decided that i'd sit for  the 4th and 5th game, and be ready to play the second half of the season fully healthy.  By the 6th game, I felt good, not great, but I felt my hamstrings were good enough to play competitively.  I started at corner and slot against the Timberjacks. I thought I had played well through the first quarter. Even had a pass defended in the end zone, not only saving a touchdown, but getting us the ball back on offense. I did end up costing my team 2 touchdowns on mistakes at my position.  One was a running play, where I over pursued into the backfield, and the other was a pass play where I didn't realize I had the coverage on the tight end, until it was too late.  I ultimately got pulled on defense in favor of Alex.  They felt I was getting picked on, at the corner, though I disagreed with the decision, the coaches decision is final.  I came back for the 7th game, fired up, ready to play again.  This time they had me starting at strong safety.  I have to tell you, I really enjoyed playing that position.  I got to pretty much play linebacker, and corner at the same time.  I love run support, and I don't have a problem covering guys (though my coaches might have a different opinion). Either way, things were going well until late in the first quarter.  I crashed hard onto the tight end, at the line, to try and stop a running play coming my way.  As I connected with the TE, the Tackle came across and crashed hard on me.  I remember our helmets connecting, but I don't remember anything else until I got up.  I stood up, and saw stars, and then fell backwards.  Everything else is kind of sketchy after that. I remember being on the ground, and someone talking to me.  I thought at first it was my head coach, until I saw the stripes of the refs shirt.  I then remember people helping me up, and being walked off the field.  I don't remember what they were saying to me, or what I was saying to them.  One of my team mates said I called him "Sweetheart" as I got to the sideline, but I don't remember that.  So needless to say I got a concussion.  So, here I sit, miss the first five games, for the most part, because of a stupid hamstring issue, and then i'm going to miss at least the next 2 games, probably all 3, because of a concussion.
My biggest issue isn't the injuries, or about how much work I put in.  The biggest thing that hurts is that I didn't prove anything to myself, or my team mates.  I was a complete non-factor.  I didn't catch 1 pass, or really make any plays on defense.  I had all these visions of success, and none of them came to fruition.  There are a lot of things I should have done differently.  I should have stretched more, or paid more attention to my hamstrings in my training.
The positives from all of this is I now know what I need to focus on this off season in order to be the player I wanted to be, for next season.  The only issue is, I do not know, at this time, if there is going to be a next season.  This concussion has me worried about my future, family, and health.  I have a lot of things to weigh, and doctors to talk with before I make a final decision.  I am hopeful I can play, because I feel like I still have a lot more to give this team, and a lot more to prove to myself, before I hang it up for good.

New Blood

Since October, i've been weight training with Steve Hosfelt, preparing for my first season of semi-pro football. Steve and I both continue to progress.  I am down to 173lbs, and my body fat has dropped 4% since I started training (according to my Omnitron Body fat tester).  This week, we added a new training partner, Matt Erhard.  He has decided to work towards playing with the Outagamie Outlaws as well.  With Matt, he has the drive necessary to work hard, and achieve his goals.  He is starting fast, and has momentum, and hopefully we can keep that momentum going, even through the rough patches, because there will be rough patches.  Life gets in the way a lot, when it comes to training, and as long as you acknowledge, accept, and embrace those rough patches, you will be fine.
I've had plenty of ups and downs, but I wouldn't change anything.  I have enjoyed training, and really look forward to the next year, and beyond.  It really has been a lifestyle change for me, and hopefully it continues to enrich my life, and therefore influence those people who are part of my life.  There is no final destination to this lifestyle change, other than death.  For this to be a success, I have to be all in.

Monthly progress report

I have decided to keep monthly progress photos, so here is my latest photo.  From the photo, there isn't much change, but I have dropped about 7 pounds, about 1% body fat, and added strength.  So things are moving in the right direction.

10/3/2011

2/23/2012

3/28/2012

Post Flag Season Training

So, my first flag football season in years has come to a close, after last night.  We made the playoffs, and ended up playing against the number one seed last night.  They completely handed us our asses, and walked into the championship, right over the top of us.  I really had a great time, and learned a lot about some of the guys I am going to be playing with this fall, and about myself.  I think I did some things really well, and I know I have a lot of work to do in other areas, mainly my hands.  I dropped the easiest pass of my life last night, and I know "everybody" drops passes, but at the same time, it was a pass nobody should drop.  I catch that same pass 100's of times, but for some reason, last night, I dropped it, and it got into my head. I proceeded to drop 2 other passes which I should always catch, but again, I let it get the best of me.  I did manage to catch 4 other passes, and a touchdown, but all of that gets trumped by the fact that I let down my teammates by not coming through when they needed me to.  So, as I always do, I over analyzed the hell out of it, and I have come up with a training routine that will not only improve my hand eye coordination, but will also improve my hand and forearm strength.  In addition to my current workout, and skill training, the following exercises will get worked into the mix.

Every other day: 100 finger tip push-ups.
3 sets (each hand) of 90 second tennis ball squeezes.
Tennis ball drills (bouncing 1 or multiple tennis balls of a wall and catching them)
Weight pinch drills (Pinching and holding plates together (weight plates)).
Towel Grip and plate grip farmer walks.
Newspaper balls (crumpling up newspaper, 1 page at a time, switching hands)
Static barbell hold

So, in addition to getting out and catching as many passes as humanly possible, I am adding those exercises to my routine.  I feel confident that I will fix what is broken, and be ready for the season.  I know I will improve, and hopefully it will show on the field.  As I had told my QB, I need him to be confident when he throws me the ball, but I need to build that confidence.  I am a believer in hard work, and practice, and even through there are those with natural ability, I believe you can learn anything through hard work and dedication.

My Progress

After a discussion with my girlfriend (Kathy) this morning, about how I felt about not making the gains I had hoped for over last 5 months, and her telling me that she really notices the difference in me . I had remembered that I had taken pictures when I started, just for my own reference. I decided to take a picture this morning, and compare the 2.  I will say that I am nowhere near where I want to be, but I have to admit, even to myself, that I have made some progress.   Here is what that progress looked like.  Again, I know that I have a long way to go, but I think that the hard work, countless hours at the gym, and support of so many friends, and all my family.  I have started to get somewhere.  Once again, this is only the beginning.  We will do this again in a couple months and see where we are at.  I am learning new things about my body every single day, and I believe every little bit helps.

10/3/2011

02/23/2012

Driven.....

Driven, when I first thought about that word, it seemed obvious to me, as to what it meant.  As I progress through my current journey, the word continues to somewhat evolve. I honestly never considered myself a drive n person.  I always reserved that word for people who I perceived as successful, and built, and wealthy.  I figured i'd always be on the outside looking in, and that I'd never the "drive" that the successful people do.  Then I sat back, and I looked at what I have accomplished since October of 2011, the month that I decided that I was going to do whatever it took to not just "play" semi-pro football, but do everything I possibly could to train so I could be a stand out player.
I am trying to be the overly humble person that is almost annoyingly modest about their accomplishments.  Granted, I haven't cured cancer, and I haven't helped the homeless, but at the same time I haven't sat on my ass hoping things would happen for me.  The workouts, supplements, and skills training all add up to a sense of accomplishment.  I have really done something in the last 5 months, but at the same time, I have just begun.  Which leads me to my next point.  One thing I've found demoralizing, yet inspiring at the same time is the fact that you are never done.  Meaning, sometimes you think, hey if I get to 200lbs, i'll be done, or if I get down to 5% body fat i'll be done, or maybe, if I catch every pass thrown to me, I'll be done.  The truth of the matter is, you are never done.  The harder I work, and the more goals I meet, the more I find new things to accomplish.  I find more things I can be better at. You close one door behind you, and turn around, and there are 50 more doors in front of you.  I am not complaining though, I actually find it motivating.  What would this all be worth if it was easy?  Everyone would be a professional athlete if you didn't have to work hard at it.  I've really started down a life long path of health and wellness.  What I have gained in these 5 months are a new foundation to my life.  I am in great shape, and I am eating better than I ever have.  I am also very realistic.  I know that this is just the beginning, and I am not looking for an end.  I'll just keep setting milestones, and I'll just keep moving forward, and getting better.  Hopefully one day I can use what I have learned to inspire someone else to take a similar journey, and help them through it.  That is all yet to be determined.  I really wouldn't trade this for anything, I am honestly excited about the future, and where I am going.

Quote

"It's never too late to be what you might have been." - George Eliot

Diet, Training, and progress

Lots has happened in the last couple of weeks.  I have started tracking my diet with MyFitnessPal on my IPhone. My calories have been very strict, and I have not gone over my allotted calories for that particular day.  I try and keep my fat very low, and my protein at about 1gm per pound of body weight, and my carbs around 40% of my diet. So far, so good.  The only discouraging part of the whole thing is, my body fat hasn't dropped at all in the past 2 weeks.  I'm not sure what to make of that, but i'll continue to monitor it, and see where it goes.

As for my training, I am still training regularly, but the times are sporadic, and therefore a little chaotic for my liking.  I'm still getting all my workouts in for the week, but it is just all over the board.  My gains have leveled off, and that wasn't unexpected.  I will say that I am consistently sore though, and that worries me a little bit.  I do not want to believe that I am over training, but I do have to make sure that I am closely monitoring it.  I do not want my workouts to be counter productive.

My supplement intake has been very consistent.  Protein Shake with creatine, first thing in the morning, along with my Armor-V vitamin.  I then eat an orange, and have a cup of coffee.  10 am a bowl of Oatmeal, and then lunch time, I have usually have a good carb, protein, and some fruit.  Again, I feel my diet is pretty good, not great, but a heck of a lot better than it was.

As for football, there are a lot of things I need to work harder on.  I really need more receiving practice.  I let too many balls bounce off my hands in warm-ups last night, and my confidence was a little shaken, which mentally is not acceptable.  So, more work, and more concentration.

My goals are becoming more and more clear.  I need to increase my speed, strength, endurance, and weight, and reduce my body fat. Once I see those things happening, I'll worry more about numbers, and actual milestones.

New Supplements

After giving MuscleFeast 3 months of my time, effort, and money, I have decided to switch supplement brands.  After doing some research I decided on going with Muscle Pharm (www.musclepharm.com).  Here are the supplements I will be taking.

Assault: Pre-workout.  I never used MuscleFeasts pre-workout supp.  I had been a religious Jack3d user, so switching brands was difficult, but I had to give Assault a shot.  The reviews were great, and I am looking forward to changing it up.

Combat Powder: I replaced MuscleFeasts 100% & Micelar Casein with this product.  They have a 5 protein blend.  For the price per serving, and again, the reviews from a lot of people I respect, I had to give it a shot for myself.

Armor-V: This is Muscle Pharm's multi-vitamin.  This product is pretty much what got the ball rolling for me to switch brands.  I had been looking for a multi-vitamin for some time, and through research, and some suggestions I was pushed towards this product.  The serving size is 6 pills, but the bottle has a month supply, so for the price, I am good with it.  This is the first multi-vitamin I have taken in over 10 years, so I am looking forward to the next 90 days with it.

Creatine: I hadn't been supplementing creatine directly since I started training hard again.  I have just gone with what was already in Jack3d, and in my Anabolic Recover from MuscleFeast.  I decided for the next 90 days, I will also supplement Creatine, and since I went with Muscle Pharm, it made sense to give their creatine a shot as well.  Assault also has Creatine in it, so I am getting 2 servings on workout days, and at least 1 serving daily.

Re-Con: This is Muscle Pharm's recovery drink.  I use it immediately after any strenuous workout.  After sprinting/agility training.  After hitting the iron, and after games.  The flavor is great, and again, only time will tell on how well it works, but with the reviews I am going to give it my 90 days.

As for an Intra-workout supplement I am sticking with Purple Wraath until that bottle is gone, and then i'm switching to AEN's Intrabolic product.  I haven't looked into Muscle Pharm for an intra-workout product, but will do that research in the very near future.  I am happy with Purple Wraath, and the reviews on that product are very good.  I had also tried Scivation's Xtend, but wasn't overly impressed with the results.

I will review this products as I notice any differences along the way.  It's just too soon to give them a fair review.

Stats and training

I wouldn't say that I completely overhauled my workout, but I will say that I fully re-evaluated my progress, and realized I have very little information to gauge my progress by.  Honestly, the only things I could go off of is how much weight i could lift compared to the previous week, my weight, and what I see in the mirror.  This is completely inadequate for what I am trying to accomplish.
If I go back and read my original post from October, I had some goals.  One of my goals was to weigh 205 pounds before the season started.  Of course, this was without sacrificing speed and agility.  Well, I discovered that my weight hasn't moved, my agility and speed have improved, and my body fat is yet to be tested (my goal is 8%, but 10% would make me very happy).
So, with all of that said, I have decided to take the bull by the horns, and track my progress a lot closer, and be more detail oriented.  I purchased 2 soft tape measures, a body fat tester, and have joined BodySpace on www.bodybuilding.com, which allows me to enter stats and goals.  So, in my posts here, when I update my stats on My BodySpace, I will leave a link to that page in my blog post.
I have also started evaluating my workout, and progress there.  I'm looking at shortening my rest time, but the jury is still out.  My main object is to gain strength, yet I do need to build up some muscle endurance.  I fatigue way too quickly when doing super sets.  Perhaps my goals are unrealistic, and that is another area I need to revisit.  I'll discuss this more with Kirk Olson, and see what he recommends, and by putting all of that together, I will be better able to gauge my progress and what changes I need to make in order to achieve my goals.

Goals
40 yard dash: 4.5
Body Fat %: 8%
Weight: 205lbs
Bench Press: 225 10x, 315 1x
Squat: 405lbs

More goals to come as I keep re-evaluating my progress.