Pensioner Pages

someblokecalleddave · 5 Oct 2008, 17:51

Liz or Dave.

Season's finished and I'm the wrong side of 45 and it's going to be so easy to sit back and not do much and I'm sitting here thinking what can I do? Have a look at the link to my blog and the picture is painted in slightly more depth......

MPA First Eleven: Fitness and other stuff

So what do you reckon on power walking? I'm looking for something that's going to keep the heart in good order and also keep my leg muscles in fair order too ready for the more cricket specific exercises starting at the end of Feb? Do you reckon there's any benefit from power walking. I've done it before where I set out simply to walk in one direction as fast as I physically can for 10 minutes and then walk back in the other 10 minutes. I heard that as long as you work up a sweat and your hearts going at rate it's beneficial? I know when I've done it before that has been the case and I've then had aches in the leg muscles where they've had a good work out?

Do you reckon that's enough 2 or 3 times a week over the winter?

Liz Ward · 6 Oct 2008, 03:16

Power walking is fantastic Dave

I take my 20 something rugby players through the local woods. It took them a while to get the hang of the technique and they ached in places they had never ached before but you point them in the right direction now and they're off.

I turn this in to fartlek session; when we come across a bench, they do step ups, elevated press ups etc [gives me a chance to get my breath

]. When I need another breather, they use the low branches to do chin ups. We take resistance bands with us so they can do upright rows, bicep curls, seated rows, resisted press ups, squats etc but more importantly, I mix up the walking levels. Once they are warm, I move them from level 2 to 3 to 1 to 3 etc and when we get a little bunched, [and I need another breather] they caterpiller.

If this is the only exercise you will be doing, you need to do it at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes but remember, you really need to puff and sweat.

someblokecalleddave · 6 Oct 2008, 14:54

Liz had a good day today with all the exercises and stuff. The power walking especially was good and I love the idea of spicing it up with some extra stuff, I threw in some sprints every now and then - have a read......

So far today and it's only 8.55 am and I've managed to do 20 forearm exercises uisng the long Terra Band. 25 behind the heads with the medium terra-band. 20 straight armed jobbies with the long one (Front shoulder raises) and 30 seconds of straight plank - 15 seconds of left leg raised, 15 seconds of right leg raised. Also 15 rotational press ups. I may try and do some more during the day. As yet I'm not suffering any pain, so I'll keep up this slow and easy approach. The thing I'll struggle with getting done will be the power-walking bit - 20 minutes of going nowhere doesn't really do it for me.

And here's the solution -

Power walking is fantastic Dave I take my 20 something rugby players through the local woods. It took them a while to get the hang of the technique and they ached in places they had never ached before but you point them in the right direction now and they're off.I turn this in to fartlek session; when we come across a bench, they do step ups, elevated press ups etc [gives me a chance to get my breath ]. When I need another breather, they use the low branches to do chin ups. We take resistance bands with us so they can do upright rows, bicep curls, seated rows, resisted press ups, squats etc but more importantly, I mix up the walking levels. Once they are warm, I move them from level 2 to 3 to 1 to 3 etc and when we get a little bunched, [and I need another breather] they caterpiller.If this is the only exercise you will be doing, you need to do it at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes but remember, you really need to puff and sweat.

Brilliant, I'd never thought of spicing it up with the pull ups and bench stuff - that is such a good idea! With regards to the sweating question - yeah I do this at full pelt and as this says it uses muscles that you've never used before in the same way, so it's good to get this and hear that it's being applied to rugby training. I do it so fast that I'm soaked when I get back!

20.32 hrs

With a day of on - off exercise opportunities which I'll go into more detail in a minute I finished the day off just now with a 20 minute power walk spiced up with sort bursts of sprinting (Cricket specific) I'm now sitting here having just come in dripping with sweat straight into 20 x front shoulder raises with the bands, 20 x forearm raises with the long band as well and 20 x behind the back of the head pulls with the medium band and I am dripping with sweat like I haven't seen in a long time but it feels good! As to how long I can keep this up I don't know but the determination to do it every 3rd day is there and I'll see how I feel tomorrow? I may yet do more once I've had a bit of a breather - more rotational press up and maybe 3 pulls ups and some planks?

I had a bit of a practice on the field again tonight trying to get the Leg breaks but it was phenomenally frustrating check out the other blog at

Wrist Spin Bowling: Diary

micoach · 21 Oct 2008, 07:28

Dave you are doing excellently. Keep progressing as it gets easier (it will get easier). Remember 80% of success is turning up!

someblokecalleddave · 23 Nov 2008, 13:03

David, I've posted elsewhere and not had a response to this yet. I've got to admit that running and walking doesn't really float my boat that much anymore and I've eased off with my training as previously described. But in the past I've tried hitting balls up against walls as a way of trying to improve my hand/eye coordination, and basic batting techniques, stepping out to the pitch of the ball, getting head over the ball, not moving my head, being on my toes and front foot drive etc. I had problems in that I couldn't find a good wall or a ball with the right amount of bounce to make the practice worthwhile, but I've now got both. So could I substitute running round fields/streets etc with a half hour or more session hitting a ball against a wall. It's continuous and I'm on my toes for the full half hour - I come away dripping with sweat and my buttock, calf, shoulders, arm muscles all ache from the workout - my hearts pumping and surely this is a good workout because it's cricket specific? What do you reckon? I'm far more inclined to do this I'm hoping to do it 2 - 3 times a week.

micoach · 24 Nov 2008, 04:35

Anything that gets your heart rate up is good for health reasons. if you can make it cricket specific you are on the right track.

I think I'll talk about this in my next podcast so listen out for it.

Stumped · 13 Dec 2008, 11:02

dave, maybe a little off topic but did you know that there is a veterans 6 a side indoor league in Sawbridgworth near Harlow!

someblokecalleddave · 13 Dec 2008, 14:59

Cheers stumped for the suggestion. As it happens I've got quite a bit going on already even though it's out of season.

1. My mates from the original MPA team based at the college that I work at have shown a revived interest in just getting together and having a knock about in the nets and there's a possibility that we may reform in the summer and have a couple of games. So I'm in the process of sorting a venue for net practice for 2 hours every saturday for the next few months in the winter.

2. My sons are now cricket players and play for Basildon & Pitsea cc and are having training sessions every weekend that I go along to and get involved in where possible. It seems that bit by bit I'm getting involved in what their team do and it looks like after Christmas I'll be going along with my bat and pads and getting to have a proper go against adults and to be honest it looks as though I could easily swap teams as the team I currently play for are miles away whereas I live in Basildon.

3. I could potentially also start nets with my current team in Jan/feb in the evenings in the week.

So as you can see I've got loads going on! Besides Harlow is quite some way from here and if I do end up playing with Basildon and Pitsea I think they have an indoor veterans team. Check my blog out at Wrist Spin Bowling

**Virendersingh.berthwal** · 14 Dec 2008, 07:03

Hi Dave,

Is the issue resolved about occupancy with Laindon Community Centre.

Virender

Stumped · 14 Dec 2008, 14:49

i know how u feel! ive got lots going on at the moment! most likely because i have taken on the role of club secretary this year for Ware CC!

but were also playing 2 adult teams in the indoor league and also a junior team!

Then when the indoor league finishes weve got serious netting and coaching going on!

any way ive now got to go and do my homework for my ECB Umpiring level one course and finish the deal for Kookaburra kit sponsorship for 3 years!