We got there and I still haven't gotten used to the custom of having to take your shoes off everywhere you go. Even in the gyms you have to take your shoes off when you get there, put them on a shelf and then change into your basketball shoes. I didn't realize this and just took my shoes off and put them back on.
The weight room isn't much but it gets the job done. It is a public weight room so there is everyone from middle aged women to professional athletes to old guys just trying to make sure they can move. After we started lifting for a while they told us we had to do some orientation.
For orientation I had to stand on a machine with metal on the bottom and then hold a couple of metal handles. I felt like I was going to get shocked or something. After about a minute I stepped off and they had the most detailed analysis of my body I have ever seen. I couldn't read it but my translator told me what all it said. It had measurements of details like the size of my right calf, left calf, the balance from my right side and left side. It had details about my muscle mass, my body fat (at a lean 5.6%), and the number of nutrients I have in my body. It was impressive. Then he taught us a few things about positioning your arms different ways to have more effective strength while playing. He was very good. Then we lifted for a little while and just headed back.
After we got back I saw Martin, who lives in our building. He manages some of it, but also runs a small English school close by. He lives here with his wife and two kids. Martin let me into storage because one of my friends that I played with in Australia with the Athletes in Action team, Ray Schafer had stuff in storage. Ray played here last year. Ray and his wife Sara left a lot of stuff in storage. I got into it and it was just like Christmas. I now have many, many things I thought I was going to have to live without. Things like big bowls and an iron skillet. Very valuable things. So I carted some of those up to my room and by the time I was done unpacking it was time to head off to practice.
Mike, Gary and I got on our bikes and took off for practice. The ride to practice is all along the lake and was absolutely beautiful. Our practice gym for the day is on the second floor of the building and when in there we open a bunch of the big doors to let air in. It opens up right to the lake and it is absolutely beautiful - still very hot, but beautiful. Practice went well. My ankle is still sore. I've been doing anywhere for 1-2 hours of rehab everyday on it and it is getting better. I still can't go full for practice yet. I made it through a lot of practice though and then we walked through plays at the end. It is definitely going to be a fun year. I'm excited to get back into playing 100%. My ankle really needs to hurry up because I hate sitting out.
Well, I made a decent dinner and I talked to Hope while she got ready this morning like I always do and now I think I'm gonna call it a night.
No comments:
Post a Comment