Home Blog Random Tuesday Thoughts: 7/27/10

Random Tuesday Thoughts: 7/27/10

Written on July 27, 2010 at 6:00 am, by Eric Cressey

1. I haven’t done a “Random Friday Thoughts” blog in a while, so in the spirit of randomness, I thought I’d throw you a curveball and kick off the week with some Tuesday random thoughts.

2. Last week, I booked two plane tickets to Halifax, Nova Scotia for my fiancee and I.  She’s a bridesmaid in a wedding up there in a few weeks, so I’ll be making the trip as well.  As part of being what amounts to a “third wheel” for the weekend (the only people I know other than Anna in the entire wedding are the bride and groom), I’ll have quite a bit of downtime while in the area.  Any readers out there have any suggestions for what to do in Halifax?  It’s not hockey season, and I don’t drink Molson, so I’m at a bit of a loss…

canada-americas-hat

Also, just out of curiosity, when did one have to sell off all his/her internal organs in order to afford a flight to Halifax?  Roundtrip airfare was over $1,500, and Air Canada followed up with an email that said, “We also mandate that you name your first child after us.”

3. I wrote a guest blog for Men’s Health last week; check it out: A Quick Fix for Stiff Shoulders.

4. Also on the writing note, I’ve written a few guest chapters lately.  The first was a strength and conditioning chapter for an upcoming pitching book for young baseball players and their parents.  The second (which is still a work in progress) is a chapter for a new IYCA project.  So far, it’s coming along really well – and I’m really honored to be on-board for this with a group of really talented guys who are trying to do something very special.

5. Tonight (Tuesday), Boston Red Sox Head Athletic Trainer (and Optimal Shoulder Performance co-creator) Mike Reinold is hosting a free webinar: “What’s New for 2010.”  Click here for more information.

shoulder-performance-dvdcover

6. Speaking of Mike, he had a great post last week about Epicondylitis and Cervical Radiculopathy.  It’s a great adjunct to my “Understanding Elbow Pain” series from back in May.  If you missed it, here’s a link to the sixth (final) installment (and you can link back to the previous five).

7. I realized the other day that there is one big thing I’ve always considered in our training programs for pitchers, but failed to mention on this blog: they need both open- and closed-chain hip mobility, as the right and left hips must rotate independently of one another during the stride to the plate. Here’s a good example:

bostonredsoxvbaltimoreoriolesewbpmlz9dkkl

You can see that Beckett is just short of stride foot contact here – which means that he’s at just about maximal hip external rotation on the lead leg…in open chain motion.  The femur is rotating on the acetabulum.

Meanwhile, he’s riding out his trailing leg…in closed chain motion.  The acetabulum is rotating on the femur.

As such, adequate mobility training for pitchers should include a combination of both open- and closed-chain drills, although I’d say that the majority should be closed-chain.

8. Today’s Mike Robertson’s birthday; head over to RobertsonTrainingSystems.com and show him a little love.


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11 Responses to “Random Tuesday Thoughts: 7/27/10”

  1. Rick Kaselj Says:

    EC,

    Coming up to Canada again?

    If you got time to, do another seminar!

    You will love Halifax – Pizza corner, Keith’s brewery and just hanging out in the bar.

    If you can rent a car, drive the coast or head up to Peggy’s Cove.

    Have fun!

    Oh ya, make sure to write a blog post or two while there.

    Rick Kaselj

    .

  2. Ian Says:

    The really “important” beer in Nova Scotia is Keith’s. We also have some micro-breweries, if that’s more your taste.

    Things to do in Halifax:

    Tour of the Citadel, guided or not, if you’re interested in colonial history at all. Not a big site, so it’s not an exhausting tour.

    Enjoy the harbour-front boardwalk–this time of year it’s probably “the” tourist destination in Halifax. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is also down there. Not far from downtown-proper there’s also the natural history museum.

    Harbour tours. McNabb’s Island and/or George’s Island.

    Depending on when you’re here, the Busker Festival might be on. Street performers all over downtown in the evenings.

    There are also lots of good places to eat, including just about any type of “ethnic” cuisine you can name. There are lots of seafood restaurants, from haute-cuisine to old-fashioned fish-n-chips.

    I second Rick’s suggestion of driving the coast if that’s an option. There’s some fantastic scenery and some neat little (tiny) coastal fishing villages.

    I live about an hour from Halifax. That’s awesome you’re coming up this way!

  3. Jamie Says:

    That’s Air Canada for you! 🙂

    But $1500??!!

    Hope you get some good suggestions about stuff to do!

  4. Eric Says:

    If you ever do an updated edition of “Maximum Strength” (great book, money well spent!) how about adding the Press (barbell shoulder press, what else?!) to the Packing Day itinerary and into the different stages. That would be my only suggestion. I’m thinking of buying 10 copies (the book is very reasonably priced at Amazon.com) of this book and giving them away free at the gym I go to! Raise the gym IQ by a few points or so… 🙂

  5. Andrew Says:

    I have lived in Halifax my entire life. As for things to do the two above posts have given you plenty of tourist ideas.

    As for what is going on in the city depends on when you get here.

    http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/EventSearch?eventSection=981500&narrowByDate=Today&sortType=title

  6. Tom Meegan Says:

    http://www.buskers.ca/

    I’ve spent a couple weeks in Halifax – one of my favorite low key cities.

  7. Alan Roberts Says:

    I like the music of Cape Breton. Nearby, the Glenora Distillery in Inverness has a piano and twice-daily fiddle tunes in the pub. (In years past they’ve encouraged us to sit in and/or have our own jams.)

    As far as activities, they have dances almost every night — Monday in Brook Village, Wednesday at the Barn in Margaree, Thursday at Glencoe (not to be missed), Friday several places including West Margaree, Saturday at Mabou. Also the Judique Community Center (http://www.celticmusiccentre.com/), where they have workshops every Thursday at least, and probably a concert series too.Mabou has a pub with music every night and decent food, though crammed with people. And the Cabot Trail is beautiful, a day’s drive and some lovely short hikes.

  8. Tavis Says:

    What to do in Halifax? Typical East Coast stuff: drink, eat, go on boring tours of the local heritage, and listen to celtic music that is not quite good enough for mainstream radio but nonetheless makes you happy/fuzzy inside while you’re listening to it.

    Now drinking isn’t all that anabolic so I’ll let someone else encourage you to try out Nova Scotia’s wide array of wine’s and brew.

    Eats: Obviously plenty of authentic restaurants but if you like fish/seafood I’d reccommend heading down to Fisherman’s Cove for some fresh fish. They practically haul it in, gut it, and serve (cooking is required somewhere in there, I think?).

    I would definitely reccommend going kayaking or rafting if you can get away for a day trip. Here are two places for that: East Coast Outfitters and the Shubenacadie Tidal Bore Rafting Park.

    But depending on when you’re going you might want to check out the Busker Festival. It’s basically a circus in the streets. Runs from Aug 5-15.

    Any Halifax-er reading this knows very well I don’t live anywhere near the area. And they’d be right! But I went there on a school field trip in Grade 8 and have friends who go to school there so that makes me an expert … not.

    $1500? Well, thanks for supporting the Canadian economy!

  9. Mike Says:

    Ah, the joys of Air Canada. Not sure if Westjet flies out of Boston, but if they do, they’re definitely the better option for flying in Canada. If you’re ever in Calgary, let me know – lots of good times!

  10. Luka Hocevar Says:

    Eric,
    I was in Halifax (well, right outside of it) for a week during the craziness of September 11. Unfortunately I spent most of it in a military camp but when we were able to go out there were some really good restaurants around.

    The people were so nice it was almost creepy.

    Have a good time and if you get bored…write!

    Luka

  11. JB Says:

    Another option for the Boston Halifax route is Porter. A bit circuitous but great service.

    jb


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