Griff9of13

I've never had any proper boxing training; done a bit of sparing with a mate who was a half decent boxer. Now do some bag work as part of the strength and conditioning class I go to and quite enjoy it and don't find it too technically difficult. Mind you, you sometimes needed to be good with your hands when I began playing amateur rugby league in the lower reaches of the North West Counties league back in the very early 80s!

This speech from Ann Reid's character was one of the very best bits of Years and Years; very poignant and very relevant to today. From 1m 47s:

Not an easy watch at times, but very good. Some of the scenarios played out that would have been considered unbelievable fantasy just a few years ago are now quite plausible. Unfortunately. Much of it was filmed very close to where I live (for example the beach scene and the camp in the final episode).

About 4-5 weeks ago I started back at the gym. I am doing a general weights session alternating with some swimming. To begin with I started off what I imagined a gentle programme; nothing particularly heavy, completing sets with no noticeable strain. I was wrong, very wrong; the following days I was in a world of pain and was walking like the Tin Man that needed a good oiling! The swimming was, initially, to help loosen up following the day in the gym. The first session I only managed 10 lengths of 25m, with a couple of breaks for a breather, before running out of steam. I have stuck it out and now I am lifting weights to the point of failure on the last rep of the final set plus some bursts of cardio (bike/rowing machine) and feel ok when the session is complete. My swimming has improved to the stage where I'm managing 40 lengths of 25m with only one short break in the middle to de-fog my goggles. Last week the gym manger talked me into signing on for a new strength and conditioning class he has just started. This is a multi discipline circuit of 20 odd exercises including punch bags, steps, battle ropes kettle bells etc etc, spending 45 seconds at each station with a 15 second change over time. It was by far the toughest thing I've done since my last pre-season which I think was the summer of 2004, when I was only a 41 year old.. While it was tough, I completed it and can't wait for the next one tomorrow evening. All in all I'm quite pleased with myself and am feeling much, much better for it. As a bonus my weight is now down to 98.5kg, which surprised me as I imagined I'd still be at about 110kg.

I can only presume they practice it just like other aspects of the game.

Can someone explain what was "controversial" about it; you play to the whistle don't you?

Ian Mclardy, friend and close neighbour. Only 59. RIP

Ex Liverpool FC legend Tommy Smith

And me (by a couple of months).

You ain't the only one. Of all the ska revival bands of the era The Beat were by far my favourite. Gutted.

Magenta Devine, TV presenter, dies aged 61

I wasn't the greatest fan of his music (a bit too old possibly) but there seems a lot of genuine affection for him out there. He also seemed to be a genuinely nice bloke. So sad that he thought it necessary to take his own life.

Former St Helens and Pilkington Recs player, Austin Rhodes.

Guilty pleasure confessions time; we have become avid watchers of BBC day midweek, midday detective drama Father Brown. Started watching last year some time and have now worked our way through the entire back catalogue. It is rather good. The production values are surprisingly high, given its slot in the schedule, as is the quality of the acting and writing. Mark Williams makes an excellent Farther Brown. It's not exactly hard hitting and gritty, but it makes a fairly pleasant way to "escape" reality for an hour. The village of Kembleford is right up there with Midsummer as the most dangerous place in the country to live give their regular rate of murder!

I'm truly shocked. I only went to see him perform last year.

My condolences JD.

Having not done a great deal due to one thing or another (admittedly some of it just laziness) I've just done a 15km mountain bike ride, mostly off road. Going to try and get one in every weekend. I'll try and push it out to 20km next time.

Typical southerners; can't even do snow property.

I can vouch for that; it's coming down as slush. Horrible stuff. Got soaked walking from Tottenham Court Road to the Soho Theatre (watching Shappi Korshandri).

Same here; 20 odd years playing rugby can do that to a body!

Yesterday I had to take the car for a service in Speke. I also needed to visit an estate agent in the Penny Lane area (I do realise that these locations will mean nothing to 99% of people on here), so to kill two birds with one stone I decided to walk from the service center to the estate agent and back, a round trip of 7.1 miles. Just under 15,000 steps in 2 hours 6 minutes. Timed perfectly as they were just parking the car up as I arrived back at the service center. Mind you at just over £400 for the service it was a very expensive couple of hours excercise!

Thanks. I'd hold your verdict on how your muscles feel for 24 hours. I've found as I've got older these things get you later! I've also found, because of that, that it's best to start anything a bit under what you think you're capable of for the first session or two and then step it up once you have some knowledge of how it's going to affect you. That way you don't over do it and crash and burn.

Thus far today: 30,000 steps (not too bad for someone doing a sedentary desk job) 2 X 10 press ups 2 X 10 sit ups 2.5 miles bike ride Not that great compared to some, but much better than I was doing 2 weeks ago (i.e. feck all).

Is it safe to Google that phrase in work?

That's what I had in mind when I started last week. In my playing days I'd be able to knock off 100 press-ups. I was congratulating myself last week for managing 10 on my first attempt in probably at least 2 years. Will be going for 2 X 10 this week plus the same in sit ups each evening. Plus at least 3 half hour sessions on the bike. I'm 56 now and quite out of shape, although round is still a shape isn't it?