Everyday Systems

Hello Shoveglovers all!

I've just picked up on this and am about to drive to the DIY store to pick up a hammer. However, from previous attempts at fitness, I'm familiar with rosstraining.com. Ross makes a point of avoiding expensive equipment while maintaining ultra-high intensity and variety in his workouts. I'm sure you will find his articles / videos interesting, particularly what he has to say on the use of sledge hammers. For him it is a conditioning workout much more than strength training. Since he uses the hammer to actually hit something, his method is much more explosive than any of the SG moves I've seen, so this might make for a worthwhile variation:

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/sledge.html

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/sledge2.html

PS: I hope it's okay to post external links here. If not, please forgive my ignorance.

Phil

Ross is my hero! Never Gymless is probably the best fitness book I've ever read.

I just can't bring myself to wail on a tire in the backyard, though. My neighbor already think I'm strange. :p

Phil,

It's more than OK to post external links -- especially excellent stuff like this.

I have seen this before, but long enough ago that I was due for a refresher.

I'm 100% with him regarding the retardedness of "designer sledges."

But the tire, though it looks fun as hell, just isn't a realistic option for me and most people, I think. I'm all for it in principle, though.

Reinhard

I wonder if the tire hammering is as healthy as shovelgloving. It's a lot of stress to hit something repeatedly, and with a shoglo, you have to slow the hammer down with each strike, which provides (in my head anyway) most of the workout.

This guy is awesome, though. It's amazing to me that I used to pay money for the privilege of running on a machine and using machine weights while watching the TV news.

For variety, I use a tire fairly often (but I have an acre and a half, and my neighbors don't bother me).

Hitting a tire is definitely more aerobic. If anything, it's easier on the joints (a tire has a lot of give). You're breathing much harder because you swing harder. I prop mine against a tree, drive it across the yard with a shoveling motion, stand it up and chop on it trying to keep it standing up (and bending over to stand it on end again quickly is also great exercise).

But straight up SG is good, too.

Old Juicy wrote:I wonder if the tire hammering is as healthy as shovelgloving. It's a lot of stress to hit something repeatedly, and with a shoglo, you have to slow the hammer down with each strike, which provides (in my head anyway) most of the workout.

This guy is awesome, though. It's amazing to me that I used to pay money for the privilege of running on a machine and using machine weights while watching the TV news.

I like this 'bash a tyre' (apologies for UK spelling) idea. I don't have a car, but I'm sure I could scrounge an old tyre off somebody.