Hope you don't mind an article from Mrs. Mop!!
Fact: Lifting weights will replace lost muscle and avoid further muscle loss
After age 20, if you do not strength train you will lose (or have already lost) between 2.2kg and 3.2kg of muscle every decade. Fortunately, research shows that a standard strength training program can increase muscle mass by about 1.4kg over an eight week training period. This is the typical training response for people who do 25 minutes of strength training one day a week. Endurance exercise will improve your cardiovascular fitness but will not prevent loss of muscle tissue.
Fallacy: Women who lift weights get big bulky muscles
Most women do not have the high levels of testosterone and HGH (human growth hormone) needed to dramatically increase lean muscle mass. By strength training you will be able to replace the muscle you have lost naturally since you turned 20. Depending on your genetics there may be an extra increase of a couple of kilograms of lean muscle mass if you are lucky. Lucky because more muscle means a faster metabolism, faster fat burning and a slowdown of the ageing process.
Fact: Strength Training increases your Metabolism and Reduces Body Fat!
Research studies have shown that if you increase your lean muscle mass by 1.4kg you will also increase your resting metabolism by 7% and your daily calorie requirements by 15%. At rest, a kilogram of muscle requires 77 calories per day for tissue maintenance, and during exercise this figure increases dramatically. If you replace lost muscle through a sensible strength training program you will use more calories all day long and therefore reduce the likelihood of fat accumulation.
Fallacy: Your beautiful, lean, hard muscle will turn to floppy, flabby fat... if you stop lifting weights
Muscle will not turn into fat. But if you stop strength training and still eat the same amount of food that you were eating while you were training, you will naturally put on fat. This is because if you stop strength training you will naturally ‘lose’ muscle (use it or lose it!) and so your metabolic rate will decline causing a natural decrease in your daily energy requirements and promote fat storage.
Fact: You are capable of amazing strength – don’t be told otherwise!
You have the same ‘functional’ anatomy and physiology in terms of muscles and response to exercise as men do; meaning:
Both men and women require a gradual overloading to stimulate physical adaptations in muscle strength, endurance and power.
Your body was built to perform; therefore your strength training program should be based on your strength and not on your gender. There are no special exercises that women should do instead of men and vice versa. We all have the same muscle structure and muscles need to get stronger. The only difference is that men have a higher capacity for bigger muscles due to differing hormonal levels.
Fallacy: Women should lift weights at high repetitions and low weight...for toning
The true meaning of muscle tone comes from having adequate amounts of muscle that can be seen under low levels of body-fat. To do this you need to lift weights so that you have enough muscle visible, however, lifting weights at high repetitions and low weight actually uses your aerobic system and trains your muscles for endurance instead of strength and muscle gain.
So to make your muscles tight and toned you need to build muscle and this can only happen if the muscle is placed under significant overload (e.g. lifting heavy weights). Overload can only come from a regular increase in the weights you are lifting. As your body adapts to lifting a certain weight, by getting stronger, that weight will now be easy for you to lift and you will need to lift more weight to create an overload. By using a lighter weight and doing the exercise more times you will be forcing your body to ‘endure’ more weight but there will no longer be an overload. Put simply: get stronger to maintain or build muscle and to burn fat faster.
***Mrs. Mop note - I think Mr. mop would agree that the combo of the two schools of thought is the best solution. It seems more important that you just continue to change your workouts so that your body doesn't get use to the same type of workout and adapt. I do see benefits for adding endurance training into your workout as well. However, I also find doing lots of the same reps boring so I don't do it often. I usually never go more than 3 sets of 15 on an exercise. If I do them easily then I move up to the next weight instead of adding in more reps.***
Should you strength train?
Strength training replaces lost muscle tissue and means you will have a faster metabolism, faster fat burning and less chance of getting fat! Strength training does not make women ‘bigger’.
Muscle is smooth, lean, hard and small; Fat is lumpy, flabby, soft and big. The choice is yours. Which would you prefer?
Lift Weights For Your Bones, Your Muscles AND YOUR WAISTLINE!
More notes from Mrs:
Weight training helps build stronger bones to help protect you against Osteoporosis. Weight training can benefit individuals with certain types of arthritis. Most importantly, weight training can help you to achieve a better quality of life. Everyday activities such as gardening, carrying groceries or playing with your children become easier. Life becomes more enjoyable, you feel better, and more energized!
Source: http://www.ourbrisbane.com/activeandhea ... eights.htm
Other good links:
http://www.philkaplan.com/thefitnesstru ... eights.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.about.com/cs/wo ... 41003a.htm
GREAT SITE BY A WOMAN FULL OF INFO: http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html
namelesstavern.net
Watch where you step
Women & Weights
Moderators: Mop, Dictators in Training
4 posts • Page 1 of 1
by liquidstayce » Mon Jan 17, 2005 12:26 pm
check out the last link then .. great stuff on her site.
For instance if you can't get to the gym read this article:
no weights?
no problem!
So let's say you live in Upper Armpit, South Dakota, or on top of a mountain in the Himalayas, and there are no gyms for 500 miles around. Or, let's say you're a complete cheapskate and don't want to pay $50/month to the local chrome 'n' tone Fluffy Fitness. Or, let's say that you're agoraphobic and haven't left your house in 13 years. Whatever the case, it is important to remember that you don't need weights to get a good workout.
Now, I'm not talking about those idiotic "you don't need weights, you just need 12 oz. cans of tuna!" workouts that Cosmopolitan magazine advertises (I swear I am not making the part about the tuna up... it was actually suggested by Cosmo for biceps curls... maybe they were aiming that article at 2-year-old malnourished children or something). I'm talking about old-school, farm girl, Dinosaur-training-style pickin' up heavy stuff lying around the house and yard.
what every weightless girl needs to have in her wardrobe
I'll tell ya what to do with all of this stuff. Some are just cheap things you can pick up at the local discount store, while others are likewise cheap things you can pick up at the local hardware store. Army surplus stores are also good places to look for things like heavy-duty knapsacks. If you have other cool ideas, drop me a line.
old soccer ball, basketball, or volleyball
jump rope
an old durable knapsack, and/or duffel bag, maybe even an old suitcase
sand
an old pillowcase
duct tape
a little kids' plastic sled or the "tray" part of an old wheelbarrow
rope
gloves
a small towel, or some plain foam, or some pipe insulation foam
a bucket
a shovel
sandbag
Sandbag work can be a full body exercise. To make a sandbag, you'll need an old knapsack or any of the other durable bags I mentioned, some carpenter's sand (mine was $10 at the local building centre for 75 lbs. worth), an old pillowcase, and the duct tape. Now, when I got my bag of sand, it was the perfect weight for my first sandbag, so I just put the plastic bag of sand right into the duffel bag. You may find that depending how much you get, you want to put less in. This is where the pillowcase comes in (it's even a good idea to double up on the pillowcases, just in case). Fill the pillowcase with the desired amount of sand. Then duct-tape it shut (make sure you do a good job here... nothing like a sand explosion when you drop the bag) and put it inside the knapsack. Voila! You have your very own handy-dandy sandbag. Make a few of these which are different weights, if you like.
What to do with the sandbag? Lots of ideas, most of which sound easy until you try them!
Pick up the sandbag and put it down. Try 3 sets of 10 reps of picking-up-putting-down with a heavy sandbag. To pick up the bag, squat down and bear hug it, then stand up with it. Squat back down to put it down.
Carry the sandbag around. Pick up the sandbag in a bear hug and carry it around your backyard, as shown in this pic from the Natural Strength site. Try to do a few laps or a few minutes. Rest a bit, then try again. You can also try to carry it while holding the sandbag by the handles of the bag (a little suitcase full of sand would be useful here... get one in each hand, even).
Once you've mastered carrying the bag, try carrying it up a flight of stairs or up a hill.
Roll the bag end-over-end.
Pick up the bag and press it overhead, or try to bench press it.
If it's a knapsack, try putting it on your back and squatting with it, or doing calf raises. You can also try to squat/calf raise while bear-hugging the bag.
Grab the bag by the handles and try to row it towards you like a bent-over row. Try it with your arms around the bag too, if the bag is not too big.
Deadlift the bag by the handles. Or, if it's a suitcase or duffel bag type, try one-handed deadlifts with the bag to your side.
medicine ball
Medicine ball work helps to build explosive strength, coordination, balance, stability, and good lower back/oblique/abdominal strength. To make your own medicine ball, take an old soccer ball, basketball, or volleyball. Pull the air plug out with a pair of needlenose pliers. Then, using a funnel, fill the ball with the desired amount of water or sand (experiment with both, as both give a different weight and feel to the ball). Aim to get about 2-10 lbs. in there, as desired. Like the sandbag, it's handy to have a few of different weights. You can either replace the plug and leave it, or tape over the hole with duct tape.
Here are some medicine ball training ideas. Generally you hold the ball in both hands, but you can also try one-handed catching and throwing if the ball is light. Always keep the ball under control; you're not trying to throw it hard, but rather accurately and, eventually, quickly (start slow till you gain skill). Keep your eye on the ball, and if standing, feet firmly planted. Back should be in neutral position, never rounded. Start light then work up to heavier work. Treat medicine ball throwing like a set of weights, so instead of doing 50 throws in a row, do 3-5 sets of 8-10 throws and rest in between.
Toss the ball back and forth between you and a friend. Try:
-two hand catches and one hand catches,
-catching low, mid-height, or high with arms overhead
-catching in front or to the side
-throwing in front or to the side
-throwing between one another while facing one another
-passing the ball between you while standing sideways to one another or back-to-back
-different throwing styles such as upwards (like shooting a basket), a "pressing throw" like pushing the ball out in front of you, and underhand
-passing the ball between you while in different positions, e.g. one person standing, one lying down, or one person standing and the other crouching
Toss the ball upwards from an underhand grip, starting from a crouch position and leaping up into a standing position, kind of like how little kids throw the ball when they start baseball. You can also try the "shooting a basket" upward pressing throw with this "squat jump" movement.
Bounce the ball off a wall.
Do ab crunches with the ball held above you at arm's length, or on your chest.
Lying on the floor or ground, toss the ball into the air, sort of like a bench press with the ball.
Holding the ball at arm's length overhead, gently bend from side to side, or squat down keeping the ball overhead.
Hold the ball between your knees, and pull knees to chest, or keeping legs straight, raise legs.
Holding the ball at arm's length, make big gentle circles, bending from the waist. Make smaller circles above or in front of you.
Hold the ball to your chest, bend from the hips keeping lower back arched, then stand up again.
Do pushups with your feet on the ball.
For more ideas, check out this illustrated list of medicine ball drills (list 1 and list 2) as well as the book Medicine Ball Training by Zoltan Tenke and Andy Higgins.
sled dragging
A great full-body exercise, particularly legs, back, and grip (if you're holding the rope). To make a sled, you'll need a little kids' plastic sled with a flattish bottom, or the "tray" part of an old wheelbarrow. Loop a length of sturdy rope through the holes in the sled or wheelbarrow tray, long enough so that you can hold the rope in front of you as you pull the sled. Then, get some more of that ol' sand (you can just throw your sandbag in here, if you like) and dump it into the sled.
Here are some ideas about ways to pull the sled. Take big strides and keep back upright, looking straight ahead. If the rope is hard on your hands, try wearing gloves, and if it's hard on other parts, try wrapping a small towel around it for padding. If you have some old foam lying around, especially some old pipe insulation, that's useful for taking the bite out of the rope too. Use your duct tape if needed.
Loop the rope around your hips and walk forwards, facing away from the sled.
Loop the rope around your glutes and walk backwards, facing the sled.
Pull the sled holding the rope with your hands in different positions: over your shoulders like suspenders, with slightly bent arms out in front of you, with arms down and rope between legs.
Ironmind sells a harness specifically for sled dragging, if you want to get all fancy schmancy.
sand buckets
This exercise builds upper body strength, especially grip strength. Take your bucket and put some sand in it. If the handle of the bucket is thin and liable to really dig into your hands, wrap it in some foam or a towel. Ideally, get one bucket for each side. Then pick them up and go for a walk with them. If you can walk longer than 60 seconds with them before the burning and/or numbness in your forearms forces you to drop them, then add more sand. You can also try:
One-arm bent-over rowing a bucket towards you
Shrugging the buckets (come up on your toes at the top of each shrug for some extra calf and balance work)
Walking with the buckets held out from your sides (don't try to hold arms out too far; 8-12 inches will do)
Biceps curls with the bucket
Two-hand and one-hand deadlifts with the buckets held to your side
Filling up one bucket and leaving the other one empty, then picking up the full bucket and pouring it into the empty bucket, repeat
shoveling
This one is perhaps the most apparently easy of them all, but wait till you try it. Those of us who are gardeners will know that this is a full-body workout, especially if your soil is clay. Find a corner of your backyard that won't mind this intrusion. Then, using correct form, i.e. bending from the hips and legs, not rounding back, dig a hole. Start with a shallow hole at first, then as you get better, dig a deeper hole. Once you've dug it, fill it back in. Find this too easy? Soak the dirt first before you shovel it back in. You can repeat this exercise infinitely, or until the neighbours call the cops because they think you're burying a body.
sledgehammer
Sledgehammer training is coming into fashion for old-school physical preparation. It hearkens back to the good old days (or bad old days, depending on how you look at it) of manual labour. This type of training works the hands, forearms, upper and midback, and abdominal girdle nicely. Depending how the swing is executed, sledge work can be a full body exercise. The great thing about sledge work is that the hammers come in varying weights, from little 3 or 4 pounders like the one I'm using in the photo, to 15 pound ones with longer handles. This can provide some nice progression and variation. And they're cheap too! If you have a wall that needs knocking out in your house, this is the perfect opportunity to get started. Nothing relieves stress like bashing the hell out of drywall and wooden studs.
Despite its rather primitive appearance, sledge training is ideal cross training for anyone involved in a sport demanding body rotation. This includes throwers, martial artists, tennis players, and golfers. Swinging a weighted object under control requires stabilization of the trunk region, which means some killer ab and lower back work. To increase the power of the stroke, simply increase the hip involvement.
Mike Hartle's series of articles on sledge training at bodybuilding.com is a good primer on the subject. He covers things like different strokes, how to set up a sledge training program, and so forth. You needn't drag a truck tire into your yard though. Just find any slightly yielding surface to hit, such as a patch of grass, or even just practice swinging the sledge like a golf club or tennis racket.
Jamie Hale has written an intro to sledgehammer training here.
Sport-specific.com on sledgehammer training
Krista lays some renovation beatdowns on drywall with a 4 pounder. Whack!
putting it all together
The first thing to remember when putting together your farm girl workout is to treat these exercises like regular weights, which means:
use good form: don't round the back, lift using the legs where necessary, don't jerk or twist abruptly
privilege quality of movement over quantity
treat the movements like reps of a weight set, and rest in between (as well as between workouts)
don't try to do everything on one day; pick 5-10 movements per workout
start slow and light, since you can always work up to a larger workload and heavier weight
include a warmup and cool down with each workout
sample workout 1: full-body workout
This workout should be done about 3 times weekly, with ideally a day of rest in between workouts.
medicine ball
pick 2 throwing movements and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag bear hug and carry 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sandbag bear hug and squat, 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps
sand bucket
bucket one-arm row, 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps
bucket walk, 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sled dragging
drag sled forward for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
sample workout 2: split workout
This workout should be done no more than 4 times weekly, with no more than 2 workouts in a row before a rest day. Ideally it should be done every other day.
day 1 lower body
medicine ball
pick 2 kinds of jumping throws and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag bear hug and squat, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
medicine ball
medicine ball lunges, 3 x 10-12
sled dragging
drag sled forward for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
face sled and walk backwards dragging sled for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
day 2 upper body
medicine ball
pick 2 kinds of pressing throws and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag picking-up-and-putting-down, 2-3 x 8-10 reps
sandbag bear hug and carry, 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sand bucket
bucket rows, 2-3 x 6-8
bucket biceps curls, 2-3 x 6-8
bucket walk, 2-3 sets x 30-60 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
For instance if you can't get to the gym read this article:
no weights?
no problem!
So let's say you live in Upper Armpit, South Dakota, or on top of a mountain in the Himalayas, and there are no gyms for 500 miles around. Or, let's say you're a complete cheapskate and don't want to pay $50/month to the local chrome 'n' tone Fluffy Fitness. Or, let's say that you're agoraphobic and haven't left your house in 13 years. Whatever the case, it is important to remember that you don't need weights to get a good workout.
Now, I'm not talking about those idiotic "you don't need weights, you just need 12 oz. cans of tuna!" workouts that Cosmopolitan magazine advertises (I swear I am not making the part about the tuna up... it was actually suggested by Cosmo for biceps curls... maybe they were aiming that article at 2-year-old malnourished children or something). I'm talking about old-school, farm girl, Dinosaur-training-style pickin' up heavy stuff lying around the house and yard.
what every weightless girl needs to have in her wardrobe
I'll tell ya what to do with all of this stuff. Some are just cheap things you can pick up at the local discount store, while others are likewise cheap things you can pick up at the local hardware store. Army surplus stores are also good places to look for things like heavy-duty knapsacks. If you have other cool ideas, drop me a line.
old soccer ball, basketball, or volleyball
jump rope
an old durable knapsack, and/or duffel bag, maybe even an old suitcase
sand
an old pillowcase
duct tape
a little kids' plastic sled or the "tray" part of an old wheelbarrow
rope
gloves
a small towel, or some plain foam, or some pipe insulation foam
a bucket
a shovel
sandbag
Sandbag work can be a full body exercise. To make a sandbag, you'll need an old knapsack or any of the other durable bags I mentioned, some carpenter's sand (mine was $10 at the local building centre for 75 lbs. worth), an old pillowcase, and the duct tape. Now, when I got my bag of sand, it was the perfect weight for my first sandbag, so I just put the plastic bag of sand right into the duffel bag. You may find that depending how much you get, you want to put less in. This is where the pillowcase comes in (it's even a good idea to double up on the pillowcases, just in case). Fill the pillowcase with the desired amount of sand. Then duct-tape it shut (make sure you do a good job here... nothing like a sand explosion when you drop the bag) and put it inside the knapsack. Voila! You have your very own handy-dandy sandbag. Make a few of these which are different weights, if you like.
What to do with the sandbag? Lots of ideas, most of which sound easy until you try them!
Pick up the sandbag and put it down. Try 3 sets of 10 reps of picking-up-putting-down with a heavy sandbag. To pick up the bag, squat down and bear hug it, then stand up with it. Squat back down to put it down.
Carry the sandbag around. Pick up the sandbag in a bear hug and carry it around your backyard, as shown in this pic from the Natural Strength site. Try to do a few laps or a few minutes. Rest a bit, then try again. You can also try to carry it while holding the sandbag by the handles of the bag (a little suitcase full of sand would be useful here... get one in each hand, even).
Once you've mastered carrying the bag, try carrying it up a flight of stairs or up a hill.
Roll the bag end-over-end.
Pick up the bag and press it overhead, or try to bench press it.
If it's a knapsack, try putting it on your back and squatting with it, or doing calf raises. You can also try to squat/calf raise while bear-hugging the bag.
Grab the bag by the handles and try to row it towards you like a bent-over row. Try it with your arms around the bag too, if the bag is not too big.
Deadlift the bag by the handles. Or, if it's a suitcase or duffel bag type, try one-handed deadlifts with the bag to your side.
medicine ball
Medicine ball work helps to build explosive strength, coordination, balance, stability, and good lower back/oblique/abdominal strength. To make your own medicine ball, take an old soccer ball, basketball, or volleyball. Pull the air plug out with a pair of needlenose pliers. Then, using a funnel, fill the ball with the desired amount of water or sand (experiment with both, as both give a different weight and feel to the ball). Aim to get about 2-10 lbs. in there, as desired. Like the sandbag, it's handy to have a few of different weights. You can either replace the plug and leave it, or tape over the hole with duct tape.
Here are some medicine ball training ideas. Generally you hold the ball in both hands, but you can also try one-handed catching and throwing if the ball is light. Always keep the ball under control; you're not trying to throw it hard, but rather accurately and, eventually, quickly (start slow till you gain skill). Keep your eye on the ball, and if standing, feet firmly planted. Back should be in neutral position, never rounded. Start light then work up to heavier work. Treat medicine ball throwing like a set of weights, so instead of doing 50 throws in a row, do 3-5 sets of 8-10 throws and rest in between.
Toss the ball back and forth between you and a friend. Try:
-two hand catches and one hand catches,
-catching low, mid-height, or high with arms overhead
-catching in front or to the side
-throwing in front or to the side
-throwing between one another while facing one another
-passing the ball between you while standing sideways to one another or back-to-back
-different throwing styles such as upwards (like shooting a basket), a "pressing throw" like pushing the ball out in front of you, and underhand
-passing the ball between you while in different positions, e.g. one person standing, one lying down, or one person standing and the other crouching
Toss the ball upwards from an underhand grip, starting from a crouch position and leaping up into a standing position, kind of like how little kids throw the ball when they start baseball. You can also try the "shooting a basket" upward pressing throw with this "squat jump" movement.
Bounce the ball off a wall.
Do ab crunches with the ball held above you at arm's length, or on your chest.
Lying on the floor or ground, toss the ball into the air, sort of like a bench press with the ball.
Holding the ball at arm's length overhead, gently bend from side to side, or squat down keeping the ball overhead.
Hold the ball between your knees, and pull knees to chest, or keeping legs straight, raise legs.
Holding the ball at arm's length, make big gentle circles, bending from the waist. Make smaller circles above or in front of you.
Hold the ball to your chest, bend from the hips keeping lower back arched, then stand up again.
Do pushups with your feet on the ball.
For more ideas, check out this illustrated list of medicine ball drills (list 1 and list 2) as well as the book Medicine Ball Training by Zoltan Tenke and Andy Higgins.
sled dragging
A great full-body exercise, particularly legs, back, and grip (if you're holding the rope). To make a sled, you'll need a little kids' plastic sled with a flattish bottom, or the "tray" part of an old wheelbarrow. Loop a length of sturdy rope through the holes in the sled or wheelbarrow tray, long enough so that you can hold the rope in front of you as you pull the sled. Then, get some more of that ol' sand (you can just throw your sandbag in here, if you like) and dump it into the sled.
Here are some ideas about ways to pull the sled. Take big strides and keep back upright, looking straight ahead. If the rope is hard on your hands, try wearing gloves, and if it's hard on other parts, try wrapping a small towel around it for padding. If you have some old foam lying around, especially some old pipe insulation, that's useful for taking the bite out of the rope too. Use your duct tape if needed.
Loop the rope around your hips and walk forwards, facing away from the sled.
Loop the rope around your glutes and walk backwards, facing the sled.
Pull the sled holding the rope with your hands in different positions: over your shoulders like suspenders, with slightly bent arms out in front of you, with arms down and rope between legs.
Ironmind sells a harness specifically for sled dragging, if you want to get all fancy schmancy.
sand buckets
This exercise builds upper body strength, especially grip strength. Take your bucket and put some sand in it. If the handle of the bucket is thin and liable to really dig into your hands, wrap it in some foam or a towel. Ideally, get one bucket for each side. Then pick them up and go for a walk with them. If you can walk longer than 60 seconds with them before the burning and/or numbness in your forearms forces you to drop them, then add more sand. You can also try:
One-arm bent-over rowing a bucket towards you
Shrugging the buckets (come up on your toes at the top of each shrug for some extra calf and balance work)
Walking with the buckets held out from your sides (don't try to hold arms out too far; 8-12 inches will do)
Biceps curls with the bucket
Two-hand and one-hand deadlifts with the buckets held to your side
Filling up one bucket and leaving the other one empty, then picking up the full bucket and pouring it into the empty bucket, repeat
shoveling
This one is perhaps the most apparently easy of them all, but wait till you try it. Those of us who are gardeners will know that this is a full-body workout, especially if your soil is clay. Find a corner of your backyard that won't mind this intrusion. Then, using correct form, i.e. bending from the hips and legs, not rounding back, dig a hole. Start with a shallow hole at first, then as you get better, dig a deeper hole. Once you've dug it, fill it back in. Find this too easy? Soak the dirt first before you shovel it back in. You can repeat this exercise infinitely, or until the neighbours call the cops because they think you're burying a body.
sledgehammer
Sledgehammer training is coming into fashion for old-school physical preparation. It hearkens back to the good old days (or bad old days, depending on how you look at it) of manual labour. This type of training works the hands, forearms, upper and midback, and abdominal girdle nicely. Depending how the swing is executed, sledge work can be a full body exercise. The great thing about sledge work is that the hammers come in varying weights, from little 3 or 4 pounders like the one I'm using in the photo, to 15 pound ones with longer handles. This can provide some nice progression and variation. And they're cheap too! If you have a wall that needs knocking out in your house, this is the perfect opportunity to get started. Nothing relieves stress like bashing the hell out of drywall and wooden studs.
Despite its rather primitive appearance, sledge training is ideal cross training for anyone involved in a sport demanding body rotation. This includes throwers, martial artists, tennis players, and golfers. Swinging a weighted object under control requires stabilization of the trunk region, which means some killer ab and lower back work. To increase the power of the stroke, simply increase the hip involvement.
Mike Hartle's series of articles on sledge training at bodybuilding.com is a good primer on the subject. He covers things like different strokes, how to set up a sledge training program, and so forth. You needn't drag a truck tire into your yard though. Just find any slightly yielding surface to hit, such as a patch of grass, or even just practice swinging the sledge like a golf club or tennis racket.
Jamie Hale has written an intro to sledgehammer training here.
Sport-specific.com on sledgehammer training
Krista lays some renovation beatdowns on drywall with a 4 pounder. Whack!
putting it all together
The first thing to remember when putting together your farm girl workout is to treat these exercises like regular weights, which means:
use good form: don't round the back, lift using the legs where necessary, don't jerk or twist abruptly
privilege quality of movement over quantity
treat the movements like reps of a weight set, and rest in between (as well as between workouts)
don't try to do everything on one day; pick 5-10 movements per workout
start slow and light, since you can always work up to a larger workload and heavier weight
include a warmup and cool down with each workout
sample workout 1: full-body workout
This workout should be done about 3 times weekly, with ideally a day of rest in between workouts.
medicine ball
pick 2 throwing movements and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag bear hug and carry 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sandbag bear hug and squat, 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps
sand bucket
bucket one-arm row, 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps
bucket walk, 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sled dragging
drag sled forward for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
sample workout 2: split workout
This workout should be done no more than 4 times weekly, with no more than 2 workouts in a row before a rest day. Ideally it should be done every other day.
day 1 lower body
medicine ball
pick 2 kinds of jumping throws and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag bear hug and squat, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
medicine ball
medicine ball lunges, 3 x 10-12
sled dragging
drag sled forward for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
face sled and walk backwards dragging sled for 2-3 sets of 30 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
day 2 upper body
medicine ball
pick 2 kinds of pressing throws and do each one for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
sandbag
sandbag picking-up-and-putting-down, 2-3 x 8-10 reps
sandbag bear hug and carry, 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds
sand bucket
bucket rows, 2-3 x 6-8
bucket biceps curls, 2-3 x 6-8
bucket walk, 2-3 sets x 30-60 seconds
jumping rope
jump rope for 30-60 second intervals, with 30 seconds walking in between, for 5-10 minutes
~stacy
- liquidstayce
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