Search found 297 matches

by phayze
Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:39 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Hi folks
Replies: 12
Views: 23804

did someone say "sword"? :D

Just of curiosity, what kind of weapon were you using? A lot of decorative pieces are made in such a way that makes them incredibly dangerous to swing around, because of the risk of the tang snapping and the causing the blade to fly out.

case in point. ouch >_<
by phayze
Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:35 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: first session Haha!
Replies: 5
Views: 12447

Welcome to the fold, Raindog!

I highly recommend having some music going - it really helps me to stay focused.

It seems like we've been getting an awful lot of new shuggers lately . . . if this keeps up Reinhard with have entire army of sledgehammer-wielding devotees at his command! haha!
by phayze
Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:34 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: conquering the treadmill
Replies: 6
Views: 13513

Hahahah!

DAVID SMASH PUNY TREADMILL!!
by phayze
Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:50 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Making your own shovelglove?
Replies: 7
Views: 16687

you could try something akin to the improv clubs that I made a while back. I would suggest putting a bit more effort into securing the weight than I did, just because it will have a lot more torque working on it than than my short little ghetto clubs. ;)
by phayze
Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:14 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: What size hammer?
Replies: 17
Views: 31233

You're definitely right that something on the main page about this would be handy - I think Reinhard said something a while back about working on one. I started out work for "brute" strength, just manhandling the hammer through the movements and trying to stop it in time, but now that I'm more used ...
by phayze
Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:19 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

It's been a rough month for me, what with changing weather, changing clocks, and the mad rush to prepare for Halloween (which I declared as an S-day, partly because I was up until midnight on the 30th making costumes!). I only mention this because when I started working out early this year one of my...
by phayze
Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:06 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: can't believe i'm on week 4!
Replies: 2
Views: 8630

Way to go! Keep up the hard work, and you'll be ready for swimsuit season. ;)
by phayze
Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:02 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: What size hammer?
Replies: 17
Views: 31233

Welcome to Shovelgloving! :) That's a tough question for all the new folks, and sadly there's just no easy answer. I'm male, 5'11"/145 pounds, and I use a 10#. I had to start out holding it pretty close to the head for the first month or so, but now it feel just right. If there's any doubt, I sugges...
by phayze
Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:19 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: My new moves
Replies: 2
Views: 9064

Nice onces! Your figure-8s are a bit like the rowing motions that I was doing for a while - killer on the deltoids!

come to think, all of those sounds like delt-killers . . . ;)
by phayze
Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:16 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: anyone know a natural way of relieving inflammation?
Replies: 1
Views: 7247

I've had good with using topical muscle-rubs for swelling and joint pain - particularly Thera-gesic brand. Basically, it encourages endorphins at the site and promotes healing by convincing your body you're on fire . . . or at least that's how my message therapists (also my Dad) puts it. Did wonders...
by phayze
Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:51 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: questions from a new shugger!
Replies: 13
Views: 27821

I know what you mean about the docs, but it seems like most of my local ones are pretty scalpel-happy - even the veterinarians! Gives me the creeps, so I like to looks into stuff on my own and try out the simplest treatment options before resorting to saw-bones. ;) haha! Yeah, I guess the lightsaber...
by phayze
Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:44 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: questions from a new shugger!
Replies: 13
Views: 27821

Heh . . . I'm sort of "doctor averse", but maybe I will have this looked into. I'm totally with you on avoiding the grind when possible, so I haven't done squats ever since it started, except for occasionally doing a set of five to see how everything feels in there (the answer has consistently been ...
by phayze
Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:44 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: questions from a new shugger!
Replies: 13
Views: 27821

interesting . . . . I've had trouble with my left knee for years and always thought that it was due to my ACL surgery, but this PTFD thing sounds an awful lot like what I've been experiencing lately. Is this ever associated with "snapping hips"? I get some weird popping in my IT band when I do certa...
by phayze
Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:07 pm
Forum: Everyday Systems General Discussion
Topic: Radio Interview Saturday
Replies: 7
Views: 17678

You were great, Reinhard! I'm sure our listeners got a lot out of it, and we all made sure to get as many people as we could listening, so hopefully you'll see a nice hit-count this week. ;) My little experiment worked, so I was able to record the show - I'm going to do a little editing with it toni...
by phayze
Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:06 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: is it ok to get through 2 sets before the timer is up?
Replies: 2
Views: 9083

No! No it's not okay! :p

Seriously though, I had that at first too. If you're comfortable with your pace then just try adding a few more reps to each set, or tack some squats or pushups on the end to mix things up.

The important things is to just keep moving, I think.
by phayze
Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:41 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: I Hate the Buzzer: Newbie's First Week
Replies: 8
Views: 18757

I started out doing it after work in the afternoon, but my soul-sucking desk job doesn't often leave me with enough ambition at the end of the day to keep that up, so I switched to doing it first thing in the morning. Considering how much I hate mornings, it's a true testament to how devoted I am to...
by phayze
Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:37 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Just Ordered My Sledge!
Replies: 19
Views: 33231

That's great news, Orvette! Keep up the good work, and keep us posted!
by phayze
Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:56 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Just Ordered My Sledge!
Replies: 19
Views: 33231

Hmm, if you're worried about the weight then I would suggest skimping a little on the time (maybe do 7 minutes to start and work your way up), and/or only use it every other day to make sure you don't strain anything. Definitely take your time starting out and go through the motions slowly and caref...
by phayze
Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:14 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: The routine of 10s: no repeats
Replies: 7
Views: 16439

haha! that's not dissimilar from the broadsword drills I do sometimes when I'm free styling.
by phayze
Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:44 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Frustrated - anyone else have this problem?
Replies: 10
Views: 22086

I'm sorry to hear that you're off to a rough start. :( I've actually heard that working out at the onset of illness is good for you because it stimulates endorphins and kickstarts your metabolism, but I think if you over-do it then you'll just wear out your body and not have any strength left to fen...
by phayze
Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:55 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Monthly update time! Last week didn't go so hot for me and my hammer - Tuesday and Thursday became honorary S-days on account of intense sleep deprivation and a major surge in TMJ-related pain (mental note - go back to chiropractor). I'm so ashamed! :( :oops: On the bright side, I'm off to a good st...
by phayze
Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:49 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: The routine of 10s: no repeats
Replies: 7
Views: 16439

Cool. That's actually a lot like what I did for my first full week SGing. It was a cool way to feel out the different moves and figure out where I was feeling which ones the hardest. Depending the speed though, it can be hard to think up enough moves to keep it interesting. What kind of ridiculous m...
by phayze
Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:49 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Another newbie, hopefully
Replies: 7
Views: 17002

I know what you mean about the fast-twitch, and it's one of those workout debates that I haven't been able to find any good answers to - Fast/light or slow/heavy? I was skimming through some of the 1800s workout manuals at sandowplus and it looks like the classic strongmen preferred relatively light...
by phayze
Thu Oct 05, 2006 1:50 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Another newbie, hopefully
Replies: 7
Views: 17002

Welcome to the Heartland, and to Shovelglove! I'm a huge fan of my reel mower, but I have a postage stamp, too. I still use a gas weed eater for the edging, but I keep toying with the idea of switching to a good pair of grass shears. We're looking into moving out to the country next summer and I'm s...
by phayze
Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:51 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Newbie time
Replies: 6
Views: 15052

Welcome to Shovelglove, Psulli! Glad to hear that you're having fun with it. :)

my workout space isn't close enough to my computer to use iTunes directly, but I set up a 14 minute play list and burned it to a disk for my timer - so, kind of the same idea.

Keep us posted on your progress!
by phayze
Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:05 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: New here and some questions...
Replies: 4
Views: 11662

Welcome to the fold, Nessie! When I first started, I noticed a lot more strain on some muscle groups than others (particularly my forearms), but as those started to acclimate I was able to do the same motions in slightly different ways and with more "stick" between my hands and the hammer head, so o...
by phayze
Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:50 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Refocusing
Replies: 7
Views: 13521

Re: Superman T shirt

I was going to say "bulk" in my case, but that's a good point . . . I think this hero's shirt would be more fitting for me ;)

Image

:lol
by phayze
Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:43 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: $10 Indian Ghetto Clubs from Home Depot - with pics!
Replies: 9
Views: 26533

JWL - I thought about hammers, but I had a hard time finding a combination of price, weight and length that I liked. I'm pretty picky, though. ;) Kroft - I hope by that you mean clean cat litter. ;) I like the toy bat idea, but I wasn't sure how much weight I'd be comfortable with to start. I'll pro...
by phayze
Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:51 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: That Wasn't There Before
Replies: 8
Views: 18873

Re: That Wasn't There Before

srbliss wrote:(my arms don't hang down flat at my sides anymore - silly wing muscles are in the way these days.)
keep it up and you'll look like this guy in no time:

Image

I think Bruce Lee's father was a flying squirrel! :lol
by phayze
Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:46 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Something about this whole Shovelglove thing is
Replies: 5
Views: 13916

It's weird, isn't it? Many is the morning that I've barely been able to get out of bed (not a "morning person"), but 5 reps into my routine I'm wide awake and ready to go. Hooray for endorphins! :lol
by phayze
Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:41 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: To think someone is using one of these...150lb hammer!!!
Replies: 4
Views: 12575

Re: To think someone is using one of these...150lb hammer!!!

SaveFerris wrote:Also, go to strongman tools, and check out that 80pound clubbell. You gonna build up to working with one of those phayze? :wink:
maaaayybeeee. ;)

It'll probably take me thirty years, but it's worth a shot. :lol
by phayze
Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:46 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: $10 Indian Ghetto Clubs from Home Depot - with pics!
Replies: 9
Views: 26533

Awesome! I'll be sure to keep y'all up to date on the trials. :)
by phayze
Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:17 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: That Wasn't There Before
Replies: 8
Views: 18873

Ah, the true test of any fitness plan: Impressing the opposite sex! Congrats, man! :D
by phayze
Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:32 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Shovelglove check-in
Replies: 28
Views: 35891

Awesome! 16# sounds like a serious challenge - you're an inspiration, Dave.
by phayze
Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:25 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: $10 Indian Ghetto Clubs from Home Depot - with pics!
Replies: 9
Views: 26533

Thanks guys, glad you like 'em! :D I'm planning on playing with these Tues and Thurs, and keeping with my usual SG cycle the rest of the week. For now I'm just free-styling with rapier/dagger drills, but after I get used to them I'll probably start blending in some traditional club techniques, and p...
by phayze
Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:32 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: $10 Indian Ghetto Clubs from Home Depot - with pics!
Replies: 9
Views: 26533

$10 Indian Ghetto Clubs from Home Depot - with pics!

If you've been following my progress thread, you've probably seen me mention my interest in the Persian meel/Indian club training that sometimes comes up as an early version of shovelglove. Well, after much thought and staring at bits in the hardware store I've finally gotten some cheap-o starter cl...
by phayze
Fri Sep 22, 2006 3:27 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Refocusing
Replies: 7
Views: 13521

reinhard wrote:I don't know, but I have a superman shirt that I sometimes wear while shugging, and that amplifies the feeling even more.

Reinhard
hahah! I think I need one of those!
by phayze
Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:35 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Breathing question
Replies: 7
Views: 15191

I'll third that! Breathing in this way also helps you to keep the rythmn of the movement and syncronizing your body to your breath is a fundamental principal in any motion-meditation, too which SG lends itself very well.
by phayze
Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:32 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Newbie New move
Replies: 3
Views: 8687

I'm not sure what this says about me, but I like the way you think, Dave. :lol My first thought of spear-work, though. Bayonets are just too modern for me. ;) I've been wanting to get some lunges into my routine too, but I need to really work on keeping them smooth because my wife is always asleep u...
by phayze
Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:28 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: I Hate the Buzzer: Newbie's First Week
Replies: 8
Views: 18757

haha! The buzzer is not your friend! I'm glad you're having fun with it anyway, though. ;)

Welcome to the fold!
by phayze
Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:07 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: New to shovelglove.
Replies: 2
Views: 8561

Hey Tim! That's a heck of a deal on that sledge. I paid 25 for my 12# at the Home "Despot".

Welcome to the club - be sure to keep us updated on your progress!
reinhard wrote:P.S. -- if there are any walmart execs lurking here, I'm open to a strategic partnership :-)
Sellout! :p :lol
by phayze
Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:52 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Zinged my back this morning
Replies: 12
Views: 38350

Yikes! Good call on skipping the fence posts for a while. I'm glad you're recovering quickly, though. I think that the stopping action at the end of the swing really pulls on your shoulders with that one, which feels pretty good as long as you don't over do it. I think it's also important to make su...
by phayze
Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:46 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: 1st day of shovelglove
Replies: 3
Views: 10240

One more thing I've noticed is that I'm sitting up straighter and keeping my shoulders back more today. I don't know if that's because of working my erector muscles, or if it's because swingin' around a f**kin' sledgehammer is a manly activity that I'm proud of. It's both! ;) Welcome to the Wonderf...
by phayze
Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:07 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Intro, sledgehammer alternative, and question
Replies: 9
Views: 22483

Cool - we do circles with sword-points in stage combat and fencing, but it's more of a wrist/forearm exercise when you're using a one-handed weapon. I tried it with the sledge once, but it was . . . "unwieldy". ;)

Maybe I'll give the two-handed version a shot next time I'm free-styling.
by phayze
Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:04 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Mmmmm . . . riiiiingss . . . . I don't know what it is that I find intimidating about ring training, but it just makes me want to get some even more!

That's pretty funny about your 7-year old - Paternal Chin-up Showdown!
by phayze
Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:53 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Intro, sledgehammer alternative, and question
Replies: 9
Views: 22483

Nice idea, Zak! I've done a bit of canoe-type paddling with my hammer, but it's always felt a little awkward. Is this what you're using ? I would worry quite a bit about losing track of the ends of that thing, but I'll bet it's great for developing situational awareness. ;) Do you do any other moves...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:12 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Wednesday workout - Full Speed Ahead !!!!
Replies: 5
Views: 11437

nice work, Steve!

keep it up and you'll be "strong as F*^k" in no time! :lol
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:11 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Haha! I was thinking the same thing about the paralettes - I got the idea from Beast Skills . Sick is the goal. ;) I'm sort of thinking of the list of tutorials on Beast Skills as my "to do" list, so I figure I'll start with the handstands and work my way down. When I do theatrical combat I like to ...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:00 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Sure thing: Basically "pull weeds" is a bent over row with a kickback at the top of the motion. Imagine bending over to pull weeds and then tossing them behind you. I originally called "starting the mower" before I added the kickback - I ramble about it some on the first page in this thread. Oh man,...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:35 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Twist motion
Replies: 12
Views: 21986

A more precise term for what Phayze and Deb are talking about is "seika tanden" or "seika itten." Very cool - I was not aware of that. Thanks for correction, David! I totally agree on the language barrier thing. I was just having a discussion in one of my philosophy classes about how eastern words ...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:05 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Twist motion
Replies: 12
Views: 21986

Haha! And hitting hard is gooood ;) I'm not real familiar with Chinese styles, just a little Qi Gong, but as far as I can tell hara is used in Japanese MAs and Zen pretty much the same way as Dan-tien. All the same, I get where you're coming from, I'm just saying that it's an easy thing for people t...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:41 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Ferris: fair enough. It sounds like we more or less agree over all, we just phrase the issue a little differently. But enough about that. Let's talk about me. :lol It's my workout log, after all. :p I decided to celebrate my 2 month "anniversary" (monthaversary? Lunaversary? Whatever . . . ) with a ...
by phayze
Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:38 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Another newbie checking in...
Replies: 7
Views: 15185

Day 3 of shugging is now complete. I'm really liking this so far. It seems to be a pretty good workout, except for my abs. Am I supposed to be feeling it there, too? I had the same feeling when I started, but after playing around with some of the movements I found the "sweet spot" for muscle recrui...
by phayze
Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:11 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Twist motion
Replies: 12
Views: 21986

True, but in all fairness the center takes on greater significance than its literal translation in spiritual contexts. Hara is also the location of the sacral chakra, the center of gravity (which is important for martial arts and motion meditations), and is a major focus point in many seated meditat...
by phayze
Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:58 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Just getting started!
Replies: 6
Views: 12888

haha! It's bad karma to mock your spouses ailing joints. :lol: I'm glad you like the stretches - you can always trust the Japanese to come up with something clever and effective. :D Oh, and another trick that might help with the keyboard-related problems is to try and keep your wrists up while you'r...
by phayze
Fri Sep 08, 2006 3:04 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Just getting started!
Replies: 6
Views: 12888

aha! I knew it had to be something obvious. Where's Deb when we need her? She's the expert on these medical things. Your doctor story is pretty representative of why I'm not a fan of conventional American medicine - it seems like it's all just driven by pharmaceutical companies that want to get us h...
by phayze
Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:57 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Just getting started!
Replies: 6
Views: 12888

Hi and welcome to the Cult of Shovelglove! First things first: what's RSI? My mom is a nurse and my dad is a massage therapist, so I'm not used to seeing medical acronyms that I don't understand. ;) As for the sledge, if I were in your spot I'd probably upgrade to a 10#, though I'm not in the habit ...
by phayze
Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:54 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Nothing to apologize for, Ferris - It's a discussion board, so let's discuss. ;) Sorry if you're feeling tag-teamed, I know how annoying it can be to stand alone in your opinions. I think a major problem with MAs in the modern world is that popular culture is so saturated with images of Bulletproof ...
by phayze
Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:50 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Freakonomics blog post about shovelglove
Replies: 4
Views: 11255

No kidding! That Chrisbryan guy who posted that screed about "natural" workouts needs to take a breath.
by phayze
Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:14 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Wow, this is what I get for avoiding the computer all weekend! :lol: Sorry I missed the great debate, kids - it looks like it was a lot of fun - I love a good debate. :D Ferris makes some interesting points about the "infomercial-esque" claims of that site, and it's funny that I never noticed the im...
by phayze
Fri Sep 01, 2006 6:46 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Progress report!

Odd timing, but I'm starting off my 8th weeks as a shovelglover with an S-day (labor day) - which is well timed, because lack of sleep has really been screwing with my enjoyment of the workout all week. I'm still surprised at how easy it is to get up and do this every morning, even on days like toda...
by phayze
Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:54 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: New guy checking in
Replies: 12
Views: 20355

david wrote:Way to go! You sound like one of us!
(nutjobs with sledgehammers, that is)
it's not exactly an exlusive club, but one that I think anyone should be proud to be a member of. ;)

Glad you're having fun, Steve! Keep on shuggin'. :D
by phayze
Tue Aug 29, 2006 12:10 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Gonna give this a try- 8 or 10 pounder?
Replies: 9
Views: 19069

That's hard to say, really. I'll preface this with a "in my experience . . . " because your mileage may vary. Also, if anyone would like disagree with/confirm me on this, please do! Forward feels a lot like stoking the furnace, but it seems to be the best for ab recruitment. Like stoking, it brings ...
by phayze
Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:40 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: New guy checking in
Replies: 12
Views: 20355

Yikes! I hope you're right about them being okay! Just go on being good to them and they'll be good to you. Once was more than enough for me. A combination of martial arts and elliptical trainers/stationary bikes has kept mine in pretty good shape. I haven't done much of either of those in the past ...
by phayze
Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:22 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: "Sledge Play" and other Cool Fitness Links
Replies: 9
Views: 16699

as long as we're sharing links, I found a great page with scans of Historical Club Exercises from 1866. I love the pictures in the end of the lady in a big puffy dress swinging th clubs! :lol: I'd love to see some more modern teaching tools for this stuff. Someone needs to tell the club enthusiasts ...
by phayze
Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:12 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Gonna give this a try- 8 or 10 pounder?
Replies: 9
Views: 19069

Always glad to help, Ferris! I have kind of a systematic brain, so I broke the shoveling thing down into four distinct types: forward: exactly how it sounds - throwing to "dirt" directly forward with a short thrusting motion. to the side: I do this with a slight twist toward my leading hand's side (...
by phayze
Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:45 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: New guy checking in
Replies: 12
Views: 20355

Welcome home, Steve! ;) Good lord, man! What did your knees ever do to you!? :lol: I had my left ACL worked on about 12 years ago after a skiing accident and neither of my knees have been the same since. It's amazing how fast SG seems to work, isn't it? I think a lot of it is from getting a really g...
by phayze
Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:39 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Gonna give this a try- 8 or 10 pounder?
Replies: 9
Views: 19069

hello, and welcome! As one of the more recent new guys around here I thought of myself as "moderately strong" (at least for my smallish stature) and I started with a 10. I had to spend a few minutes standing around at Home Depot swinging hammers around like a goob before I could make up my mind, tho...
by phayze
Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:19 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: "Sledge Play" and other Cool Fitness Links
Replies: 9
Views: 16699

Yeah, I've been an unregistered lurk for a few months at veganfitness, but I'm pretty put-off by the obsession with supplements there. For now I'm making obvious gains, so maybe I'll look for more advise on the subject if I'm still unsatisfied when I plateau. Until then maybe I'll just eat more pean...
by phayze
Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:48 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: "Sledge Play" and other Cool Fitness Links
Replies: 9
Views: 16699

My friend told me his blacksmith father could do exercise #2 (overhead lever) with a ten pound hammer, touching his nose each time, at least a dozen times Allow to be the first to say: :shock: That takes some fierce control! Yeah, I know just from my own experience that size and strength aren't alw...
by phayze
Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:05 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: "Sledge Play" and other Cool Fitness Links
Replies: 9
Views: 16699

"Sledge Play" and other Cool Fitness Links

In my long, arduous search for a way to strengthen my spindly forearms I found this site several months before hearing about shovelglove.com. For some reason I never bookmarked it and then I forgot how to find it, but it resurfaced today and I thought you all might find it interesting. Excercise #2 ...
by phayze
Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:38 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Another Take on Useful Movements
Replies: 8
Views: 15669

haha! It actually doesn't feel all that great on the sending end either. It wound up being a little bit like "crack the whip", but the weight was on the opposite side (pinky side) of the hand, so the resistance was all funky. :\ Better to make real spear for target practice, though I doubt my neighb...
by phayze
Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:34 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Another Take on Useful Movements
Replies: 8
Views: 15669

I wonder what "spear tossing" would feel like with a Shovel glove> Hmmmm . . . . :?:
by phayze
Thu Aug 10, 2006 3:30 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Thanks, Dave. I'm certainly enjoying it. :) I don't know where I read about the feed thing, but basically you hold the SG horitontal while "spreading chicken feed" from a basket cradled in your other arm (hard to describe . . . ). Feels pretty good on the forearms and some of the smaller rotator mus...
by phayze
Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:14 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

No, I don't mind at all! I'm always happy to contribute to the community. :D

The one thing that I've seen almost all fitness resources agree on is that too much repitition in a routine is a bad idea. Variety keeps your body guessing and stimulates both the mind and muscles in new ways.
by phayze
Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:41 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Four weeks and still going strong (and stronger as I go)! I've refined my system a little as well, so here's my current routine: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/reverendz3n/silliness/workout.jpg I've been working the whole "low rep sets" thing this week and it feels pretty good, but I might g...
by phayze
Fri Aug 04, 2006 7:12 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Stretching and Flexibility
Replies: 8
Views: 27164

I think you overworked my sparse knowledge of biology a bit, but it all made perfect sense to me! Thanks for helping clear that up, Deb! :D
by phayze
Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:39 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Stretching and Flexibility
Replies: 8
Views: 27164

Yeah, I've been really interested in the idea, too. There are a lot of "fitness myths" floating around so it's difficult to know what to make of it. Regardless, my own experience has shown me that it's much more productive, flexibility-wise. to stretch after a workout and between sets than to stretc...
by phayze
Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:30 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Really Low Rep count (x7) sets
Replies: 10
Views: 27485

I tried this with the four rowing motions this morning and it felt pretty frickin' good! I managed 4 cycles with 3 sets of 20 hindu squats tossed in for variety's sake (and to give my screaming deltoids a little break!). I think I'll make this a regular thing for a while and see what happens with it.
by phayze
Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:34 pm
Forum: Everyday Systems General Discussion
Topic: My Daily Stretching System
Replies: 1
Views: 8546

My Daily Stretching System

I go into this in more detail over in the Shovelglove Forum, but while I was writing about I realized that there might be other interested my little system as well, so I trimmed a bit to post over here. Like many people in our modern, push-button age I spend most of my 40-hour work-week sitting at a...
by phayze
Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:23 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Stretching and Flexibility
Replies: 8
Views: 27164

Stretching and Flexibility

Flexibility is a pretty important part of fitness to me for a variety of reasons, so I thought I'd share a little of my research into the subject. Firstly, Shovelgloving really pushes the limits of wrist, forearm and grip strength for me, which seems to put a fair amount of strain on the various sma...
by phayze
Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:56 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Thanks for the positive reinforcement, guys!

I'm looking forward to that thread, Reinhard - I have a feeling it'll generate some interesting conversation.
by phayze
Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:07 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Well, this will be my two week check-in, not counting that first week where I overdid it and strained a bicep. Two weeks straight of SG every weekday morning and I'm already seeing a difference, both in muscle definition and strength. I created a list of all the moves I could find or think of and so...
by phayze
Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:24 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Rowing movements
Replies: 5
Views: 14269

Cool, thanks for sharing! Have you tried "back paddling"? It really hits that upper part of the Pec major as well as most of the shoulder muscles.
by phayze
Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:59 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Shovelglove Movement Registry
Replies: 10
Views: 20222

Nice! Thanks for putting that together, Reinhard. It really does help to get that all together for easy reference.

JWL - a wiki is an awesome idea! Great way to keep the information fresh as people create new moves and come up with variations on old ones.
by phayze
Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:57 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Okay, so I'm off to a fresh start with my shovelglove after last week's false start with the angry bicep. This morning (because I've decided to actually do this in the morning rather than lay in bed for that extra 15 minutes like a slug) I did a fairly easy, moderately paced routine of 10 reps on ea...
by phayze
Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:27 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: A coal mining scenario?
Replies: 6
Views: 12899

Thanks, Reinhard!

If you find that mp3. let me know where - I've only heard it live, and I'd love to have it for my SG playlist. :)
by phayze
Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:49 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Thanks, Vanilla!

I think I am going to stick with my 10# and just lighten up on the number of reps that I'm doing. As it is, I'm doing too much, too fast in the first few minutes and just don't have much left for the second half.
by phayze
Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:44 am
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: A coal mining scenario?
Replies: 6
Views: 12899

Glad you folks like the union rally idea - it's just weird enough to be funny, and yet still relevant (sadly, coal miners are still treated like dirt by the mine owners). After I wrote that I found Reinhard's similar ideas in the archive from the old forum and particularly like "attack the scab" (fi...
by phayze
Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:15 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Striking vs. Catching
Replies: 33
Views: 52918

hehe, sounds fun! We do stuff like that in stage combat classes, too.
by phayze
Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:43 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Hmm, that's not a bad idea about holding off on the exchange. Maybe if I just try to slow things down a bit I'll avoid future strains. I know what you mean about not working the forarms - there just aren't any free weight excercises that come remotely close to the gauntlet they go through with this....
by phayze
Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:40 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: A coal mining scenario?
Replies: 6
Views: 12899

A coal mining scenario?

I had this thought last night while digging through my CDs for some good labor-related songs. I've thought of a few moves that seem to fit, but I'm sure some of you more experienced shovel-bums would have some ideas to help fill it out. Picking - basically chopping wood, but the imagery is of using ...
by phayze
Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:33 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Striking vs. Catching
Replies: 33
Views: 52918

Reinhard mentioned wanting to quote a comment I made in my intro thread here, so I thought I'd save him the trouble and post it myself: "I've got a background in martial arts (Aikido, fencing, Qi Gong, and various other dablings) and theatrical combat, so the kind of practical strength that SG build...
by phayze
Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:02 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

JWL - thanks for the leverage advice. I think my hammer is a bit too heavy for me, because I'm keeping my lead hand as close to the head as possible and I'm still having some control issues. Reinhard - Glad to know that I'm already making a contribution to the group consciousness. ;) I've always tho...
by phayze
Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:57 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

HI Deb, and thanks! You're definitely right about over-doing it a bit to start - I got going at a pretty good pace for a while, but could barely lift that sledge by the end! That's a pic of me doing a quarterstaff demonstration at a local Shakespeare festival. It got a little distorted when I resize...
by phayze
Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:13 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

thanks, david! I actually had the same thought, so I think I'm going to alternate shugging with time on the stationary bike while my body is getting used to the new exercises. It probably wouldn't have hurt to have started with an 8 lb hammer rather than a 10, but I have a bad habit of pushing mysel...
by phayze
Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:24 pm
Forum: Shovelglove General Discussion
Topic: Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread
Replies: 74
Views: 77561

Phayze's Ever-Growing Progress Thread

Hey all! A friend who tripped on this whole shovelglove thing while looking for diet advice sent me this way and I was immediately enthralled at the whole idea. After reading the main page and about 2/3rds of the mesage board posts I just had to get a 10 pound sledge and try this out last night . . ...