Everyday Systems

david

Monday, April 3rd 2006 Morning Exercise: 14 minutes of pushups, hammer swinging, and rope skipping Breakfast: smoothie and some almonds Lunch: spinach salad with 1/2 apple, kidney beans, and veganaise Dinner: baked salmon, baked plantain, couscous, baby carrots Urban Ranger: 1.6 miles Evening Exerci...

david

Simon,

I have found that No-S + Shovelglove is like a magic elixer once you build the habit.

Start gently with the 'glove and you will be rewarded over time!

thanks,
David

david

ThomsonsPier,

Welcome!

Jump in with both feet and keep us updated!

--David

david

10ch,

Keens totally rock! I'm looking to buy a pair of Keen Bronx in black soon. The tan pair I already have are so good for my WIDE feet.

thanks,
David

david

Friday, 03/31/06 Morning Exercise: 14 minute combo of dumbell lifting, hammer swinging, bodyweight stuff, and rope jumping Breakfast: my typical smoothie, a handful of almonds, and a banana Lunch: Thai buffet=one normal sized plate+small bowl of tom yum soup Dinner: pasta with chicken and broccoli, ...

david

Deb,

Thanks for the support!

I have a "before" picture in mind, but I'm going to wait a while before snapping a "during" picture.

I certainly look and feel better than I used to, but I have a ways to go before I resemble any sort of god--Greek, Okie, or combo.

David

david

Hi all, I've decided to create a daily check-in for accountability purposes. I've had a bunch of S days piling up lately (some appropriate, some not) so I plan on using this check-in to hone and focus my intent! Thurs. 03/30/06 Exercise: JR(jump rope)/SG/JR/Stretch Breakfast: Banana+Smoothie(=oats,w...

david

Reinhard, I don't have video capacity right now, but I'll describe the paddling motion the best I can: I always start with my left (weaker) side, so, I stand with my right foot well forward and my left leg back and out of the way. My left hand grips the hammer in the middle of the handle with the kn...

david

3aday, Thanks for your thoughtful reply! I did the vegan thing for almost two years and it was very useful for me. I may go back to it at some point, but for now I'm doing the No-S tango and what I eat is not dissimilar to what you describe your husband's family eating. Anyway, best of luck with the...

david

Hi all, One of the cool things about No-S is the normalcy of it. If one night a week is pizza night, then get a normal sized plate and slap a couple of slices on it! Now, there is also the issue of personal responsibility--maybe you eat the veggie pizza or the chicken pizza instead of the sausage. M...

david

Wow, 3aday, that's a heap of positive change in a short span of time--very impressive!

If you don't mind me asking, why did you cut out the flesh foods? Are you doing the lacto-ovo thing?

thanks,
David

david

Hi all,

This was my 14 minutes today:

18 pushups
30 shovel r/l
20 churn r/l
20 fence posts r/l
7 flip lever r/l
20 standing paddle canoe r/l
15 chop tree r/l
~3 minutes of rope skipping
then beep beep beep beep

good stuff!

David

david

Hi all, I'm still shuggin' away! I've fully adapted to the 12-pounder now--I haven't used the lighter hammer in a couple of weeks. I decided that I need a bit more sleep so I cut down my morning exercise time. Rather than doing 30 minutes total with SG for 14 minutes of it, I set the timer for 14 mi...

david

Hi all, Well, my habit streams haven't been crossing so well! (That reminds me of "Ghostbusters.") The plant based diet + No-S has been a big silly FAILURE. It seems that I can eat a vegan diet and have little mini-meals every couple of hours. Or eat an omni diet and stick to No-S. Health-wise it se...

david

Reinhard, When I was about 20 I lived in a high-rise apt. building. For the first few months I lived on the seventh floor and then I moved to the twelvth. I never took the elevator unless I had groceries to carry. In short order I was in the best shape of my life--so much so that a previous room-mat...

david

Kid,

I like the standing canoe paddle as well. I try to do it with a motion so that the hammer head goes through a full vertical 360 degrees. To truly annihilate my forearms and shoulders I do this one achingly slowly.

David

david

Mmmmm....

Chickpeas are so awesome! It really puzzles me when I run across somebody who doesn't like them.

I have a huge Spanish cookbook with representative dishes from every region of Spain and 90% of the cooked soups and stews have chickpeas in them!

Please bring on the recipes!

David

david

Ben, Awesome testimonial, buddy! I actually had a girls+shovelglove moment this weekend. My wife was asking me why my shirts are getting so loose in the waist but they are too tight in the shoulders, so I took off my shirt and gave her a back double bicep pose. Her response was, "You have big bumps ...

david

Tut,

My tactic is just to ride it out. Being hungry for a couple of hours isn't the worst thing that could happen.

David

david

Thanks Reinhard!

I intended to do squats, pushups, etc. this morning but I decided I really preferred SG so I did that instead. I did a few overhead squats at the end.

David

david

Hi all, I'm still gettin' down with the hammer several times a week. I switch back and forth between the 12 lb. and 10 lb. hammers. You could say I use the 10-lb. for speed work and the 12-lb. for slower, "time-under-tension" work. The wide range of scalability in Shovelglove is still very impressiv...

david

Hi all, I've been pretty well on course since my last check-in. I took a break from No-S for a couple of weeks to rehabituate myself to eating a plant-based diet (vegan, for the most part) which I have found I like better than omnivory for various reasons. Even during this "break" I didn't indulge i...

david

Yeah, I brought up the "country strong" idea a while back. To clarify, I meant increased strength and capacity for work in "real world" arenas vs. being able to lift a bunch in the weight room. I didn't mean to imply anything at all about bulk. Also, for the record, I just recently upgraded to a 12-...

david

Thanks for the recipe! I'll try it soon.

David

david

Born here, raised all over the place, probably here for the long haul now.

David

david

I would like a vegan cornbread recipe, please!

thanks,
David

david

Angel,

Good going on the success so far!

Are you from Oklahoma or are you just getting stationed here after Iraq?

-David

david

Deb,

Some people use the term "Okie" to refer to themselves here. Strictly speaking, though, an Okie was a person fleeing Oklahoma because of the depression and the dustbowl situation. My family was too dumb to leave during those times so I don't use the term to apply to myself.

thanks,
David

david

kid,

I do this one pretty much every time. I call it "driving spikes."

thanks,
David

david

Speaking of stance... Did any of you see the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics? At the very beginning Italian gymnast Yuri Chechi was striking an anvil with a big fake hammer--it was pretty cool! I think that they could have given him a real hammer--the guy certainly has enough muscle. On a ...

david

This is day 45. It feels weird that this is an S-day during the work week--it being V-day and all. I sort of didn't remember that it's an S-day until lunch time. I think I'll have a square of dark chocolate after dinner tonight. I had my cholesterol and glucose levels tested yesterday. The numbers c...

david

Deb,

I often make my interpretations of Indian dishes for groups of friends. Next time you are in Oklahoma let me know and we'll put something together! (warning: my friends will likely demand massages)

thanks,
David

david

I just upgraded from a 10 lb. to a 12lb. hammer. I'll have plenty to work on at that weight for a good long while.

thanks,
David

david

I would definitely buy a t-shirt! I'm no artist but I've thought it would be cool to do a take-off on the Arm&Hammer logo but the muscular arm could be holding a shovelglove (the wrap should be a fluffy sweater). Since both men and women shovelglove you could alter the original image where I stole m...

david

Veggie bhuna sounds great! One of my favorites is chana masala--so easy but so good and also warming during the winter: Saute one or two onions and 5-7 cloves of garlic with a little salt and some chana masala powder (store-bought or homemade it's cumin, fenugreek, and various other goodies) Add thr...

david

Deb and Jan,

Thanks for the sentiments! Shandra lived a long and full gerbil life and her death from old age has been a good lesson for my daughter. She's now planted outside my daughter's bedroom window as a little protective presence.

thanks,
David

david

I agree with Freakwitch here. When I put a strict "no eating past 8pm" rule on myself it helped a lot. It was really tough at first but then it was a habit, and thus the default position, so to speak. Also, it may seem silly, but at night I spend some good time and effort flossing and brushing after...

david

Deb,

I'm impressed.

I was going to write about having to dig a hole in which to bury my daughter's recently deceased gerbil and how SG helped me improve my ability to chop through Oklahoma's dry clay soil but what would be the point now?

Good going--you totally trumped me!

thanks,
David

david

In my experience, swinging a sledgehammer through the air and then stopping in on a dime is an unparalleled way to work the abdominals--all of them, not just the rectus abdominus. As far as doing SG every day, I switch it up if I feel overly tired or sore, otherwise five-days a week shovelglove has ...

david

Every weekday morning I do "stuff" for about 20-30 minutes. This includes shovelglove, bodyweight exercise, skipping rope, stretching, and occasional weightlifting. I try to mix it up and have switched routines every month or two for the last couple of years. Also every weekday I try to walk before ...

david

Deb,

I'm represented by the sledge dude on the right since the one on the left is actually a "dude-ette."

thanks,
David

david

I have completed one week with my new 12-pounder. I took it slow and steady and experienced no undue soreness, etc. On some days I used the bigger hammer for the entire time and on other days I switched between the two hammers. Today I did 21/14/7 and I did the 21 and 7 sets with the twelve pound ha...

david

Looks like another one is hooked!

David

david

That guy,

I weighed again today just to appease my fluctuation curiousity. I'm down two pounds since yesterday. I guess you win with your five pound swing!

David

david

That guy, I'm having a very similar experience. I'm up five pounds over the last two weeks but my new "small" pants are already getting a bit loose. I've been Shovelgloving pretty intensively over the past month. So, going with the theory that I might be adding some muscle, I took a good look in the...

david

Hi all, After a bit of searching I was able to purchase a 12-lb. hammer on Saturday. It is basically a big-headed twin to my 10-pounder. I was happy to have found one with a hickory handle. I took it slow and easy doing Shovelglove with the 12-pounder this morning and I think the transition will go ...

david

Phil,

I've also been feeling the benefit of having three set meals rather than eating throughout the day. I was considering that perhaps the perception of more "energy" is due to the digestive system resting between meals.

I like the liver explanation though--it makes sense.

thanks,
David

david

I think this is day 34.

Still no breakdown of habit. I even plan on ordering pizza for dinner tonight and I know for certain that I will have only three slices--if that.

I think that for my S-days I may get a big cinnamon roll....

Enjoy your S-days everyone!

thanks,
David

david

Deb, I'm not worried about upgrading. It's just that with my current hammer I'm using as much leverage disadvantage as I can and I tend to swing with a good bit of velocity then bring the hammer to a sudden stop. I know I'll need to take it easy at first with the new tool. Yes, Shovelglove kicks rat...

david

Hi all, After about six months of on/off shovelgloving mixed with other exercise stuff I decided to SG every N-day for 14 minutes as my main "thing." Now, three weeks have gone by. I haven't skipped any days, so this is sort of like my 21-day check in. The cool thing is that I still like it and I st...

david

That guy, If you are like me the belly fat is the last to go. Because, you know, everything except my spare tire is ripped ! :wink: I wouldn't drop your calories or even tweak anything else. My first two No-S weeks I didn't lose much at all then it started coming off. Don't bail on the plan before y...

david

I agree with Jan about eating what you need. Before No-S I would usually snack after evening exercise-type activities. Often I found that even though I would only intend to eat a handful of almonds or a Clif bar I would later break out the crackers or cereal or whatever other carbo-treat I could fin...

david

Josie,

Great news! Also, I admire your courage--starting No-S before the December annual holiday permasnack--wow.

David

david

Were you used to resistance training before shovelglove? If not, you may be exchanging fat for muscle. Do your pants feel loose? Is your appearance different in the mirror?

David

david

Hi all, The post-workout nutrition thing largely sprung from the bodybuilding world. Since any bodybuilder doing No-S while training to win contests is clearly insane, much of the dietary advice which has trickled from the world of elite competitors (bodybuilding or otherwise) into the mainstream is...

david

Cam,

How did the Shovelglove-erating go?

David

david

Jan and Deb, Thanks for the support! Yes, No-S is sort of fun in a self-discovery sort of way. Also, on the fine chocolate front, I have been learning to eat small amounts of really good stuff then I don't feel like polishing off 1/2 quart of cheap pudding or a bag of store-brand cookies. Now, with ...

david

This is day 32. So far this week has been a success. I'm still mindful of the No-S rules every day but it feels practically automatic now. I bought a dark chocolate bar that I'm going to cut up and save for S days. It has 85% cocoa content! The cool thing is that I am not tempted to sample it until ...

david

Jeremy, Congrats on the habit forming! I'll be thrilled if I can reach seven weeks with no cheating and a loss of one pound of fat per week. Since you are lifting weight three times a week there is little doubt that you are adding muscle as well as shedding fat. So your net fat loss is likely more t...

david

mark, If you feel a post-ex. snack is helpful for you, then budget for that. Your no-snack rule could be "no snacks except for one banana post-spin class." The banana might be extra-beneficial because it will replace some electrolytes. On the other hand, I recently dropped my post-aikido training ev...

david

sporkfancier,

Congrats on the cookie turn-back maneuver!

David

david

Sporkfancier, The Trifecta seems to have a subtle but effective power to it. You'll be going along thinking you're making no progress then you realize you just walked to the grocery store without getting winded or your hammer feels really light lately or you have to punch a new hole in your belt bec...

david

Hi all, I have completed two full weeks plus this morning of Shovelglove. The results of focusing on the hammer and letting the other exercise stuff stay in the background have been really good. I have lost about four lbs. in the last couple of weeks and my shoulders, arms, and chest are noticably b...

david

This is day 30. The weekend was good. Between meal snacking has largely lost its appeal. I had some Oreos Sunday night but didn't over-do it. I ordered some new khaki pants for work and I purposefully ordered the waist size an inch smaller than the ones in my closet. Also I didn't get the loose fit ...

david

stevecooper, Some American cities work pretty well for walking to get to work, school, shopping, etc. Where I live in the central part of the country it's difficult for most people to get along without a car. The cities are simply laid out with car travel in mind. I do my urban rangering in the smal...

david

Yes, education is important. However, it has its limits. In 2000, over 40% of Americans who had been diagnosed with emphysema were still smoking. I'm pretty sure that they all knew it was bad for them. I also believe that the great majority of people know that drinking a bunch of soda is bad for the...

david

Hi all, I'm almost at the end of my fourth week of No-S and I call "Success" for the whole chunk of time. Today is probably a good example of how I have changed my habits. One of my coworkers is leaving so we had a lunchtime pizza party. This included a few dozen pizzas, many liters of cola and a de...

david

Freakwitch,

You may like this series as an alternative to Hindu Pushups:

http://www.trainforstrength.com/ex-9.shtml

thanks,
David

david

Bob,

I think you are completely right about the NoS/Shovelglove/Urban Ranger trifecta. It is certainly working nicely for me. I think that these are simple, powerful ideas--this usually means most people will dismiss them outright! (I'm glad you and I aren't most people.)

thanks,
David

david

Hey!

I just came here to post that link!

I'm finding that the combination of walking, fresh air, and sunshine is simply a magic elixer. If I don't get enough of the elixer in a given day I get really grouchy!

thanks,
David

david

Hi all,

I hit 21 days over the weekend.

I've lost around 3 lbs., but I'm most impressed with the little things--the habit building, the enhanced food enjoyment, etc.

Feeling good and keeping on....

thanks,
David

david

Deb,

I ripped the avatar off from symbols.com, so I'll let their explanation stand:

http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/36/367.html

re: Shovelglove--I'm really looking forward to my 14 minutes in the morning!

thanks, and let's all remain as cool as almond butter

David

david

Hi all, I mix the one handed and two handed versions of the churn. Lately, with the two handed version, I've been trying to get my back muscles to do more of the work than my shoulders--almost like a hang clean with a barbell. Either way, churning is one of the tougher movements for me. Oddly enough...

david

Hi all,

This essay, entitled "Slow, steady, and sustainable," echoes Reinhard's philosophy on diet and exercise:

http://www.goanimal.com/newsletters/200 ... toise.html

thanks,
David

david

Hi all,

Check out this mention of the Kuna tribe--3 to 4 cups of cocoa a day! It would be interesting to know what the exact recipe is:

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology ... olate.html

thanks,
David

david

Kellenheller, I used to be worried about working the same muscles everyday because I read so much literature about the dangers of overtraining. So, I would shovelglove two or three days a week and do bodyweight exercises, jump rope, lift weights, etc. on the other days. Over the past few months I ha...

david

Pete, I have found that I can change the effect of shoveling depending on angles, speed, etc. One that I like to do for just 10 or 20 repetitions right and left is to pretend I'm scooping up gravel, rotating to the side, and then curling my wrist to dump the load. If you go slowly and protect your b...

david

Kevin, Actually, Power Rings have been phased out and they sell Elite Rings now. I think the Elite Rings have better grips and a few other upgrades. I have read that many people use the rings for rehab effectively. Once I get them I plan to start slowly with push-ups, dips, body rows, and L-sits. Th...

david

Kevin, For BW stuff now I mostly do push-up variations (not nearly the volume you do), pull-ups, lunges, and squats with a few pathetic attempts at gymnastics skills thrown in. Soon, I'll be getting a set of gymnastics rings to attach to my chin-up bar. I'm thinking of doing SG Mon/Wed/Fri and basic...

david

Hi all, I've been shovelgloving and urban rangering for a while but I just started no-s. I think I dismissed no-s for a while as maybe too simple or non-scientific but I'm already impressed with the strong, basic logic of the system. I'm on my second no-s week and I'm also dealing with the hunger an...

david

Reinhard, I plan to be cautious about upgrading to a 12 pounder. The reason I'm considering the upgrade is that I feel that I'm "at the edge of my leverage" with the 10-lb. sledgehammer. In other words, my hands are so far away from the head of the hammer when I grip the handle that my forearms fail...

david

Hi all, I finally joined the board after around half a year of Shovelgloving! I got my 10-lb. sledgehammer with hickory handle (lovingly hecho in Mexico) for Father's Day 2005 and have been averaging 2-3 days per week since. I do other stuff on non-Shovelgloving N-days like jumping rope, bodyweight ...

Everyday Systems

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churning butter

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re: working the same muscles everyday

it may be a question of leverage

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