Everyday Systems

Here's another routine I've been messing around with. It's basically just a formalization of my "freestyle fridays."

Do a 10 rep set of each movement.

Don't repeat any set of movements.

Come up with new moves or do non-shovelglove movements when you've gone through the standards.

Slight variations are acceptable. So you don't have to think of something completely new each time.

If a mere 10 reps and having to come up with so many different moves puts too great a strain on your imagination, make it 14 (or something else). I may wind up doing this myself, because some of the moves I've been doing are a little ridiculous, and 14 is more numerologically satisfying and consistent with the rest of shovelglove.

I like it because it's a good end of the week broad based wind down that doesn't hit any one muscle group too hard, and it's an incubator for new moves.

So my weekly schedule now looks like this:

M: 7 reps of each standard move * 2.5
T: 42/21/14 reps of each standard move * 1
W: 42/21/14 reps of each standard move * 1
Th: 7 reps each standard move * 2.5
F: 10 reps of whatever I can think of, no repeats

Reinhard

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 moves are you doing, anyway?

This is essentially what I've been doing as a two-day SG newbie, mostly out of simply not being able to remember most of the moves with any accuracy. I'll typically do 12-14 reps on each side, but the exact count is left up to how I'm feeling. Leaving out "1...2..." rep counts and set moves makes it seem more like "screwing around with a sledgehammer" and less like exercise, which is most of the SG appeal in a nutshell.

Also, question: How much value do you place in "not looking at the timer"? I've been using an iTunes playlist as someone suggested here, simply because I didn't have a countdown timer, and I kind of like the way it gives a vague indication of progress; I know that there's four songs in it. Is this OMG BAD?

I personally don't look at a timer since I use SG as part of a workout and not usually the workout in and of itself. And when I do use just SG as my workout, I usually far exceed the 14 minutes. Usually in the 20-30 minute range, so I am not the person to ask, probably.
But IMHO, I don't think it's a mortal sin unless your goal is to do SG exactly as reinhard prescribes.
I don't SG every day either, so that is also something of a factor in my decision not to really watch the clock.

hi everyone...using reinhard's phase system, I'm on phase 4 and what I've been doing lately is doing one set of each of the exercises using a 16lb SG (sets consist of 15 reps currently) and then going back and trying to complete the set with my 12lb SG. I'm not sure about total times 'cause I stretch before and after but even so it only takes me between 20-25 minutes.

Also, question: How much value do you place in "not looking at the timer"? I've been using an iTunes playlist as someone suggested here, simply because I didn't have a countdown timer, and I kind of like the way it gives a vague indication of progress; I know that there's four songs in it. Is this OMG BAD?

Welcome Alexander! It's only OMG bad if you find yourself getting impatient and hating certain songs because they mean you're a long way off. I don't think that should be the case, because when I do one of my standard routines, I pretty much know how much time is left, too, and it doesn't bug me.

Reinhard

What kind of ridiculous moves are you doing, anyway?

The ridiculous moves tend to be variants on smite the orc. "Smite the orc in the solar plexus," "Smite the orc in the kneecap." Violence comes naturally to the exhausted mind, I guess.

I've been doing counts of 14 now rather than 10 to keep it a little less bloodthirsty.

Reinhard

haha! that's not dissimilar from the broadsword drills I do sometimes when I'm free styling.