Everyday Systems

Has anyone tried to make a "shovelglove" out of something other than a sledgehammer, and what were the results? I've got a handle of about the right length - about a yard long - but I'm not sure what heavy object I can affix to it and how it is to be affixed. Can someone suggest something? I'd like to start shovelgloving, but sledgehammers are not to be found in my immediate vicinity, alas...

Can you trust yourself to securely attach a weight to a stick and not have it fly off when your doing some move or another?

I'd say that whatever you do, make sure the weight is centered on the stick, not off to one side. If it's off center then the stick is going to try and twist as you do the exercises.

As for weight...have you got any cement/plaster? Find a suitable container, fill it with cement and put your stick in it until it hardens. You might want to put a couple of screws/nails through the end of the stick to hold it firmly inside the cement.

PS: What part of the world doesn't have sledgehammers? Antarctica?

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.

Hi Larissa
Good to see you! How's music ?
My first boyfriend from years gone by, had made a decent little barbell out of some thick dowl and two medium sized coffee cans filled with cement.. Can you get a coffee can, and a small bag of cement mix?
Then just stick the pole into the middle and let it set....
But I wouldn't do this unless you really feel that the handle is truly meant for weight being added..
If it's a sledge handle fine.. If it's a broomstick, well, I think you might be asking for trouble if it cracks during use..
A broken toe isn't really worth it.

Peace,
Deb

I would be careful... people have posted some impressive contraptions, but an extra 10 or 20 bucks isn't an awful lot to pay for a little extra insurance that you aren't going to send a block of steel flying through the window. Amazon has free shipping on many sledges.

http://astore.amazon.com/everydaysyste-20

Reinhard

Inspired by a section in the 1970's HeavyHands book by Len Swartz where he described using a weighted shovel to exercise, I found a snow shovel handle with a tapered end where the shovel balde used to be. I put a ten lb weight on, then drilled a small hole below and above the weight and put a small rope through to secure the weights. It is too long to use as a sledge but I often use it for shovelling movements. I highly recommend the Heavyhands book - it is out of print but you can find it used or at the library or at www.heavyhandsfitness.com. Also Clarence Bass has a few articles on heavy hands at his web site www.cbass.com , also highly recommended although not for everyone.

When i went to my hardware store, they had a total of 3 sledges. The heavest one I could find was a 10 pounder. And it was a big store (not huge, but a good size) and its a town of 300'000