Why 14 minutes only on weekdays?

Johnny Quick · Post by **Johnny Quick** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:11 pm

Questions mainly for Reinhard but all are welcome to respond.

Why only exercise on weekays?

What would happen if I went 14 m six or seven days a week? Won't that help cement my exercise habit?

What would happen if I went 28, 42 or 56m?

Thanks!

Post by **reinhard** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:49 am

Your arms would fall off

Seriously, try it if you want. But I think it would be awful.

5 days a week is plenty, but not so much that it isn't fun any more. And 14 minutes is enough time to get you in good shape without being a real imposition.

Apart from the purely muscular aspects, it's really, really nice to have regular days off from routines. And very natural. I think habit even expects it. The Sabbath is not a new thing.

My goal in coming up with shovelglove was to do something sustainable to get me into reasonably good shape. And I think that's what most people are interested in. If you are a professional athlete or model or aspire to be one, maybe something more strenuous makes sense, if not, I'd strongly caution against it.

Reinhard

david · Post by **david** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:10 pm

JQ--Please do 56 minutes each day for the next seven days. Report back to everyone at the end of the week.

--david

ThomsonsPier · Post by **ThomsonsPier** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:13 am

Rest periods are essential for muscle building. Professional body builders have rest days.

Farnsrocket · Post by **Farnsrocket** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:20 am

david wrote:JQ--Please do 56 minutes each day for the next seven days. Report back to everyone at the end of the week.

--david

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:58 pm

I'll admit that I don't stick to 14 minutes a day, or necessarily only SG on non-S days. I figure why stop if I'm enjoying it?

I would say, when you are starting, don't go crazy. You'll need the break. Until you are used to it, it's a lot easier to hurt yourself by doing a little extra. And if you get too sore to do it the next day, well, you're not helping your habit, are you?

So, I do 20 when I'm into it. Sometimes I do 30. But mostly, I stick to something right around 15 or 20, and, if I'm in the mood for more, I do something else - pushups, hindu squats, situps, dips, pullups. etc.

Here's something to try if you want to see how taxing this is on your muscles. Do as many pushups or pullups as you can. SG hard for 14 minutes. Then see how many pushups or pullups you can do... at least with pullups, I'm lucky if I can do 3 or 4 after, when I can do 10 before.