Everyday Systems

I've gotten my 8# sledgehammer and am amazed by how heavy it feels. Something about physics that I just don't get I guess. I use 2 8# free weights (1 in each hand) and it feels WAY lighter than this.

This morning I couldn't even do 14 whole minutes with it so I did about half with it and half with my stick that I'd been using while waiting for my hammer to arrive. I'm looking forward to building up to it being easy to swing around, though.

Julie

Pretty simple physics. If you are lifting by flexing your elbow, then an 8 pound weight times the length of your forearm in inches is the the number of pound/inches of torque you are producing.

Now, add another foot of handle to the length... you get the picture. Plus, your grip is skewed to hold the handle, so it torques things differently.

Don't rush. You'll build amazingly strong tendons and ligaments this way, but it takes time. Right now, your muscle are probably more capable than the connective tissue is...

Thanks, Kevin. Having a real explanation makes me feel slightly less lame about not easily lifting 8 pounds!