I've been lurking here for awhile and shugging on and off for a few months and I would like to hear from folks that have done Shovelglove for more than a few months. It seems there are alot of posts of- "This is my second day and I'm so psyched!" --I think it's great to be excited but I would like to hear from longtimers about making it a habit and what kind of results you have had (not just physique results) and have any of you used SG to springboard an exercise habit that doesn't just consist of SG. This seems to be what has happened to me-- I SG'd exclusively for a few weeks and still revisit it but I am using other exercises in my routine and also trying ways to sneak exercise in when I can.
As far as my own results I do believe SG has helped me heal tendinitis in my rotator cuff. I also think the 14 minute rule is a BIG help in reinforcing the habit of exercise.
Thanks
Kevin
Testimonials from long time Shuggers?
Testimonials
Hi,
I will have been doing SG for two years come August. I am pretty religious with the 14 minutes every morning, I have also added in some dumbell clean and press, dumbell clean and jerk, thrusters, occasional push-ups and indian club work. I mix it up a bit some days when the motivation is low. The important thing is the 14 minutes habit. I've lost about 12 kgs (~27 lbs - due to NoS) and put on about 2 inches to my arms. I am possibly not quite as lean as Reinhards photo, but I don't walk as much. I do have abs though and am pretty sure I look pretty good without a shirt (that's really what most people are asking about isn't it!) I started running about 6 months ago and have taken an everyday systems approach to that as well. i.e. I have to do a 30 min run once a week. Doesn't sound like a big committment, but it has got me quite fit.
I don't post a lot because there often isn't that much to add, a lot of the criticism or concerns are best answered by - just do it and you will see - but it sounds a bit harsh writing that as a reply to people. I now use a 20lb hammer and will be doing my 14 minutes every morning for the rest of my life!
Just do it,
Phil.
I will have been doing SG for two years come August. I am pretty religious with the 14 minutes every morning, I have also added in some dumbell clean and press, dumbell clean and jerk, thrusters, occasional push-ups and indian club work. I mix it up a bit some days when the motivation is low. The important thing is the 14 minutes habit. I've lost about 12 kgs (~27 lbs - due to NoS) and put on about 2 inches to my arms. I am possibly not quite as lean as Reinhards photo, but I don't walk as much. I do have abs though and am pretty sure I look pretty good without a shirt (that's really what most people are asking about isn't it!) I started running about 6 months ago and have taken an everyday systems approach to that as well. i.e. I have to do a 30 min run once a week. Doesn't sound like a big committment, but it has got me quite fit.
I don't post a lot because there often isn't that much to add, a lot of the criticism or concerns are best answered by - just do it and you will see - but it sounds a bit harsh writing that as a reply to people. I now use a 20lb hammer and will be doing my 14 minutes every morning for the rest of my life!
Just do it,
Phil.
Hi Kevin,
Well, the sad truth is that as with any exercise program there I'm sure there is a very high attrition rate. I think shovelglove is about as good as it gets in terms of sustainability -- but even so, any exercise, even something as fun and unobtrusive as this, is hard to stick with. What percentage of people continue going to the gym for month than a few weeks or months? What percentage stick with their weird infomercial machines? A tiny fraction. Even if shovelglove is twice as "sticky" as this, that winds up being a very small number. So the outbursts of initial enthusiasm are bound to vastly outnumber they "hey, it's 2 years and six months and I'm still here!"s.
That being said, at this point we do have a few "old timers" (thanks for chiming in, Phil). Not all of them check this board as obsessively as in their salad days (though I hope more of them will, and add to this thread), so I've collected a few snippets here:
http://shovelglove.com/testimonials.html
Reinhard
P.S. Oldtimers: I know it may not feel "newsworthy" that you've been doing shovelglove for yet another year or six months, but it actually is -- far more so than a new start (which, not to be a downer about it, probably won't go anywhere). So please do chime in now and then if you don't already. If you're past the point of remembering when you started and how long it's been, don't let that hold you back -- that's the best milestone of all!
Well, the sad truth is that as with any exercise program there I'm sure there is a very high attrition rate. I think shovelglove is about as good as it gets in terms of sustainability -- but even so, any exercise, even something as fun and unobtrusive as this, is hard to stick with. What percentage of people continue going to the gym for month than a few weeks or months? What percentage stick with their weird infomercial machines? A tiny fraction. Even if shovelglove is twice as "sticky" as this, that winds up being a very small number. So the outbursts of initial enthusiasm are bound to vastly outnumber they "hey, it's 2 years and six months and I'm still here!"s.
That being said, at this point we do have a few "old timers" (thanks for chiming in, Phil). Not all of them check this board as obsessively as in their salad days (though I hope more of them will, and add to this thread), so I've collected a few snippets here:
http://shovelglove.com/testimonials.html
Reinhard
P.S. Oldtimers: I know it may not feel "newsworthy" that you've been doing shovelglove for yet another year or six months, but it actually is -- far more so than a new start (which, not to be a downer about it, probably won't go anywhere). So please do chime in now and then if you don't already. If you're past the point of remembering when you started and how long it's been, don't let that hold you back -- that's the best milestone of all!
-
Le Mercenaire
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:15 pm
- Location: Canada
Hi Kevin,
I might not be called an "Oldtimer" as is, but I've been shugging for more than 8 months now and I'm at the point were it is harder to not shug on N-days than to shug.
With the summer coming in, I got my bike out and I still shug a couple mornings a week even though I have a full one-hour ride to get to work. SG is keeping my upper body toned up.
My main goal in shovelling is to avoid getting a pot belly (we all have our reasons hey?
) and I can tell you that it's working. More than than, spending my day hitting on a keyboard is not very hard on the arms but I've noticed a return of my triceps and a little more definition (I say a little!!!) in the arms in general since I stated working the hammer.
I think that I'm in for quite a while now and hope to be able to post in a couple years saying that I still do.
Le Mercenaire.
I might not be called an "Oldtimer" as is, but I've been shugging for more than 8 months now and I'm at the point were it is harder to not shug on N-days than to shug.
With the summer coming in, I got my bike out and I still shug a couple mornings a week even though I have a full one-hour ride to get to work. SG is keeping my upper body toned up.
My main goal in shovelling is to avoid getting a pot belly (we all have our reasons hey?
) and I can tell you that it's working. More than than, spending my day hitting on a keyboard is not very hard on the arms but I've noticed a return of my triceps and a little more definition (I say a little!!!) in the arms in general since I stated working the hammer.I think that I'm in for quite a while now and hope to be able to post in a couple years saying that I still do.
Le Mercenaire.
Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoriam
About two years
I've been SGing on and off for about two years. In the summer, I go outside and beat on a tire with my hammer. I also do bodyweight exercises.
My arms, shoulders and back are much, more defined and I have both more strength and much more endurance.
You won't get huge doing this, but you'll get very strong. Your connective tissue will get strong, too: I never "pull" things anymore, without regard to how heavy the wheelbarrow, bag of cement, flagstone, wood round, etc. is. I can split wood for hours on end with a 6 pound maul (I have a splitter, but it's now faster and easier to split all but the gnarliest round by hand). I find myself doing silly things like curling the garbage cans on the way down the driveway (I would have dragged them two years ago).
I do think it works best to interject some pushups, pullups, rows, and dips to get more weight involved a few times a week.
My arms, shoulders and back are much, more defined and I have both more strength and much more endurance.
You won't get huge doing this, but you'll get very strong. Your connective tissue will get strong, too: I never "pull" things anymore, without regard to how heavy the wheelbarrow, bag of cement, flagstone, wood round, etc. is. I can split wood for hours on end with a 6 pound maul (I have a splitter, but it's now faster and easier to split all but the gnarliest round by hand). I find myself doing silly things like curling the garbage cans on the way down the driveway (I would have dragged them two years ago).
I do think it works best to interject some pushups, pullups, rows, and dips to get more weight involved a few times a week.
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."
Shovelglove
I started about 15 months ago, but until December was only doing it two or three times a week. In December I moved to five times a week, as Reinhard recommends. I noticed a very big difference once I committed to 5 days a week, in terms of the improvement I saw.
I now have muscle definition in my arms and shoulders that I've never had before. I feel like it is helping to strengthen my "core" muscles which are so important to good fitness. I feel strong. After 15 months I still really like the workout and the way it makes my body feel.
I have had tendonitis problems in my life and I think shovelglove is helping me to manage that better. I did find that a couple of the exercises seemed to aggravate my problem--I eliminated those and now have a program that works for me.
This isn't the only exercise I do, but it's the only weight lifting I do. I think it is fantastic--
Steve
I now have muscle definition in my arms and shoulders that I've never had before. I feel like it is helping to strengthen my "core" muscles which are so important to good fitness. I feel strong. After 15 months I still really like the workout and the way it makes my body feel.
I have had tendonitis problems in my life and I think shovelglove is helping me to manage that better. I did find that a couple of the exercises seemed to aggravate my problem--I eliminated those and now have a program that works for me.
This isn't the only exercise I do, but it's the only weight lifting I do. I think it is fantastic--
Steve