Everyday Systems

Ok, so my curiosity about SG and what has you all so addicted to it got the better of me this morning!

I don't have a sledge hammer - this is a good thing as I am hopelessly unco-ordinated, so I would be a danger to me and all around me - so I grabbed my broom.

I set my timer and did 14 min of what I could remember reading from here and I GET IT!!!

It really is as addictive as No S!

I think I will stick to my broom for a few weeks and then see if I can persuade my DH to buy me the 8lb for my birthday - not that I can lift it!

Reinhard you really are a clever guy - Thanks for 2 great ideas.


"There is a very fine line between a hobby and mental illness - Unknown"

Hi Mo,

glad you 'get it'! You're right that even a broom is quite challenging enough when you first start out. I think that's a pretty smart way to start actually and wish I'd thought of it.

It took me several weeks of intermittant Shovelglove sessions, never more than 6 or 7 minutes long with the 12 Pound hammer I have before I could even consider a full 14 minutes, and even now I take it very very slowly. I probably spend about 4 out of the 14 minutes each day standing there jiggling the hammer around a bit, whilst my arms catch up with the program. I've found that Reinhard is right that the most important thing to do is to carve out the full time though, even if you just stand and stare at the hammer on the floor in front of you!

There's something oddly satisfying about the SG movements too. Even if they don't quite fall into the category of 'fun', they're varied enough that it's certainly much less boring than anything else like it that I've tried. The thought that one day they might come in useful and I might actually have to dig for real is also quite cool.

C.

ps: liked your quote. I'd always thought that there's also a very fine line between genius and madness as well!

Mo, 8 lbs is nothing really heavy, so it's probably a perfect starter...
(Unless it feels really too easy for you in the store...)
I recommend you try out 8 and 10 lb hammers...
I think the real key is finding a really great selection of songs which help motivate you, and stick with them each time!
Then you don't even need a timer...

Take the first two days really really carefully and just get used to holding it and going through the movements fluidly and gently...

Have fun!!!
Love,
Deb

Thanks for all the encouragement.

Unfortunately I am having a really bad and hectic week and I just do not have the energy or time or the mental strenght to even attempt to SG (or any exercise). When things improve I will look at getting me a SG (rather than the broom).

Debs - my problem is that the 8lb seems too heavy for me to even attempt swinging it around and I don't think they make a lighter one!!

you could always tie a bag containing a couple of cans to the end of your broom....? It might help you to build up. Also, don't forget that you're not required to swing the sledgehammer with both your hands together. It's much easier if one hand is at the top of the handle and the other is right up next to the head.

Good luck anyway. Let us know how you get on once you're not quite so manic!

C.

Hey Mo!
You definitely should listen to your body.. You'll be able to swing it around (carefully, and as Carole described, not like a baseball bat! LOL.) in no time! Try these ideas for a while...

I suggest to build up your hand and grip strength first...
Since you already have the sledge (you do right?)
Just start SG by doing something like Churning butter or my little hand grip strengthener "Jack and Jill"
You pretend you are lowering and raising a bucket of water into a well..
Only use a hand over hand motion, not like churning butter..
In other words, you aren't raising your shoulders at all...
Also, don't do 14 minutes...
Do two minutes..
Next month do 4 minutes, next month 8 minutes.. etc....

And don't forget to go very slow, and breathe! LOL..

You might want to buy a gallon jug of water and every now and then, do a few bicep curls with it...
A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs...
You won't hurt yourself with that..
I'm not for the cans attached to the broom idea, because they might come loose... (Sorry CJ!)
See if any of this helps..
I wouldn't recommend getting a smaller sledge, unless you are a teeny weenie lady like Jan Tz (104 lbs! LOL..)

Have a great weekend!
Love,
Deb

MerryKat, I have a 4 pound sledgehammer (6 pound total, counting the handle). I bought it at Walmart for under $10. This is a good weight for me right now, and it might work for you as well. Best wishes!

Deb is right that the cans might come loose - but I still think it depends on whether you were in the Girl Guides and learned to tie your knots properly

Good luck anyhow.
I'm sure there's the right 'routine' and 'equipment' for you out there somewhere.

C.

Debs - No I don't have a sledge yet.

Jan - The smallest I have seen is 8lb and it cost around $28. I will keep looking for a smaller & cheaper one.

Caroljo - I was a Girl Guide so my knots should be fine, but I broke the broom!! It obviously did not like so much swinging around as the head came off and now it is too loose to use as an SG.

My other problem is I get too hot and sweaty to do this in the mornings and the evenings are just jam packed right now. Once baby is a bit bigger hopefully I will have a little more time at night and get back to SG.

Shane Hammond, the best male weightlifter (olympic lifting) the U.S. has to offer, spent his first 6 months of training just getting the movements and positions consistently correct with a broomhandle/dowel/stick. He now does the clean and jerk with over 500 pounds! While he had a tremendous base of strength from his powerlifting career, he knew that the smartest thing to do was to get the form down and prepare his body for the different positions. That is one of the reasons he is our best superheavyweight. So I would say that learning shovelglove with a broom, while not as complex as a snatch or clean and jerk, is an excellent course of action.
One thing you could do is just buy a sledge handle and work with that until it feels comfortable. I have seen sledges as light as four pounds, and if I find a source for these, I will post it. The handle for my sledge cost $10.95, but you should be able to find one much cheaper. Hope this helps.

gratefuldeb67 wrote: I suggest to build up your hand and grip strength first...
Since you already have the sledge (you do right?)
Just start SG by doing something like Churning butter or my little hand grip strengthener "Jack and Jill"
You pretend you are lowering and raising a bucket of water into a well..
Only use a hand over hand motion, not like churning butter..
In other words, you aren't raising your shoulders at all...

Ooo, I like that one. I'll have to give it a try tonight.

Glad you like it Joe...
This really is like a "jogging in place" move I used to use when I just felt tired between other movements and at the outset of me using the SG... I felt it really helped the grip in a safe way...
Another great way to develop good grip is to wring out a medium sized wet towel....
They taught me that in massage school..
Good to keep those "kneading" tools in shape! LOL...

Have a nice evening and good luck~
Peace and Love,
Deb

very, very slowly!

carolejo wrote:. . .It took me several weeks of intermittant Shovelglove sessions, never more than 6 or 7 minutes long with the 12 Pound hammer I have before I could even consider a full 14 minutes, and even now I take it very very slowly. I probably spend about 4 out of the 14 minutes each day standing there jiggling the hammer around a bit, whilst my arms catch up with the program.. .

Carolejo,

Many thanks for posting this. Only my 2nd day with SG and I was beginning to become discouraged as I feel I'm working the SG for 4 minutes, stopping to breathe deeply for 2. (I'm only able to lift an 8lb hammer at this point.) Strangely, I'm not sore and have felt "renewed" from only these two workouts.

Jean

Glad to be of help!

It's worth it, the shovelglove exercise is about the only really 'fun' exercise I ever found. I also love that it's non-competitive, it's just for ME. The results are worthwhile too

It won't take long before you're swinging that hammer around for a full 14 minutes. Hope you have as much fun as I have.

C.