Hi everyone
I've started the NoS diet in march. Have had a few bumps along the way, but at the moment things are looking good. Since I'm completely out of shape, I think it would make sense to start some sort of exercise routine which will help my weight loss & also help me not feel out of breath even when I go up a brief set of stairs (yes! I get out of breath that easily).
I was listening to Reinhard's podcast about Shovelglove & it sounded really inspiring, so I want to give it a go. I also have bought a good pedometer (following the recommendations of people on the NoS board). So I want to find a good, doable routine for a lazy non-exerciser like me to:
a) increase my total steps per day (I already walk a fair amount because I have a 9 month old, so I take him for walks every day)
b) do the 14 mins shovelglove routine every weekday
I have no idea what moves to start with, and how to keep myself safe. You have to take into account that, as I said, I'm completely out of shape, so please could you suggest the safest & easiest shovelglove moves to start with (and where to actually see them done- perhaps online- so that I know I'm doing it right)?
Also: what time of day do you find easiest to do the routine?
Many thanks in advance
Cassie
New to shovelglove! (and to exercise in general)
I'm also pretty intimidated by Shovelglove. I found a different exercise plan online that I've started doing, and it's going pretty well. It's the one recommended in "The Hacker's Diet". You start off at a really basic level and then work your way up.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/su ... 5_0_5.html
Of course if you want to do Shovelglove don't let me dissuade you! I just am finding this exercise plan really doable and I'm looking forward to being able to do proper pushups once I get far enough.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/su ... 5_0_5.html
Of course if you want to do Shovelglove don't let me dissuade you! I just am finding this exercise plan really doable and I'm looking forward to being able to do proper pushups once I get far enough.
Re: New to shovelglove! (and to exercise in general)
If you're nervous, you could start with something lighter than a sledgehammer, and do them slowly and carefully until your body knows how to do the movement correctly.Cassie wrote:I have no idea what moves to start with, and how to keep myself safe. You have to take into account that, as I said, I'm completely out of shape, so please could you suggest the safest & easiest shovelglove moves to start with (and where to actually see them done- perhaps online- so that I know I'm doing it right)?
I don't Shug on a regular basis, but when I do I use my balancing sword (I'm a belly dancer). It's only 3 or 4 lbs, but I do the moves in slow-motion, which is surprisingly demanding.
I'll bet a long-handled skillet or saucepan would work well to start...
You can find videos of some of the moves at:
http://www.shovelglove.com/movements/
(click on the name of the move in the left-hand column of the table)
Diet refugee, trying to get my head back on straight.
The other thing you could do Cassie, is start with just doing seven minutes then working up to 14 slowly - making sure you remain comfortable with what you are doing.
Couldn't tell you which are the safest, but I definitely found the moves where you are swinging the hammer the most difficult because you need control.
Couldn't tell you which are the safest, but I definitely found the moves where you are swinging the hammer the most difficult because you need control.
Re: New to shovelglove! (and to exercise in general)
I (respectfully) disagree. The reason SG works isn't because of the movement, it's because the weight is unbalanced and your whole body has to work to compensate*.jessdr wrote: If you're nervous, you could start with something lighter than a sledgehammer...
Five slow reps with a proper hammer is better than five hundred with a broom.
(*) So to maximize the effect on waist and legs, keep the hammer head as far from the body as possible while you do it....
Cassie,
The hardest, most important part about shovelglove (or any exercise) is carving out the time -- making it a consistent, regular habit.
So I wouldn't worry up front about how efficient your movements are right now, whether you're using a broom or a sledge, doing jumping jacks, or just standing on one leg. Focus on the "14 minutes every N-day" part. Vow to do ANYTHING during those 14 minutes, as long as it could somehow be construed as exercise. If you get that temporal framework in place, you've essentially solved the problem. Filling it in with the movements that most appeal to you then is a detail. The habitcal can be very helpful in keeping you motivated and focused on the right thing.
If 14 minutes seems like too much, start with 7. But I think it's better to keep the time constant and vary the intensity. Otherwise you'll be tempted to keep on expanding your exercise time from 7 to 14 to 20 to half an hour etc. until it becomes such a pain that you skip it altogether. You might get stronger and fitter as your progress, but you're not going to magically have more time.
What is important about the movements up front is that you ease in carefully so as not to injure yourself. Because if you injure yourself, no only are you injured, which stinks, but it's the mother of all excuses to give up. Don't give yourself that excuse. So I think a broom and then a very light sledge is a great way to start. You can always upgrade once you've got the temporal habit in place and a basic feel for the moves.
In terms of which moves are safer than others, I'm not really sure. The safest moves are probably "churn butter," "flip lever," "tuck bales," and "stoke oven", because they don't work the lower back so much -- but one of the points of shoveglove is precisely to work the lower back to strengthen it up. Rather than avoiding the other moves (which include some of the most fun ones), I'd suggest try them all out really, really slowly with the lightest weight you can find. If you feel comfortable, crank it up a little bit next time. If it doesn't feel right, drop it for now. You can always revisit the move later in a few weeks or months when you're stronger.
Reinhard
The hardest, most important part about shovelglove (or any exercise) is carving out the time -- making it a consistent, regular habit.
So I wouldn't worry up front about how efficient your movements are right now, whether you're using a broom or a sledge, doing jumping jacks, or just standing on one leg. Focus on the "14 minutes every N-day" part. Vow to do ANYTHING during those 14 minutes, as long as it could somehow be construed as exercise. If you get that temporal framework in place, you've essentially solved the problem. Filling it in with the movements that most appeal to you then is a detail. The habitcal can be very helpful in keeping you motivated and focused on the right thing.
If 14 minutes seems like too much, start with 7. But I think it's better to keep the time constant and vary the intensity. Otherwise you'll be tempted to keep on expanding your exercise time from 7 to 14 to 20 to half an hour etc. until it becomes such a pain that you skip it altogether. You might get stronger and fitter as your progress, but you're not going to magically have more time.
What is important about the movements up front is that you ease in carefully so as not to injure yourself. Because if you injure yourself, no only are you injured, which stinks, but it's the mother of all excuses to give up. Don't give yourself that excuse. So I think a broom and then a very light sledge is a great way to start. You can always upgrade once you've got the temporal habit in place and a basic feel for the moves.
In terms of which moves are safer than others, I'm not really sure. The safest moves are probably "churn butter," "flip lever," "tuck bales," and "stoke oven", because they don't work the lower back so much -- but one of the points of shoveglove is precisely to work the lower back to strengthen it up. Rather than avoiding the other moves (which include some of the most fun ones), I'd suggest try them all out really, really slowly with the lightest weight you can find. If you feel comfortable, crank it up a little bit next time. If it doesn't feel right, drop it for now. You can always revisit the move later in a few weeks or months when you're stronger.
Reinhard
14 minutes is really appealing to me. Right now it takes me about half an hour working with 8 lbs dumbbells plus 10-15 minutes of stretching. I have a simple routine of lunges, calf exercises and then using the weights I work my arms, back and chest muscles. I do this only twice a week but even then, coming home after a full time job and then trying to fit this in in the evening is a pita sometimes.
Reinhard, do you perform any sort of stretches at all after your workouts?
Reinhard, do you perform any sort of stretches at all after your workouts?
I do not stretch. I used to feel vaguely guilty about this.. but since I haven't noticed any ill effects in the 8 years or so I've been doing this, I've stopped worrying. I've also read that some fitness experts advise *against* stretching, which I'm not in a position to evaluate, but am happy to believe because I'd rather not do them. Lastly, did coal miners stretch before hitting the mines, or farmers before swinging their scythes? I don't think so.
Reinhard
Reinhard
Um, you are probably right that coal miners, farmers and others like them most likely didn't stretch, lol!
I googled the debate on the merits of stretching and there isn't a consensus. I'm like you, I prefer not to do it if I don't really need to mostly due to time constraints. And perhaps a touch of laziness.
I googled the debate on the merits of stretching and there isn't a consensus. I'm like you, I prefer not to do it if I don't really need to mostly due to time constraints. And perhaps a touch of laziness.
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tripitaka888
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Bushranger
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I agree with Bushranger and the others on this. I never stretch before shugging. I just start with some slow shoveling and build the intensity from from there. I don't start the most intense movements* until around 4 or 5 minutes in so I am nicely warmed up.
Another perspective on this comes from Iyengar yoga. The recommendation there is not to stretch cold muscles since it can cause injuries. So given that safe stretching requires a warm up first, it is hardly possible to use stretching as a warm up.
Apart from just starting out slowly, the best (and quickest) warm up I have found is a few minutes of rope jumping or skipping in the style that boxers use. I have found it to be a great compliment to shugging. It's cheap, needs minimal equipment, can be done at home and is amazingly effective for a very short time investment.
* In my routine at the moment this is the indian mace swinging movement mentioned in some previous threads here.
Another perspective on this comes from Iyengar yoga. The recommendation there is not to stretch cold muscles since it can cause injuries. So given that safe stretching requires a warm up first, it is hardly possible to use stretching as a warm up.
Apart from just starting out slowly, the best (and quickest) warm up I have found is a few minutes of rope jumping or skipping in the style that boxers use. I have found it to be a great compliment to shugging. It's cheap, needs minimal equipment, can be done at home and is amazingly effective for a very short time investment.
* In my routine at the moment this is the indian mace swinging movement mentioned in some previous threads here.