20lbs and above

Take a sledgehammer and wrap an old sweater around it. This is your "shovelglove." Every week day morning, set a timer for 14 minutes. Use the shovelglove to perform shoveling, butter churning, and wood chopping motions until the timer goes off. Stop. Rest on weekends and holidays. Baffled? Intrigued? Charmed? Discuss here.
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LockieKermit
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Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:32 am

20lbs and above

Post by LockieKermit » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:48 am

Im 18, and i've been using a 12lbs hammer for some time. I've gotten a lot stronger and the movements are only getting easier. My ultimate goal is to one day get to a 30lb shovel, is that a realistic goal?

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:31 pm

Hi LockieKermit,

First off, I wouldn't worry about setting performance goals like that at all -- focus on a "sustainable minimum of compliance" to make sure you build a habit that can last decades.

Second, 30 pounds is crazy heavy. It might not sound like it, but centripetal force makes it so. I'm now 10 years into shovelglove, and I topped out at 20 pounds a few years ago, with no plans to go heavier.

Reinhard

LockieKermit
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Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:32 am

Post by LockieKermit » Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:55 am

Fair enough. I still want to go above 20lbs, I think that would be an awesome feat of strength. Just perhaps in small increments of 1-2 lbs over time.

Question, in terms of musculature, how big are your shoulders and upper back Reinhard? It's a bit of a funny question but I feel like when doing the movements a lot of the work is on the biceps and forearms.
Although generally speaking I wake up with sore upper back and shoulder I looked in the mirror and it just looks funny, I have these kind of developed biceps, sort of developed triceps, hardly anything on the shoulders and long skinny forearms. A lot comes down to genetics, but does your physique become proportioned?

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