Another new shovelglover

Maskedlioness · Post by **Maskedlioness** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:24 am

Hello! I ran into this page through Stumptuous.com via Waspi Square and tried out my first day of shovelgloving with an old table leg. It was only about 3-4 pounds though, so I did track down a 6 pound sledge hammer (I wanted an 8, but the store only had 6 lbs and 16 lbs).

Glad to see a sensible workout webpage out there. Hopefully I can finally develop some of that upper body strength I always wanted.

Post by **reinhard** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:27 pm

Welcome, Masked Lioness. Stumptuous is a great site. And an old table leg sounds like a great way to test the waters. Don't worry about 6 pounds vs. 8. The hard part is building the habit, not the weight.

Looking forward to hearing more from you,

Reinhard

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:19 pm

Instead of creating a new thread, I thought I'd hijack this one since it's so topical.

I stumbled upon the SG homepage some time back in January when I was surfing about the net. I was so intrigued by the unorthodox movements that I read through the entire webpage in one sitting and found myself shaking my head when I got to the end. Utter foolishness I tell you, foolishness!

Then I read through it again about a month later and thought it to be slightly less foolish.

And then I thought that I'm paying $25 a month for a gym membership that I hardly use, which basically amounts to the lifetime membership cost when one Shovelgloves. (Assuming a sledge goes for about that much; I picked up my own 12-pounder for 19.99 at the Canadian Tire store.)

So after a couple months of occasionally cruising by the SG page and flirting with the idea of getting started, I finally bought my hammer this past weekend and did my first workout this morning.

You know what the inspiration was for finally getting started? In some of Reinhard's pictures of early shugging, there are a whole bunch of Star Wars toys on cabinets in the background. Lose the glasses and most of the hair... that is totally ME!

I got up this morning at about 5.30 and went out to the living room where I had propped my hammer and printed out the workout I was going to do. The 21 - 14 - 7 recommended to start. I started up and took it easy, focusing more on the motions than speeding through them. I had just barely started the "14" series when my timer went off.

My watch must be busted 'cause there is no way that 14 minutes went by so quickly!

I'm already looking forward to doing it again tomorrow.

Combined with the No-S diet, I'm more excited about my future physical self than I can ever recall feeling. What a great little community here!

david · Post by **david** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:25 pm

Simon,

It seems like you are taking it slow at the beginning--good call!

Before long you'll be packing much more into that 14 minutes but for now there is no rush. Even after 9 months I still focus more on form than volume but the volume sort of naturally increases "by itself" as time goes by.

thanks,
David

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 5:20 am

Man, after taking an inadvertent day off after my first SG morning routine, I can feel it most in my legs. May have been the practice squats I did as well.

What will probably help me a little is the fact that I finally downloaded and reviewed most of the video clips that Reinhard posted on each of the exercise pages. Turns out my Stoke the Oven was a combination of Stoke and Shovel. So I'll be reverting back to the more traditional form of the exercise for Wednesday morn.

Again, with emphasis on the form of the motions rather than getting all 21 - 14 - 7 crammed in to the 14 minute time slot as soon as possible.

Fluidity first, frequency follows.

(I love alliteration, by the way.)

Post by **reinhard** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:26 pm

Hi Simon,

Glad the videos were helpful, though feel free to combine and make up your own moves. Shovel and stoke are a pretty natural combination. Think coal fired "steam engine" scenario.

Reinhard

JWL · Post by **JWL** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:00 am

Simon, squats are awesome! They go very well with shovelglove. I do the "hindu squats" that people like matt furey talk about.... Very challenging and beneficial.

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:17 am

Yeah, I'm looking forward to NOT hearing my knees crackle at the bottom of my descent when I do them. I'll let you know when that happens!

Until then, Rice Krispies it is.

JWL · Post by **JWL** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:54 am

It'll likely take a few weeks, Simon. Be gentle. I find that if I gently go down into a squat and hold it for a while to let my knees get used to the idea, I can then do them more easily.

The key for me was to learn to keep breathing evenly while doing the squats, breathe in on an upward motion, and out on the downward motion. Getting into a nice, fluid, circular rhythm with both breath and movement is good.

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:34 pm

Hey Hickory Hand!
Sounds of snap crackle and pop aren't too worrisome
(the real name for our little creaks and pops is Crepitus! LOL..)
It's pain you need to worry about..
If it's not painful, don't worry...

I totally agree with James (freakwitch)
That within a few more workouts it should really improve..
The main reason for these sounds usually is because a tight muscle is keeping something out of allignment, and stuff does build up in the joint capsules... calicum, and even in the actual musculotendonis attachments themselves...
This is from *non movement* of metabolites...
Once you start improving the condition of your tight muscles and start moving your tissue fluids around (that sounds weird! LOL)
you'll probably stop hearing those cracks...

Have a GREAT DAY!
I'm late for work
Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL...

Deb