After stumbling across the shovelglove site, I was actually inspired enough to give it a shot. Yesteday on my way home I stopped at the mom & pop hardware store and picked up a 12 lb. hickory-handled sledge ($31), and this morning was my first workout.
I didn't follow the letter of the law; I set my timer for 20 minutes since I wanted to do some stretches first (I'm not exactly coordinated, or flexible, or even upright in the mornings) and the timer is all the way upstairs. I figured my stretch routine would take about 5 minutes, leaving the correct amount of time for shoveling. Also, I did not cover the head, since I was in an unfinished basement. I did, however, incorporate a cat into the routine since one of mine kept me company and hung out with me. I also don't plan to necessarily follow the nos schedule, it's going to be more of a 2-3 times a week thing as a core-strength supplement to my squat/deadlift/benchpress -based lifting program + 3-4 times a week running (I'm doing a half-marathon in december, but I'm not too worried about thatm, and I plan to do the marathon training thing next spring/summer), but it was fun enough that I can actually see myself doing it every morning, so it may turn into that. I can't do my lifting in the morning because I'm just not sharp enough to risk doing heavy squats or deadlifts before about noon. I may also throw in a few whack-the-old-tire sessions.
On to the impressions. I stretched then did 50 shovels, 14 hoists, 25 churns (with a squat movement), 25 stokes, 25 tucks, and 25 chop wood, then another 25 churns and another 14 stokes. I was going to do 25 more shovels, but the timer went off as I finished the 2nd set of stokes, and I was pretty much whupped by that point. This workout really kicks your ass, in a good way. My arms & shoulders feel pretty much wiped and my my back is feeling it as well (in a good way, don't worry). I think my shovels throwing to the right need the most work because that just felt all kinds of awkward. I may incorporate some automatons next time, too, but I have to find a place to do them, the 6 1/2 foot ceiling in my basement makes that tricky.
I think this + the nos diet (and the glass ceiling, since a not-insignifant amount of calories comes from my beer & wine consumption...) might just be what I was looking for. I'm gettting married next september, and my goal is to get as close to 170 pounds as I can, since that seems to be my ideal weight. Right now I'm at about 220. I've lost weight several times, but have not been great at keeping it off.
I ran a marathon in 2004, and went from about 205 lbs to about 185 during the training. After my first marathon in 2001 I got all the way down to 165. 170-175 seems just about ideal for me, a comforable size 32 in jeans. I'm at a 36 now
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)