No Can Do No Name

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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scottwblack
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No Can Do No Name

Post by scottwblack » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:52 pm

Embarrassing confession No. 1: Today I picked up my 12 lb. Shovelglove for the first time and had a heck of a time completing the proper number of No Name lifts. Could my arms really be so weak? I didn't have any problem doing the other reps, so I'm not sure what's up. Any advice? Suggestions? Thanks.

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Simon
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Post by Simon » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:14 pm

I also find those to be the most difficult, as a SG newbie.

Reinhard's recommendation (either on the SG site or elsewhere here, I forget) is to go with the other exercises for a month or so and forget about the noname for a while. The others will work the biceps indirectly.

Me, I just choke up real high on the hammer handle until I feel comfortable doing the reps. Less "moment arm" for the physics geeks. (Just a fancy way of saying torque.)
Simon
"Hickory Hand of the North"

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:41 pm

No name, also known as "Flip the lever" is freaking hard!!!!
I say, do what Simon suggests...
When people do bicep curls, they don't have the weight two feet away from their grip... this really stresses the neck, shoulders, rotator cuff muscles as you stabilize the primary mover, the biceps... It's very strenuous...
I don't like doing it...
I just leave it out..

My shoulders get overworked enough being a massage therapist :)
I also find it too boring, and have a tough time imagining me actually flipping a lever that big!!!
What would it be part of???
LOL...
I like swinging the thing over my head and slowly doing 360's!
I call that one, "The Lasso" :twisted:

Have fun Scott!
Get thee strong as bull!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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JWL
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Post by JWL » Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:25 am

Yeah, definitely choke up the grip. hold the metal weight of the sledge in yoru palm ifyou have to. The key is to maintain good form to get the best benefit. When I do mine I always lift the weight as far as I can, well past the horizontal point, maybe about 120 degrees up from the floor.

Stick with it, and only do as many reps as you can manage. Gradually increase your rep count to 14, and then start backing off on the choke.

You'll be surprised how quickly your strength improves if you keep it up.

Go slow, though....
JWL[.|@]Freakwitch[.]net

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:12 pm

It figures that "no name" would be the toughest move :-)

But as others point out, the difficulty is very adjustable. Just move your grip closer to the hammer head.

Also, the "proper number" is pretty arbitrary. Better do proper form with a lower proper number.

If lowering the rep count and adjusting your grip to make it easier makes you feel like a weenie (it shouldn't), then skip the move altogether for now. Build up your strength with the other moves and give it another go in a couple of months.

Reinhard

scottwblack
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Post by scottwblack » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:11 pm

Sounds good. I'll try choking up on the sledge and see how that works. I must admit that my inability to do even one "no name" lift left me feeling like a quite a weenie. I'm a big guy (much too big, lol) and yet my arms are so puny. Maybe shovelgloving will fix all that. :-)

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P.S.

Post by scottwblack » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:13 pm

Reinhard: I was born in Winchester, MA but haven't been back to the state since my teenage years!

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Post by carolejo » Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:18 am

I do no name with the head of the sledge in my upturned palm. My other hand stabilises the wooden handle of the sledge by holding it loosely and close to my elbow. The rest of the handle sticks out behind me.

...but then I'm *only* a puny GIRL! :twisted:

C.
CaroleJo

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:04 pm

I was actually born and raised in New York City. The only reason they tolerate my existence here in MA is because I'm a Mets fan (and quiet about it).

Carolejo, that's a great idea. Give that a shot, Scott.

Reinhard

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JWL
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Post by JWL » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:25 pm

Hi Scott, it also occurs to me that you are using a 12lb sledge, which is pretty hefty.... be gentle with yourself. I'm a big guy with gym XPs and I started with a 10 pounder, which was quite enough of a challenge.

Keep working at it, and let us know how it's going....
JWL[.|@]Freakwitch[.]net

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Post by scottwblack » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:33 pm

JWL wrote:Hi Scott, it also occurs to me that you are using a 12lb sledge, which is pretty hefty.... be gentle with yourself.
Silly me. I thought being a big guy myself, I'd have no problem lifting a 12-pounder. Boy was I wrong. I am totally taking it slow now.

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:40 pm

This is all about leverage Scott...
12 lbs exerts considerably more force per pound, on your body, when you put the weight on a handle and a few feet away from your center...

That's really why it doesn't feel like 12 lbs... It's the force you are feeling which is created from the leverage...

But you will get used to it..
I did..
When I do Shovelglove these days, I just go slow and freestyle any amount of reps that feels right..
There's also no shame in carving out 14 minutes, but using some of that time for other exercise, like the very popular and enjoyable squats, or maybe some situps... I usually take a squats break about 8 minutes into SG'ing, and then again after 12.... So I do about 3 minutes of *non* SG but keep that 14 minute time frame...

The cult of 14 minutes must live on!!! :wink:
You'll see.. I bet you'll adapt to this within less than 2 weeks...
And then there will be no pickle jar tight enough to withstand your fearsome grip!!! :twisted:

Enjoy your weekend!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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david
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Post by david » Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:26 am

Scott,

It might also be helpful to remember that if you do your SG routine in the "traditional" order, by the time you get to flip lever/no name/smash ledge you have already worked your biceps pretty hard by shoveling and by slowing down and stopping the hammer at the end of swings.

I often skip no name because IMHO it is the least useful of the useful movements. I like to use the time for other moves like stoke oven which is more of a whole body thing.

thanks,
David

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