Sledgehammer deadlift: take a sledgehammer with a handle of at least 31″ (most standard hammers are 32-33″). Lay the sledgehammer on the ground, hammerhead end farthest from you with striking surfaces positioned straight up and down. Standing parallel to the hammer and facing the hammer’s head, grab the end of the hammer’s handle farthest from the head, at about 31″ up the handle. Lift the sledgehammer up so that it is parallel to the ground.
Try it with a 2-5 lb hammer. Pull it off on a 6lb hammer and you have quite a strong wrist and grip. 8lb and you are in elite company. 10lb and you should think about charging admission. 12lb and you’ve equaled the world record.
GO!
****
update: quick vid of my effort here.
I’m going to give this a go and post a vid later today.
You can also try this facing away from the hammer head. This is a bit easier, testing the grip and triceps. I’ll videotape that one, as well, if I have time.
Report your results here!
I couldn’t do this with a plain stick.
I worked biceps, triceps, and forearms this morning, after running and sprint intervals. I could not lift a piece of dry spaghetti right now.
Plus, you have/had Popeye forearms last time I saw you.
8.5 LB hammer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6nLVxUZGHE
Is this correct technique?
That’s it, Blake.
That guy doing the lift has lifted and curled the York 50 blob, lifted 105lb with his pinkie, and can do a 45lb plate curl by the hub. He’s also one of a handful of guys in the world to close a #4 Captains of Crush gripper. Just to put it in perspective.
Even that guy seemed to be losing control of the weight on the way down.
GO!
YOU’RE NOT MY REAL DAD!
I did 30 min on the elliptical, bic/tri/shoulder workout, then 30 on the bike.
I ain’t lifting no hammer.
My sledges are all out at my yard, so I’ll have to wait and try it Monday.
I like to grab the end of a shovel handle with one hand and then raise it up to vertical and then down onto my shoulder.
But that sledge work looks like it’ll be tough.
Just got done swinging the sledge, working on core rotationals, and doing some work with a thick handled Indian club loaded to 16lbs. My wife shot a quick vid just after. I can sometimes get the 8# up in a straight deadlift, but after the workout I figured I’d just go for the 6# and do the 8# as a reverse, just to show the two lifts. I’ll post the link as soon as it loads.
Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9RoB4dw9Qc
Jeff,
I had a sneaking suspicion you’d know who the guy is in the video.
Quite impressive.
Shovel lifts are fun, too, SteveG.
There’s a guy named Steve Justa out in Nebraska who used to make “shovels” with concrete ends and work those. Gets you farmer strong.
GO BUTLER !!!!!!
Jeff,
The video is a hoot with your son running around in the background.
Way cool.
He’s a bit of a ham. Didn’t know he was back there until I uploaded the video. Heh.
OT:
Just to let Mr. Roddy Boyd that Amazon has emailed me that your book has shipped and I can expect it by April 1st. Looking forward to it.
“Know” should be known in there not unknown.
Well I can see there are no unopened pickle jars in your house.
PS
also grinning like crazy at young master Goldstein mugging for the camera.
Impressive.
Darleen,
If my kids were still teenagers, I probably wouldn’t have noticed like I did.
I tend smile at such things now that I’ve a couple of grandkids about the same age as YMG. (Young Mr. Goldstein)
I tried that with an 8-lb hammer not too long ago, thinking that it would be hard but not impossible. Right on the first count; wrong on the second.
I’ve got a 2lb hand sledge that maybe I should be practicing with.
I couldn’t lay hand on a sledgehammer, so I tried this with a bottle of Maker’s Mark. I don’t know if it counts, but I’m pretty happy with the outcome.
I bought a bottle of single malt today that promises to be super peaty. I’m looking forward to cracking that bitch open tonight and heading in nose first.
Holy shit, Jeff. You got large. I remember when… Wow.
Heh. That was like, what, 6 years ago now, Pablo? And from the looks of it, I’d say maybe 35-40 lb?
4 years, by my count. Cruising the Hot Air search results for “Goldstein” is pretty interesting, isn’t it? You’ve only been mentioned once since this, and that was here. This does have a certain stench about it, doesn’t it?
It is interesting, isn’t it?
But any suggestion that I was purposely frozen out (and personally marginalized) by a dedicated clique of lawyers? That’s just crazy talk.
In a dirty sort of way, yes. You clearly aren’t working your contacts hard enough. But I suppose you’re too busy putting cop killers away. FOR AMERICA!!!!
That was a reply to #30 in case that confused anyone.
I don’t even have kids and I noticed Young Master Goldstein in that video right away, and it made me smile, too.
I’m not weird or anything, just getting around that age where you start thinking kids might have been a good idea.
Now pick it up and hold it at arms length for 30 seconds straight out from your body.
Better yet. Swing it for an eight hour shift.
I learned how to read books so wouldn’t have to fuck around sledge hammers.
Slart, just move the decimal point. Instead of a 31 inch handle, use a 3.1 inch handle.
The trick we did was to take that sledge, hold it upright at arm’s length, and then slowly, using only your wrist, bring the head down to touch the tip of your nose, and then push it back to upright again. I’ve done this with a 12 lb maul.
The trick we did was to take that sledge, hold it upright at arm’s length, and then slowly, using only your wrist, bring the head down to touch the tip of your nose,
I can see where this, perhaps, could end badly.
“Hold my beer and watch this.”
Yes, Dana, I do those levers as well. Sets of them. When I’m swinging the sledge (I hit a tire), I do 20 swings with my right hand, stop, do a few levers as you describe, then switch and swing with my left, 20 swings followed by levers. I generally do 100 swings with each hand and 5 sets of levers.
Incidentally, I don’t know if it’s been the switch to FatGripz for all my lifting, or the thick grip Indian club swings, or perhaps the David Horne Orbigrip I’ve been using, but last night I massively kicked through certain plateaus. I’d been stuck at about 50lb on my one handed pinch lift. Took that up to 60lbs (the strongman benchmark is 90, or two York 45lb plates pressed together, smooth side out, pinched and lifted with one hand). And on the hub lift, I’d been stuck at 30#, but last night I pulled 40, just 5lbs away from the 45lb hub lift — an established benchmark for functional strength training, in which you lift a 45lb plate by its center hub.
So that was quite pleasing.
Jeff,
It appears the stuff you do is “functional strength” that has real world application as opposed to bulking up through weight lifting.
I like how Jeff just ignores our bs.
It appears the stuff you do is “functional strength” that has real world application as opposed to bulking up through weight lifting.
I actually had a discussion about this with a guy at the other day. He used to be huge, now he’s working toward more fitness. This is different from functional strength, of course.
My personal goal is to be fit enough to anything I wish. From downhill skiing (w/o soreness the next day) to hiking up some mountain. I will do a few half-marathons this summer.
There. I typed it.
Unless, of course, JD dies during his.
Of course, I do work on my strength, w/o the idea of bulking up since that would basically be impossible unless I took ‘roid.
Carin, how will you know if JD dies? Are you wishing death upon JD?
DEATH THREAT!!
Let the bannings begin!!
Exactly, Blake. I’m not into bodybuilding, though I can appreciate the dedication it takes. I’m more into functional strength training — lots of thick bar lifting, lifting and moving oddly shaped objects, weight bearing, etc. I do 2miles a day roadwork, too — not much, but I do it wearing 50-70lbs strapped to my chest and back, which makes a huge difference.
Drat, appears my last two comments have been filtered.
Anyway, the biggest problem I have with my fitness is time and general laziness.
Oone of the things that used to amuse me was women who were worried about bulking up if they worked out. I guess they had no idea how difficult that is for a woman without using supplements that screw with their body chemistry. Even for a guy it takes some serious dedication.
I do the weight lifting thing mostly to keep myself from turning into a total lump, and to help avoid injuries from normal activities. Increased strength is always a goal, but avoiding injury at the gym and in normal life is a priority.
I don’t take anything. I used to use liquid protein supplements, but I found it cheaper just to eat a rotisserie chicken.
Oone of the things that used to amuse me was women who were worried about bulking up if they worked out.
One of the things that amuses me is women who saunter back to the weight area, pick a 5 lb (or under) weight and do useless curls- with something that is obviously underweight. Clue – if you can do 20 + and your arm is moving up and down like it’s lifting nothing? You’re wasting your time. Or the tricep/weight over and behind the head move.
Those basically are the only two free weight exercises in their routine.
Jeff, I imagine the chicken is tastier too.
Much.
So many people at the gym are doing movements and weights that are a waste of time. Part of me wants to help sometimes, but I stay out of it because I doubt it would be appreciated. One of my favorites is women doing a lat pull-down and pulling the bar way down past their shoulders (in front). If you can to that, you aren’t using enough weight.
There are also plenty of guys who use too much weight, and are throwing it around all over the place rather than using controlled motion. That’s not only a waste of time but a good way to injure yourself.
The Isopure 95% protein powder in the strawberries and cream flavor is quite tasty. It’s also the only powder I’ve seen that isn’t loaded with cholesterol. I don’t know if I’m working hard enough for it to help, but there are also days in which that is my only serious protein source because I skip eating the usual chicken.
I helped a kid out doing squats yesterday. Normally I don’t say anything, but he was youngish looking (16 or so). He seemed pretty grateful.
I do protein- bars usually – before I work out. I’ve got one that’s not bad with calories (160) and low in carbs. Helps a TON. I also take those energy things (they’re like gummy bears) if I go on a long run.
#45 – I’ve been a dedicated hiker/backpacker/climber for most of my life, and also a hardcore skier once I got to adulthood. IMO, with those activities there is just no substitute for the real thing. You can maintain a significant degree of cardiovascular fitness any number of ways, core exercises always help with just about anything, and things like stairmasters and elipticals can help maintain strength for the uphills. But there is next to nothing that can properly simulate the sustained downhills, either hiking or skiing, and those are just plain hell on both muscles and joints. And nothing simulates backpacking other than hiking with a big load on your back…
So, for me, no matter how active I may be at any given time, it has always been the same ritual of soreness and stiffness in varying bits of anatomy with the transition from one set of seasonal activities to another, be it winter (and skiing) or spring (and hiking.) This was true when I was younger, and has stayed true as the years have gone by. General fitness keeps it tolerable, and ‘muscle memory’ seems to make the transition quicker, but I most always find some discomfort unavoidable.
To my mind a bit of soreness is ok – it means you were able to get out there and extend yourself. Crippling soreness says you were either out of shape, or in just good enough shape to really overdo it.
A few years ago, I went skiing for the first time after YEARS (20) of not – all those babymaking /college years. I could barely walk for about three days.
Two (or three) years ago I started doing (thanks to Jeff) P90X. The legs/ass workout is awesome. I simply do not get sore when I go skiing anymore- and I’m an agressive skiier. Not the first time of the year, nothing. I can go for as long as I like, my legs don’t get tired. My husband, on our last trip a few weeks ago, couldn’t believe that I just don’t get sore.
As for the leg/ ass workout? If I skip one week, I will be sore the next time I do it.
P90X is awesome. And it’s no joke. If you want to get into great shape — even if you are already in decent shape — that’ll do it for you. After that, the rest is up to you. My wife still uses many of the routines (weights, intervals, plyo), which she mixes in with running and Tae Bo.
I still use many of the weight routines, adjusted for my own goals. May be the best $120 we ever spent.
It must be the general disdain for ‘informercial’ based products that causes the negativity, because everyone I’ve talked to who has acutally tried the P90X program has been very positive about the experience.
Carin – I am up to 4-8 miles in the morning, and 45 min of hard sprint intervals in the evening. I have 10 days in Jamaica coming up, and run the half marathon the morning after I get back. Plane lands at 9 PM, drive 4+ hours, check into hotel, and run about 6 hours later. Not good timing.
I helped a kid out doing squats yesterday. Normally I don’t say anything, but he was youngish looking (16 or so). He seemed pretty grateful.
I think I’ve seen this movie…
—-
So I wandered over to my local Homeowner Hell today and tried the ‘sledgehammer trick’ with an 8-pounder. The head stayed perfectly level. Unfortunately, it also stayed perfectly on the ground, as if set into the very concrete. I swear I heard the little metal bastard laughing at me.
Even choking up about halfway on the handle didn’t help. But I was able to lift the thing (the regular way) off the floor and put it back in its rack, so… victory!
Now I just need to look around on Amazon and see if I can find a cute little pink ‘aerobic’ sledgehammer to start with.
Carin – I am up to 4-8 miles in the morning, and 45 min of hard sprint intervals in the evening. I have 10 days in Jamaica coming up, and run the half marathon the morning after I get back.
Do you need me to go to Jamaica for you?
So I just tried this with my 10 pound hammer (only one I got) and obviously couldn’t keep it level for even a moment.
Came up with a decent little drill though. Stand upright and hold the hammer so that it’s hanging straight down. Then, without swinging it to cheat with momentum, bring it as far forward as you can while keeping the hammer as a straight line continuation of your arm.
Couldn’t get very far that way either. Maybe 40 degrees on my first try. Brought my forearms to complete failure in about 30 seconds though. It’s a time saver!
Tell me about it, cranky.
Might have something to do with my insistence on training in leg warmers to Olivia Newton John songs though. I’m not really sure.
Here, gents. Humble yourselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTD49I0L-pg&feature=BF&list=ULkkRM0-gVOac&index=11
Yikes.
Just imagine how quickly Ms. Horne’s kids would settle down if she grabs their forearm. No need to smack them, just a gentle little squeeze..
P90X is awesome. And it’s no joke. If you want to get into great shape — even if you are already in decent shape — that’ll do it for you. After that, the rest is up to you. My wife still uses many of the routines (weights, intervals, plyo), which she mixes in with running and Tae Bo.
A couple of quick questions for any who have used P90X. I already own most or all of the equipment I’d need for it, but if I wanted to do the workout simultaneously with my wife, would I need to by a second set of everything?
Also, what do you think is the more important element of muscle confusion? i) Changing the exercise that targets a given muscle – say changing from press to fly for pectorals? Or ii) changing the grouping/order of muscle work?