Standard Mischief

I’ve started a new exercise program, and seeing as it’s working pretty well for me, I thought I’d plug it. It’s called shovelglove. Yea, I know, it’s a stupid name, bear with me.

The idea behind it is you stand up and do a number of exercises that compose of ?useful movements?, (like “chopping wood” or “shoveling”), while holding a sledgehammer that has been padded for safety. You do the exercises every weekday (weekends off) and you do them for exactly 14 minutes. Fourteen minutes is the maximum unscheduled time. Most day planners only break time down into 15 minute increments. The idea is that there is no reason to not take a few moments of your time each weekday, and just do it.

You can feel it working the first day. it really stretches and strains those upper body muscles. In fact, I’m willing to bet that you don’t finish the full 14 minutes in your first session. That’s OK, just build up to the full time over a few days or weeks.

Right away I’ve started improvising, besides the so called “useful movements” I’ve added a few different types of curls to the workout.

There’s another feature that I like about this program, and it’s the main thing that won me over. Just think about this, if it was made by thighmaster, it would cost you just $19.95 in three easy monthly payments charged to your credit card. It would also be made of pink padded plastic, and could not do double duty driving stakes or breaking up concrete. Worst case scenario is that you stop doing the exercises and you end up with a useful object in your tool shed, instead of a several hundred dollar bow-flexer thingie taking up half your guest bedroom. Excuse to buy a tool, hmm… tough decision.

I first went and checked prices at the local retail outlet of “red china army imported tools”. I then compared them to “Blow’s” hardware and homecenter. At Blow’s, I picked up a 8 pound sledge that’s marked “made in the USA” for about $21. Much higher quality at about the same price than at “red china army”.

Before I actually got my sledgehammer, I also incorporated shovelglove type exercises into my regular walk. I’ve mapped a half mile, well lighted walking trail out in my neighborhood, (a hike of last resort, but then again, there is no excuse for me not to pound out two miles or so any random evening), and I started taking my 4 lb BFH (big freaking hammer) along for the walk. I swap it from hand to hand for some curls while doing my walk. (It helps if you don’t care if your neighbors think of you as the “crazy hammer walker guy”.) I’ve convinced myself that I need a matched pair, so now I’m looking for a set of straight and cross-peen hammers weighing about three pounds each.

Over at the official shovelglove site, there’s the philosophy, directions, photos, movies of the exercises, forums, and a amazony payola link.