Results matching “thumb”

Via Stumptuous : 30 pushups from a 67-year-old. Nice one.

Via Stumptuous : 30 pushups from a 67-year-old. Nice one.

Remember last time I said ladies should lift? Nothing has changed. But some of you may now be saying, "Well, I'd love to start a strength training program, but I have no idea where to start." And others of you might be saying, "Why should I listen to this bitch anyway?" Okay, let's tackle the latter first. I have no idea. But, I mean, you've read this far, so may as well keep going.

Look, I avoided weight training for years. Going to the local gym and putzing around on the little dumbbell curl machine had about zero appeal to me, and though I tried to get into it from time to time, I could never really commit to what felt boring and pointless and much less appealing than staying home and watching bad sitcoms on TV while eating spoonfuls of peanut butter right out of the container. (I suppose my blog in those days could have been called, "Straight to the Jar".) But then I found a style of weight training I loved, namely this kickass combination of plyometric drills and running and jump-rope with technical lifts and cool tricks mixed in for a terrifyingly hard and super fun workout, and I got hooked. I'm not saying that will absolutely work for you, but there's probably something out there involving barbells and exercises that will. Oh, and did I mention that this training also made me lose body fat, get muscle definition, speed up my running, protect my bones, feel super strong and badass, and lift my ass a good inch higher without Spanx? And that I'm not one of those naturally skinny people who can eat anything and look like a rail? That my metabolism is so slow I could probably survive as long as the cockroaches after the nuclear winter wipes out all the food supplies? Just saying.

This is a guest post from Fitness Fixation's Kelly Mills. Oh Ladies, Time To Start Strength Training...

Remember last time I said ladies should lift? Nothing has changed. But some of you may now be saying, "Well, I'd love to start a strength training program, but I have no idea where to start." And others of you might be saying, "Why should I listen to this bitch anyway?" Okay, let's tackle the latter first. I have no idea. But, I mean, you've read this far, so may as well keep going.

Look, I avoided weight training for years. Going to the local gym and putzing around on the little dumbbell curl machine had about zero appeal to me, and though I tried to get into it from time to time, I could never really commit to what felt boring and pointless and much less appealing than staying home and watching bad sitcoms on TV while eating spoonfuls of peanut butter right out of the container. (I suppose my blog in those days could have been called, “Straight to the Jar”.) But then I found a style of weight training I loved, namely this kickass combination of plyometric drills and running and jump-rope with technical lifts and cool tricks mixed in for a terrifyingly hard and super fun workout, and I got hooked. I'm not saying that will absolutely work for you, but there's probably something out there involving barbells and exercises that will. Oh, and did I mention that this training also made me lose body fat, get muscle definition, speed up my running, protect my bones, feel super strong and badass, and lift my ass a good inch higher without Spanx? And that I'm not one of those naturally skinny people who can eat anything and look like a rail? That my metabolism is so slow I could probably survive as long as the cockroaches after the nuclear winter wipes out all the food supplies? Just saying.

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives.

Enjoy.

Card Tearing Anyone?

I don't care if you tear a stack of paper, a deck of playing cards, or a stack of bills you don`t want to pay. Tearing is good fun. Tearing can have some advantages over other types of destructive training/enjoyment as the technique I will describe is significantly easier on the elbows than short steel bending. Additionally, everyone thinks they know someone who can tear a deck of cards. That someone should and will be you!

I tear because I can, and tearing gives me a sense of accomplishment and finality that other forms of resistance training don`t provide. There are not many other activities that combine a high level of mental toughness, explosive strength, brute strength, a bit of strength endurance and last but not least complete and utter VICTORY. If you pull or press a weight for a PR the weight looks at you as if to say you won that one, what have you got now? (no weights don't speak to me, well at least not too often) When you tear or bend the job is DONE. The only thing left is to decide if you want to tear the halves into quarters.

The purpose of this article is tearing and I will stick to two areas of tearing that I have had some success. Mind you, I do not consider myself a guru or any such nonsense. I am simply a fairly strong man who has found pleasure in tearing and bending and feel a need to share these old time strong man exercises with others.

Technique and mind-set are critical to your success in tearing. Mind-set is more important initially in the sense that if you are truly focused and concentrate on generating tension in the proper sequence, then you have a shot at delivering the necessary power to complete your task. The quality of your technique will determine how efficiently you are able to deliver that power. The way to increase your skill level is to practice. Keep in mind I'm referring to quality practice, do not mindlessly crank out repetitions to say you are done.

Remember, practice does not make perfect, "perfect practice makes perfect".

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives.

Enjoy.

Card Tearing Anyone?

I don't care if you tear a stack of paper, a deck of playing cards, or a stack of bills you don`t want to pay. Tearing is good fun. Tearing can have some advantages over other types of destructive training/enjoyment as the technique I will describe is significantly easier on the elbows than short steel bending. Additionally, everyone thinks they know someone who can tear a deck of cards. That someone should and will be you!

I tear because I can, and tearing gives me a sense of accomplishment and finality that other forms of resistance training don`t provide. There are not many other activities that combine a high level of mental toughness, explosive strength, brute strength, a bit of strength endurance and last but not least complete and utter VICTORY. If you pull or press a weight for a PR the weight looks at you as if to say you won that one, what have you got now? (no weights don't speak to me, well at least not too often) When you tear or bend the job is DONE. The only thing left is to decide if you want to tear the halves into quarters.

The purpose of this article is tearing and I will stick to two areas of tearing that I have had some success. Mind you, I do not consider myself a guru or any such nonsense. I am simply a fairly strong man who has found pleasure in tearing and bending and feel a need to share these old time strong man exercises with others.

Technique and mind-set are critical to your success in tearing. Mind-set is more important initially in the sense that if you are truly focused and concentrate on generating tension in the proper sequence, then you have a shot at delivering the necessary power to complete your task. The quality of your technique will determine how efficiently you are able to deliver that power. The way to increase your skill level is to practice. Keep in mind I'm referring to quality practice, do not mindlessly crank out repetitions to say you are done.

Remember, practice does not make perfect, “perfect practice makes perfect”.