Friday 1/11/2008 - I worked out today, how about you?

[supernova]

I did my mile this morning, a little later than usual because I got up late. So I did it after breakfast. Still it was really good. That means I've done five days in a row. :D

[midnight armadillo]

1. yup

Thursday too. I can now survive 25 min with my 80-lb sandbag. I'm working up to a 45 min workout with minimal rest.

[supernova]

2. 80 lb sandbag?

Is this some newfangled way to exercise?

[midnight armadillo]

3. no, very old

As long as there's been bags of stuff to lift people have gotten strong off of 'em.

One book of note: http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Iron-Steel-Book-Strength/dp/0926888072/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200154269&sr=8-2

and this is the sandbag I'm using:

[supernova]

4. Oh, I see, thanks

It's kinda like the sledghammer workout I posted a few months ago.

I'm getting more interested in this kind of strength training with real world objects, because I'm much more interested in being stronger to do other TDL (Tasks of Daily Living). Rearrange furniture, for example. Or put up library shelves. And this is something lifting weights at the gym doesn't always give you, unless you log serious gym time, which I don't have. :P

[midnight armadillo]

5. Get thee to Ironmind

The chief retailer of funny workout stuff is www.ironmind.com. They have a bunch of books (like the one I cited) and various bits of workout gear for real-world strength.

Evenly balanced barbells, comfy benches, and air conditioning only take you so far in terms of being really strong, especially for real world things that are not so perfect! I highly recommend you look into kettlebells (www.russsiankettlebells.com) for another awesome means of strength/endurance training that I also practice.

I don't use a gym anymore. The winter's been fierce so far in MA so I've been sandbagging on the company loading dock, and once I'm more confident with it I'll train outdoors unless it's very slippery/icy/muddy (a concession to safety). My regular "gym" is a partly shaded patch of grass next to the corp. parking lot.