Not many sedentary folk with low octane diets will take on several tons of gravel piled in their driveways. Some will take on the snow during an even more sedentary winter.Funny this came up - I have been telling friends for months now that the proof positive for me that swings and deadlifts are the best things ordinary civilians can do was this summer, when I had to shovel giant piles of gravel for days on a major landscaping project. And we shovel lots of snow in Denver - you never really hear about anything particularly bad from that activity as opposed to any other.
No doubt. This paper says, "Extremely high blood pressure elevations of up to 345/245 mmHg were observed during the lifts. Squatting caused the highest pressure rises.." This one says "Systolic and diastolic blood pressures rose rapidly to extremely high values during the concentric contraction phase for each lift and declined with the eccentric contraction. The greatest peak pressures occurred during the double-leg press where the mean value for the group was 320/250 mmHg, with pressures in one subject exceeding 480/350 mmHg."It wouldnt surprise me if my blood pressure and pulse DOUBLED during a heavy lift.
I have a similar experience.Shoveling snow = moving load with a 3rd class lever - it can be very hard going on wet snow involving a ton of core strain. Probably the only real high intensity exercise a lot of the victims have had all year, and for many years...
I read or heard somewhere recently that one measure of health is the ability to break into a full sprint without any warmup. (If anyone knows the source, please let us know.) It seems a reasonable metric to me.
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Just work it in with a crappy spin lock bar. You’ll need a gardening glove for the hand that makes contact with the spin lock grooves at the offset end or you will get steel splinters in your hand.Shovel lift, interesting...
I've wondered before what's the best way to get in shape for shoveling snow. I suppose actually doing that activity would be best if there was a way to be consistent and stay on a schedule. Otherwise, focus on posterior chain and core? Perhaps the full contact twist and/or the shovel lift?
I’ve thought about this often. Think how many folk these days have never sprinted for anything. That must shock the heart something chronic. This is a Kevism but I think heart disease is a product of the fact we don’t get chased by smilodon or flat faced bears any more. Ugruk and Shagrak or any of our cavemen ancestors where keeling over from an unsuspected sprint. Paul Chek again claims that the first documented heart attack in America was in 1929. I don’t know the actual facts of that or if it’s bullet proof fact. During the plague in London there are deaths documented as “frighted” and some folk have tried to say that was heart attacks but again I’m not to clued up on these things. Maybe in a Darwinian sense the whole need to be able to quickly sprint weeded out any potential bum tickers by either death by smilodon or heart attack but who knows.I read or heard somewhere recently that one measure of health is the ability to break into a full sprint without any warmup. (If anyone knows the source, please let us know.) It seems a reasonable metric to me.
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Can you give us a picture or a link?When we get a decent snowfall, 10cm+ (over 3 inches) or very wet snow, I usually use a snow sled shovel. Makes for a different kind of workout and can be much faster. It's easier on the low back and shoulders too.
Another factor is that the shoveler’s goal is to clear the driveway and he ain’t stopping until he’s cleared the darn driveway! I have coached overweight, weak people. We eased into learning the swing and stopped well before the trainee was flailing and out of breath. We then built upon each previous session. Back to the sedentary person shoveling: there’s no easing into it and no shoveling coach to stop him when he’s flailing. He’s gonna charge right in and go until the task is finished!
That's usually about 15 minutes after I've finished shoveling the driveway. They come for another pass to widen the street.The toughest part is the end where the plows have deposited a berm of snow 3x as dense as what came off the driveway.
I mentioned this earlier - the cool weather makes it easier for people to ignore overworking and dehydration as well.Another factor is that the shoveler’s goal is to clear the driveway and he ain’t stopping until he’s cleared the darn driveway! I have coached overweight, weak people. We eased into learning the swing and stopped well before the trainee was flailing and out of breath. We then built upon each previous session. Back to the sedentary person shoveling: there’s no easing into it and no shoveling coach to stop him when he’s flailing. He’s gonna charge right in and go until the task is finished!
I think Steve hit the nail on the head with this one.My understanding is that it's the high level of exertion, and nothing to do specifically with the activity of shoveling snow, that is the risk factor. As a group, people older than 55 are overweight, weak, and lack conditioning - if this doesn't describe you, then my non-medical recommendation to you is to use common sense shoveling snow just as you would for any other physical activity but don't otherwise avoid it.
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