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Honest Effort

Thanks!

I have no idea. It was on sale in one store we visited few weeks ago. There was only one left, so I took it. There was one bigger dagger too, but I thought it to be inconvenient to wear.

I gotta get going on my chain mail...saving up to buy one that is.
 
I gotta get going on my chain mail...saving up to buy one that is.
...Yeah, and I have to postpone my plans to buy that Spangenhelm helmet. There was one, but it was too pricy for my student budget. Oh well, at least I have a black beret to wear.
 
Hello,

I'd say definitely the movement patterns. Specifically using the partially fixed elbow joint, triceps engaged with pulling movements and biceps engaged with pushing.

Paddling perfectly demonstrates both principles in action, and how a lot of day-to-day applications have little in common with many mainstream exercise movements.
Do you think that non specific moves, but compounds, such as DL, pull ups / Lat Pull down, and some core training would have helped you the same way ?

Here, I only talk about the move per se, not the protocol (looking for strength or endurance, etc...)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,


Do you think that non specific moves, but compounds, such as DL, pull ups / Lat Pull down, and some core training would have helped you the same way ?

Here, I only talk about the move per se, not the protocol (looking for strength or endurance, etc...)

Kind regards,

Pet'

I honestly don't think so. Helped for sure, I have been every bit as strong or stronger as far as pulldowns, rows, benching and extended paddling always tightened me right up. I sound like broken record but the way most exercise movements pair bicep to pull and tricep to push with full ROM instead of reversed in a stability/energy transfer mode, is a poor preparation for reality much of the time.

A few years back on steady diet of traditional KB work - pressing, TGU, Bent Press, front squats etc I felt pretty good at nice easy pace with full canoe, but this felt a lot different - the actual muscles and movement patterns were so close yet the loads so much less than I was accustomed to I could have done multiples of that effort. I felt like my paddle blade was too small, absolutely the first time that's ever happened.

To be fair, the "Hobo Paddle" was one of the first movements I adopted, specifically intended to mimic this activity. Even the core activation was a close match for what was needed. Couldn't be happier.
 
Bit off topic maybe... but you don't think your canoe paddle technique's improved over the years as well? What strokes do you use for long distance, J-stroke?

I love this video by the way... just wanted to share. :rolleyes:
 
Bit off topic maybe... but you don't think your canoe paddle technique's improved over the years as well? What strokes do you use for long distance, J-stroke?

I love this video by the way... just wanted to share. :rolleyes:


My technique has definitely improved over the years, but not so much the last 6 years or so. Had a heck of time on one of the Adirondack lakes a few years back, fully loaded with my twins, wife and myself. Open water and the wind really whipped up-whitecaps and all. Couldn't go across the waves without almost certainly capsizing. It was late in the season, no one else out on the water in any craft, water temps in the low 50s.

Just managed to make the cove we needed to hit, the instant the bow touched solid ground and couldn't pitch the very next wave absolutely filled the boat. I've never been scared on the water before. In that case we were running and mostly I just had to keep it from turning/broaching.

I use J-stroke and if I have to really lean on it I'll reinforce it by levering against the gunwale - have a half-hitch wrap around my paddle to keep it from getting dinged up. I also use more of a corkscrew than a true J-stroke sometimes. This keeps my elbow closer to my ribs=better leverage.

When paddling tandem I was letting the bow man swap twice for every one of mine, so 1/2 the time we'd be paddling same side and still running on a line. I learned mostly paddling with the wife before our kids were born, she expected a lot from the stern man- she grew up on the water.
 
I found some info about the dagger. Manufacturer most likely is Southern Swords. Blade is made out of 440 stainless steel and full length is 15,75 inches. Haven't measured it myself. It's pretty heavy too.
 
Am deloading on the second set, all in on the last set. Am now reliably at or over 190lbs on the scale, noticeably bigger than in the last three years while belt size is the same or a touch smaller. Lower pecs still not getting much bigger but abs, upper pecs, upper back, lats and entire lower body increasing incrementally.

Thoroughly rinsed the small stone in my son's sandbag as he was ejecting puffs of fine dust when he slams it down doing his half-moons and getups. Should be a big improvement. He'll be ready for a commercial bag soon at this rate.

Warmup Jump rope 5 minutes

Good Mornings 90lb x15
FrontLoaders 70lb x10
Good Mornings 100lb x12
FrontLoaders 70lb x6
Good Mornings 100lb x15
FrontLoaders 70lb R/P x10/5/3

Sissy Squat 50lbs x10
Rows 70lb x12
Sissy Squat 50lbs x6
Rows 70lb x7
Sissy Squat 50lbs x15
Rows dropset 90/70/50 x 7/5/6

Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x10
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x12
 
Warmup: Jumprope 5 minutes

Saddlebag Squat 125lbs x15
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs x10, x7, R/P x10/6
Saddlebag Squat 165lbs x10
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs x7
Saddlebag Squat 165lbs x10
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs R/P x10/6

Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x10,
Alternating overhead sandbag press 70lbs x8,
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Alternating overhead sandbag press 70lbs x6,
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x10
Alternating overhead sandbag press dropset 70lb/55lb x7/3



Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x8
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x10
 
Jumprope HIIT -

5 minute warmup

12 repeats - 20sec on, 40 seconds off @ 3 beats/second

Side to side crunches
cossack stretch to
lizard stretch
Hot potatoes
seated twist
hamstring stretch
Side to side crunches
 
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Warmup Jump rope 5 minutes

Good Mornings 70lb x15
FrontLoaders 70lb x10
Good Mornings 100lb x12
FrontLoaders 70lb x7
Good Mornings 100lb x15
FrontLoaders Dropset 70/55lbs x 10/5

Sissy Squat 50lbs x8
Rows 70lb x12
Sissy Squat 50lbs x8
Rows 70lb x8
Sissy Squat 50lbs x10
Rows dropset 90/70/50 x 7/7/7

Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Rear delt row 50lbs x10
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Rear delt row 50lbs x10
 
Last 100% sandbag workout for next two weeks. Made a bet with my perpetually underweight son to see who can put on 10lbs first, winner gets a new Version 2 RepFitness sandbag. For me this will put me at 200lbs, my heaviest BW ever, for him it will get him to 71 lbs, where he should be anyway. Even if I win, I'll be getting him a new sandbag, he is now almost 100% self motivated, seldom misses a session, and in fact his routine needs an upgrade to reflect his proficiency. If only he would eat more!

These all sandbag sessions were supposed to be less taxing than the offset pole workouts, but in practice they're just as challenging with different lift mechanics. I've scrapped my between workout metcons and am doing a single session of HIIT instead.

The Laterals done with sandbag are one of the toughest lifts I do - mentally difficult to "attack", first rep of every set has an element of uncertainty as far as confidence goes.

Hit 20 reps on the saddlebag squats - need to add more weight
Warmup:
Jumprope 5 minutes

Saddlebag Squat 120lbs x15
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs x10
Saddlebag Squat 160lbs x12
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs x7
Saddlebag Squat 160lbs x20
Sandbag Laterals 55lbs R/P x10/6/3

Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Alternating overhead sandbag press 70lbs x8,
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Alternating overhead sandbag press 70lbs x6,
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Alternating overhead sandbag press dropset 70lb/55lb x8/4



Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x10
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x10


Approaching the best fitness overall of my life perhaps, certainly in the last 26 years, cannot believe I have pushed veins to surface on my lower traps. Feeling a great deal better than on my last birthday. Training legs heavier is 80% of the reason. I can't imagine another lean 10lbs, but for sure I can do 5 before I need to loosen my belt...
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Looking good! (y)
Are you going to eat a lot more food now when putting on muscles or do it more slowly with less food? Up the food intake and up the training frequency?
Seems that there a lots of people claiming you can't put on muscles without eating copious amounts of food and then there are people who claim you can build muscles just as well on a healthy diet on energy balance...
 
Looking good! (y)
Are you going to eat a lot more food now when putting on muscles or do it more slowly with less food? Up the food intake and up the training frequency?
Seems that there a lots of people claiming you can't put on muscles without eating copious amounts of food and then there are people who claim you can build muscles just as well on a healthy diet on energy balance...



I always try to put it on slowly and consistently. In the 9 months since my last Bday I've put on about 8 solid lbs while actually shrinking my waist (at least based on how my belts fit). Pretty sure the limiting factor for this is how much harder you can train to make sure the added calories go to muscle instead of fat. And then you have to make sure you aren't overdoing it in general.

Initially a lot of any increase in calories can be taken up with increased training intensity. Once you get used to the higher output, then the body will make use of surplus calories to increase mass.

It is a lot easier to just overeat and then loose the fat (theoretically) but honestly if you manage a slow increase over the same timeframe it is just as easy to slowly gain.

But... you have to be ready to make adjustments every couple of days. For me, this is the time of year I tend to train with more intensity anyway, so I just have to make sure I'm not overeating too much. Ideally I get there without having to loosen my belt. I doubt I can pull it off but that's the plan. Realistically I probably won't even be able to get to 200 before I get tired of overeating, but for sure 195.

The key will be loading up on the squat and I really could use a heavier hinge exercise. Deadlifting sandbags is really awkward, and I can only load the Good Mornings so much - they work great for moderate load/higher rep.
 
Warmup Jump rope 5 minutes

Good Mornings 70lb x20
Flags 55lbs x10
Good Mornings 100lb x15
Flags 55lbs x7
Good Mornings 100lb x20
Flags 55lbs R/P x10/4

Sissy Squat 55lbs x10
Paddles 70lb x6
Sissy Squat 55lbs x10
Paddles 70lb x4
Sissy Squat 55lbs x10
Paddles 70lb R/P x5/3

Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Rear delt row 50lbs x10
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Rear delt row 50lbs x12
 
Added weight on the saddlebag squat, and loaded PU. On a scale the PUs are now 225lbs with 90lb sandbag.

Jumprope 5 minutes

Saddlebag Squat 120lbs x20
Hobo Laterals 55lbs x8
Saddlebag Squat 160lbs x13
Hobo Laterals 55lbs x6
Saddlebag Squat 210lbs x8
Hobo Laterals 55lbs R/P x8/4

Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Loaded PU 50lbsx13
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Loaded PU 70lbsx10
Hamstring Extensions 35lbs x8
Loaded PU 90lbs/BW x6/10



Cossack stretch
Lizard stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x8
Seated rotational stretch
Hamstring stretch
Tricep press 55lbs x10
 
Holy Smokes these were tough today. Must be coming off a squat day I was still in recovery mode - barely caught my breath between repeats.

Jumprope HIIT -

5 minute warmup

12 repeats - 20sec on, 40 seconds off @ 3 beats/second

Side to side crunches
cossack stretch to
lizard stretch
Hot potatoes
seated twist
hamstring stretch
Side to side crunches
 
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