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Other/Mixed Shoveling snow

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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North Coast Miller

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Had about a foot of heavy wet snow come down last night - SNOW DAY!

But not for the wife. Better shovel the driveway. In fact I needed to use a small kid's shovel to clear the cars off.

Decided to track this as an exercise session, as I've shoveled a lot of snow in my life but really have zero idea how much work is actually being done.

Had a scale in the garage, average weight of each shovel full was about 15lbs. Took about 15 shovel fulls per pass across the driveway, and each pass took about a minute. Around 225 lbs per pass, at least twice that near the road where the plow truck was kind enough to cram it in.

Shoveled for an hour, putting the raw load at about 12,000 pounds or 6 tons. Around here this type of snow is known as "heart attack snow". The numbers actually divide out to a bit less than the length of my driveway, but with the added bulk for the bottom 8 ft or so where it got pushed in from the street it works out almost perfect.

That's not the whole story though, as it was all moved with a third class lever, at maybe 2/3 - 3/4 mechanical advantage. Pretty good workout, though I'll probably still do my usual, I feel fine. Am not sure if I can attribute any of this to the cantilever load variations I've been including in my workouts, but why not? Hobo strong!

Maybe I can get "AwakenWithJP" from youtube fame to do a promo video. :D
 
Work is not a workout. Next time do it left handed. Now that is a workout.

I think the same thing when is see walking talked about as exercise. Walking is just something humans do, like work.

I switch hands every pass, and use good mechanical form. From my POV, if I'm not getting paid $, it isn't really 'work' no matter how tough it is.

I see your point, if it were a real workout I wouldn't even be thinking about training this afternoon. But moving literally a ton every 10 minutes with a shovel is NOT the same as walking unless you are morbidly obese. This sort of thing sure is a solid peak into how well one's regimen is preparing you for actual work.
 
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Agree about preparedness. If you are a gym badass but you can’t shovel your driveway without your low back being on fire, walk and play with your family and without pain, it’s time to reevaluate your training and goals.

Absolutely.
Been shovelling too, yesterday and today. Makes a change from other stuff I shovel daily!
Scottish snow brings with it a particular level of chaos.
Shops are now deplete of bread. People are starving. Maybe some good will come of it and the obesity crisis will be brought to a standstill.
A few people are out shovelling, me and a neighbour and a couple of Polish guys going hell for leather clearing out their car wash business. Generally though people are indoors, watching youtube footage of people clearing snow, conserving their energy at this time of such savage food shortages.
 
Heart attack snow, or "Lake Effect Snow" here in the greater Chicago suburbs......and the pleasure of the snow plow packing it in at the end of your driveway, pure heaven.....

While I am fitter than I have been in years, I own a snow blower for this snow. That, and with the kids gone, the wife has to now shovel sometimes as well. :D


Had about a foot of heavy wet snow come down last night - SNOW DAY!

Around here this type of snow is known as "heart attack snow".
 
Heart attack snow, or "Lake Effect Snow" here in the greater Chicago suburbs......and the pleasure of the snow plow packing it in at the end of your driveway, pure heaven.....

While I am fitter than I have been in years, I own a snow blower for this snow. That, and with the kids gone, the wife has to now shovel sometimes as well. :D

I have a snowblower too, but is a 2 stroke and single stage. So I break it down every Spring, pull the sparkplug, run it dry, and take the chute off so I can hang it on the wall in the garage. With Winters being so mild lately, I often don't bother to put it back together in the Fall. Once it gets cold its easier to just shovel than to put it back together, mix fuel, etc.

Plus its a single stage and I often have to do the end of the driveway - the 'pack zone' by hand anyway.

Normally I can shovel a half dozen inches in 15-20 minutes at the quick step, but not when its this deep and heavy.
 
Heart attack snow, or "Lake Effect Snow" here in the greater Chicago suburbs......and the pleasure of the snow plow packing it in at the end of your driveway, pure heaven.....

While I am fitter than I have been in years, I own a snow blower for this snow. That, and with the kids gone, the wife has to now shovel sometimes as well. :D
I don't miss the Chicago winters one little bit...
 
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