levendis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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lifting_heavy_things2012-02-06 01:56 pm
levendis) wrote in lifting_heavy_things2012-02-06 01:56 pm
Greetings!
Hello! I'm new here. I've been reading through past entries - you guys are awesome. Seriously, thumbs way up.
I'm also new to the world of lifting heavy things on my own time, though I'm in my fifth (sixth? Time flies, damn) year of getting paid for it. I'm an expo at a mid-sized restaurant, which means anything from carrying three hot drippy plates of lamb shank, flipping over giant mixing bowls of bread dough, lugging around buckets of soup, lugging around buckets of soup with no lids (fluid dynamics: I once found myself drenched in organ meat stock), carrying tables, carrying boxes of beer/wine, carrying multiple boxes of beer to the bar RIGHT NOW hurry up and don't drop them, ice buckets with no handles, stacks of plates up steps, pushing a half-broken cart of liquor over gravel, and one-handing everything from a pan of rolls to a tray of drinks over my head because I'm short and the only free air-space is at six feet.
So, I've gotten reasonably strong, and I love it. Both just the, heck yeah, I can pick this up! And also the looks I get from people when they see a 5"2 girl swinging around a cast-iron table. But until recently, I assumed I shouldn't do strength-training, because then I'd be all busted up when I needed my body to do stuff.
Sorry, this post is endless. Here we go. I recently figured out that if I have a three- or four-day weekend, I get out of the heavy-things habit. I've started looking into functional fitness, and kettlebells (too pricy: I'm waiting for flea market season), and I've been adding body-weight exercises to my routine. Lemme tell you, I feel a heckuva lot better after a long shift. Still brain-dead, but physically fine.
My big problem is my lower back. I'm pretty sure this is from carrying plates and trays: proper foodrunning/bussing form means the load-bearing arm is held like you're halfway through a curl, forearm parallel to the floor, everything you're holding kept as far from your body as possible (then walk fifty paces, and smile, and don't use the pad of your thumb as an anchor, and don't spill the martinis, and ignore how hot the plates are). Aside from general core exercises, which you can also tell me about bc I am a total newb, is there something I can do to strenghten all the muscle-stuff that happens between my shoulder and butt? Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts, or should I focus on improving my arms so I rely on the hurty parts less? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
And again, you guys are so cool, I'm so happy this place exists. The human body is capable of some amazing things, and this is like, hey, you can be a geek AND enjoy your physicality, no matter the level of your ability. Love it.
I'm also new to the world of lifting heavy things on my own time, though I'm in my fifth (sixth? Time flies, damn) year of getting paid for it. I'm an expo at a mid-sized restaurant, which means anything from carrying three hot drippy plates of lamb shank, flipping over giant mixing bowls of bread dough, lugging around buckets of soup, lugging around buckets of soup with no lids (fluid dynamics: I once found myself drenched in organ meat stock), carrying tables, carrying boxes of beer/wine, carrying multiple boxes of beer to the bar RIGHT NOW hurry up and don't drop them, ice buckets with no handles, stacks of plates up steps, pushing a half-broken cart of liquor over gravel, and one-handing everything from a pan of rolls to a tray of drinks over my head because I'm short and the only free air-space is at six feet.
So, I've gotten reasonably strong, and I love it. Both just the, heck yeah, I can pick this up! And also the looks I get from people when they see a 5"2 girl swinging around a cast-iron table. But until recently, I assumed I shouldn't do strength-training, because then I'd be all busted up when I needed my body to do stuff.
Sorry, this post is endless. Here we go. I recently figured out that if I have a three- or four-day weekend, I get out of the heavy-things habit. I've started looking into functional fitness, and kettlebells (too pricy: I'm waiting for flea market season), and I've been adding body-weight exercises to my routine. Lemme tell you, I feel a heckuva lot better after a long shift. Still brain-dead, but physically fine.
My big problem is my lower back. I'm pretty sure this is from carrying plates and trays: proper foodrunning/bussing form means the load-bearing arm is held like you're halfway through a curl, forearm parallel to the floor, everything you're holding kept as far from your body as possible (then walk fifty paces, and smile, and don't use the pad of your thumb as an anchor, and don't spill the martinis, and ignore how hot the plates are). Aside from general core exercises, which you can also tell me about bc I am a total newb, is there something I can do to strenghten all the muscle-stuff that happens between my shoulder and butt? Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts, or should I focus on improving my arms so I rely on the hurty parts less? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
And again, you guys are so cool, I'm so happy this place exists. The human body is capable of some amazing things, and this is like, hey, you can be a geek AND enjoy your physicality, no matter the level of your ability. Love it.
no subject
Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts, or should I focus on improving my arms so I rely on the hurty parts less?
Your arms are the levers by which the loading hurts your back. No matter how strong your arms, its your back/core that stands between gravity and the load you carry.
I had nasty back issues, and got a four-exercises program wich worked like a charm. Hyperextensions were part of it. I lean forward on something stable (and padded) that is below hip-bone height, tuck my feet under something even more stable. Too high, I can't go down without rounding my lower back, too low and I feel that my knees are trying to bend the wrong way. Prone cobras also work the back.
For the shoulders and upper back:
#1 Wrap a resistance band around something as high as your shoulders, face it, grab each loose end with one hand and spread your straight arms until you form a cross.
#2 Next, put the band over head high, stand about a foot apart from it, draw the ends *down* in front of you and then straighten your elbows so that your hands end up pointing outward and down.
Lower again: Finally, elbow height, stand sideways, grab the ends, elbows locked to your side, and twist away. (I did all these on a cable machine, but a resistance band and a bannister work just as well.)
Ab work is important, too. Planks, of course, maybe some Pilates type exercises. Be careful of your lower spine.
no subject
I was all set to get miffed at my lack of sturdy pole, then remembered I had some spare hooks and drywall anchors. Handylady to the rescue. I think I'll have to work on technique so I'm not feeling it just in my arms/legs, but nice, thank you for the detailed directions.
no subject
For the shoulder exercises, draw your shoulder blades together as if you wanted to stuff them into the back pocket of your jeans. :-)
no subject
.... heeey, have you heard of Turkish get-ups? *g*
(I admit it, TGUs are my answer to everything. I think it's becoming a standing joke around here.)