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Getting In Shape for 2016/17
- Thread starter W8N2SKI
- Start date
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The colored ones are usually d-balls or slam balls. These are intended for throwing hard against the floor etc. They hurt really bad if you try to do wall balls with them and miss.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
TECHNICALLY if one had access to a ball, one could weigh it. My gym has a scale; I assume most do? Obviously this does not help in a video, unless you assume weights by size are consistent.
Yesterday, my PT showed me two 55cm exercise balls. They were at least 5cm different.
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Barbells are never consistent either. A true 45er usually weighs anywhere from 43-47 same for 35's A trick in 24 hour gyms is to use either a powerlifting 750 barbell or one that looks like an oly bar with the whip of a 750 to keep people from lifting heavy. I can usually even tell these now by how the sleeves spin, size of grip or just how they feel. If you weigh them they are usually closer to 50. Much better to avoid them, unless of course you are actually squatting 750#s and they can transfer the weight accordingly.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What's a whip?
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Whip is the amount of bend or flex in a barbell. It's important in lifts like back squats, cleans etc. Basically if you are doing squats with an appropriate barbell, the weight will transfer out along the length of the barbell. When powerlifters squat huge weights, like 750#'s a regular barbell will break under this weight so they would require a barbell that is stronger with less whip. In reverse if you are squatting a more average weight on a barbell rated for 750#, the barbell will remain too stiff and the weight transfers more directly straight down your spinal cord, and can be compressive. Where it is is unclear if this can cause injury, it tricks the brain into thinking you are lifting more than you really are so they are commonly used in gyms that don't have staff on during all hours thinking this will prevent injury in some way.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That sounds like a dangerous practice =/
W8N2SKI
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
These are the MB's used in my gym -- not like I've ever used them! Knowing my trainer, I think my time will come though. Right now I'm using the sandbag thingies for throwdowns (how's that for technical gym rat talk?
)https://www.power-systems.com/p-3232-elite-power-medicine-ball.aspx
One cardio/strength 3-way combo I like is kettle bell swing (15-20) + stair climber (level 6-8 for 3 minutes) + sandbag squat/raise/throws (15). Repeat 3 times through.
I'm going to try the eccentric mini-blaster tomorrow morning (@marzNC posted a link).
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Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't know...I only know this because a gym that I worked at but didn't work out at had a 750. I ended up working out there one day and had just barely started putting weight on the bar and literally ended up stuck in the hole. So here I am stuck, I squat full depth so safety bars are out, I never squat inside a rack so I stepped far enough back the rack was too close to make a clean dump. So I'm down there wondering wt...finally I got enough of a scare I got up. Thought for the next several days about why I could only squat that much, was scared to squat. Did I eat bad, overt rain? A couple weeks later DD out of convenience did a day pass at that gym and came home saying how she couldn't squat nearly as much there either and was asking me why. Anyway a few months later a new client had the same issue. So I started to look into it and found a little info, but not much. Finally I was travelling and got to use a pretty good gym where some upper level athletes train. I happen to notice they had notes actually taped to there higher weight power bars, so I asked. Next I ended up having to do a short term membership at anot her gym when I was restarting this year and they also had notes on theirs. So I did demo on that bar again and in binds did do front squats, but even then I felt squished and had trouble breathing, so it does freak me out. On the other hand, if you walked straight into a gym with one, you would likely never notice but might opt for dumbell squats.
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
They ARE medicine balls, just not ones you want to throw overhead and catch, I've seen people get hit in the head with these, it's ugly. The other type, in the video, is soft and leather. They cost about $100 more per ball so you really only find them at gyms that focus on athletic and strength training with enough space to use them in. I just didn't want you to get a broken nose. And I think the bags are simply called sadbags, so you are spot on there as far as I know....These are the MB's used in my gym -- not like I've ever used them! Knowing my trainer, I think my time will come though. Right now I'm using the sandbag thingies for throwdowns (how's that for technical gym rat talk?
https://www.power-systems.com/p-3232-elite-power-medicine-ball.aspx
One cardio/strength 3-way combo I like is kettle bell swing (15-20) + stair climber (level 6-8 for 3 minutes) + sandbag squat/raise/throws (15). Repeat 3 times through.
I'm going to try the eccentric mini-blaster tomorrow morning (@marzNC posted a link).
W8N2SKI
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ok, I finally got serious about doing this workout segment this morning. Granted, I did it after 40 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of lower body weight training, but IT IS HARD! I did the full blaster for one set and knew I'd never make 2 more, so I went to the mini-blaster for 2 sets. It is hours later and my legs are still fatigued. I like this!!!
snow addict
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Cardio/endurance training, leg and core strength, flexibility and balance. I looked at ski specific exercises, like the ones at the link, but unfortunately they are the kind I need to avoid due to damaged cartilage. I used to measure my "ski-readiness" by jumping up and down a flight of stairs on one leg , however I still was in pain everywhere after my first ski day of the season. It will take me a few weekends of skiing to hit the form no matter what I do in the off-season. Luckily, early season exists and it's a perfect time for a body to get used to skiing again.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah - I was confused after surgery - I could still flex my quad and see the muscle bulge, but I still couldn't trust my leg to go down stairs @Kimmyt explained the eccentric thing to me.
W8N2SKI
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I started doing one-leg eccentric work on a couple of machines today. The leg press/hip sled was particularly good, I think. I used 2 legs to push to the top of the extension and just one leg to slowly, slowly lower the weight to full compression. Definitely challenging in the final reps of each set.
Following weights and a Pilates class I did 30 minutes of cardio including the step mill and 3x mini leg blasters. Those kick my everything. I sent the leg blaster video link to my trainer last week and this morning when I came into the gym I noticed that she had her "boot camp" group doing them. I'll have to ask her how that went over.
Also, I watched an eccentric training video yesterday where folks were doing squats on a slant board. I didn't have a slant board in my office, BUT, I was wearing heels. Perfect.
Following weights and a Pilates class I did 30 minutes of cardio including the step mill and 3x mini leg blasters. Those kick my everything. I sent the leg blaster video link to my trainer last week and this morning when I came into the gym I noticed that she had her "boot camp" group doing them. I'll have to ask her how that went over.
Also, I watched an eccentric training video yesterday where folks were doing squats on a slant board. I didn't have a slant board in my office, BUT, I was wearing heels. Perfect.
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This has all been said and read before but since things are getting in full swing I thought I'd share the most recent version.
https://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/why-non-contact-acl-injuries-should-never-happen
Kind of a pipe dream to think these things will never happen, but you can always be better prepared.
https://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/why-non-contact-acl-injuries-should-never-happen
Kind of a pipe dream to think these things will never happen, but you can always be better prepared.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
DH just told me yesterday that they've completed initial human trials (20 people) of a way of actually repairing the ACL, rather than having to reconstruct it. Within a few years, full recovery may be 4 months, not a year or more.
VickiK
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This ties into the article above, re: the importance of strong glutes.
https://gokhalemethod.com/blog/62310
https://gokhalemethod.com/blog/62310
dancingspark
Certified Ski Diva
My boyfriend tore his ACL and didn't get it reconstructed for a year. I'm not even sure how he was able to walk on it. But the surgery was so expensive that he couldn't afford to go until then. :/ I wish they had those sorts of clinical trials at more hospitals...
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's pretty common to go quite a while on a torn ACL. The rush with my knee was that I also had damage to the meniscus. I have friends who even skied - even raced! - for a few years with no ACL and a knee brace.
