Alright, so my workout was getting a little stale. Pumping iron, pushups and the like, I was trying to ignore the fact that I was getting a little bored with my routine. I decided to trash my current workout schedule and go back to my roots – all the way back to my barbarian ancestors.
Of course, barbarians didn’t have gyms or barbells – just hard work and hard labor. You didn’t prepare for war and invasions by schlepping around the hut; you went out and proved your worth through feats of strength. Rocks and logs were the mainstay when it came to proving your strength, you could find them anywhere. Just grab a small boulder and send it flying. Grrrrr!
Ever since we moved into our new house, I’ve had my eye on this smooth rock in our garden. It weighs about 45 pounds or so, isn’t jagged and just looked like it would be fun to heave around. After figuring out that a 45 pound rock can create some pretty damn big divots in your lawn, I settled on a scrap piece of land and began to throw that sucker around.
The rock workout was fantastic. I was actually spent after a good twenty minutes of barbarian lifting. I counted out the following functional lifts and throws:
1. DeadLift
2. Clean
3. Press
4. Throw
Ok, imagine this. You squat down to pick up the rock in deadlift fashion, stand up and clean the rock to your upper chest. Then you press it above your head for a second or so while locked out and then you heave that rock, overhead, as far as you can.
Doesn’t sound tough?
Ok, but now do that same four moves twenty-four times.
Ouch.
If you really hit it hard, take minimal breaks between throws, you’ll be feeling the awesome effects of a truly functional workout.
Barbarian Rock training combines anaerobic lifts with the explosive power that creates an aerobic environment for your heart. You’re really working double duty when you’re throwing that rock around. It also places much more stress on those smaller, balancing muscles that are incorporated when doing ‘real-world’ exercise, resulting in better balance and poise when hefting large, heavy objects around.
Besides the health and training factors, heaving a big rock around is great fun. Make sure that you grunt and shout a lot, too. Believe me; it’ll shut up that nosy neighbor who’s always poking around.
Of course, barbarians didn’t have gyms or barbells – just hard work and hard labor. You didn’t prepare for war and invasions by schlepping around the hut; you went out and proved your worth through feats of strength. Rocks and logs were the mainstay when it came to proving your strength, you could find them anywhere. Just grab a small boulder and send it flying. Grrrrr!
Ever since we moved into our new house, I’ve had my eye on this smooth rock in our garden. It weighs about 45 pounds or so, isn’t jagged and just looked like it would be fun to heave around. After figuring out that a 45 pound rock can create some pretty damn big divots in your lawn, I settled on a scrap piece of land and began to throw that sucker around.
The rock workout was fantastic. I was actually spent after a good twenty minutes of barbarian lifting. I counted out the following functional lifts and throws:
1. DeadLift
2. Clean
3. Press
4. Throw
Ok, imagine this. You squat down to pick up the rock in deadlift fashion, stand up and clean the rock to your upper chest. Then you press it above your head for a second or so while locked out and then you heave that rock, overhead, as far as you can.
Doesn’t sound tough?
Ok, but now do that same four moves twenty-four times.
Ouch.
If you really hit it hard, take minimal breaks between throws, you’ll be feeling the awesome effects of a truly functional workout.
Barbarian Rock training combines anaerobic lifts with the explosive power that creates an aerobic environment for your heart. You’re really working double duty when you’re throwing that rock around. It also places much more stress on those smaller, balancing muscles that are incorporated when doing ‘real-world’ exercise, resulting in better balance and poise when hefting large, heavy objects around.
Besides the health and training factors, heaving a big rock around is great fun. Make sure that you grunt and shout a lot, too. Believe me; it’ll shut up that nosy neighbor who’s always poking around.