The carries, when combined with traditional ab work, and the big lifts from both power lifting, and Olympic lifting give the core a great amount of work.

The stabilizers get hit hard during all the carries, and this has carry over to overall strength in all your lifts.

These are simple, basic movements that we use everyday.

They won’t give you a six pack, but they will build muscle.

The waiters carry is pictured top left and top right. Carry a heavy dumbell in the down hand, and the lite/moderate weight DB overhead. Walk a distance, switch hands and then walk back.
(you can also do this with one DB overhead as well. A little bit tougher due to balance)

The overhead carry is just walking with both DB’s over head, elbow locked. Easier to do with a 45lb plate than it is DB’s.

late than with DB’s.

This one is especially tough on the sides of the trunk.

Pick up a heavy dumbell with one hand. Try and keep your hips level, without leaning away from the weight as you walk.

Go for a distance with one hand, then come back with the other hand. This is harder than it looks, and actually harder than the farmers carry.

Pictured above are two very easy carries to start with. These will build lots of supporting strength, and really work the stabalizers.

Farmers carry: the basic. Pick up a heavy dumbell in each hand, keep your shoulders back, and walk either for distance, or for time. Really good grip workout as well.

Clean carry: clean two DB’s to the shoulders and walk. Tougher than it sounds when heavy.

This morning’s workout was pretty relaxing until the end.

My buddy and I worked through Barbell snatch work, over head squats all with lite weight. Then moved on to work cleans for reps from the floor with moderate weight. We then hit some jerks from the rack for singles until we maxed out for the day.

Our technique for all these lifts has gotten a little rusty from the last few weeks of long work days and a hectic schedule so we didn’t force anything.

To seal the deal we finished with a bang though.
3 rounds of:

5 handstand push ups
10 cleans with two 44lb KB’s
15 Chin ups
20 lunges with 45lb plate overhead

Tomorrow, pre turkey, I will hit the kettlebells pretty hard and wash it down with lots of turkey and trimmings.

Till next time, take care and happy Thanksgiving.

tim

I posted about this a while ago, and the old post links are below, but here are some photos to help visualize this awesome warm up.

The swing:
1- place DB on end as shown.
2- stand with feet comfortable width with the DB to the rear of the heels
3- grasp handle with either hand
4- proper set up position, with off hand braced on knee
5, 6, 7- in one explosive movement, swing the with straight arm till it is overhead and the body is erect.
(start with the legs, hips. The db will naturally swing forward, just keep force going)

From the overhead position of the completed swing:
2- lower the bell to the shoulder,
3- press back to overhead
4- now lower all the way to the hang position
5- now curl to the shoulder
6, 7, 8- now press overhead

From swing to the last press is one rep.

Do either multiple reps of the same weight as you see fit, switching hands every rep and never setting the bell down. Or 1 per hand per weight.

Goerner’s “the chain”

Goerner’s “the chain”

Goerner’s “the chain” part 2

Goerner’s “the chain” pt II

I really hated having to give up posting to the blog, but with all the stuff going on right now in my life, something had to give, and this was one of the things on the chopping block.

I never realized how therapeutic it was to do this thing, but it really is.

It is also a journal of sorts as well for my training, and also where I am currently with my goals, and what I want to do.

No one may read what I write, but I will be able to use it as a memory aid later down the road. With all the big changes coming in the next 5 or 6 months in life, it may be a big help.

Till next time take care and good lifting

Tim

Once you’ve got the easier box jumps down, now you can give these a try.
Place two boxes as shown (make sure they don’t slide around)
Perform a close hand or diamond push up, and explode up on to the boxes into a wide arm push up position.
Now do a wide arm push up and explode up and off the boxes back to a diamond position and repeat.

After the clapping push up is accomplished and you’re comfortable with the timing, now add some difficulty.

Take a box, or an aerobics stair. Place in beneath your chest between your hands. Now do a regular push up till your chest hits the box, then explode up hands clearing the box and landing in a diamond position push up.
Do a diamond push up and explode off the box back to the floor. Repeat.

Once you get the hang of the push up, now you can start working on getting the clapping push up.

To start- do a regular push up, but from the down position explode up until your hands leave the ground.

To clapping- when you can consistently leave the ground with your hands now try and clap your hands before your momentum slows.