This evening, I started Operation: Don’t Be A Slug.
This is the cunning secret code name of my exercise program. I’m trying to get in shape. Specifically, I’m trying to get into a shape that isn’t “pear”.
Tonight’s activity consisted of hanging a pull-up bar in one of my door frames, and following the directions for it. The bar is advertised as the “Perfect Pull-Up” system, and was chosen on the scientific basis of being the cheapest one available at Wal-Mart. Seems to work OK. It has some goofy marketing-talk on the box about the workout routines that Navy SEALS use. That’s goofy, but probably no hindrance to its functionality.
The bar came with a set of directions for a pull-up routine that seems pretty sensible and reasonable. I’m using their suggestions right now, since I’m fairly ignorant about what constitutes a good workout. Presumably, if they make exercise equipment they know how to use it. It’s not rocket science at my level of fitness, anyhow. I’m not looking to be Mr. Universe, I just want to be stronger and fight the pernicious effects of an office job on my physique.
You start by calibrating your workout to your capabilities, by doing as many pull-ups as you can sequentially. Your MAX number, as they call it.
My Max was 5. I’m not a pull-up expert, but this doesn’t strike me as an excitingly large number. Gotta start somewhere, I guess. The routine they have charted out takes 20 day. We’ll see how things look after that.
I’m planning to keep posting here to keep myself honest. Tonight I did a set of traditional pull-ups, a set of “Australian” pull-up, and a set of “Standing Rows”. Which is fitness equipment speak for pull-ups done with your body vertical and supported only by your arms, horizontal with your feet on the ground, and at a 45 degree angle with your feet on the ground, respectively.
The obvious theory behind that is that each position reduces the amount of weight supported by your arms from the previous position. Therefore, you can do more. James has given out similar advice regarding push-ups in the past; do sets on your toes until you can’t, then put your knees down and continue until you can’t, because it reduces the weight you’re supporting.
Also good news: Pull-ups seem way kinder to my arms than push-ups. Not in the weight sense, but in the effect on my joints. When I do push-ups, my right wrist, shoulder, and elbow start popping and creaking pretty quickly. That didn’t happen tonight.
Need to get a pad to lay out beneath me; the door I installed the bar in lets out over my tile floor. I think my door frame is mechanically sound; it seems fine. But if, some day, the bar were to come loose in the middle of a standing row I would not enjoy the landing very much.