We Need More Pulling Exercises – Lets Band Together



We Need More Pulling Exercises – Lets Band Together

Discc

Warm Up

Before starting, each PAX grabs a resistance band (thickness doesn’t matter #twssNever).  I notice the number of bands is exactly equal to the number of PAX (obviously I planned this incredibly well).

Mosey half the parking lot stopping in the middle for 15x: SSH, IW, LSS, LSS with band overhead, MC, merkin, can opener stretch

The Thang

Take a few steps to the row of handicap parking spaces in front of the theater, each with a parking sign.  Each PAX attach their band to a pole, half at shoulder height, half at ground level.  Two of the thinner bands are paired up so there are at total of 8 poles with bands.   The routine is a circuit where each PAX pulls on the band while facing either toward the pole, away from the pole, or with the pole to his left or right (rotate 90 degrees each time you change poles).   With the bands placed at high or low positions, and with the different band sizes, we are sure to hit every angle of pulling upward/downward for a complete shoulder workout with a few other muscle groups along the way.

The timer is the 9th man, who runs the half-lap around the parking lot while the 10th man just does burpees until relived by the timer.  When the timer replaces the 10th man, he moves to the first pole and everyone moves to the next pole and moves their body position 90 degrees, except the 8th man who is the new timer.   When the timer reaches half-way, those doing a one arm pulling switch arms (body stays in same position relative to the pole).

We got in two rounds of the circuit + one more lap just for Wingman because I forgot where I started I knew he wanted to push himself with an extra lap (you’re welcome).

Next two quick rounds of B.L.I.M.P.S. (5 burpees, 10 lunges 2-is-1, 15 IW, 20 merkins, 25 plank jacks, 30 squats), and leaving 3 minutes of Mary (flutter, LBC, heals to heaven).

Moleskin

Like Isaac Newton’s 3rd law of motion (every action has an equal and opposite reaction), there must be a corresponding law in fitness (every exercise motion, has an equal and opposite exercise motion).  Ideally when we work one direction we will also work the opposite and develop strength equally in both directions.

While F3 is great in many ways (understatement of the year), with our limited resources (whatever the AO has to offer) too many bootcamp exercises challenge us in one direction (pushing) and do not have equal challenges to work the opposite direction (pulling).  Expensive gyms have complex machines that get at these hard to expose muscle groups.  But in F3, with our $0 cost of membership, we miss some areas and risk developing imbalances.

Consider the merkin and its opposite the row.  How many reps of merkins are in a typical workout versus rows?  Merkins are all but mandatory and come in the dozens.  Rows, if any, are usually with a rock or coupon and nothing close to the weight you move doing merkins.  Overhead presses and pull-ups are another pair of opposing exercises.  I’ve been in many bootcamps pressing rocks or coupons overhead but far less with pull-ups.  Not to mention pull-ups are too heavy for most PAX so we often skip these pulling muscles.  Curls and tricep extensions are the only exercises we regularly perform together, with the same weight and reps, but this is the exception far more than the rule.

Resistance bands are often marketed to help assist with pull-ups (a weak area for the majority of PAX human beings) but they have much more potential.  Bands are insanely versatile in where they can be attached and used.  They are not as cheap as coupons (but what is) but they are affordable ($30 for a set of 4), and they don’t take up much space, weigh almost nothing, last for years and don’t break when dropped.

Across F3 we should add these to our toolbox and make them more common than coupons.  They’ll add variations to our exercises and will help attack our lack of pulling and other exercises that will benefit us all.  I won’t always run a complex circuit as I did in this workout, but I will bring resistance bands and I will challenge the PAX with some exercises I know they we all need.

I challenge all PAX to make the small investment in resistance bands (the cheap ones work as well for me as the high-end) and find some new exercises to share with the PAX the next time you Q.

(And as Midriff pointed out, if we include rocks, we’ll have a rock band workout.)

Announcements

June 12th – Saturday – 6:30AM  Da Vinci Bucky Convergence & 3:30PM 2nd F at Bradshaws

June 19th – Waxhaw Blood Drive – 9am – 1:30pm @ Five Stones Church – there are 12 10 spots left to fill up for the blood drive.  Sign up here if you haven’t and share on Facebook or wherever with friends, family, and neighbors : https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=f3

August 13th – Crane Relay  (starts at 9PM?!) details/sign up here –  https://forms.gle/PYo3XvwAhorvSEdN7

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