Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm not sure how it happened, but sometime
when I was 9 or 10 years old, my dad got
interested in canoeing.
We lived in the Chicago suburbs back then,
and we were close enough to "the country"
to find some places that had canoe rentals
on various streams and small rivers. So we
did a fair amount of canoeing on the
weekends. And we had some family vacations
in Minnesota, where we were able to canoe
in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area between
the USA and Canada.
Dad even came up with a special exercise to
help his canoe paddling.
Here's what he did.
He loaded a five foot exercise bar at the
bottom end only -- with about 40 or 50 pounds
of plates -- and then he held the bar as if
he were holding a canoe paddle, with the
weighted end down (i.e., closest to the
ground) -- and then he would perform a canoe
paddling movement for 10 or 20 reps.
In his first set, he'd hold the bar with his
left hand high and his right hand low -- and
he'd "paddle" so that the bar passed his
right side one each rep.
When he finished his set, he'd rest a minute,
and then reverse his grip so his right hand
was high and his left hand was low -- and he'd
"paddle" so that the bar passed his left side
on each rep.
It was a lever bar exercise, although he didn't
call it that. I'm not sure he ever heard of a
lever bar. But he enjoyed his special exercise,
and he found that it helped his canoeing -- and
it sure as heck worked the heck out of his
triceps. (I know, because I did it, too, and
it hammered the tri's!)
There are lots of other interesting things you
can do with a lever bar. Steve Justa used to
do a shoveling movement with a lever bar. Try
it some time. It's tough.
Remember, if you try my dad's canoe paddling
exercise, or if you try Steve Justa's shoveling
exercise, you don't need much weight. The long
lever provides the resistance. So start light
and learn the movement -- and add weight slowly
and in small increments.
Of course, you also can do leverage bar movements
with a dumbbell bar that's loaded at one end only.
Simple wrist curl movements work great. Hold the
lever bar as if it were a hammer, with your arm
hanging straight down at your side, and lever
the bar up and down with wrist power alone. Then
do a second set with the weighted end of the
lever bar behind you. Rest briefly, and then
repeat with the other hand.
Short lever bars also work great for a variety
of different circular movements. They make great
finishers to end your forearm and grip work.
My dad is 85, and he doesn't canoe anymore, but
he still trains. I'll have to ask him if he still
does his canoe paddling exercise.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more information about unique forearm and
grip exercises -- and other new and unusual, and
highly effective exercises -- grab a copy of
Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development and a copy of Strength, Muscle and
Power. They'll give you plenty of great ideas:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. For dozens of great bodyweight exercises,
grab a copy of Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 3. My other Dinosaur Training books and courses
(and DVD's) are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "One new exercise can
energize your entire workout." -- Brooks Kubik
