Look what the cat dragged in
I know I have some cool stuff to review here on the blog. I'll get to it very soon. In the meantime I keep finding new toys to play with. These most recent ones, in sharp contrast to monster bells, cost me next to nothing. Today I was telling my wife how badly I need a sled for dragging heavy stuff around the yard. We have this conversation every few weeks. She always says NFW. Her reasoning is that it will tear up the yard. It won't. In fact it would help flatten the damage we get every year from wintering moles. Anyone out there have a good way to get rid of moles? If so please let me know. The real reason is that she feels it will bring shame on the family if I am seen dragging stuff around the yard like an idiot. I am so misunderstood. Bottom line: a sled will cost a lot in terms of political capitol. Not worth it. So anyway, I say I want either a sled or some atlas stones (I wasn't serious about the stones). Later we were on our evening family walk and my Wife said "hey what about that rock?" Sure enough it was on an unowned lot covered by weeds. I struggled to get it of the ground and finally deadlifted it. It was still warm from the sun and hard to grip. It felt real nice. Ten minutes later I had retrieved a hand cart from my garage and dragged it home. What do you think? I know a real man would have carried it home but it was far too heavy and way too far.
Yesterday I made some homemade clubbells out of a pair of $3 Flintstone whiffleball bats. I used sand and lead shot to get them up to 15lb each. I figure they will be good for warmups and a change of pace. If I really like them I will get some real ones. I am pretty sure these won't last forever but they only took a few minutes to make. I drilled a hole in the top with a 1" hole saw so they were easy to fill. I plugged the holes with plastic bags packed tight and sealed the hole with quicksteel epoxy. I love that stuff. Check em' out.
Yesterday I made some homemade clubbells out of a pair of $3 Flintstone whiffleball bats. I used sand and lead shot to get them up to 15lb each. I figure they will be good for warmups and a change of pace. If I really like them I will get some real ones. I am pretty sure these won't last forever but they only took a few minutes to make. I drilled a hole in the top with a 1" hole saw so they were easy to fill. I plugged the holes with plastic bags packed tight and sealed the hole with quicksteel epoxy. I love that stuff. Check em' out.
Nice work Scott, I get the same flak from my wife about my 300+ lb tractor tire. I was in the park on the weekend getting lots of strange looks from the neighborhood but what a workout. Some tire flippin', KB farmer's walks, sledgehammering.... works a lot of muscles you seem to forget about. I believe it's effective functional strength training with simple tools. I'm loading up my tire tomorrow and taking it to Eric St. Onge's home park for some additional torture... actually just to see the reaction of people in his neighborhood!! Keep up the good work!
Ken
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Wow Ken. That sounds like a blast. I would like to get a tire but I can already guess how well received that would be.
Scott
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Scott,
Awesome on the stone! I have a few out back behind my gym. There's nothing like stonelifting! It's pretty damn addictive. Enjoy!
BTW - the sled dragging will NOT tear up your yard, but you're wife's correct you will look like a massive idiot. Trust me, I live between two culdasacs and my neighbors are those "t-ball and soccer mom types" imagine them watching me and my merry band of idiots dragging sleds and pushing a prowler around my yard. Incidentally we've never been invited to a neighborhood BBQ and our cars recently got egged... Yeah, stick with the stones.
Scott
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I recall the day I put my climbing rope up in the tree. A small crowd had formed to see what I was doing. To most people this seems odd. That said, every time people come over to visit they all want to try and climb the rope. Time will tell if the stone captures their fancy in a similar manner.
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Hey,are you poking fun at your Virginia relatives or are there others who are fascinated with your strength building obsession?
I have to admit that you are always working on something new to keep training interesting.I found the grip training surprisingly challenging and have got the guys at work wanting to challenge the Crush grippers.
The ball bats are a little scary.Hope the warden doesn't decide that the last heavy bell is one too many.
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Chris:
The warden is ok with the bats because she never has to see them. The grippers are a challenge and they are super addictive. That is the problem. People always overdo it when it comes to grip training. Jacked up hand and wrist tendons/ligaments will put you out of commision real fast. I would never poke fun at my Va relatives. Especially when I am right about to visit them.
See you soon.
Scott
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Hey those could be used for Mullah man makers to be distributed to the would be voters of Teheran. Since they can't smack Amadinebl'job any shorter a little pummeling and proding with those red rappers would get the Mullahs "on the stick" and more disposed to a little democracy.
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Sorry to hear that you're not allowed to play with a dragging sled in the yard. If it is any consolation I understand you.
Have you tried making come clubs from concrete and a broom handle? Lean from the Toronto Kettlebell Club gave me the idea. It's pretty cheap and durable. Check out this link to his how to instructions: http://fullcontactgeek.com/news.php?item.274.3
BTW how much does that stone weight?
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Boris:
Thanks for the link. I haven't weighed the stone but I think it would weigh lighter than it seems. It is fat, round, and ridiculously smooth. Very hard to grab. I will try to weigh it though. It might break the scale.
Scott
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Toy is right- even if you start playing with rocks instead of sleds, the hood will think you've flipped your lid. If you lived in the sticks like my parents, however, this would likely be par for the course. Or at least a few steps up from the neighbors' backyard activities- meth cooks, etc.
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I have some clubs I never use, keep it in mind.
I like you new rock, too. Funny how guys think stuff like that is cool.
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You want to sell them? Drop me an email.
sehelsley@yahoo.com
Scott
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Ok now I'm gonna make those clubs. I already have the stone.
Fun, fun, fun... My son will love them too.
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Exactly! Nothing like a cheap do it yourself project that will make you more fit. That is a win-win in my book.
Scott
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Hi!
1) great blog, i always enjoy reading it.
2)about the moles: since i started throwing stones and kegs, dragging sleds,and all that stuff there are no moles anymore in my yard(a buddy of mine got the same results).
as far as i know it´s got something to do with the vibrations, all the throwing and dropping creates. they don´t like it.
have fun!
harry
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Good info. See my latest post. The info was put to good use on the diplomatic front. This deserves an RFP t-shirt. Drop me an email with your address and shirt size and I send you one. sehelsley@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Scott
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Nice idea on the clubs!!
Stones are great. Easy to make, especially for someone handy like yourself! You need to vibrate the cement to eliminate pitting, but if you don't mind it, it will turn out fine without.
http://squatrx.blogspot.com/2008/09/making-atlas-stone.html
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Thanks for the link I will check it out.
Scott
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