Exercise and Fitness (the 48kg remix)

[Eurytus]

Does anyone else use the Renegade Row exercise? I've just started incorporating it into my gym workouts and it really is surprising how much it works your stabilizing muscles.

[Liffguard]

Does anyone else use the Renegade Row exercise? I've just started incorporating it into my gym workouts and it really is surprising how much it works your stabilizing muscles.

Good exercise. I like using them as part of a circuit.

[lessthanluke]

What is the difference between american and other, shouldn't it all be homogenized now based on the most successful results what with the internet and all?

Nope. Most of the powerhouses have their own system (bulgaria,china, russia). As always I'll divert to fleeingfinn as I don't want to post anything else because I'm not that well informed.

[ztemhead]

Does anyone else use the Renegade Row exercise? I've just started incorporating it into my gym workouts and it really is surprising how much it works your stabilizing muscles.

that looks pretty cool, esp for the rectus abdominis. I had been doing planks, but the problem I have with them is I can hold that position for minutes at a time before getting tired. I'll give that one a go and see how it feels.

[seastarr]

that looks pretty cool, esp for the rectus abdominis. I had been doing planks, but the problem I have with them is I can hold that position for minutes at a time before getting tired. I'll give that one a go and see how it feels.

Well, jeez, lift a leg or two then!

[cjfshaw]

That renegade row exercise is pretty popular among the cross fit group isn't it? That's the first place I saw it anyway.

I keep missing my leg days, I think it's because I know they take so long that I kind of shy away from them. Gotta stop doing that.

[ztemhead]

neglect not thy legs!

I had a good legs day yesterday, the kind where your whole body feels it the rest of the day. I drove the cab afterwards and it felt like I was sitting on a heating pad all up and down my back, legs, and butt. I have this one bruise on my left shin that I bonked hard on my first set of deadlifts, causing me to hoot and holler. I was considering calling it a day at that point, but after two more sets, the adrenaline kicked in and I was like, "bruise? What bruise?"

[seastarr]

Speaking of legs, I did an hour on the trampoline yesterday, and mine are sore!

[lessthanluke]

I am doing smolov again. Squatting 4 times a week ftw!

[Vestrit]

Speaking of legs, I did an hour on the trampoline yesterday, and mine are sore!

Me too! On Monday I had plyometrics and running with the physios, last night I did four sets of cleans followed by four sets of squats and four sets of push presses. My legs are very unhappy with me today

Edit cos I forgot about push presses

[Tempra]

Well, jeez, lift a leg or two then!

Or put your legs on an elevated platform. Or have someone put a weight on your back.

[Vestrit]

I am doing smolov again. Squatting 4 times a week ftw!

Smolov looks terrifying. Strength to you and let us know how it's going

I might try it next off-season

[lessthanluke]

Smolov looks terrifying. Strength to you and let us know how it's going

I might try it next off-season

Its a lot more mental than physical. I squatted saturday and monday and I'm off to the gym now to do it again.

[CloudFlare]

I believe its estimated that man only arrived in Europe roughly 40,000 years ago. I don't think we would have changed that much from evolutionary pressures since then.

Mmm, maybe not right away, but I think evolutionary pressures would have changed dramatically once we went from hunter/gatherer mode to agriculture.

[CloudFlare]

I have never tried to clean and jerk a barbell, so I can't tell you if there is a difference or not! But the KB clean and jerk I do is one armed. It seems like the KB might require more stability and balance in the legs, core, and the shoulder, because the weight is balanced on a smaller point on your locked arm, whereas the weight of a barbell is distributed in such a fashion as to improve stability (like a tight rope walker's pole that he uses to assist balance).

I see what you mean about courage now...cool.

What did I ever do to deserve being tossed around the gym like that!

[seastarr]

What did I ever do to deserve being tossed around the gym like that!

When I lift you, it feels good, I swear. Except for the hamstring torture part. But that's over quickly.

[turinturambar]

I believe its estimated that man only arrived in Europe roughly 40,000 years ago. I don't think we would have changed that much from evolutionary pressures since then.

Humans have been in Europe longer than 40,000 years. And besides, they've had plenty of time to adapt since then. Africans are leaner of limb so they can better release heat from their bodies due to the temperatures in much of Africa. Europeans are stouter, or thicker of limb to hold the heat in. This is why most of the world's strongest men are in fact Northern Europeans, they're thicker of limb on the average and body/muscle structure is better suited for heavy lifting.

Fleeing,

Evolution doesn't favor the weeing out of athletes. If anything it would favor it. Athleticism has little to do with one's ability to store fat. Western Africans are generally considered to be the most athletic people on earth on the average if you consider the basic factors of raw athleticism. Yet Northern and Western Africans have slower metabolisms and store fat easier on the average than anywhere else. Again, a mechanism of evolution. Europeans have faster metabolisms and should find it more difficult on the average to store fat. Athleticism should be favored, because speed and agility and strength should be favorable attributes when hunting or performing other basic tasks of survival.

[Eurytus]

Mmm, maybe not right away, but I think evolutionary pressures would have changed dramatically once we went from hunter/gatherer mode to agriculture.

Evolutionary pressures changed for sure, but there will be a considerable lag between the change in pressures and the genetic change that takes advantage of it.

Humans have been in Europe longer than 40,000 years. And besides, they've had plenty of time to adapt since then. Africans are leaner of limb so they can better release heat from their bodies due to the temperatures in much of Africa. Europeans are stouter, or thicker of limb to hold the heat in. This is why most of the world's strongest men are in fact Northern Europeans, they're thicker of limb on the average and body/muscle structure is better suited for heavy lifting.

I have seen many sources stating 40,000 years. Perhaps you can share some that differ from this.

As to physical characteristics, well be careful you don't assume that current physical state due to environment is the defacto standard. If Africans are naturally "leaner of limb" then why do African Americans suffer from a much higher level of obesity than caucasians, even when socioeconomic factors are taken into account? This appears to indicate that once on a "western" diet, the physical characteristics of Europeans are not so unique after all.

As for the world's strongest men comment how do you know its not just because that "sport" has traditionally attracted caucasians? There are plenty of pro African American bodybuilders who appear to be no less muscled or bulky than their caucasian counterparts.

Yet Northern and Western Africans have slower metabolisms and store fat easier on the average than anywhere else. Again, a mechanism of evolution. Europeans have faster metabolisms and should find it more difficult on the average to store fat. Athleticism should be favored, because speed and agility and strength should be favorable attributes when hunting or performing other basic tasks of survival.

I would suspect that keeping the body warm in northern latitudes has a significant impact on the metabolic rate.

[turinturambar]

I have seen many sources stating 40,000 years. Perhaps you can share some that differ from this.

As to physical characteristics, well be careful you don't assume that current physical state due to environment is the defacto standard. If Africans are naturally "leaner of limb" then why do African Americans suffer from a much higher level of obesity than caucasians, even when socioeconomic factors are taken into account? This appears to indicate that once on a "western" diet, the physical characteristics of Europeans are not so unique after all.

"leaner of limb" has nothing to do with obesity. What I mean is the bone/muscle structure when fat is taken out of the equation. On average a European with the same body fat% as an African, the European will be thicker of limb than the African. And as I said further below, Africans have slower metabolic rates on the average, thus it should be no surprise that they suffer from higher obesity levels. If subjected to the same diet and exercise routine, the African will retain body fat easier than a European. This is why, if brought to peak athletic condition, the average African will be more naturally suited for long distances, running, etc, whereas a European will on average better suited for heavy lifting. Not that there aren't or won't be many Europeans who excel at running sports, or Africans who excel at heavy lifting, but on the average they do differ. "Strongman" competitors tend to be Northern European, while basketball players or runners tend to be African, and yes society and culture may have something to do with it, but biological evolution is a huge factor as well. 40,000 years is plenty time. Especially during an ice age where extreme conditions can lead to swift selection of traits. Hell, you should read some middle-age literature on the Vikings, the way people described them you'd think they were talking about giants. Of course they weren't giants, but they were stronger and larger than even other Europeans, and thus very intimidating. Their ancestors had to be strong of limb and body to survive such extreme conditions.

As for the world's strongest men comment how do you know its not just because that "sport" has traditionally attracted caucasians? There are plenty of pro African American bodybuilders who appear to be no less muscled or bulky than their caucasian counterparts.

As I said above, select examples does not mean the same is true of the whole on average. And body builders can't hold a candle to the men who compete in the strength sports. Bodybuilders build muscle for show, and while they're quite strong, they aren't as strong as the guys you see tugging buses, throwing barrels, etc. Those men truly are the strongest men in the world, and they aren't all juiced up for the most part like 90% of bodybuilders.

I would suspect that keeping the body warm in northern latitudes has a significant impact on the metabolic rate.

Yes it does, hence why Africans store fat easier than Europeans.

[Eurytus]

Hell, you should read some middle-age literature on the Vikings, the way people described them you'd think they were talking about giants. Of course they weren't giants, but they were stronger and larger than even other Europeans, and thus very intimidating. Their ancestors had to be strong of limb and body to survive such extreme conditions.

Wearing bulky armour and furs will make someone look larger. Leaving a trail of destruction in your wake will also do wonders for your reputation in this regard.

If these northern conditions did factor for size then we'd see giant Inuits. Which we don't.