Thursday, August 26, 2004
A Question about LongStrength from neil:
"Longstrength is the ability to build strength through a workoutthat uses heavier than usual Heavyhands in movement patterns thatcan be maintained for longer periods of time, even hours -contrasted with traditional 3-4 set 10-12 rep heavy-strengthworkouts."
Questions:I am using three pound weights for my 50 mins workout. What shouldI use for "longstrength" work? If I am maintaining the workload forhours, how is this different from a conventional HHs workout? Howwould I vary the pace, cadence etc of movements for "longstrength"?The benefits of "longstrength" seem to go beyond "panearobics" aloneso I want to understand as much about the concept as possible.Also, I would like to see a DVD that demonstrates many more of the myriad HHs movements, described in Dr. Len's books. The Walk PlusDVD is a good start but only a start.
Thanks,Neil
A reply from Dr. Schwartz:
Thanks for the questions, Neil. Be nice if I knew just a little bit about you and your past with Heavyhands, to get a better feel as to how to add Longstrength. The major difference with workouts that are more obviously 'Longstrong' is some 'moving up' in the resistance involved. Even not knowing what you do, one can suggest with some confidence that a single pound added, ie., going with 4's instead of 3's should add in enough strength/power to make a difference. Lots, as you know, depends on range of motion and tempo. By upping one or more of these elements you will most certainly be adding work, including strength! Ratchet that workload upward, so long as you remain a comfortable 'hander.' (perceived exertion and/or heart rate measure)
Go easy at first, of course, attempt to ease into a new comfort zone, significantly greater.
I should mention that the border between conventional hh trappings and longstrength is fuzzy, not hard edged! I merely pushed the idea of Longstrength once I realized how much power could evolve from emphasis of that connection. For a petite little lady the addition of 2 lb endweights to a couple of Heavyhands handles can constitute very aggressive longstrength, and for a 280 lb bodybuilding behemoth 2 twenties might be a slam dunk!
It's the pressure to increase the total work by the pushing the product of strength and endurance that makes for the benefits of Longstrength. By the same token, keeping resistance constant and varying the range of motion and the tempo will surely make you stronger of both skeletal and cardiac muscle!
By the way, more DVD's are on their way.
Len
"Longstrength is the ability to build strength through a workoutthat uses heavier than usual Heavyhands in movement patterns thatcan be maintained for longer periods of time, even hours -contrasted with traditional 3-4 set 10-12 rep heavy-strengthworkouts."
Questions:I am using three pound weights for my 50 mins workout. What shouldI use for "longstrength" work? If I am maintaining the workload forhours, how is this different from a conventional HHs workout? Howwould I vary the pace, cadence etc of movements for "longstrength"?The benefits of "longstrength" seem to go beyond "panearobics" aloneso I want to understand as much about the concept as possible.Also, I would like to see a DVD that demonstrates many more of the myriad HHs movements, described in Dr. Len's books. The Walk PlusDVD is a good start but only a start.
Thanks,Neil
A reply from Dr. Schwartz:
Thanks for the questions, Neil. Be nice if I knew just a little bit about you and your past with Heavyhands, to get a better feel as to how to add Longstrength. The major difference with workouts that are more obviously 'Longstrong' is some 'moving up' in the resistance involved. Even not knowing what you do, one can suggest with some confidence that a single pound added, ie., going with 4's instead of 3's should add in enough strength/power to make a difference. Lots, as you know, depends on range of motion and tempo. By upping one or more of these elements you will most certainly be adding work, including strength! Ratchet that workload upward, so long as you remain a comfortable 'hander.' (perceived exertion and/or heart rate measure)
Go easy at first, of course, attempt to ease into a new comfort zone, significantly greater.
I should mention that the border between conventional hh trappings and longstrength is fuzzy, not hard edged! I merely pushed the idea of Longstrength once I realized how much power could evolve from emphasis of that connection. For a petite little lady the addition of 2 lb endweights to a couple of Heavyhands handles can constitute very aggressive longstrength, and for a 280 lb bodybuilding behemoth 2 twenties might be a slam dunk!
It's the pressure to increase the total work by the pushing the product of strength and endurance that makes for the benefits of Longstrength. By the same token, keeping resistance constant and varying the range of motion and the tempo will surely make you stronger of both skeletal and cardiac muscle!
By the way, more DVD's are on their way.
Len
Friday, August 13, 2004
Here is a powerful review of Dr. Schwartz's HEAVYHANDS WALKING book posted by Ray V. on amazon.com:
The 5-minute fitness test recommended by the author, for all intents and purposes, consists of walking for 5 minutes at 120 strides per minute while pumping 1-pound handweights to what he describes as Level 2; ie, from the hand's position when the arm is extended down, two feet up from there - for many people around the shoulder joint - and back. Each arm is doing 60 upswings and downswings per minute in the same pace as the legs. After 5 full minutes, immediately take your pulse for 6 seconds, and multiply the rate by 10. In the author's view, less than 90 is excellent, 90 to 110 is good, 110 to 130 is low average, 130 to 150 is fair, and over 150 is poor. Apart from giving a yardstick to measure fitness level, it helps to decide what sort of exercise intensity is appropriate, depending on how comfortable or uncomfortable the test was. I finally tried this test today and scored 110, without breaking a sweat.
It is relatively easy to get into this exercise regimen for the first time, and as I found hard the hard way, it is not hard to pick it up again after getting sick. I was unable to work out for 10 days due to a cold and sinus infection, after 3 days I was able to resume exercise at the same intensity. I felt a little sore only the first day. The author is strongly opposed to attempting heavy aerobic exercise during illness, and I agree with him.
Dr. Schwartz recommends working out in time with your favourite music; he's tried just about everything from reggae to Vivaldi with success. I have been working out indoors due to heavy rain and played through over 3 sessions a complete performance of Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier on DVD. Apart from enjoying an outstanding musical experience, the waltz rhythms proved to be ideal accompaniment.
This program also encourages personal experimentation; I have added some routines that are not in his book and revised some of them to suit my preferences. Over the last several weeks I have not done exactly the same workout twice, and have been comfortably adding variety, duration and intensity without injury. Some exercises which I could not do at the beginning - such as the fold in the bellyaerobics - are manageable now. Combined with a low-fat diet, and the steady increase in intensity, I am now losing weight rapidly. My wife is also trying some of these routines and she claims to be feeling better. She is definitely looking better.
At the risk of repetition, on page 5 the author in a typically bold graphic lists all of his program's advantages, being: most varied aerobics, fewer injuries, ideal for any age, promotes strength, feels easier, lowers the heart rate, fun movement, can be done indoors or out, inexpensive [hell it's dirt cheap by today's standards], enhances flexibility, super sports trainer, easy for beginners, convenient and portable, more total exercise, swiftest calorie loser, produces sculpted look, and trains more muscles. I concur from experience all of the foregoing except for the sports training, and would add that it reduces stress by providing a healthy outlet for nervous energy, helps you sleep better, aids in digestion and elimination (due to increases in metabolism), makes you look and feel younger, increases self-confidence, and gives you an extraordinary amount of energy to make every other activity easier and often faster. In fact, the time invested in this exercise is recovered by the gains made the rest of the day.
I cannot state strongly enough that anyone who is interested in this form of exercise should try it, with the prior approval of a physician. It may well add years to your life and will definitely add life to your years. The author completed this book at age 65 in 1990 and remains 11 years later in magnificent shape.
The 5-minute fitness test recommended by the author, for all intents and purposes, consists of walking for 5 minutes at 120 strides per minute while pumping 1-pound handweights to what he describes as Level 2; ie, from the hand's position when the arm is extended down, two feet up from there - for many people around the shoulder joint - and back. Each arm is doing 60 upswings and downswings per minute in the same pace as the legs. After 5 full minutes, immediately take your pulse for 6 seconds, and multiply the rate by 10. In the author's view, less than 90 is excellent, 90 to 110 is good, 110 to 130 is low average, 130 to 150 is fair, and over 150 is poor. Apart from giving a yardstick to measure fitness level, it helps to decide what sort of exercise intensity is appropriate, depending on how comfortable or uncomfortable the test was. I finally tried this test today and scored 110, without breaking a sweat.
It is relatively easy to get into this exercise regimen for the first time, and as I found hard the hard way, it is not hard to pick it up again after getting sick. I was unable to work out for 10 days due to a cold and sinus infection, after 3 days I was able to resume exercise at the same intensity. I felt a little sore only the first day. The author is strongly opposed to attempting heavy aerobic exercise during illness, and I agree with him.
Dr. Schwartz recommends working out in time with your favourite music; he's tried just about everything from reggae to Vivaldi with success. I have been working out indoors due to heavy rain and played through over 3 sessions a complete performance of Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier on DVD. Apart from enjoying an outstanding musical experience, the waltz rhythms proved to be ideal accompaniment.
This program also encourages personal experimentation; I have added some routines that are not in his book and revised some of them to suit my preferences. Over the last several weeks I have not done exactly the same workout twice, and have been comfortably adding variety, duration and intensity without injury. Some exercises which I could not do at the beginning - such as the fold in the bellyaerobics - are manageable now. Combined with a low-fat diet, and the steady increase in intensity, I am now losing weight rapidly. My wife is also trying some of these routines and she claims to be feeling better. She is definitely looking better.
At the risk of repetition, on page 5 the author in a typically bold graphic lists all of his program's advantages, being: most varied aerobics, fewer injuries, ideal for any age, promotes strength, feels easier, lowers the heart rate, fun movement, can be done indoors or out, inexpensive [hell it's dirt cheap by today's standards], enhances flexibility, super sports trainer, easy for beginners, convenient and portable, more total exercise, swiftest calorie loser, produces sculpted look, and trains more muscles. I concur from experience all of the foregoing except for the sports training, and would add that it reduces stress by providing a healthy outlet for nervous energy, helps you sleep better, aids in digestion and elimination (due to increases in metabolism), makes you look and feel younger, increases self-confidence, and gives you an extraordinary amount of energy to make every other activity easier and often faster. In fact, the time invested in this exercise is recovered by the gains made the rest of the day.
I cannot state strongly enough that anyone who is interested in this form of exercise should try it, with the prior approval of a physician. It may well add years to your life and will definitely add life to your years. The author completed this book at age 65 in 1990 and remains 11 years later in magnificent shape.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
We had some question from Eddie F regarding Dr. Schwartz's exercise and nutritional habits, sort of "What's his daily routine?"
Len's reply: S
till pretty much the same sort of routines I began with 25 years ago. New moves have been added, of course. The central principles are pretty standard I'd say, but the moves and variations on each theme have multiplied over the years!Pump 'n' Walk, indoors or out, has blossomed into literally tens of moves all of which bring particular muscular rewards measured in more endurance, strength and flexibity.
Music during hh exercise is more necessary for me than ever, these days. Not sure why! Shadowboxing hh style has become a bigger favorite than before.Exercise time has changed big time! There are few 30 to 60 minute workouts, instead, I now am apt to do a series of 10 minute routines, each probably more intense than was the case years ago. That could be the result of actual training effects or the advantage of these shorter durations.
I skip no exercise days, these days! Probably relates to my endless appetite and the general calorifics involved.
More than ever, I to be interested in sampling new to ancient ideas about exercise, corresponding techniques and endless mixes of them.My interest in strength vis a vis Heavyhands has only escalated over time and I remain more convinced that Longstrength®, a technique by which both aerobic and mechanical power are enhanced simultaneously is here to stay. Indeed 70 or more percent of my exercise time is devoted to the Longstrength principle.
Len Schwartz
Len's reply: S
till pretty much the same sort of routines I began with 25 years ago. New moves have been added, of course. The central principles are pretty standard I'd say, but the moves and variations on each theme have multiplied over the years!Pump 'n' Walk, indoors or out, has blossomed into literally tens of moves all of which bring particular muscular rewards measured in more endurance, strength and flexibity.
Music during hh exercise is more necessary for me than ever, these days. Not sure why! Shadowboxing hh style has become a bigger favorite than before.Exercise time has changed big time! There are few 30 to 60 minute workouts, instead, I now am apt to do a series of 10 minute routines, each probably more intense than was the case years ago. That could be the result of actual training effects or the advantage of these shorter durations.
I skip no exercise days, these days! Probably relates to my endless appetite and the general calorifics involved.
More than ever, I to be interested in sampling new to ancient ideas about exercise, corresponding techniques and endless mixes of them.My interest in strength vis a vis Heavyhands has only escalated over time and I remain more convinced that Longstrength®, a technique by which both aerobic and mechanical power are enhanced simultaneously is here to stay. Indeed 70 or more percent of my exercise time is devoted to the Longstrength principle.
Len Schwartz
Here is a report of one person's Heavyhands experience- a reply by Dr. Schwartz follows
(posted on the heavyhands yahoo chat).
I am becoming a heart rate geek! I wear a HRM when I do my HHs workouts. My resting HR was an embarrassing 86 bpm when I started HHs, on June 28. Too high I felt for, one so young at 41!I measured it this morning at 66 bpm. Yes, I know that is nothing to brag about in itself, but a 20 bpm reduction in a little over one month is not too shabby.I currently do one HHs workout of about 50 mins each morning, about six days a week. My target heart rate when exercising is between 135 bps and 165 bps, quite a wide range.
I usually do a medley of movements.I occassionally do additional brief, high intensity, short duration, HHs, shadow boxing through the day when I can. I also do exercises following John Peterson's, "Pushing Yourself To Power", method which he calls, "Transformetrics". I was wondering if I am pushing into an anaeorobic zone (and burning muscle as opposed to fat) when my heart rate reaches the 165-170 bpm zone?Do you think I would be better to keep my HR around 150 to 155 bpm as recommended by Philip Maffetone?I welcome feedback and advice.
Dr. Schwartz's response:
That quick 20 bpm HR reduction is indeed not too shabby! And I like the other exercises you mentioned, including John Peterson's Transformetrics. I also dip into some shadowboxing with various sized hhs during most days. While I haven't yet read Phil Maffetone's book yet, his notions seem worth consideration.
I personally am amazed at the shift of my own comfortable heart rates with aging! Measured out as rate of oxygen utilization, I find I can do respectable aerobic loads as 70 bpm. When I approach 80 to 90 it's bigtime activity! I remember counting 200 pulses 25 years ago when I first tried running! Now I'm more apt to take my cardiac ques from my Borg Scale Estimates of Perceived Exertion!
I like to count rates when trying new moves or new intensities, and that's about all. Indeed, at our near-by track, I almost never encounter a pulse counter! At 41, it will probably prove true that your more devout interest will tend to focus on your blood pressure rather that your HR as time goes by. But HR truly provides good clues as to how your training's doing. Within the next year or so you'll doutbless begin considering other exercise variables to try your geekdom on! It's refreshing to hear from exercisers who are just plain enthusiastic about the art/science! Keep up the great work!
Len Schwartz
(posted on the heavyhands yahoo chat).
I am becoming a heart rate geek! I wear a HRM when I do my HHs workouts. My resting HR was an embarrassing 86 bpm when I started HHs, on June 28. Too high I felt for, one so young at 41!I measured it this morning at 66 bpm. Yes, I know that is nothing to brag about in itself, but a 20 bpm reduction in a little over one month is not too shabby.I currently do one HHs workout of about 50 mins each morning, about six days a week. My target heart rate when exercising is between 135 bps and 165 bps, quite a wide range.
I usually do a medley of movements.I occassionally do additional brief, high intensity, short duration, HHs, shadow boxing through the day when I can. I also do exercises following John Peterson's, "Pushing Yourself To Power", method which he calls, "Transformetrics". I was wondering if I am pushing into an anaeorobic zone (and burning muscle as opposed to fat) when my heart rate reaches the 165-170 bpm zone?Do you think I would be better to keep my HR around 150 to 155 bpm as recommended by Philip Maffetone?I welcome feedback and advice.
Dr. Schwartz's response:
That quick 20 bpm HR reduction is indeed not too shabby! And I like the other exercises you mentioned, including John Peterson's Transformetrics. I also dip into some shadowboxing with various sized hhs during most days. While I haven't yet read Phil Maffetone's book yet, his notions seem worth consideration.
I personally am amazed at the shift of my own comfortable heart rates with aging! Measured out as rate of oxygen utilization, I find I can do respectable aerobic loads as 70 bpm. When I approach 80 to 90 it's bigtime activity! I remember counting 200 pulses 25 years ago when I first tried running! Now I'm more apt to take my cardiac ques from my Borg Scale Estimates of Perceived Exertion!
I like to count rates when trying new moves or new intensities, and that's about all. Indeed, at our near-by track, I almost never encounter a pulse counter! At 41, it will probably prove true that your more devout interest will tend to focus on your blood pressure rather that your HR as time goes by. But HR truly provides good clues as to how your training's doing. Within the next year or so you'll doutbless begin considering other exercise variables to try your geekdom on! It's refreshing to hear from exercisers who are just plain enthusiastic about the art/science! Keep up the great work!
Len Schwartz
To Answer JP's Questions: If you weigh 215 and are pumping 10 pounders at level 3 at various speeds, you will be able to exrapolate from our online chart. Our Exercise Activity and Calorie Chart. The chart is built on the 125 pound person, so you use about 40% more calories per minute per unit of work. Since the 10 Met level in Dr. Schwartz's book is measuring work using 3 pounders, with 10 pounders you'll be using about 14 Mets at 100 BPM at Level III. That will be about 21 calories per minute for a person of your size - and quite a huge workload!
We are building lots of information into the heavyhandsfitness website as it is the easiest way to update content and ideas. look for videos online soon with new moves and instruction, also a chat with Dr. Schwartz.
Your other questions are best addressed by your family physician who would know your specific medical history. Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm.
We are building lots of information into the heavyhandsfitness website as it is the easiest way to update content and ideas. look for videos online soon with new moves and instruction, also a chat with Dr. Schwartz.
Your other questions are best addressed by your family physician who would know your specific medical history. Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
2 questions.
First, what can one do- using over the counter items only - to reduce cortisol?
I find that when I push to hard, I end up getting a burst of energy that seems to let me go and go. It usually also signals that I've pushed to hard. The result is that I end up with an elevated pulse and can't sleep, sometimes for one night, sometimes for two. I suspect that cortisol is involved in all of this, and would like to be able to take what I can to alleviate it. (I'm an old guy, 50, so I'm not talking about running 5 minute miles, I'm talking about going a bit hard and heavy with heavyhands for an hour or so, max). Some items I heard that might help are: aspirin, vitamin c and glutamine.
Second, what kind of calories am I burning if I'm heavyhandsing at III, using 10 pounders at a bit faster than four miles per hour? I weigh 215. I used to be able to look it up in the tables in the first Heavyhands book, but I keep giving mine away, so don't have one.
And when is the new book coming out? I'm champing at the bit to get one.
JP
Andover, MN
First, what can one do- using over the counter items only - to reduce cortisol?
I find that when I push to hard, I end up getting a burst of energy that seems to let me go and go. It usually also signals that I've pushed to hard. The result is that I end up with an elevated pulse and can't sleep, sometimes for one night, sometimes for two. I suspect that cortisol is involved in all of this, and would like to be able to take what I can to alleviate it. (I'm an old guy, 50, so I'm not talking about running 5 minute miles, I'm talking about going a bit hard and heavy with heavyhands for an hour or so, max). Some items I heard that might help are: aspirin, vitamin c and glutamine.
Second, what kind of calories am I burning if I'm heavyhandsing at III, using 10 pounders at a bit faster than four miles per hour? I weigh 215. I used to be able to look it up in the tables in the first Heavyhands book, but I keep giving mine away, so don't have one.
And when is the new book coming out? I'm champing at the bit to get one.
JP
Andover, MN
