Issue 023
March 2007
By Barry Gibson. Of all the buzz words and phrases used and abused in the fitness industry, “odd object lifting” is probably the most irritating! Combat athletes have used this type of non-balanced, functional training for years. Now the mainstream fitness industry has jumped on the bandwagon: the spandex-clad, wasp-waisted trainers who balked at the idea of training in a manner that was not stable and did not use a machine now advocate it to anyone who walks into a gym!
The method of training is as sound today as it ever was, my problem is with how it is now so commercialised by the industry. The label “old school” incorporates anything that strays away from the conventional chrome, shiny health club image (can you tell I’m not a fan of these?). Some examples of this type of training include sled-dragging (which was covered extensively (and very well) in a previous issue by Alex Gold) sledgehammer work, sand bags, kegs, kettlebells, logs and more. This list is by no means exhaustive.
To understand the nature of this method of training you only need look at the name: odd object lifts. This method differs vastly from the usual barbell and fixed machine work that many fighters still perform. Odd objects can tax the whole body, as they are by their very nature unbalanced. The stabilising muscle groups need to work in order to perform the whole lift. Get a body builder to use any of the above pieces of kit and I promise you, you’ll see the efficiency of this type of training.
MMA is a dynamic sport with changes on many levels. Do you honestly think that leg extensions will prepare you to deal with a stuffed takedown attempt? A great example for the effectiveness of this kind of training would be from the film Rocky IV. Rocky goes old school whereas Dolph keeps it nice and health club-like. We all know how that turns out don’t we? OK, a little tongue-in-cheek perhaps, but the principles are very sound if you look closely enough. How is it that pugilists and wrestlers from the 19th century could go for round after round? Do you think they had plush “Concept 2’s” and elliptical trainers? Instead they would have sprinted, swung sledgehammers, chopped wood, sparred, lifted stones, bags, barrels and anything else they could lay their hands on.
The implements mentioned above are easy enough to come by to. Sledgehammers are sold at any good hardware shop, sand bags can be made from old army duffel bags, logs are available from timber yards or even by just looking around your nearest woodland area, and if you go to your nearest student union bar or local pub and you’ll be able to pick up a keg. Just make you can fill or part-fill it with whatever you like to change the weight for different exercises or bodies. Its not often I advocate people to go to a bar as part of their training!
Workouts
We’ll start with a sand bag time under tension (TUT) routine. TUT is a great way to train with any modality while making the most of your time. The workouts are very tough but at the same time fairly short. You don’t need stacks of time to train and get super fit, it is the intensity that counts (more on this in future articles). This misconception is rife in the fitness industry and lack of time is the most quoted excuse ever. With TUT drills it is imperative that the sand bag does not touch the floor for the duration of the exercise. However much it hurts, keep that bag off the floor! Perform each drill for one minute moving to the next exercise without rest.
Begin by picking up the bag:
- 1. Squat
- 2. Shoulder press
- 3. Sand bag shouldering (left side)
- 4. Clean
- 5. Sand bag shouldering (right side)
- 6. Squat to clean & press
- 7. Deadlift
- 8. Turkish get up (left side)
- 9. Swings
- 10. Turkish get up (right side)
- 11. Finish with clinch isometric hold (grab bag and bear hug it) for two minutes.
That gives you 12 minutes of workout time. No one can honestly say they don’t have 12 minutes spare for exercise!
With sledgehammers it’s really easy to get going. Buy a sledgehammer, go to a tyre garage and ask to take some off their hands. One will do but if you have space take a couple. Ideally you want a big truck tyre or large 4x4 tyre but a van tyre will suffice. The weight of the hammer depends on you. I own 10lb, 14lb and a 25lb hammers. The latter was made especially for me but the other two were bought from normal DIY shops. Swing the hammer into the tyre as fast and hard as you can. Intensity is the key here. You can change the position of the tyre and work the angles but you must also ensure you work both sides of the body evenly. With this type of training you can count reps or set a timer for your desired round duration e.g. 3 or 5-minute rounds. There’s really no secret to it, just grab a sledgehammer, get a tyre and start swinging your way to fitness.
Next month: getting to grips with kegs, logs and stones for killer workouts!
