Three lifts for over all body strength building

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by icefield, Mar 1, 2016.

  1. icefield

    icefield Valued Member

    A question raised at the gym last night, wondered what others response would be

    As a (not) very competitive powerlifting I thought my answer would be squat dead and bench, but thinking about it none of those made my list

    1) Farmers walk, has all the benefits of a deadlift whilst also working the quads and core both on the pickup and as you walk, lats and traps get worked as does shoulder stability added bonus is more cardio work than deadlifts. Its also safer than a traditional deadlift and more akin to a trap bar lift,(handles at the side not out in front of the body)
    2) Log clean and press, works the legs, core (on the pickup and jerk) (biceps (on the row and clean) and shoulder and triceps (on the press). Whilst I love the barbell power clean and press I think for most people the neutral position of the hands in the log press is easier to use, and the clean is more controlled and builds strength more than the explosive clean used in the barbell version.
    3) Chin up, weighted and non-weighted. Unlike most lifts where if you want to lift bigger numbers the answer is to put on weight, the chin up is a good test of body composition and overall health , or put another way if you can deadlift and bench allot but cant do 5 dead hang chins you are probably fat and out of shape lol Also a great upper body workout working allot of the muscles people tend to not bother with normally (ie the ones you cant see in the mirror)
     
  2. Prizewriter

    Prizewriter Moved on

    For me:

    Front Squat
    Clean and Jerk
    Snatch


    Then again I use to train at an Olympic lifting gym :p

    The above are compound movements which work the major muscle groups, while enhancing range of movement and improving balance and co-coordination. Oly lifters tend to put less stress on their hearts when lifting vs body builders and power lifters. I will link to study later.
     
  3. raaeoh

    raaeoh never tell me the odds

    The lifts I do on a regular are the
    Squat
    Deadlift
    Clean and snatch

    For body weight I do chin ups/pull ups wide and narrow grip
    Push ups
    And squats.

    A freind of mine in the army was insane strong even though he didn't look it. These were all he did out side squad pt.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2016
  4. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    100% agree with ice field.
    Pull ups and farmers walks along with some kind of clean and press are the exercises that pretty much every S&C coach I've met has said.

    Broad gross motor pattern movements that cover all movement patterns (and those 3 cover every single one)
     
  5. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    What sort of distance should you be looking to cover with a farmers walk?

    Anything to look out for other than, "Pick up something heavy in each hand and walk?"

    Mitch
     
  6. icefield

    icefield Valued Member

    I go for weight over distance because my gyms small lol
    I simply go up and down the gym until my grip gives out, on the lighter weights I zigzag up and down and turn with the weight to work the core, on heavier weights stop drop turn and pick up again, good deadlift work out.
    I have heard people usel 10meters or so for heavy weight, 20-30meters for medium weight and 40+ for light weight.
    Time is another good guide, how many trips you can do in a minute with a heavyish weight, or 2min intervals with a light weight.

    Weight wise Half bodyweight each hand is a good starting point, if you can do bodyweight each hand you are strong,
     
  7. Guitar Nado

    Guitar Nado Valued Member

    This is one of many reasons MAP is great. I never came here for weightlifting ideas, but here is some useful advice to me.

    In my garage are always some 5 gallon water bottles (which weigh about 40 lbs if my math is right), and I have occasionally messed around with lifting them when I am too lazy to go to the gym. Now I know what this farmers walk thing is beacuse of MAP, and can try walking them around a bit. Now I have this mental image of me as an older man carrying logs around my cabin in the woods, all Vision Quest style (this is an 80's movie about wrestling for you young whippersnappers).

    I realize this sounds stupid, but various random things mentioned on MAP here and there about nutrition, weightlighting, etc. have benefited me here and there. I remember a year ago Kframe had a thread about how he wasn't losing weight from the exercise in martial arts class, and the advice in that thread helped me lose 10 lbs. It basically reinforced stuff people tell me occasionally in my martial arts classes, but somehow reading it here really helped.
     

Share This Page