Expert: David Dickeson, A.S. - 8/19/2008

Question
i am in great cardiovascular shape, but am getting older and find that my lower back and neck are not as strong as i want. you mentioned to another "Matt" that there was an exercise that would change his life, once he got the plates and other equipment - what was this exercise?

i play goalie in hockey and as i get older i am glad that i stretch everyday, but i would like to strengthen as well. any suggestions on a strengthening plan would be appreciated.

thanks
Matt

Answer
Hello Matt

1. Buy a power rack. Not a smith machine, not cable attachment power racks. A simple, basic power rack.

2. Get a standard 1" weight bar.

3. Buy plates in pairs; 2-1/2, 5, 7-1/2, 10, 12-1/2, 20, 25, 50, 100 lb weights.

4. Buy steel washers with a 1" diamater opening. 30 washers total.

5. Buy a wall clock with a sweep second hand.

6. Buy a Manta Ray attachment.

7. Buy 4 bar clips.

Set up the power rack. They sell them on the internet. Check around for prices. New York Barbell sells good ones. The bar and plates usually can be found at Sports Authority. Buy what you can, a couple each time you have the money, starting with the lightest weight first.

Hardware shops and boat suppliers sell the washers.

Set the support bars about 1" below your shoulder height.

Set the Manta Ray attachment in the center of the bar.

Place the wall clock on the wall about 1 ft below your eye-level height.

Standing, facing the wall clock, squat down slightly and raise up the bar from the power rack, balancing the bar with your hands. Watch the clock. Hold the bar for 1 minute. Slowly lower the bar.

Wait a week.

Next week, put on 6 washers, 3 on one side, 3 on the other. Put 2 bar clips on one side, 2 on the other, to hold the washers on the bar.

Lift, hold, drop.

Come back another week...

Add 6 more washers. Lift, hold, drop.

Come back another week.

When you have put all the washers on the bar, take the washers off and replace them with a couple of 2-1/2 lb. plates.

Weeks go by, add more washers. When you put on all the washers, take them off, and the 2-1/2 lb. plates off, put on the 5 lb. plates, and so on, and so on.

Here is what is happening;

You start out lifting and holding a 15 lb. bar. As time goes by, you SLOWLY increase the weight on the bar, and your body.

As the bar get's heavier, ie. heavier and heavier plates, your body muscles have to MORE AND MORE join in to hold up the weight. Your body HAS to get stronger to hold up the weight. Because you are increasing the weight so slowly, your body does not feel the increased weight.

After a while, the weight get's really heavy. One day you are pushing 100 lbs, and heavier! The heavier the weight, the LONGER time you need to recover from the "lift and hold." That is why you spend 1 week between lifting! Muscles grow stronger when you are resting, not during the lifting.

For me;

I started out at about age 40 doing this. I wore a medium shirt, and weighed 190 lbs. As the years went by, I got bigger and heavier, and my shirt size went to large, then xl, and now xxl. My body weight went from 190 lbs. to my present 287 pounds! I am now age 56.

Guys get smaller and weaker as they get older. I got bigger, and stay big and strong. I do not get any bigger as I do not keep increasing my lifting weight. I peaked at 587 pounds of lifting weight. So I cut back the weight 3 times to a present 415 lbs. on the bar. Amazingly, after about 5 current years of lifting the same weight, it still feels REALLY HEAVY.

My body, especially my lower back (80% of your back is muscle), is very strong. I can bend over and pickup fire hydrants at work!

I look forward to age 65- and older.

Complement this with some daily light weights and you will have YEARS of strength and good health.

Good luck and much success with your hockey.