SmashiusClay
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Several posters have asked me on various occasions to produce a quick guide to basic levering, I've finally got around to filming myself demonstrating some levering exercises, now I can have a simple answer for the next time someone asks about this.
A few quick notes before we begin - This was filmed on my cheap digital camera and then I took screen caps, as a result the quality is questionable, if you need a better description please ask or I might make some animated gifs to make things clearer. Not every single levering excercise can be covered here, but I've covered most of my favourites, if you're desperate for something to be added let me know. Yes, my beard looks dumb, it's purely for comedic value so let's not fill this with 'lol at beard' comments like my last video. Yes, I'm only using an 8lb hammer and I'm choked fairly far up on it, this is a demo, not a workout.
Why should I lever?
Levering is one of the best exercises for developing overall hand and forarm strength, it's also a perfect way of preparing yourself for the stresses of steel bending (the best exercise for hand and forearm strength IMO). It's also cheap. simple and easy to get started in. The carryover is obvious - anytime you need to swing a bat, club, racket or person you'll need the strength you develop from levering; anytime you try to push, pull, control or throw any kind of weight or opponent you'll use the strength you'll develop from levering.
What do I need?
You need some form of weight with a handle - common examples are a sledgehammer and a Thor hammer (both are pictured below), but you could also use a dumbell with weights on only one end or a large steel bar. Sledgehammers are cool and easy to come by, but take up a lot of space and you can't change the weight on the end easily; Thor hammers are easily adjustable in weight but not as cool and don't generate as much angular momentum for a given torque and angular speed.
How do I make an exercise more difficult?
The further from the weight of a hammer you grip the more torque it will require to lever, if you get to the end of a hammer you need to add more weight to the end, easily done with a Thor hammer, but with a sledgehammer you'll neeed a new one.
How do I make a Thor Hammer?
1" OD pipe, a screwdriver, some standard weight plates and two hose clamps. Fix one clamp at the end, put weight on pipe against clamp and add the second clamp to hold it in place. Make sure the clamps are tight as if the weights come loose you could get some broken toes or drop a plate on your face.
How often should I lever?
Depends on the rest of your training, I try to fit in 1-3 sessions a week and seem to do best from 2 heavy sessions a week and some other grip and forearm strength work in the rest of the week. Vary your training between all out attempts and higher rep training, try to train your wrists in all directions regularly to avoid muscle imbalances.
WARNING - Some of the exercises featured here involve lifting a weight above you head supported only by the small muscles around your wrist, if you are stupid you can bring the head of a sledgehammer down on the top of your head. This would hurt. While learning all these lift use your free hand to spot yourself and only use weights you can manage easily to start with.
NEXT POST - THE BASIC EXERCISES
A few quick notes before we begin - This was filmed on my cheap digital camera and then I took screen caps, as a result the quality is questionable, if you need a better description please ask or I might make some animated gifs to make things clearer. Not every single levering excercise can be covered here, but I've covered most of my favourites, if you're desperate for something to be added let me know. Yes, my beard looks dumb, it's purely for comedic value so let's not fill this with 'lol at beard' comments like my last video. Yes, I'm only using an 8lb hammer and I'm choked fairly far up on it, this is a demo, not a workout.
Why should I lever?
Levering is one of the best exercises for developing overall hand and forarm strength, it's also a perfect way of preparing yourself for the stresses of steel bending (the best exercise for hand and forearm strength IMO). It's also cheap. simple and easy to get started in. The carryover is obvious - anytime you need to swing a bat, club, racket or person you'll need the strength you develop from levering; anytime you try to push, pull, control or throw any kind of weight or opponent you'll use the strength you'll develop from levering.
What do I need?
You need some form of weight with a handle - common examples are a sledgehammer and a Thor hammer (both are pictured below), but you could also use a dumbell with weights on only one end or a large steel bar. Sledgehammers are cool and easy to come by, but take up a lot of space and you can't change the weight on the end easily; Thor hammers are easily adjustable in weight but not as cool and don't generate as much angular momentum for a given torque and angular speed.
How do I make an exercise more difficult?
The further from the weight of a hammer you grip the more torque it will require to lever, if you get to the end of a hammer you need to add more weight to the end, easily done with a Thor hammer, but with a sledgehammer you'll neeed a new one.
How do I make a Thor Hammer?
1" OD pipe, a screwdriver, some standard weight plates and two hose clamps. Fix one clamp at the end, put weight on pipe against clamp and add the second clamp to hold it in place. Make sure the clamps are tight as if the weights come loose you could get some broken toes or drop a plate on your face.
How often should I lever?
Depends on the rest of your training, I try to fit in 1-3 sessions a week and seem to do best from 2 heavy sessions a week and some other grip and forearm strength work in the rest of the week. Vary your training between all out attempts and higher rep training, try to train your wrists in all directions regularly to avoid muscle imbalances.
WARNING - Some of the exercises featured here involve lifting a weight above you head supported only by the small muscles around your wrist, if you are stupid you can bring the head of a sledgehammer down on the top of your head. This would hurt. While learning all these lift use your free hand to spot yourself and only use weights you can manage easily to start with.
NEXT POST - THE BASIC EXERCISES
