I have been using a local fitness center to do some filming lately so that I could use some basic equipment in my videos that I am unable to use on the beach, like pull-ups. My home gym is equipped with many different fitness tools, not just kettlebells but it isn’t ideal for filming and the beach is a fantastic backdrop for the workouts. While I was filming my first day I couldn’t help but notice a dusty grey atlas stone sitting in a corner, basically a big smooth ball of concrete. I was there on a mission and knew I wouldn’t have time to play with it just yet but took the first chance I could on a subsequent visit. The idea of doing more with less is very appealing to me and always has been. There is a certain freedom in knowing that you can get better results at something by using much simpler methods just by taking the time to learn something new.
In today’s Five Minute Friday I am going to use an atlas stone to train every muscle in my body, get my heart rate up and have a blast doing it for five minutes. I know the chances of you having an atlas stone handy is pretty slim, but you don’t need one, a kettlebell, medicine ball or even a rock will do just fine. To lift this thing off the ground I am going to have to use my experience in weightlifting and also bend a few rules within my safety limits.
In the real world, how often are you using a perfect technique deadlift to pick something up off the ground? If something is hard to grip, unusual in shape or is too low to the ground, you may have to deviate posture a little, we all do. This is actually a good thing and training out of alignment or deviating form a little can help you deal with awkward objects in the chaotic real world if you do it properly.
The atlas stone is very difficult to grip and because you have to get very low to pick it up, the lift to the shoulder can be quite tough. I am going to use a squat to bend & extend to lift the bell to the shoulder, walk to the other end of the gym, set it down, switch sides and return. The five minutes flies by before you know it and you end up trying to hustle to get one more trip to beat the clock.
Training like this is tons of fun and who doesn’t enjoy a bit of variation in their workouts? I think I am going to have to make a trip to the home improvement store for some concrete and shop around for a good mold after this.
Until next time,
Peter Hirsh
