NATURALSTRENGTH.com – Old School Weight Training Strength Strongman Power Vintage Bodybuilding: Birthday Tradition

     The forecast for Saturday, July 20 called for warm weather, partly sunny skies, and low humidity.  For the previous week, the humidity was stifling.  New York Summers are generally hot and humid, but the week leading up to the 20th was oppressively so.  I remember last year having to change my shirt several times.  It’s the price you pay for having a birthday in the middle of July.  So when the local weather forecast called for comfortable temperatures, I anxiously looked forward to my workout.

     For a good part of the past year, most of my workouts have been outside.  Deadlifts, DB Presses, Rowing movements are all easily done outdoors.  The fresh air and sunshine are obvious advantages.  But even during the Winter months, I would still make the effort to drag my weights on to my deck and lift.  Cold weather did not deter me.  However, I draw the line when it comes to snow, rain, or other forms of precipitation.  Which I think is only common sense.  I have lots of vintage weights and equipment that I enjoy using, and I would hate to expose vintage Bruno’s Era York plates to the elements.  

     On to the workout.  As I mentioned, the centerpiece of my workout was going to be my 180 Lb Granite Atlas Stone.  I have six stones ranging in size from 100 Lbs up to 300 Lbs.  In a typical workout, I would use the 100 and 140 pound spheres as a warm-up.  Then I would use the 180 and 220 pounders as my “working stones,” depending on what type of reps I planned on doing.  For the past ten years or so, I have used the 180 pound sphere for my birthday workout.

     Before I go any further, I would like to point out what I mean by “lifting” a granite sphere.  I lift the stone off the ground and after shifting my hands, lift the stone onto my shoulder.  I will hold it on my shoulder for a count of one second then let the stone fall to the ground.  I would also like to state that I do NOT use tacky or any type of adhesive to assist my grip.  Real men – and women- do not use such aids.  I also do not use gauntlets to protect my forearms.  I think that REAL lifting requires that one eschew such artificial aids.  And, for the record, I’m proud of the welts that granite stones leave on my forearms.  It is a badge of honor for anyone who lifts stones.  

     In addition to the 180 pound sphere, I was going to do three other movements.  An anvil curl with my 100 pound anvil, neck lifts with my Ironmind Headstrap using a 115 pound anvil, and the final exercise was my Baraban Chest Crusher.  Each movement was to be done for sixty total reps.  The plan was to do each movement in sets of 5-6 until I reached the goal.  But I allowed myself some leeway since the Headstrap movement was much easier than the stone or Crusher.  

     So after a minor adjustment, I decided to do sets of ten with the Headstrap and then do four stone lifts.  I would rest briefly, then do 5 or 6 reps with the Baraban Crusher, then do five or six curls with my anvil.  After another brief rest, I would attack the Headstrap/Stone combo again.  Everything went smoothly at first, but at some point, around rep twenty, I had to do my Stone Lifts one at a time.  Setting my grip, checking my footwork ( to prevent myself from stepping into a newly formed crater!), and getting set up properly made it easier when it was done one at a time.   Since I wasn’t timing myself, it wasn’t a major concern.  

     As for my anvil, I have accumulated about six or seven anvils over the years.  I remember reading in the pages of MILO magazine where someone referred to anvils as “America’s lifting stones.”  I believe that to be true.  During the time that I have been collecting anvils, I have used them for numerous movements.  Curls, Overhead Presses, Carries, and of course, as a weight for my Headstrap.  If you can get your hands on an anvil ( and if you can ignore the expensive price these things command) I highly encourage you to do so.  You won’t regret your decision, and you might even add a new dimension to your workouts.  If nothing else, they make a great conversation piece in the gym.  Or if you are a devotee of classic cartoons, you can drive out to the desert and drop one on the Road Runner.

     I used my 100 pound Anvil for this workout for Curls.  When I used the Headstrap, I simply wrapped a 15 pound length of chain around it to secure the Headstrap securely.  Incidentally, please do not take safety for granted.  If you are wrapping a chain, or webbing around an anvil, please make sure it is tight.  Your feet and toes will thank you.  I speak from experience when I say that an anvil falling on your feet will kill a workout.

     My Baraban Chest Crusher is something that I use on an occasional basis.  I have several old York Krushers, and I enjoy using them.  They are a great training tool, even after all these years.  Some years ago, the Baraban Crusher hit the market.  Out of curiosity, I purchased one and all I can say is that this thing is a beast.  It is large, solid, and HEAVY.  It is capable of holding seven springs.  I can enthusiastically recommend that you begin with less.  A lot less.  On a normal day, I will do one set of 15 or 16 reps while using four springs.  For my birthday workout, I did sets of five or six.  It is very difficult to control this heavy duty piece of equipment.  But the results are well worth the effort.  You can build some real upper body power with this great tool.  Just make sure you have a good grip on it.  

     About halfway through the workout, I got into a good rhythm and was feeling good.  I tried to pace myself and be patient.  I also made sure to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.  The hardest exercise was the Anvil Curl.  I think that between the stone and the Crusher, my upper body was getting fatigued and that maintaining strict form was getting increasingly difficult.  But I made sure not the arch my back.  I wanted to everything in good form.  

     Another thing that I noticed was that even though I hadn’t used my Headstrap in over a year, it was easy lifting the 115 pounds.  Perhaps it is because I have done a lot of neck work with my Neckflex harness, but it definitely felt light.  I’ll make a note of that for next year.  

     After finishing the workout, I was pretty spent, as you can expect.  My lower arms were chewed up from the rough granite, and my back, hamstrings, and legs were shot.  I certainly had that coveted “run over by a truck” feeling that serious lifters yearn for in their training sessions.  For anyone with a birthday coming up, I certainly recommend trying to challenge yourself with something different and beneficial.  Who knows?  It may become a yearly tradition.