Wanna be Wide!

[Gladiola]

Johns Hopkins.

http://www.jhu.edu/~recsport/Facilities/facilities.htm

 

[Gladiola]

Click the pic of the weight room -> that back right corner is where we did cleans.

In the back left side is the ONE cable machine with the ONE spot for doing pull-ups.

 

[Arioch]

Gladiola, I was referring specifically to the strength and conditioning gym, which is separate from the varisty gym or the gyms for the children of lesser gods.

Everything is clean, neat, and organized.

You know, it occurs to me that I even have a chest supported t-bar at home. My wife actually prefers to use the cable modification I mentioned, as she likes the narrow parallel grip handle. And she prefers the cable as it fits her biomechanical curve better than the handle I welded onto the t-bar.

 

[Gladiola]

We did the corner rows - but the easy curl bar didn't quite work as a handle (it was thick in the center & wouldn't have stayed even) so we used the small triangle-shaped grip. I REALLY felt it in my lower back, even though my low back was stable. The bar was also hitting us, um, in the, uh, crotch! ha ha, but it was just tapping me there- I could do a full row without being in pain.

We also used an incline bench for DB rows - I ended up putting my knees on the seat of the bench & then the bench was against my chest, but I didn't have to have my face squised into the bench. It worked perfectly. I honestly can't believe I hadn't thought of that before!

Thanks.

Arioch - I didn't even know there WAS yet another gym in addition to varsity & 'rec center' for the students. I'll have my friends look into it. Would be fun to train in an 'Asylum'-style place!

 

[Arioch]

Well, I do not know what they have there. Mine is, umm, exclusive. You pretty much need to be a strength athlete to use it. Yes, I am spoiled. So what.

You should not really be feeling it that much in the lower back. Make sure you are arched, keep the elbows in and as low as possible.

When doing db rows, I put both feet on the floor for stability, one hand on the bar in the power rack (a bench would work), and try very hard to keep my back parallel to the deck. To help this, I turn my head so I am looking at the shoulder that is immobile. This helps to keep me from rotating, along with the better base of support I have with both feet firmly planted.

 

[Gladiola]

Gladiola, my former "fitness center" had a couple 6-8 inch boxes for lunging. I used to put one on each side of the bar for corner rows, so my feet were elevated.

Spatts, you ROCK!
What a great idea! There were no boxes & only one aerobics step in the "gym" (aerobics class was in session & it woulda been rude to steal another step from in the studio) so we used BENCHES! ha ha

We put 45# plates on the floor to create a 'corner' in which to put the end of the bar & hopped up on those benches. I'm sure all the tennis playing retirees in the fitness center thought we were nuts! WHAT FUN!

I should bring my digital cam & post some pics of us in our QUEST FOR A LAT-SPREAD! Unfortunately it's a really cheap little camera, but it still might give you the idea.

Actually we both had our knees REALLY bent so maybe that was the problem? We were sitting back in a squat position. & Yup, I'm super uptight about form.

 

[Arioch]

I am bumping this simply because I recall the last couple of times I was at JH, the gym I used had several power racks and platforms. But then Bill Starr was still the S&C coach. If the new coach, whose name escapes me at the moment, is cast in the same mold, if state that you are serious about training and especially display an interest in PL/OL, he will probably let you know when his gym *might* be available to you.

 

[Gladiola]

I am bumping this simply because I recall the last couple of times I was at JH,

So you've come out of Hell a few times to vist Maryland?! Sorry, couldn't resist!

My rower friend actually had a friend suggest to him that he check out the varsity weight room. The semester is over next week, so I would suspect varsity athletes won't even be on campus & the REAL gym will be available more frequently. I'll talk to him & look into it.

I'm waiting for my bands to come in the mail right now. -- A birthday gift from that boyfriend of mine who doesn't want me getting bigger. Ah ah ha hah he he ahhh

 

[Arioch]

Tell him that the bands are for use in some sort of aerobics class so you don't have to lift as much and get too big. It sounds like he would fall for this.


And having a choice between Maryland and Hell, well, look where I still am.