Everyday Systems: shovelglove: message 26 of 649

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I made two slight modifications to my routine in
December:

1) I went "light" the last week, half because I didn't
have much alternative with all the Christmas insanity,
and half because of Dan's recommendation. I'm not
100% sure I notice a difference, but I'll keep it up
for a few months and see what happens. Light
theoretically means (for me) 12 pounds vs 16, and half
the number of reps in each set. Due to familial
constraints, December's "light" was a little
wishy-washier than this (I missed a bunch of days due
to travel and most of the rest of my sessions
consisted of half assed demos to stunned friends and
relatives). But my brother upgraded to a 16 pounder
and gave me his old 12 pounder back, so I'm now
properly equipped for January.

2) I noticed that people (including myself) tend to
make the most ridiculous faces when they lift weights
or do shovelglove. I decided that this looks so absurd
that it *must* be bad for you, and some poking around
on the internet confirmed this (though some poking
around on the internet will probably confirm
anything). It's a sign of strain, and bad for your
heart or something. Proper breathing was recommended
as the cure. I've found some disagreement as to
precisely what proper breathing consists of, but after
messing around a bit I found something that feels
natural for each movement. I basically just start
breathing like a maniac. Once I start, it's very
natural, I more or less unconsciously breath to the
movements, and I've found I enjoy the routine more.
Though it's the opposite of what I've read is supposed
to happen, I feel stronger and the really hard
repetitions at the end feel easier. So resolved: no
more funny faces. If you notice you're making a funny
face, besides being aesthetically displeasing, you're
breathing wrong.