Frequently people purchase or make themselves different equipment for self-resistance (SR) training such as cables, weights, isometrics belts, bullworkers, expanders, suspension devices and many, many others. Maybe it is a good idea to have many sports toys, but do we really need them? Can we limit ourselves by a very simple “primitive tool” – a wood stick and to get results comparable with ones obtained with these, sometimes expensive, toys?
We can find hundreds videos and articles on internet that popularize exercises with sticks. These exercise, in general, aimed at reaching flexibility, health improvement, cardio, and rehabilitation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4o14LhkRW4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtkWWqhtW9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ho6Q9ECieU
These people perform exercises in the relaxed mode. But can we perform them with SR? I think so.
See two examples of SR (co-contraction) training for the oblique muscles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL52ma-B8Hc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdhWBp5lWqc
We can apply opposite SR or co-contraction principles to any muscles in the body. I will try to describe some SR exercises with a stick for the arms and upper body muscles that I perform every day in addition to my co-contraction workout.
1. Biceps pushing. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to the chest. Push the stick to left side, tensing only right biceps and resisting by the left biceps. Keeping SR, move through the full ROM to left. Then push the stick to right side, tensing only left biceps and resisting by the right one. Keeping SR, move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pushing to right-left sides with ~constant SR until feeling the light burning/pain in the both biceps. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes.
2 Triceps pulling. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to the chest. Pull the stick to left side, tensing only left triceps and resisting by the right one. Move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right triceps and resisting by the left one. Again move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light burning/pain in the both triceps. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes.
3. Deltoid muscle pulling. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to your hips (forward). Pull the stick to left, tensing only left deltoid muscle and resisting by the right deltoid muscle. Keeping SR, elevate your left hand above your head (full ROM). Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right deltoid muscle and resisting by the left one. Keeping SR, elevate your right hand above your head (full ROM). Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light burning/pain in both deltoid muscles. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use forward and backward circular movements with SR to develop different deltoid muscle fibers.
4. Latissimus dorsi muscles pulling. Take a stick by two hands and raise it above your head. Pull the stick to left, tensing only left latissimus dorsi and resisting by only right latissimus dorsi. Keeping SR, move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right latissimus dorsi and resisting by the left one. Again, move through the full ROM. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in both latissimus dorsi muscles. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use circular movements with SR to develop more latissimus dorsi muscle fibers.
5. Pectoralis muscles pushing. Take a stick by two hands and straighten both arms at the chest level. Push the stick to left side, tensing only right pectoralis and resisting by the left pectoralis (use the full ROM). Then push the stick to right side, tensing only left pectoralis and resisting by the right one (use the full ROM). Repeat pushing to right-left sides with constant SR until feeling the light pain in both pectoralis muscles. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use circular movements with SR to develop different pectoralis muscle fibers.
6. Trapezius muscle pulling. Take a stick by two hands and straighten both arms at the chest level. Pull the stick to left side, tensing only left trapezius and resisting by right trapezius. Move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right trapezius and resisting by the left trapezius. Move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in both trapezius muscles. It is one set. The rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes.
Again, I remind that we can apply principles of opposite self-resistance or co-contraction to any movements with sticks, which we can find on the internet sites.
Notes: Try to keep tension in working muscles >50% max. Perform 3 sets for each exercise. The number of reps is not important. An important criterion of sufficient loading is burning or light pain in working muscles. These exercises may be performed as a circuit.
Michael I checked the new edition of "Getting Stronger", They updated material and listed it on the first page; I was wrong there is a slight difference, it just looks the same.