Is 4 Better Than 2?

by Tom Furman

Is four limbed aerobics the way?

Typically in competitive sports, the endurance events are symbolized by the drawn, ultra-lean, over worked, athlete. The endless memes of the sprinter vs the marathoner are abound on the internet. Having an enduring cardiovascular system carrying the lightest load seems to be the ticket. But there are exceptions to that rule. Primarily in the cross country skiers and rowers. BIG athletes who have BIG gas tanks.

The highest VO2 Max recorded was in a cross country skier,..a VO2 max of 96 ml/kg/min, attributed to Bjørn Dæhlie. Whether or not its genetics or training or both can be found in this article. Olympic rowers average about 200 lbs and have VO2 Max at near 70. There is this measurement however—

A number of endurance sports have been proposed as the ‘most aerobic’, including cross-country skiing and running. But when scaling is used (that is a mathematical technique to allow individuals of different sizes and weights to be compared) then heavyweight rowers come out on top.

Cross country skiers average at 168 lbs with some larger athletes at 6 ft + and 185 lbs. They are not 140 lb under muscled endurance athletes.

Using 4 limbs in stead of just 2.

X Country Skier Kris Freeman, more jacked than the average gym bro.

Aside from the athleticism and levels of lean body mass, there may be another component to 4 limbed training,…longevity. Anecdotally and with a massive grain of salt both orchestra conductors and Filipino stick fighting masters appear to maintain a level of vitality late in life. Whether this pans out is a crap shoot, but engaging the upper body with the lower body seems to be a viable form of aerobic stimulation that can be maintained through our golden years. The emphasis on more systemic action and less localized may prevent overuse injuries while allowing lifelong practice.

May the Schwartz be with you.

Dr. Leonard Schwartz, a physician and psychiatrist from Pittsburgh wrote a book in the 80’s called “Heavy Hands”. He followed up with a book called, “Heavy Hands Walking”, that further refined his ideas. His premise was that by using small hand weights and distributing the cardiovascular stress over four limbs, you skyrocketed your CV health and produced modest gains in lean body mass, while reducing risk of injury. While his methods were tested and reported in the second book, his N=1 results are this -

The practice of Heavy Hands faded like many other methods. Individuals would buy the hand weights and just carry them or lock their arms and 90 degrees as they walked. Few dove into the book and learned the stationary techniques that could be done alone or combined with other fitness modalities. Heavy Hands walking, literally swinging the weights in patterns as you walked, probably never got popular because you looked ridiculous. It’s enough emotionally for those who have never exercised to start walking, biking or hiking. When you are out of breath waving weights around the park,…well,…it’s probably too much.

Some takeaway nuggets from Heavy Hands are the Pump & Run and Double Ski Pole. They are simple to employ and can enhance many programs. They are also cheap. Finding a set of Heavy Hands on eBay is probably the best source for the equipment needed. There are other manufacturers of hand weights, but they are more costly.

The Pump & Run can be employed during box step ups too. It is MORE than holding the weights at your side. There are three levels of intensity based on the range of motion. Remember, it’s not just a CURL. It’s a full motion that adds an over speed eccentric. Here is a chart of the levels.

The Double Ski Pole is like a Club Bell Double Swipe. It can be done with feet square, staggered in a lunge or even walking lunges. It involves LOTS of muscle mass. Dr. Leonard Schwartz, who was around Bruce Lee’s size, could use two 15 lb. Heavy Hands for 2.5 hours straight while watching a Steeler’s football game. The best source of instruction is the good Doc’s books, which are available on Amazon.

Given the above data and anecdote, how would one implement 4 limbed exercise more frequently and easily?

1. Add Heavy Hands to your box step ups and treadmill sessions.
2. Begin with a lower body workout and end with an upper body workout. For example, ruck your course, then come home and do a battle rope session.
3. Spend more time on rowers, assault bikes, versa climbers and cross country skiing apparatus. Use four limbs.
4. Do walking lunges or skip rope and alternate with the heavy bag.
5. Do a minute of Kettlebell Swings followed by a minute of Double Ski Poles. Thank me later.
6. If you have access to a long sets of steps, Pump & Run up the steps with fairly heavy, Heavy Hands. Walking down the steps is your rest interval.
7. For the road or mountain biker, the Battle Ropes should be ready to go when you get home. They will balance the workload and enhance recovery of your legs.
8. The Double Ski Pole strongly stimulates the posterior and anterior chains of the body. Combining the Slide Board from speed skating into this program can benefit the lateral musculature.
9. If you practice Filipino Martial Arts, you can use a slightly heavier stick(s) with impeccable form while practicing power hits through all angles of attack. Slowly adding footwork makes this an incredible workout.
10. Adopt Nordic Walking. It’s using ski poles while walking to distribute the workload over 4 limbs.

If you are in a spending mood, buying a C2 Rower and Rollerski gear for outdoor workouts is the best of all worlds. You are combining the methodology of the world’s most cardiovascularly developed athletes.

Another possibility is alternating upper and lower based modalities in your cardiovascular circuit. You are stimulating ample muscle mass to allow adaptation of the heart, but are varying the musculature used. It could go something like this -

• Step Ups
• Battle Ropes
• Stationary Bike
• Assault Bike, Arms Only
• Treadmill
• Ski Erg
• Slide Board
• Stop/Start Kettlebell Swings

Each station would be done for 5 minutes. Heart rate can be taken manually with a wall mounted clock and radial pulse. Of course modern heart rate monitors are commonplace as well.

Lastly, preserving an athletes legs and allowing for recover would use upper body apparatus AFTER leg intense workouts or on OFF days. This could enhance recovery and possibly stimulate the CV system.

Train Smart.

The End.

If you need private coaching or a phone consultation, please email me at physicalstrategies@gmail.com #trainforlife

Tom Furman has been involved in martial arts and conditioning since 1972. With an early background in wrestling and a student of the methods of the York Barbell Club, Tom immediately separated fact from fiction growing up outside Pittsburgh. Eleven members of his family were combat veterans, the most famous one being “Uncle Charlie” (Charles Bronson) His down to earth training methods are derived from his decades long practice of martial arts and his study of exercise science. The application of force, improvement of movement and durability rank high on his list of priorities when training. He gives credit to hundreds of hours of seminars, training sessions, and ‘backyard’ workouts, including training time with many martial arts legends. He also credits his incredibly gifted training partners who came from varied backgrounds such as Exercise Physiologists, Airborne Rangers, Bounty Hunters, Boxing Trainers and Coast Guard Rescue Divers. His best selling ebooks, are available HERE.