The barefoot weights workout

The barefoot weights workout

A nice twist on pumping iron

When I was in my twenties, before I was a marathoner, I spent a year or so lifting weights.  There was a gym within walking distance of my office.  I’d walk over at lunch and workout 4 or 5 days a week.  I’d do chest, and arms on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  I’d do back and shoulders on Tuesday and Thursday.

These were real weights.  Iron plates, barbells and dumbbells.  I’d do multiple exercises for each muscle group and three sets of each exercise to exhaustion. If I could do more than 10 reps I’d increase the weight.  When I got in the shower after these workouts my arms would be trembling and I wouldn’t be able to lift them to wash my hair.  It was fun.

I had a guy who worked in the office with me who was real, actual bodybuilder.  He competed.  I was lucky enough to have him show me the correct form for all the exercises and how to breathe and how to not get hurt.  I learned a lot about weightlifting as a sport and as a discipline.

I wasn’t lifting to get big, because I quickly realized that there was no amount of weightlifting that would make me not be a dork.  I was lifting to be strong and build some muscle and that was fun.  I learned that like any other sport weightlifting rewards the people who respect it as a discipline and take the long view of how it fits into their lives.

When I started running more seriously and running marathons I stopped lifting weights.  The two activities had different goals.  Weightlifting tried to make me bigger and stronger.  Running tried to make me smaller and faster.

Eventually, as I got older, I began to work strength training back into my training plans to prevent injury.  But for the most part this was body weight exercise for the core – a lot of pushups and crunches and planks.  At most it was light dumbbell work.  I never approached the bench press rack or hoisted any big iron.

Recently coach has started giving me a real weights workout once a week and I’m really enjoying it.  But how do I resolve the inherent conflict between pumping iron and endurance sports?

First; I work out barefoot.

I do all my weightlifting in bare feet.  Your gym may throw you out for this so you can use toe shoes or socks with grip-pads or whatever your foot-wear-freedom of choice is.  My gym is unsupervised so I get to go au natural and flaunt my big hairy feet.  So far no one has complained and I actually get lots of positive questions about why I’m doing it.

I love the way I can grip and balance with my bare feet when I’m lifting.  It feels great and I’m sure it must be good for balance and foot strength.

On a cautionary note – Please be careful that you don’t drop the weights on your toes, watch where you step and be cognizant that other may want you to wipe down equipment that your feet come in contact with.  Be safe and be a good citizen.

Second; I barefoot jog between sets.

After I complete a set of the big iron I jump on the treadmill and jog barefoot for 5 minutes before I start the next set.

When I say ‘jog’, I mean jog.  Whereas my shod pace might be an 8:30 mile, my barefoot pace is slower than 13 minute miles.  This is not about running it’s about moving the blood around and feeling your body.  It is super fun, makes your feet stronger, lets you recover from the weights set and everyone in the gym thinks you’re mental.

The key is to forget about pace and go as slow as you can while still maintaining perfect form.  Feel you feet hit the belt.  Spread out your toes and grab with them.  It’s quite an enjoyable interlude between big iron sets.

Third; this workout is for strength no endurance, I do 3 to 5 sets, 10 to 12 reps of each exercise to exhaustion

This is not an endurance workout.  This is a strength workout.  You should set you weights so that you can complete a max of 12 reps in any set and a minimum of 6 reps in any set.  You’ll probably start in the 12 range and finish in the 8 range.  If you can get at least 6-8 reps on the last set you’re in the right range of weight and effort.

Don’t put yourself in danger but it should be hard.  See if you can get someone to spot you on the last set so that you can lift 1-2 reps past the point of exhaustion with their help.  Those are the ones that really build strength.

Rest no more than 10 to 15 seconds between reps.  This should give you just enough time to set up the weights and move to the next exercise.

Fourth; learn to lift with good form

Part of me can’t believe coach give this workout to people without a stern talking to about the importance of form.  I cannot over-emphasize how important form is when lifting big iron.

Never, never, never swing the weights or arch your back to get one more rep.  Not only will you hurt yourself but you lose the benefit of the exercise if you have to contort your body to complete it.

Your lift movement should be slow and controlled.  It will take 2 or 3 sessions before your body gets used to the movements and you’ll have to be patient.  It might be a good idea to just do the first session with only a bar and no weight to get the form right.  If you can find an experienced weight lifter to walk you through the first couple sets and coach you on form it will have great benefit.

Know which muscle the exercise is intended to work and isolate the movement to that muscle.  The rest of your body should be quiet.  Focus the movement on that muscle.  For bicep and triceps exercises keep your elbows tight to your body.  Keep your shoulders square and your back straight.  Don’t cheat.

It is better to do less weight cleanly than it is to cheat.

Fifth; I hit all the major muscle groups with iron

• Back – Dumbbell or barbell row, cable rows
• Chest – Barbell or dumbbell bench press, incline or decline press, dumbbell fly
• Shoulders – Overhead press, standing row or fly, behind the head press, barbell or dumbbell
• Triceps – Overhead triceps barbell or dumbbell press, cable pushdowns, kickbacks
• Biceps – Standing barbell or dumbbell curl, prayer bench curl

 

Sixth; I’m a good citizen in the gym

Don’t be afraid to talk to the weight lifters in your gym. They are not mutant monsters.  Ask them for advice, spots and form tips.  They are just normal people.  Most of them love their sport and will be more than happy to share their knowledge.  If you’re afraid of going into the scary iron section of the gym go in at off hours for the first couple of sessions so you don’t get in anyone’s way.

There are a set of norms in the weight area.  You should always put away your weights after your set, unless you are coming right back.  It makes the other people mad if they have to move the stuff you left or reconfigure it.  Don’t be a jerk.  Pick up after yourself.

If you are using the same set of equipment as someone else let them know what you’re doing.  “I’m on my last set of triceps push downs, do you want me to set it back when I’m done?”  Be a good citizen and communicate and you won’t get into any trouble.

If you want to learn something new, especially in the winter months do a ‘big iron’ workout each week.  The one I’m doing right now gives me 5 full sets with 5 minutes of barefoot jog in between in about an hour.  That’s a solid, well rounded, fun workout.