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Staying in Shape


Ramon Engle

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Hi yall,



I know I am new and haven't yet experienced carrying around these heavy loads for years, but I thought I'd share my method of keeping in shape.



Everyday that I am not working, I run for 45-60 minutes. I run because I truly love to run and love being outside. I can't do the machines at the gym, I get bored and antsy. However running, like steadicam, compresses the spine and muscles. So in January I started adding Power Yoga 2-3 times a week. Regular yoga was too boring for me personally.



Yoga is an excellent form of exercise, especially for steadicam operators. After spending hours (or years) in the rig and compressing the muscles, yoga is a great way to stretch them out. I like power yoga because:



It stretches out every single muscle from my calves to my neck and opens up the spine and hips.



It moves quickly. It’s definitely an intensive workout that makes you sweat.



It’s great for all over strength training. You lift and hold your entire body's weight constantly. It also focuses heavily on strengthening your core.



It makes you feel energized. It’s kind of like getting a runner’s high.



Yoga has taught me to control my breath, keeping steady, and focusing...and that has really improved my operating.



Even when I have had a really busy week or two and haven’t had a chance to run, I always make sure to find time to do yoga. I am just trying to follow the advice in The Steadicam Operator’s Handbook... conditioning myself aerobically, strengthening my core, and stretching all the muscle groups used while operating.

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Hi all;

 

The responses are so good and everyone should follow if you hope to have a good career and a healthy life. I have to say lately I'm more tuned in to doing the stretching and core work that I did naturally when I was younger.

 

The amount we know now 1.5 generations in is so vast that this physical training is going to be a bigger part of operating at higher and higher precision levels its really not optional any longer.

 

So all those that have a physical work out plan you've really done yourself a great thing; now as family and work and age and every other thing will conspire to rob you of the time for exercise keep at it.

 

Don't forget that as you age your mind will age too, that's not bad but you will certainly change in ways that I find crazy. Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption says of his former self. 'I look back at that young man I was and he doesn't exist anymore.,' ( not exact quote.)

 

So only good you all have exercise as part of life and it makes life more enjoyable not an add on chore.

 

Janice

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been doing sport since I was young and working out at gym for 8 years. I had two operations on my knee, one of them a reconstruction of the cruciate ligament, and yes, I can confirm that working out ALL the muscles is the right training to do.

It shouldn't be only focused on the muscles used while operating the Steadicam, although particular attention can be given, but all the muscles ought to be in shape.

 

Also, we should never forget to work out our lungs...jogging or biking

 

;-)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm surprised nobody mentioned romanian deadlifts.

 

I'd also be interested in seeing how the olympic lifts would transfer to steadicam. obviously the movements are completely different but they're the best full body single exercises I've found as of yet.

 

actually, scratch that. Turkish Get-Ups. but those really don't transfer over.

 

I think I need to start getting my clean and snatch action going again.

 

Somewhat related question: how many of you guys can hold a fully loaded fat rig with one hand, or lift it over your head one handed? It's a personal goal of mine but it might be unnecessary if nobody else is working on that ability.

 

EDIT: ultimately, though, it doesn't really matter what you are doing, as long as you're doing something (and not hurting yourself!)

 

Is there any conceivable task where a slower, weaker and stupider version of yourself would perform more optimally than a stronger, faster, smarter version of yourself?

Edited by Ian Collishaw
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Romanian Deadlifts are an accessory for the Deadlift. Very few people here (including myself) have double bodyweight deadlifts and are stalling on getting them higher so really, to my mind there is zero point unless you enjoy them for some weird reason. Simple Deadlifting is a bigger compound exercise so best keep things simple.

 

Turkish Get-Ups, Clean and Jerk and Snatch all have plenty of crossover to Steadicam.

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Squats, deadlines, bench press. Rotating compound exercises, weekly. Lift more than you do on set, so on set, it's nothing.

 

Also worth mentioning: kettle bells are a great tool for working out at home. Goblets Squats, snatches, overhead Squats, get ups, etc. You can keep one in a hotel room if you want.

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  • 11 months later...
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Back when I was a 2nd, I woke up one day with dull pain in what I thought was my left glute. After toughing it out for 2 years and the pain progressively spreading along with some numbness, I went to a PT doc. He said it was sciatica, showed me 8 core-centric exercises, and in two weeks I was 80% better. Another few weeks and it was as if nothing had ever been wrong.
Over the years, I kept up the routine every day, adding as I went, and by the time I began putting on the rig on a regular basis, I felt like my core was pretty ready for it.
The sciatica was most likely from many hours clocked sitting on an apple box during takes, as it turns out. It was explained to me that in the seated position, our bodies are akin to a clenched fist- try doing that for an hour, much less five out of a day.
Out of this experience I learned to manage my core, but also something to avoid. Days are often exhausting, and sometimes it's all we can do to pull up the nearest apple (or personal camp chair), but if I catch myself sitting in a situation I don't have to be, I'll force myself to get up and move, stretch, etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Ballet might not seem like the most attractive option but definitely worth it to stretch and gain strength/flexibility in the lower and upper body. It can be exhausting from slow (or fast) precise and controlled movement, excellent for training coordination and staying fit.

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Artistic gymnastics is my market, it shares a lot of the physicalities with steadicam and is just a lot of fun. (Almost) every day I'm not on set you can find me at the gym.

 

Ballet is definitely an attractive option Nick, the dancing, the coordination, muscle control, everything you need for operating steadicam.

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