IS WALLING A FITNESS AND SLIMMING REGIME?

[Shirley M Addy]

Does anyone have any definite ideas about walling giving fitness and weight loss? I wondered if regular/daily DSWing makes one really fit and help weight done like walking and cycling do. DSWing does make one feel better and fresher being in the outdoors for a length of time without sitting down for hours. I'm know that backache or other pains can be caused by walling.

[jerryg]

Here's an interesting quote for you Shirley that I found on a geology website.

"I do not know of any fields in which professionals enjoy their work more than geologists do. Perhaps this is due to the uniqueness of work in the geological sciences. What other science requires the use of both the mind and body?" ——John Wakabayashi

Obviously he has never talked to a dry stone waller.

I find walling keeps me fit in body and mind, now if I could just stop eating so much and stop drinking beer I'd be really fit!

[Shirley M Addy]

Jerry, I can imagine geologists enjoying themselves exploring remote parts of the countryside, as well scrambling over rocks, and probably some abseiling too. Surely you, as a full-time waller, must work off most of the food and drink (I hope it's the real thing full of good stuff) you enjoy, burning off your calories, carbohydrates and fats.

[david perry]

Shirely
The trouble with lifting stuff of the ground is eventually your body starts to crumble. I've friends who have spent much of their adult lives as scaffolders and their backs are buggered - and their knees!!!. I regularly get back & neck ache which I'm told is due to 'old age' and 'bone density loss'.

However I know that compared to before I did walling I have much more physical strength. I also do much walking, mountaineering, canoeing & cycling which I know are good for stamina and cardio-vascular fitness (I think this means my heart & lung things should be OK). I'd guess that if you spend 8 hours doing what is a relatively demanding job that it burns up a similar amount of calories to walking, cycling etc., However most people spend more time working than on pleasure activities so I'd guess that as for burning off calories then work is probably better.

Dave

[Shirley M Addy]

David, Pardon me but can't you take calcium tablets to counteract 'bone density loss' (which I thought was generally restricted to post-menopausal women)? One thing I found that DSWing improved was the strength of my forearms, relaxation of shoulders, and greater lung capacity (that is less puff). Seems geologists have the best job and don't suffer RSI like wallers (or 'heavy' labourers) do.

[david perry]

If I understand what my Chiropractioner said and from what I've read in 'bone-ology' text books correctly, then your bones, especially back bones - because they were never particularily designed for bending & lifting heavy objects, evenutally start to disintegrate, due to degredation of the bone and damage to associated ligaments and discs. Now all this is relative. So if you started doing heavy manual work at a youngish age AND, spent all your time lifting using correct methods etc., you should end up with less problems (because your muscles, ligaments, discs etc. have developed bulk & strength), than someone who starts off at a later age when the body cannot develop muscle bulk, ligament strength etc., to the same degree as a younger person. This is partially why footballers deliberately develop muscles which are larger than they actually need for the game of football. It gives their joints a degree of protection from damage.

Taking supplements may help. But... the body can only absorb and use a fixed amount of calcium (or other minerals). All the excess which cannot be taken into use either gets absorbed elsewhere in the body as calcium deposits or is excreted. This varies from person to person and their age. Which is why kids were once given free milk at school because they were able to use up the calcium. As an adult your body needs less and cannot absorb any more. So taking extra calcium is unlikely to work(unless you are not taking enough already) and can cause probems with calcium deposits in unwanted parts of the body if you take too much.

I absolutely agree with you regarding strengthening the arms, shoulders and other upper body muscles. My partner of ovef 20 years says that she can see the difference now than when I worked in an office then.

I'm not complaining though about my back - it only causes odd problems, I get more satisfaction now from building a nice wall or laying a hedge (or any of the other things I now do) than I can recall ever getting from dealing with corporate crap.

[jerryg]

When I did my safe lifting course they told me that a dry stone waller should have a well developed muscular back and legs if they are lifting correctly. You should not have over developed arms as that means you are lifting with your arms and not your back.

[Shirley M Addy]

I agree with David's sentiments about corporate crap. After working in offices for 30 years, I can readily vouch for hard 'labouring' work in the fresh air with good camadarie. Plus one enjoys a packed lunch much more, that is not ruined by petty office rumpuses, rumour-mongering and dysfunctional bosses.
I forgot to mention that my fingers and hands became much stronger once I started to do regular DSWing - after spending 20 years in a typing pool (yes, where I typed non-stop all day) they had begun to get tired easily and less nimble.

[Aaliyah]

I'm not in the best shape, but I want to prove to myself I can do something that seems insurmountable and inspire others by showing them no matter where they are in their fitness goals, they can do it, too.