"Heavy Hands" Can Help With... | Dan John
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
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Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.
Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. Dan is also a Senior Lecturer for St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.”
In 2015, Dan wrote Can You Go? on his approach to assessments and basic training. In addition, Before We Go, another compilation akin to Never Let Go became an Amazon Bestseller.
In early 2017, Dan’s book, Now What?, his approach to Performance and dealing with “life,” became a Bestseller on Amazon. Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge became available in September 2017, too.
Fantastic talk Dan I have been doing on and off Heavy Hands for 30+ years after picking up a book by Leonard Schwartz, when I first started this method I used to have people stopping their cars and asking what I was doing and now people don't take any notice. I will now use dumbbells from 3-6kg for Heavy Hands often using 3kg for a slow jog with various movements for 30 minutes. When I was around 30 years of age I am now 67 years old ( how the years fly by) I would run with light weight 1-2kg for 5-8 kilometres I then entered a fun run ( City to surf 12 Kilometres) and finished the run in around 48 minutes this was done without ever running 12 kilometres in training. I was lazy back then and wanted to exercise my top and bottom of my body in the least possible time. I will probably walk today with a couple of 4kg hand weights for 30minutes I agree with you it balances my body, Leonard Schwartz used to use primarily 3kg for his walks after first using 2kg in his early days.
One of the reasons I love your channel is because you’ve done so many things and have the experience to talk about it. No hate to the young fitness guys but I would’ve never learned about this system from them. My parents are getting older and this could help them.
UPDATE: I've been using 3lb dumbbells and doing 30 minutes about 5 days week. MY POSTURE has improved dramatically WOW!!.
That's wonderful. They are great for older clients...use reason and caution and....go!
4:15 Somebody had to say it! Keep preaching truths Dan!
Thank you
I'd only heard about Dan from Pavel's books years ago and had this 2-dimensional image of a classic american no-nonsense tough guy (which I'm sure he is) but these videos clearly show he is honest and very kind with his time.
Juxtaposed with this heavy hands dilemma of just how "Richard Simmons" you can go before the shame/embarassment of the neighbours is too much to bare! The idea of an American wrestling/Discus-throwing badass, with his army vet pals doing the ministry of silly walks, looking out for curtain twitchers. Sounds like a comedy sketch. Hilarious! 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you Dan for the brilliant, addictive content. 👍 All the best from the South of England
Classic reply.
Dr. Leonard Schwartz, the guru of Heavy Hands as an exercise modality, was the real deal. Bought his book, Heavy Hands in 1982 while working as an exercise physiologist at a facility in Manhattan after graduating with a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology from Penn State. I incorporated hand weights while walking on treadmills and cycling on stationary bikes for the participants in the gym and the clients loved the extra workload and challenge. At 72 years old I still weigh the same as when I was boxing in Philadelphia in the 70's and still have a resting heart rate of 45 as when I was training for the Army in 1975 and preparing for the Munich Marathon in 1978. I still incorporate the upper and lower body in ALL my cardio workouts as preached by Dr. Schwartz to include rope flow (check UA-cam for demonstrations), stationary biking, Indian clubs, steel clubs and a shit load of other activities. I will ALWAYS be indebted to Leonard Schwartz for his research, insight and example in achieving optimum fitness levels.--Mike
I have nothing but respect for Heavy Hands
This is an old video but I'd like to add to the conversation. Literally started heavy hands the week of this comment. 4 pound weights. I like to stay at zone 2 (arms above shoulders). I haven't had the chance to read Leonard's book yet on if I'm doing it 100 percent correctly but I do a 'chicken winging' of my arm which causes an external rotation of my shoulders. My shoulders feel incredible after. Any stiffness I thought I had is just gone. Granted I never had any shoulder injuries so I can't say if you have an injury before heavy hands will aggravate or help your shoulders
One of the things that help me was taking that original strength course. When I figured out how to use my arm swing better it helped me with my heavy hands.
Dan's points in the end....golden.
Thank you for watching.
thanks for talking about heavy hands.
I used to train competitive walkers (racewalkers) in the past and had a very successful team as well as personally competed in racewalking . I always incorporated light hand weights in their/my training regimen--1-3 pounds for females, 3-5 pounds for males. The legs can only move as fast as the arms pump. No need to walk with hand weights that are too heavy. The hand weights immediately correct improper arm propulsion during the walking cycle which, in turn, dictates the speed of leg movement. I had walkers moving at 5-6 mph WITH hand weights and when competition presented itself, always excelled. I was able to walk a 6:50 mile for one mile and won the Keystone 3.1 mile walk at 7:15/mile. As far as "looking right" when training, who gives a shit? This is your time, this is what makes you feel good and productive, and those who are criticizing are usually in their cars and lack the balls to actually confront you. --mike
Thank you for the feedback.
Dan John gives you the raw, sometimes heavy, truth.
Jacob should exercise before people wake up, or better yet; late in the evening.
He should talk to his neighbours, tell them about the benefits and/or even get them involved (walking groups)
Agreed
Been doing them for years. One, I got over it a long time ago. Two, I've had more positive comments than otherwise....
@@ernielambert7419 Yeah there's an expression that 'bullies only win when they change who you are', I'd bet that the people who say negative things are people who arent in shape, people you wouldnt want to emulate or both. Am I right?
@@ernielambert7419 Same here...
Would welcome more videos about HH training.
Heavyhands Walkplus 45 min video on Barb S UA-cam channel. More creative videos on Panaerobic Longstrength channel (Len Schwartz)
Ive been doing 10 pound dumbbells for 100 minutes 5-6 days a week for the last 3 years. It has been awesome. Game changer. I am 60 and in great shape.
Great to hear!
Most people neglect their legs. Do crisscrosses, high steps, kickbacks, lunges, and knee dips. When walking, throw in double and alternate ski poling. Mix it up to avoid overuse and boredom. And err on the light side to avoid injuries.
My neighbours already think I’m weird so whatever. It’s a great exercise.
Sorry to hear about your friends. They were lucky to have known a stand up guy like yourself.
Thank you!!
Hi Dan, Its a bit hard finding references for heavyhands since the research was long ago. However I wonder if there are ways to achieve the result in a more stationary setting with heavyhands? Like walking up and down indoor stairs or stationary high knees instead of the classic outdoor walk? Thanks!
Len's books are available on ebay and some sites. He covers this in detail. He was a big fan of something he called "Medleys" and then dancing.
I've been experimenting with HH for the last week and change, and I do it before I lift (which is suboptimal except it more or less guarantees I actually do the HH) - surprisingly, the HH work beforehand doesn't seem to affect my press, but it does affect my pulldown, which is not what I'd have expected. This is just doing the pump and walk to shoulderish height.
That's interesting. I think that is why I do them after...but after might not work for you. Don't worry about the first few weeks, honestly. You will adapt.
So when you do Heavyhands, should you always walk with deeper than normal knee bends? I've been watching the videos put up by Weighted Hands and he kind of exaggerates his walking. I assumed that the standard pump n walk had you just walking like normal though.
Also, do you think HH can be your only form of cardio/conditioning?
I don't. If we accelerate, then it happens but I just pump (usually).
@@DanJohnStrengthCoach Thanks for the answer, Dan! I do the Bryce Lane 50/20 workout with DB clean and press and sandbag zercher squats each twice a week. Do you think it would be too much to do daily HH as well for conditioning?
I am that guy. Find a workout (including Heavy Hands) and go at it like there is no tomorrow. Which generally means I am so sore there really is no tomorrow, or the following week.
It's a great training tool and I applaud you for doing it.
If you want some videos for more ideas than Pump n Walk, Heavyhands Walkplus 45 min video on Barb S UA-cam channel. More creative videos on Panaerobic Longstrength channel (Len Schwartz)
Well, I am not going to doing any of the dance stuff but I appreciate this.
Is this not just power walking + ruck?
That is what Steve Reeves called his variation. HH is a bit different but few people I think would fist fight over it.
i do not know if you’ve ever worked with fighters, but what’s your take on shadow boxing with dumbbells? nothing crazy heavy, but reasonable, intelligent weight. thanks in advance
Heavy hands or powerwalking? I think Steve Reeves Powerwalking is more convenient and has a simpler overload system and you don't look so silly doing it.
Leonard didn't like the ankle weights, but I do. It's not an either/or for me...I don't see why it has to be either.
@@DanJohnStrengthCoach a pair of heavy boots can weigh just as much as ankle weights so I can't understand his reluctant to the use of them. Unless he was trying to create something distinctive from Steve Reeves system which he was accused of plagiarizing. 🤔
@@fredcatcreedy980 I was reading Steve's work when it came out and I would be surprised if there was an issue here. I don't have the original Muscle and Fitness article about Power Walking anymore but it was different, clearly different, than HH.
@@DanJohnStrengthCoach it's a well-known story, apparently there was a bit of animosity between the two, over who came up with the concept of combining hand weights with aerobic exercises. I like to think they simultaneously came up with the concept. Anyway I favour Steve's Reeves method. I use a weighted belt (divers) hand weights and ankle weights. I've never had a issue with gait or any other problem walking briskly like this.
No need to go to amusement park, go to the nearest Walmart ;-)
We are about same age, yes? 55ish? Desert Storm? I was a corpsman there for most of it. How many of your friends died there? You said a lot. We really didn't have huge numbers in the same company. I'm wondering who you with that you lost " many " friends? Vietnam as the last time we has mass deaths like that, and we don't talk about it. As veterans, we both know that. If you said you lost two or three, I would say yeah, but "many" is a big number in Iraq.
I'm almost 67. This isn't the best place to discuss this but I worked with the group that got killed in August 2011. I dedicate two of my books to guys that I knew really well and got permission to mention it and I always note them somehow in the dedication of all my other books since then. It was a far number...
God bless the extortion guys. American heroes.