The slosh pipe gives you a unique workout experience, providing you with different challenges compared to other exercises made for full body strength and stability training. This is apparent when carrying the slosh pipe for the first time; you may feel weak and inadequate in the beginning, but only because your body is not used to managing this type of exercise equipment.
If the slosh pipe is filled halfway, the average weight should be around 45 pounds. At first this weight may not seem like much. However, because the water sloshes around within the pipe as you hold it, things can get a little complicated! The beauty of the slosh pipe is that the water does not stand still, and you’ll never know what it’s going to do next; unlike a typical exercise where the focus is simply pushing or pulling against resistance, you literally have to push, pull, balance, and adjust every second you are working out with a slosh pipe! Working out with the slosh pipe will benefit you in the following ways:
- Improve core strength and stability
- Increase strength within the shoulder joints
- Engage many muscles in a short amount of time
- Improve mental capabilities, such as focus
If you’re serious about getting in shape or increasing your level of fitness, you can’t afford not to use the slosh pipe. Keep reading to learn how to set up the slosh pipe, in addition to three valuable total-body workouts.
Setting up the Slosh Pipe
Before performing the workouts that follow this section, you must first learn how to set up the slosh pipe. This will help you perform the workouts more efficiently, as well as keep you from injury.
- First, stand the slosh pipe on one end in front of you and to the right.
- Squat down and tilt your head towards the pipe so that your nose literally lines up with the tape. This allows you to keep the pipe centered as you lift it off the ground.
- While your nose is lined up with the tape, use your left hand to grab the pipe with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) on left side of the tape. Make sure your left hand is positioned slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Next, use your right hand to grab the pipe with an overhand grip on the right side of the tape. Again, make sure your hand is positioned slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Also, make sure to wrap your thumbs around the pipe to help you maintain control.
- Push upward on the pipe with your right hand. As you do this, lower your left hand so the pipe rests in both of your palms, which are facing upward. At this time the pipe should be off the ground with tape still in line with your nose. Stand up straight, squeeze your glutes, and lock out your legs.
- You should now be holding the slosh pipe as if you were preparing to execute an overhead press, with the pipe resting on your palms and chest. Keep your elbows tucked in towards your body, and do not flare them out. Also, make sure your hands are positioned slightly wider than shoulder width. This will be the “base” position from which you will start the workouts explained below.
Hot Tip: Build Your Own!
The slosh pipe is an invaluable piece of equipment you can actually build yourself! Check out this guide on How to Build a Slosh Pipe to learn how.
Walking
- First you will need to adjust your arms: Cross your arms under the pipe, placing one arm over the other while still staying in a standing position. The pipe should be between your biceps and forearms, with the bottom being on in the pit of your elbows. This will help you learn how to control the slosh pipe.
- Keep your back straight, with your head and chest up. Focus on a fixed point across the room: Do not look downward or upward, and keep looking straight ahead as much as possible.
- Walk for about 10 yards to start. Tighten your trunk and upper body muscles to control the water in the pipe as you move forward.
- Once you reach 10 yards, turn 180 degrees while still holding the pipe. As you turn around, make sure no one is near you; they may get hit by the pipe!
- Walk back to your original position to complete one rep! Start with two sets of 10 yards, then work your way up to walking 20 yards for three sets!
Squatting
- Cross your arms under the pipe, placing one arm over the other while still staying in a standing position. At this point, the pipe should be resting on your shoulders and biceps, as if you would be doing a front squat with a barbell in front of you.
- Take a deep breath in and squat down to the point where your thighs are parallel to the ground (eventually you can squat a little lower, but in the beginning just stick to parallel).
- Squeeze the pipe with your arms and tighten your trunk muscles to control the water as it sloshes back and forth. At the bottom of the squat, exhale out and stand up, squeezing your glutes and thighs once you’ve reached the top.
- Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for additional reps; you can start out with one set of 12 reps, and work your way up to three sets of 15 reps!
Overhead-press
- From the standing position, hold the pipe in the same way you did during the initial setup, resting it on your hands and chest.
- Make sure your glutes, quads, and trunk muscles are tight. Your elbows should not flare out in this position: Keep them tucked in towards your body.
- Take a deep breath in and exhale out. As you exhale out, press the pipe upward above your head. Tuck your chin down onto your chest as you press, but make sure you focus on looking forward and not upward or downward.
- At the top of the movement, lockout your elbows, glutes, trunk, and legs. Do not overextend your shoulders: Overextension happens when you keep pushing while your arms are already locked out, creating instability within the shoulder joint.
- Breathe in and lower the slosh pipe down until it touches the upper part of your chest.
- Repeat Steps 3 through 5 for one set of 10 reps. Work your way up to three sets of 12 reps!
Owning the Slosh Pipe
At first, the slosh pipe will be an awkward and difficult tool to work with; it will resist and challenge you every second, rep, and set you do, which is the best part of working with it. It will take practice, but the more you work with the slosh pipe, the stronger you will become in many aspects of fitness. Through core strength and performance, to full body conditioning, the slosh pipe will constantly push you to better yourself!
