Car Walk - This is usually seen in larger events like the World's Strongest Man (WSM) seen on ESPN/ESPN2. The competitor is strapped into the inside of an old car. The floor board, engine and seats are generally removed from this car (basically a car shell) and the competitor must stand and walk with the weight bearing on their shoulders. While the car's parts have been limited, the weight can be over 800lbs.
Loading Events - These vary depending on the competition's promoter. It usually entails carrying 4-6 objects differing in size and weight from one place to another. In the past, they used to call it the keg loading, as it involved loading 5+ kegs into the back of a truck. Object used can be rocks, stones, chains, logs, fire hydrants, kegs, blocks of metal or stone, well you get the picture.
Log Press -There are two variations seen in the log press. The first, is when the athlete must clean and press the log overhead as many times as possible in a given time period. The weight can be between 185-305lbs for as many reps as possible. The second variation could be doing as much weight as possible for a single rep. Like a powerlifting meet, each athlete is given 3-5 attempts to do as much weight as possible. The log is usually lifted from the ground/floor to the chest (cleaned) and then pressed over head to a lockout position with knees and elbows locked.
Crucifix - This event is simple. An object (axe, dumbbell, television, basket, etc…) is held at arms length out to the side of the athlete making a "T". Promoters often use signal devices that the object must touch at all times. As the athlete fatigues, the arms lower and the object loses contact with the sensor-thus stopping the time. The object, obviously the longest time wins.
Keg Toss -This is a fun event to watch. Each athlete must toss a keg varying in size and weight over a wall or bar. Each athlete is given 3-5 tries to get the object as high as possible.
Cask/Stone Circle - Here, the athlete holds a thick weighted bar in the crease of their elbow and walks in a circle, pivoting with the other end of the bar. Going around as far as possible is the goal. Often times there is a huge basket of stones, huge beer casks, a car or weights hanging from this thick pipe.
Viking Press - This event is another shoulder pressing event. The athlete presses up a weighted contraption that is pivoting up and down at a joint on the other end. This event is gaining in popularity.
Deadlift - A classic event and test of strength, the deadlift is performed by bending over and picking up the bar until the knees are locked and shoulders back. Variations include the Flintstone Lift where they use round stones instead of weights and the Silver Dollar Deadlift where each athlete lifts a bar loaded with a cube filled with money on each end. In the past, the winner of this event got the money in the boxes. The boxes are often mid-thigh in starting height so more weight can be done as the range of motion is less.
Truck Pulling - As many of you saw at the bodybuilding.com grand opening, I pulled a Budweiser delivery truck with my bare hands. This is a very popular event because different sizes and numbers of trucks, cars, etc. can be used with minimal expense to the promoter. A harness is attached to the athlete and allows them to pull with the legs and hips while a rope is in front of the athlete allowing them to pull with the arms and back. I've seen Cadillac Escalades, Cranes, and Budweiser Trucks and in a WSM I saw each competitor pull 2-yes 2-semi trucks with trailers!
Atlas/McGlashen Stones - This event often makes or breaks a competitor. Five round stones weighing from 135-365lbs must be lifted, carried and placed on a wall/pedestal. The height of the placement platform usually gets lower as the weight of the stone gets higher. Jouko Ahola has lifted a stone weighing 474lbs onto a 3'7" barrel. That's the world record at this event-can you beat it?
Tire Flip - A huge tire weighing from 450-900+lbs is flipped over and over for either a certain distance as fast as possible or as far as possible in a given time frame.
Medley - This event can vary as much as your imagination. It usually involves doing a number of strength feats as fast as possible. One I've seen started with carrying a huge stone, running and flipping a tire, then running back and pushing a hummer a given distance. Again focusing on speed and agility, strength and technique.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Shoulder exercise for strong man
Start your strongman training with some shoulder presses. You can choose between a variety of barbell and dumbbell presses, and even some machine presses from time to time. Do around 4 or 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps to build up your shoulders. After shoulders, move on to some movements for the lats. This is important so that you will be better able to lift heavy stones and do any arm over arm pull. You can rotate between a variety of rows and pulldowns or chins.
On these exercises you should do around 4 or 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps again. Next is some work for your triceps. Choose a basic, heavy movement like JM presses, skull crushers, or close grip benches and do 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps. Finish things off with some heavy biceps work. I know a lot of lifters think biceps work is just for bodybuilders, but if you want to be a Strongman, you need strong arms to pull on ropes, squeeze stones and flip tires. More than one powerlifter has tried to make the switch to Strongman training and torn their biceps because of the lack of biceps work in most powerlifting workouts. For biceps, you should do something basic like barbell or dumbbell curls. You can rotate hammer Curls or do curls with a strongman log as well. Do 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps on these. Magnus ver Magnusson has said that hammer curls will help your stone lifting events.
On these exercises you should do around 4 or 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps again. Next is some work for your triceps. Choose a basic, heavy movement like JM presses, skull crushers, or close grip benches and do 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps. Finish things off with some heavy biceps work. I know a lot of lifters think biceps work is just for bodybuilders, but if you want to be a Strongman, you need strong arms to pull on ropes, squeeze stones and flip tires. More than one powerlifter has tried to make the switch to Strongman training and torn their biceps because of the lack of biceps work in most powerlifting workouts. For biceps, you should do something basic like barbell or dumbbell curls. You can rotate hammer Curls or do curls with a strongman log as well. Do 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps on these. Magnus ver Magnusson has said that hammer curls will help your stone lifting events.
a former powerlifter and a top professional strongman
As a former powerlifter and a top professional strongman now, Karl Gillingham knows the importance of the squat and deadlift in strongman training. On this day you will do some form of Deadlift and Squat each week. For example, on one week you might squat heavy for several sets of 5 repetitions or less followed by stiff-legged deadlifts for 4 sets of 10. The next week you might deadlift heavy for several sets of 3 repetitions or less followed by 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps in the squat. Obviously, there are many other variations to these exercises, but the idea is to do one heavy and one for reps, and then rotate the order each week. Core strength is vital to your ability to squat and deadlift heavy weights, so you will need to train your abs on this day. Make sure to do some heavy ab work like side bends, weighted sit-ups or crunches, etc. You also need an iron grip in strongman, so today is the day to work your grip hard. Wrist rollers, grippers, thick bars and so on should be the staples for your grip training.
Training arm work
Start with an overhead event such as the log lift or axle press. Make sure to clean each rep until it is too heavy, and then use your favorite alternate method for getting the weight to your shoulders. Most of the time you should do this exercise for heavy singles, unless you are preparing for a contest in which the most reps wins. Even in that case, it still helps to build up your maximum strength by doing singles at least some of the time. Do about 5 near max singles. Follow that up by doing some work for your traps. Heavy barbell shrugs are great, or you can substitute high pulls. Do about 4 sets of 10 reps for these. Today is another great time to get some arm work in, so follow the same protocol as you did on Monday, but use different exercises than you did earlier in the week.
Use sand bucket everyday
Remember when you were a wee kid and your brothers would take you down the beach with your bucket and spade, then they’d bury you up to your neck in sand and run off. Then you’d have to walk the 10 miles home and they always seemed a bit surprised that you made it back, maybe it was just me then. Anyway here’s a great exercise that used to be used a lot back in the 40’s and 50’s. Get your self a large bucket and fill it with wet sand. Now jam your hands deep into the bucket and start moving them about in the sand, try and grip your hands it different ways squeezing the sand in different ways. Just imagine its that bully from school crown jewels you’ve got in your hands, and now its payback time for all the times he beat on you and flushed your head down that toilet. Squeeze rip and tear. As with the hangs above start of with 4 sets of 30 seconds and gradually build on this.
Broom Broom - a strongman exercise
This is a leverage exercise that used to be practised with broom handles or sledge hammers. You’ll need some kind of handle, this can be anywhere from one inch to two inches in diameter and between four and six feet long. Tighten a collar at one end and then slide some weights down the handle. You will not need much weight to begin with, try around three pounds to begin with. Use another collar to secure the weights in place.
That’s it you have your leverage bar, now to use it. Standing with the weighted end on the floor and the other end in you hand using the power of your wrists lift the weight up until it is parallel with the floor, hold for five seconds and gently set it back down to the ground, repeat for 10-15 repetitions. Do a set with the other arm and then repeat for a further 1 or 2 sets. You can also perform the exercise in the following way as described by the great Vic Boff
“Just to show that it's not so easy, Slim invites any volunteer from the audience to horizontally raise a 12-Lb. hammer - by it's end - from the floor. Needless to say, this is an all-but-impossible feat. But then Farman proceeds to lift a 24-Lb. hammer in the same manner with one hand! He lifts it up until it is at straight arm's length. Without moving his arm or bending an elbow, he lowers and touches it to his head, then brings it back to the vertical position.”
Slim “The Hammerman” Farman was the undisputed champion of leverage lifting. However don’t take this version of the exercise to failure or you’ll end up with more than just sore forearms.
That’s it you have your leverage bar, now to use it. Standing with the weighted end on the floor and the other end in you hand using the power of your wrists lift the weight up until it is parallel with the floor, hold for five seconds and gently set it back down to the ground, repeat for 10-15 repetitions. Do a set with the other arm and then repeat for a further 1 or 2 sets. You can also perform the exercise in the following way as described by the great Vic Boff
“Just to show that it's not so easy, Slim invites any volunteer from the audience to horizontally raise a 12-Lb. hammer - by it's end - from the floor. Needless to say, this is an all-but-impossible feat. But then Farman proceeds to lift a 24-Lb. hammer in the same manner with one hand! He lifts it up until it is at straight arm's length. Without moving his arm or bending an elbow, he lowers and touches it to his head, then brings it back to the vertical position.”
Slim “The Hammerman” Farman was the undisputed champion of leverage lifting. However don’t take this version of the exercise to failure or you’ll end up with more than just sore forearms.
What about juice?
It’s well known that they took steroids in the Pumping Iron days. Even Schwarzenegger has come clean about this. Fact is, they didn’t have the information back then about how dangerous the drugs are. But Columbu found that the negatives far outweighed the positives; you got big but you lost definition. And he notes that musclemen who kept using drugs eventually developed fat stomachs.
He sees those symptoms in today’s bodybuilders, some of whom are so massive they make the Pumping Iron bunch seem small. Columbu sees a lot of fat stomachs, which indicates to him that drugs are rampant. He tells young athletes and bodybuilders to stay off the juice, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
“Old people are trying to live longer, but young people want to win,” he explains. “Even if you tell them that they are taking something that is killing them. But … the minute you start taking these drugs, your workout stops. You will be depending on that instead of going to the gym. Once you switch your mind to depend on a secret like steroids, winning is over.”
He sees those symptoms in today’s bodybuilders, some of whom are so massive they make the Pumping Iron bunch seem small. Columbu sees a lot of fat stomachs, which indicates to him that drugs are rampant. He tells young athletes and bodybuilders to stay off the juice, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
“Old people are trying to live longer, but young people want to win,” he explains. “Even if you tell them that they are taking something that is killing them. But … the minute you start taking these drugs, your workout stops. You will be depending on that instead of going to the gym. Once you switch your mind to depend on a secret like steroids, winning is over.”
How to Eat Like a Strongman
Columbu received his degree from Cleveland Chiropractic College in 1978. He’s married and has a 10-year-old daughter, Maria. “Most of Maria’s friends are told, ‘Don’t eat this and don’t eat that.’ I say, ‘Eat the pasta.’ She eats everything. And she is in the best shape of all of her friends. What I’m saying is, to put a kid on a diet is devastating, in my opinion.”
The two-time Mr. Olympia has become a respected expert in nutrition, sports medicine, and kinesiology. He does special training programs for sports injuries, and the list of celebrities who have sought his bodybuilding advice includes Sylvester Stallone, whom Columbu made sign a contract promising that he wouldn’t even swallow a vitamin pill without seeking Columbu’s approval first.
But he doesn’t spend his whole life in the gym anymore. Columbu works out for maybe 20 minutes three times a week. He still sees Schwarzenegger all the time, but they gave up the constant training in favor of tennis. “I started playing tennis with Arnold in 1995, and we play on weekends. I mix up the sports … tennis, cycling. I like hiking.”
As to diet, he pretty much eats the same way he did when he was competing, except that he eats less (about 120 grams of protein per day). He recommends eating high-quality proteins. In order of importance, these are: eggs, fish, dairy, and meat (including poultry and pork).
Eggs are the highest quality protein, he points out, and still the most important to any fitness program. He notes that most dietary guides are wrong when they say eggs cause cholesterol problems. In fact, egg yolks contain enough of the fat emulsifier lecithin to neutralize cholesterol in other foods. Columbu cites a study: “In a group of 100 people, the first group ate eggs. The second group drank only milk. The third drank milk and ate eggs. And people thought, that third group is really going to have high cholesterol. But the eggs lowered the cholesterol, even in the group drinking milk.”
Much of Columbu’s information goes against conventional wisdom. “Let’s say you’re going to the gym at 3 p.m. Breakfast isn’t important. Bread and eggs is perfect. Lunch is when you eat a big meal with carbohydrates. Why? Because you can’t go to the gym without energy. But if you eat that for dinner and you don’t burn it, it will store as fat overnight.”
He stresses eating smaller meals and more frequently and that high-protein diets require extra Vitamin B6. Also, check the labels for sulfur dioxide, prevalent on fruits and vegetables. “You can’t digest it, and it bloats your stomach. People say they can’t eat grapes. It’s not true. It’s the sulfites.”
But the biggest tip for anyone who is looking for a flatter stomach and smaller waistline is that many folks on high-protein diets require hydrochloric acid and enzyme supplements. The body just doesn’t make enough on its own, especially past age 26.
The two-time Mr. Olympia has become a respected expert in nutrition, sports medicine, and kinesiology. He does special training programs for sports injuries, and the list of celebrities who have sought his bodybuilding advice includes Sylvester Stallone, whom Columbu made sign a contract promising that he wouldn’t even swallow a vitamin pill without seeking Columbu’s approval first.
But he doesn’t spend his whole life in the gym anymore. Columbu works out for maybe 20 minutes three times a week. He still sees Schwarzenegger all the time, but they gave up the constant training in favor of tennis. “I started playing tennis with Arnold in 1995, and we play on weekends. I mix up the sports … tennis, cycling. I like hiking.”
As to diet, he pretty much eats the same way he did when he was competing, except that he eats less (about 120 grams of protein per day). He recommends eating high-quality proteins. In order of importance, these are: eggs, fish, dairy, and meat (including poultry and pork).
Eggs are the highest quality protein, he points out, and still the most important to any fitness program. He notes that most dietary guides are wrong when they say eggs cause cholesterol problems. In fact, egg yolks contain enough of the fat emulsifier lecithin to neutralize cholesterol in other foods. Columbu cites a study: “In a group of 100 people, the first group ate eggs. The second group drank only milk. The third drank milk and ate eggs. And people thought, that third group is really going to have high cholesterol. But the eggs lowered the cholesterol, even in the group drinking milk.”
Much of Columbu’s information goes against conventional wisdom. “Let’s say you’re going to the gym at 3 p.m. Breakfast isn’t important. Bread and eggs is perfect. Lunch is when you eat a big meal with carbohydrates. Why? Because you can’t go to the gym without energy. But if you eat that for dinner and you don’t burn it, it will store as fat overnight.”
He stresses eating smaller meals and more frequently and that high-protein diets require extra Vitamin B6. Also, check the labels for sulfur dioxide, prevalent on fruits and vegetables. “You can’t digest it, and it bloats your stomach. People say they can’t eat grapes. It’s not true. It’s the sulfites.”
But the biggest tip for anyone who is looking for a flatter stomach and smaller waistline is that many folks on high-protein diets require hydrochloric acid and enzyme supplements. The body just doesn’t make enough on its own, especially past age 26.
Training that grip to be a strong man
Training that Grip
You can train your grip 3-4 times a week, using different exercises every day. So I’ll give you list of eight different exercises that you can use to really get your grip up to the point that you’ll never need to use straps again. Grip like that old uncle of yours, you know the one that has hands like shovels and always tries break every bone in your hand when he comes round at Thanksgiving.
Hangs
This is simple, find yourself a chinning bar, and a stop watch, now your going to hang from the bar for 30 seconds. Take a rest and repeat 3 times more. Once you can hang onto the bar for 4 sets of 30 seconds then move to hanging on for 40 seconds and so on until you can manages 60 seconds on all 4 sets. If this sounds too easy then wrap a towel round the bar to make it thicker, now try hanging onto that. You can also add extra weight by using a dipping belt and some dumbbells. If that gets too easy try hanging off the chinning bar by a rope or a towel, that’s going to really fry that forearms. And if all that gets to easy for you Popeye try hanging off with just one arm. So there you have it one exercise with lots of variations so you’ll never get bored.
You can train your grip 3-4 times a week, using different exercises every day. So I’ll give you list of eight different exercises that you can use to really get your grip up to the point that you’ll never need to use straps again. Grip like that old uncle of yours, you know the one that has hands like shovels and always tries break every bone in your hand when he comes round at Thanksgiving.
Hangs
This is simple, find yourself a chinning bar, and a stop watch, now your going to hang from the bar for 30 seconds. Take a rest and repeat 3 times more. Once you can hang onto the bar for 4 sets of 30 seconds then move to hanging on for 40 seconds and so on until you can manages 60 seconds on all 4 sets. If this sounds too easy then wrap a towel round the bar to make it thicker, now try hanging onto that. You can also add extra weight by using a dipping belt and some dumbbells. If that gets too easy try hanging off the chinning bar by a rope or a towel, that’s going to really fry that forearms. And if all that gets to easy for you Popeye try hanging off with just one arm. So there you have it one exercise with lots of variations so you’ll never get bored.
Do you want to get strong?
So let’s get down to the basics, how do I you become a strongman athlete. Now here are some basic strength levels that I think all budding strongmen should be able to meet.
Squat 200kg
Bench 120kg
Deadlift 200kg
Press 80kg
Curl 50kg
Now you’re not going to win The World’s Strongest Man with these lifts but you will with the correct training be able to put on a good show in a regional event. Now some of you are going to say, I can lift much more than that, but can you apply that strength in a strongman competition.
We all know guys who can lift some huge weights in the gym, but when it comes to lifting odd objects like stones, barrels or cars they just can’t apply that strength that they have. Time and again I have seen barbell athletes entering events thinking they going to crush the opposition and coming absolutely nowhere, gym strength doesn’t cut it on the strongman circuit you need to be really strong, functionally strong.
So how do you get really strong, how do you turn that gym strength into real strength. In the gym you have nice barbells and dumbbells, easy to grip and hold onto so that it is easier to demonstrate you strength. The main stumbling block to showing real strength is lack of hand and forearm power, if you can’t hold onto it you’ll not lift it. If you can lift up two 150kg farmers walk barrels and carry them for 100 meters in less than 30 seconds then you can skip the rest of this article. Otherwise…
Lets get down to those exercises you need to add to your training to get real strong, strong enough to lift cars, throw the stones of strength around like marbles. Now you can follow Ian Kings rules and add these exercises in at the beginning of your routine or you can do them separately from your main training.
Squat 200kg
Bench 120kg
Deadlift 200kg
Press 80kg
Curl 50kg
Now you’re not going to win The World’s Strongest Man with these lifts but you will with the correct training be able to put on a good show in a regional event. Now some of you are going to say, I can lift much more than that, but can you apply that strength in a strongman competition.
We all know guys who can lift some huge weights in the gym, but when it comes to lifting odd objects like stones, barrels or cars they just can’t apply that strength that they have. Time and again I have seen barbell athletes entering events thinking they going to crush the opposition and coming absolutely nowhere, gym strength doesn’t cut it on the strongman circuit you need to be really strong, functionally strong.
So how do you get really strong, how do you turn that gym strength into real strength. In the gym you have nice barbells and dumbbells, easy to grip and hold onto so that it is easier to demonstrate you strength. The main stumbling block to showing real strength is lack of hand and forearm power, if you can’t hold onto it you’ll not lift it. If you can lift up two 150kg farmers walk barrels and carry them for 100 meters in less than 30 seconds then you can skip the rest of this article. Otherwise…
Lets get down to those exercises you need to add to your training to get real strong, strong enough to lift cars, throw the stones of strength around like marbles. Now you can follow Ian Kings rules and add these exercises in at the beginning of your routine or you can do them separately from your main training.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
