During my time as a strongman, I have had the pleasure of training with all levels of competitors. I have seen competitors do their first event.. I have seen them progress rom novice to professional. I have even trained with World’s Strongest Man runner-up competitors.
Through these experiences, I have seen the changes that all competitors go through as they transverse each level of ability. Watching these changes occur has revelaed to me the differences between the guys that are perennial podium finishers and the guys that are able to make it to the next level. Often times, guys are held back by the same problems. The intermediate-level competitors I see usually fall into one of three categories:
- Remarkably high levels of static strength, but no speed at all. These lifters are slow as hell.
- High levels of speed but low static strength. This is the exact opposite problem as the first category.
- Well-rounded levels of ability but prone to competition-mistakes that repeatedly cost them their pro cards.
I have not only personally witnessed each of these weaknesses, but I have also helped athletes from each class address their issues and make it to the next level. There is a straightforward series of steps for these intermediate lifters to take so that they can break through the chains holding them back.
Before going down the path of fixing weaknesses, the first and most important step for the intermediate athlete is to correctly identify their weaknesses. Most of these guys are well-experienced and familiar with the implements, events, and process of competing. What, then, is holding them back?
Static Strength and No Speed
The first possibility is that the lifter falls into group one: the lack of speed in statically strong lifters. These lifters often make the mistake of shying away from the things at which they aren’t good and continuing to do the things at which they excel. This is purely egotistical. Just as a group is only as strong as its weakest member, an athlete is only as strong as his weakest event. Realizing the value of training for speed in strongman is the biggest epiphany that I ever experienced as an athlete — I was once in this group.
The best way to get fast? Move fast. Everything should be done with fortissimo [dynamically, for those of you unfamiliar with the term], including warm-ups. If you want to move fast with an 800-pound yoke, you first need to be able to move fast with a 500-pound yoke. This idea seems simple, but guys neglect it time and time again. At the national level, all serious competitors can do the weights. The person who wins is the one who can do it the fastest and the cleanest.
Week 1
Day 1: Overhead Pressing: Log Clean and Press Each Rep 2 sets of 5 one set of max reps, Z press 3 sets of 8, high rep face pulls, high rep band pull aparts, front and lateral DB raises superset, and triceps volume.
Day 2: Deadlifts 6 sets of 2 with 85% of 1RM, paused front squats 3 sets of 3 with 60%, GHR 4 sets of 9 reps every 3 reps add a micro mini band, reverse hyper 4 sets of 10.
Day 3: Events: Yoke runs 4 sets for 50 feet complete each set in under 8 seconds
- Farmers Carry 4 sets of 50 feet complete each set in under 7 seconds
- Keg/ Keg/ Sled Drag for 3 sets carry each keg 50 feet and run back to the next then drag a heavy sled 50 feet, complete in under 45 seconds
Week 2
Day 1: Axle Push Jerk 4 sets of 8 reps clean once, Circus DB Clean and Press 3 sets of 5 reps complete in under 30 seconds, high rep face pulls, high rep band pull aparts, front and lateral DB raises superset, and triceps volume.
Day 2: Front Squats work up to daily max drop down to 85% for one set of max reps, Pause Deadlifts 4 sets of 3 using 60% pause each rep at the knee cap and accelerate through lockout, GHR 4 sets of 6 holding a plate, Reverse Hyper 4 sets of 10
Day 3: Events: Yoke runs 4 sets of 100 feet complete in under 15 seconds
- Farmers Carry 4 sets of 100 feet complete in under 13 seconds
- Husafell Stone Carries 3 sets of max distance using 25 foot turns to work on quick smooth transitions
Week 3
Day 1: Log C+P each rep 2 sets of 3 one set of max reps increase weight 10 pounds for each set from week 1, Axle Strict Press 3 sets of 6, high rep face pulls, high rep band pull aparts, front and lateral DB raises superset, and triceps volume.
Day 2: Deadlifts 5 sets of 3 with 85% of 1RM, Paused Front Squats 6 sets of 2 with a 5 second pause, Good Mornings 3 sets of 6, GHR 4 sets of 9 reps every 3 reps add a micro mini band, 2 sets of Hyper Extensions 25 reps every 5 reps increase weight (first 5 BW, 6-10 hold 10 pound plate 11-15 hold 25 pound plate etc…)
Day 3: Yoke/ Farmers Medley 50 feet each 4 sets work up to contest weight for final 2 sets time all sets try to complete in 20 seconds
- Keg/Sandbag/ Duckwalk Medley for 3 sets 50 feet each implement complete in under 45 seconds
- Stone over Bar for 2 working sets of max reps in 60 seconds over 54” bar
The strong-but-slow lifters often use heavier training weights in the gym, and end up beat the heck up from them. The first adjustment they need to make is to limit the frequency of gym training. To do this, set up a simple upper/low split. One day a week will be devoted to upper body and will consist of a dynamic pressing movement, such as a push press or a push jerk. The main movement will be followed up with a lot of upper back, shoulder, and triceps accessory exercises.
The lower body day will consist of deadlifts and squat variations. On each of these days you will do one maximum effort exercise and one dynamic effort exercise. The weeks will alternate which lift (squat or deadlift) is maximum effort and which is dynamic effort; week one will be maximum effort squat and dynamic effort deadlift and week two will be maximum effort deadlift and pause or dynamic effort squat.
The events that really need the focus will be rotated from week to week. At most national or pro qualifiers, you are guaranteed to see the yoke and farmer’s walk. These need to be a staple of the routine. After these the events will be rotated using keg carries, medleys, husafell carries and stones. Time everything. The clock should decide the weight; remember that the weakness this routine targets is slowness. If you aren’t getting fast, you aren’t getting better. The best way to use time is to find results from previous year winners of the competition you’re training for. If the winning time was ten seconds, you need to complete it in nine.
Here’s how the program will look:
Week 1
Day 1: Log Push Jerk 4 sets of 8 reps clean once, Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 6, Face Pulls for 100 reps, band pull aparts for 100 reps, Skull Crushers and Triceps Pressdowns for 5 sets of 15 each
Day 2: Front Squats: 5 sets of 5 using 70, 75, 80, 82, 84% of your 1RM, Paused SSB Squats, 4 sets of 3 with a 3 second pause, Bulgarian Split Squats 4 sets of 6 each leg, GHR 4 sets of 8 with band tension added
Day 3: Log Strict Press: 8 sets of 2 working up to a hard double ~95%, Floor Press with a swiss bar 3 sets of 8, TRX Pushups 5 sets of 10, DB Front Raises superset with DB Lateral Raises 5 sets of 10 and Pressdowns with a heavy band for 100 total reps
Day 4: Speed Deadlifts 5 sets of 5 with 65% blowing each rep off the ground, Good Mornings 3 sets of 6, Pendlay Rows 3 sets of 8, GHR 4 sets of 8 with added band tension
Week 2
Day 1: Log Push Jerk 4 sets of 8, Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 6, Face Pulls for 100 reps, band pull aparts for 100 reps, Skull Crushers and Triceps Pressdowns for 5 sets of 15 each
Day 2: Front Squats: 5 sets of 5 with 72, 74, 78, 83, 85% of 1RM, Paused SSB Squats 3 sets of 8 with 65% 1 second pause, GHR 4 sets of 8 with added band tension
Day 3: Log Strict Press 4 sets of 5 work up to a 5 rep max ~85%, Bench Press with a SlingShot 3 sets of 8, TRX Pushups 5 sets of 10, DB Front Raises superset with DB Lateral Raises 5 sets of 10 and Pressdowns with a heavy band for 100 total reps
Day 4: Deadlifts 6 sets of 2 using 85% of 1RM, Good Mornings 3 sets of 6, Pendlay Rows 3 sets of 8, GHR 4 sets of 8 with added band tension
Week 3
Day 1: Log Push Jerk 4 sets of 6, Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 6, Face Pulls for 100 reps, band pull aparts for 100 reps, Rolling Triceps Extensions and Triceps Pressdowns for 5 sets of 15 each
Day 2: Front Squats: 5 sets of 3 with 75, 80, 85, 88, 90% of 1RM, Paused Front Squats 5 sets of 2 with 5 second pause, Walking Lunges 3 sets of 8 each leg, GHR 4 sets of 8 with added band tension
Day 3: Log Strict Press 6 sets of 3 working up to 90%, Floor Press with Swiss bar 3 sets of 6, TRX Pushups 5 sets of 10, DB Front Raises superset with DB Lateral Raises 5 sets of 10 and Pressdowns with a heavy band for 100 total reps
Day 4: Deadlifts 6 sets of 4 with 65% of 1RM blowing each rep off the floor, DB Rows 3 sets of 6 each arm, Heavy KB Swings 3 sets of 20, GHR 4 sets of 8 with added band tension
Week 4
Day 1: Log Push Jerk 4 sets of 6, Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 6, Face Pulls for 100 reps, band pull aparts for 100 reps, Rolling Triceps Extensions and Triceps Pressdowns for 5 sets of 15 each
Day 2: Front Squat 5 sets of 1 working up to 98% of 1RM, Paused Front Squats 4 sets of 3 with 70% of 1RM, GHR 4 sets of 8
Day 3: Log Strict Press Work up to a 1RM, Bench Press with a SlingShot 4 sets of 4, TRX Pushups 5 sets of 10, DB Front Raises superset with DB Lateral Raises 5 sets of 10 and Pressdowns with a heavy band for 100 total reps
Day 4: Events Yoke 4 sets of 80 feet complete all sets under 12 seconds
- Farmers 4 sets of 80 feet complete all sets under 10 seconds
- Stone Over Bar 3 sets of 3 over 54” bar
*** You’ll notice that I chose log press for the main pressing movement for this group, this is because I find that the guys that struggle most with static strength really have a hard time with the log. I find that by increasing their log their axle increases inherently. Whereas I find that if their axle increases it has little bearing on their log.
The third and final group is made up of intermediate athletes that have the strength and speed but do not for one simple reason: they make too many mistakes. They have their training organization down, which is evident because they have their events and static strength where they need to be. It is the mindset of their training that needs improved.
These lifters need to train everything flawlessly; they cannot accept training reps. Every rep that is completed needs to be done so with training quality. If you belong to this group, do not try to handle weight that cannot be performed flawlessly. Performing ugly reps makes you good at completing ugly reps. If you practice perfection, you will perform perfectly.
As guidelines, all events need to be performed with commands. The athlete needs to have the commands engrained in their minds so that they start without hesitation, and never a moment too soon. I have seen guys lose pro cards for things as careless ad jumping a starting command.
All implements need to be carried to the next town over: do not aim for the finish line; aim for ten feet past it. I have seen countless penalties administered because of sliding the implement across the finish line or putting the implement down without fully crossing the line during a medley.
Stand every keg up in training. I have seen many guys throw kegs and have them fall over, only to lose precious seconds going back to correct it. Pro cards are won by tenths of a second. At the end of the show, you can either go back in your mind and count the lost points that kept you off the top of the platform, or you can eliminate careless mistakes and be standing there as the winner.
If you want to be a pro, train like a pro. Practice for perfection. Do not allow ego to direct your training. You must be able to explain how everything you do in your training will directly help you achieve your goal. If you’re training for a max reps log event, how will going for a new one rep max two weeks out form the show help you get more reps? It won’t. It is simply to satisfy your ego. Should you miss, you risk frying your CNS that close to a content. All because of one rep that you just couldn’t walk away from.
Find which of the three groups you fall into, apply the principles to overcome the weaknesses, and go win your pro card.
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