Power XL
03-03-2007, 11:38 PM
Strongman Training 101, Part 1
By Brian King
For www.EliteFTS.com
This article is for the strongman competitor who is just starting to compete and really has no clue about how to train. However, there may be some things that the advanced athlete can use to improve his or her game as well. There are three different approaches to training for strongman. Most articles are written about one person’s training philosophy, but here you will get three views from three, very qualified strongmen—Eric Hammer, Bryan Dermody, and myself.
Hammer is an assistant director of Olympic sports performance at the University of Louisville. He earned his pro status at the Central USA in July. Bryan Dermody is the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at the University of Louisville. He is one of the top ranked amateur heavyweights in the country and writes columns for Iron Mind. I am the manager of a fitness center. I have worked at the collegiate level as an assistant football and assistant strength and conditioning coach and consider myself to be one of the top ranked heavyweight amateurs in the country.
Since there are six questions, I will break this down into two parts because the first two questions are long.
Quest 1. During the off-season when you aren’t competing, what type of training template do you follow in the weight room? What, if any, type of event training do you do?
Hammer: My off-season template looks something like this:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday or Sunday
ME cleans
DE squats ME deadlifts
ME overhead ME snatch ME squat
DE overhead DE deadlifts Events
Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory
Plyo's
Dumbbell/kettlebell swings
GPP session Romanian deadlift
Front squat
Strict overhead
Incline bench Plyo's
One-arm dumbbell snatch
GPP session Good mornings
Lunges
Split jerks GPP session
I event train once a week, and I usually alternate three to four events each week, working on form and technique. I am a big believer in the Olympic lifts and what they can do for you. So I tend to train them at least twice per week throughout the off-season. I also utilize favorites such as front squats, good mornings, jerks, any type of deadlifts, and plyometrics.
I like to use a conjugated periodization approach to ensure that I hit all areas of training. This includes max effort, speed, and repetition work to build up my weaknesses, add to my strengths, and generate some general physical preparedness. I don't use percentages on my max effort work because I want to get stronger. But I will use them on my accessory movements. Each phase of training lasts about 3–4 weeks, following a base, load, load, deload weekly progression in volume and intensity.
Dermody: My off-season template:
1) ME lower 2) Work cap/ grip 3) ME upper 4) DE lower 5) Lower asst 6) Events 7) Events
Snatch, 3X5,
heavy Some type of
work capacity (i.e. sled drag, DB complex, light tire flips, etc.) Some type of jerk or push press.
Best set of 1, 2,
or 3 reps.
Cleans, 3X5,
typically heavy Front squat, reverse
hypers, or glute ham raise with moderate
intensity Pick the six most common events and train three per week I may do events; if
not I will do
moderate front squats,
moderate snatch, and heavy rows
Squat, deadlift, or good mornings
Best set of 1, 2 or, 3 reps
Static grip work
Biceps Five sets of either heavy close grip or steep incline
bench Speed squats
w/band tension, 5–8X2 Static grip work I try to set a PR on one event each week, do 4–6
heavy sets on
one, and 4–6 light sets on one
Medium to heavy
Romanian deadlift, squat, or front squat Five heavy sets of some type of
overhead press Speed deadlift,
10–16X1 w/band tension or
straight bar
weight
King: I have come up with a modified version of training that includes Westside concepts, Olympic lifting, and circuit training. By combining all three, I can work on strength,
explosion/speed, and conditioning. I believe in the use of many movements, not in a training day but rather to have at your expense. This will allow you to find any weaknesses that you may have. As a general rule, I will switch up my ME movement about every three weeks and my Olympic movements every two to three weeks.
I will train the events on Saturdays. Events change weekly and so do the intensity levels. I try to train every event so that I can get accustomed to the movement. Plus, it breaks the monotony of training the same movements every week. The only two events that won't change are the 12-inch log and the Atlas stones. If I go for a max on the log then I will train the stones light and vice versa. I like to put the emphasis on these two movements because you will see them at every show you compete in. Below is a sample training week:
Monday, ME lower
Tuesday, extra
Wednesday, ME upper
Thursday, DE lower/speed
Friday
Saturday, events
Box squat w/T-bar
rows, 4X10 Light Dumbell work
and low back and
abs Push jerks Cleans, 3X3 I do very little. This is
a day to relax and get ready for Saturday 12" log for max
Farmers for distance
Conans wheel heavy
Hack squat, 3X10
w/shrugs, 3X15 8" log incline, 3X5 w/CS rows, 3X15 Box squat w/bands,
5X2 (50–60%, 1 RM)
w/dumbbell high pulls, 3X10 Tire flips for reps
Stones to staggered
platforms up to 340lb
Romanian deadlift, 3X8 w/dec abs, 3X40 w/neck, 3X20 Dumbbell bench, 3X8
w/biceps, 3X10 Deadlifts, 5X2 (50–60%) Accessory work
Abs, neck, light cardio
45 degree back raise,
3X10
w/biceps, 3X10
Tricep extension, 3X8
w/abs, 3X20 w/neck, 3X10 Plyo jumps, 3X5
Sled drags for cardio Some type of cardio Leg curls, 3X10 w/abs, 3X30
By Brian King
For www.EliteFTS.com
This article is for the strongman competitor who is just starting to compete and really has no clue about how to train. However, there may be some things that the advanced athlete can use to improve his or her game as well. There are three different approaches to training for strongman. Most articles are written about one person’s training philosophy, but here you will get three views from three, very qualified strongmen—Eric Hammer, Bryan Dermody, and myself.
Hammer is an assistant director of Olympic sports performance at the University of Louisville. He earned his pro status at the Central USA in July. Bryan Dermody is the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at the University of Louisville. He is one of the top ranked amateur heavyweights in the country and writes columns for Iron Mind. I am the manager of a fitness center. I have worked at the collegiate level as an assistant football and assistant strength and conditioning coach and consider myself to be one of the top ranked heavyweight amateurs in the country.
Since there are six questions, I will break this down into two parts because the first two questions are long.
Quest 1. During the off-season when you aren’t competing, what type of training template do you follow in the weight room? What, if any, type of event training do you do?
Hammer: My off-season template looks something like this:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday or Sunday
ME cleans
DE squats ME deadlifts
ME overhead ME snatch ME squat
DE overhead DE deadlifts Events
Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory Accessory
Plyo's
Dumbbell/kettlebell swings
GPP session Romanian deadlift
Front squat
Strict overhead
Incline bench Plyo's
One-arm dumbbell snatch
GPP session Good mornings
Lunges
Split jerks GPP session
I event train once a week, and I usually alternate three to four events each week, working on form and technique. I am a big believer in the Olympic lifts and what they can do for you. So I tend to train them at least twice per week throughout the off-season. I also utilize favorites such as front squats, good mornings, jerks, any type of deadlifts, and plyometrics.
I like to use a conjugated periodization approach to ensure that I hit all areas of training. This includes max effort, speed, and repetition work to build up my weaknesses, add to my strengths, and generate some general physical preparedness. I don't use percentages on my max effort work because I want to get stronger. But I will use them on my accessory movements. Each phase of training lasts about 3–4 weeks, following a base, load, load, deload weekly progression in volume and intensity.
Dermody: My off-season template:
1) ME lower 2) Work cap/ grip 3) ME upper 4) DE lower 5) Lower asst 6) Events 7) Events
Snatch, 3X5,
heavy Some type of
work capacity (i.e. sled drag, DB complex, light tire flips, etc.) Some type of jerk or push press.
Best set of 1, 2,
or 3 reps.
Cleans, 3X5,
typically heavy Front squat, reverse
hypers, or glute ham raise with moderate
intensity Pick the six most common events and train three per week I may do events; if
not I will do
moderate front squats,
moderate snatch, and heavy rows
Squat, deadlift, or good mornings
Best set of 1, 2 or, 3 reps
Static grip work
Biceps Five sets of either heavy close grip or steep incline
bench Speed squats
w/band tension, 5–8X2 Static grip work I try to set a PR on one event each week, do 4–6
heavy sets on
one, and 4–6 light sets on one
Medium to heavy
Romanian deadlift, squat, or front squat Five heavy sets of some type of
overhead press Speed deadlift,
10–16X1 w/band tension or
straight bar
weight
King: I have come up with a modified version of training that includes Westside concepts, Olympic lifting, and circuit training. By combining all three, I can work on strength,
explosion/speed, and conditioning. I believe in the use of many movements, not in a training day but rather to have at your expense. This will allow you to find any weaknesses that you may have. As a general rule, I will switch up my ME movement about every three weeks and my Olympic movements every two to three weeks.
I will train the events on Saturdays. Events change weekly and so do the intensity levels. I try to train every event so that I can get accustomed to the movement. Plus, it breaks the monotony of training the same movements every week. The only two events that won't change are the 12-inch log and the Atlas stones. If I go for a max on the log then I will train the stones light and vice versa. I like to put the emphasis on these two movements because you will see them at every show you compete in. Below is a sample training week:
Monday, ME lower
Tuesday, extra
Wednesday, ME upper
Thursday, DE lower/speed
Friday
Saturday, events
Box squat w/T-bar
rows, 4X10 Light Dumbell work
and low back and
abs Push jerks Cleans, 3X3 I do very little. This is
a day to relax and get ready for Saturday 12" log for max
Farmers for distance
Conans wheel heavy
Hack squat, 3X10
w/shrugs, 3X15 8" log incline, 3X5 w/CS rows, 3X15 Box squat w/bands,
5X2 (50–60%, 1 RM)
w/dumbbell high pulls, 3X10 Tire flips for reps
Stones to staggered
platforms up to 340lb
Romanian deadlift, 3X8 w/dec abs, 3X40 w/neck, 3X20 Dumbbell bench, 3X8
w/biceps, 3X10 Deadlifts, 5X2 (50–60%) Accessory work
Abs, neck, light cardio
45 degree back raise,
3X10
w/biceps, 3X10
Tricep extension, 3X8
w/abs, 3X20 w/neck, 3X10 Plyo jumps, 3X5
Sled drags for cardio Some type of cardio Leg curls, 3X10 w/abs, 3X30