Strongman Training: Benefits, Equipment, Techniques, and How to Get Started

How to do strongman training?

Strongman training is a dynamic and challenging discipline that involves lifting, carrying, and moving unusually shaped, heavy objects, developing immense functional strength, power, and mental fortitude through specialized movements and equipment.

What is Strongman Training?

Strongman training is a unique form of strength and conditioning that deviates from traditional barbell and dumbbell lifting. It involves manipulating "odd objects" – items not typically found in a conventional gym – to test and build extreme levels of full-body strength, endurance, and grit. Rooted in ancient feats of strength and popularized by competitive strongman events, this training methodology emphasizes functional power, stability, and the ability to move heavy loads across various planes of motion. Unlike bodybuilding, which focuses on aesthetic muscle development, or powerlifting, which centers on maximal lifts in three specific movements, strongman training cultivates a more holistic and applicable form of strength, preparing the body for real-world physical demands.

Benefits of Strongman Training

Engaging in strongman training offers a multitude of physiological and psychological advantages:

• Enhanced Full-Body Strength: Strongman movements are inherently compound, engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Lifting an Atlas Stone, for instance, recruits the entire posterior chain, core, and upper body, fostering unparalleled strength development.
• Improved Functional Fitness: The nature of odd objects mimics real-life challenges, such as moving furniture or lifting heavy boxes. This translates to practical, usable strength that improves daily activities and athletic performance in other sports.
• Increased Mental Fortitude: Strongman training is as much a mental battle as it is physical. Overcoming the awkwardness and sheer weight of implements builds resilience, determination, and a strong mental game, pushing athletes beyond perceived limits.
• Greater Muscle Hypertrophy: The unique loading patterns, time under tension, and high metabolic demands of strongman events provide a potent stimulus for muscle growth, often leading to significant gains in lean mass.
• Boosted Conditioning and Endurance: Many strongman events involve carrying heavy objects over distances or performing multiple repetitions, significantly improving cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, and work capacity.
• Injury Prevention and Joint Robustness: The diverse range of movements strengthens stabilizing muscles, connective tissues, and joints in ways traditional lifting might not, building a more resilient and injury-resistant physique.

Essential Strongman Equipment

While strongman training can be adapted with everyday objects, dedicated implements are key for authentic practice:

• Atlas Stones: Smooth, spherical concrete stones ranging from light to extremely heavy, used for lifting onto platforms.
• Yoke: A heavy frame carried across the shoulders, used for loaded carries over a set distance.
• Farmer's Walk Handles: Heavy handles, often loaded with plates, carried in each hand for grip strength and full-body stability.
• Log Bar: A thick, cylindrical bar with neutral-grip handles, used for overhead pressing.
• Sandbags/Kegs: Versatile, awkward implements for carries, loading, and throwing, offering unstable resistance.
• Tires: Large tractor or truck tires used for flipping, testing explosive power and full-body coordination.
• Loading Race Implements: Various items like sandbags, kegs, or smaller stones to be carried and loaded onto platforms.

Supplementary Equipment:

• Lifting Belt: Provides core support for heavy lifts.
• Knee Sleeves: Offer warmth and compression to the knees.
• Lifting Straps: Assist with grip on heavy pulls and carries.
• Tacky: A sticky resin applied to forearms for better grip on Atlas Stones.

Key Strongman Movements and Techniques

Mastering strongman requires specific techniques for each implement:

• Atlas Stone Lift:
  • Initiation: Squat deep, wrap arms around the stone, pulling it into your lap.
  • Lap Phase: Drive hips forward, extending through the legs and back, bringing the stone to your chest/lap.
  • Load Phase: Re-grip the stone high on your chest, take a deep breath, and explosively extend hips, knees, and ankles to roll/throw the stone over the platform.
• Farmer's Walk:
  • Grip: Securely grip handles, keeping shoulders packed down and back.
  • Posture: Stand tall, chest up, core braced, maintaining a neutral spine.
  • Walk: Take short, powerful strides, minimizing sway, and focusing on controlled breathing.
• Yoke Carry:
  • Setup: Position the crossbar comfortably across the upper traps, ensuring even weight distribution.
  • Bracing: Take a deep breath, brace the core intensely, and drive feet into the ground.
  • Carry: Maintain an upright posture, taking short, deliberate steps, leaning slightly forward to counteract the load.
• Log Press:
  • Clean: Roll the log up your body, catching it in the rack position with elbows high.
  • Press: Drive the log overhead using a powerful leg drive (jerk) or strict press, locking out elbows.
• Sandbag/Keg Carry/Load:
  • Lift: Use a strong deadlift or squat motion to bring the object to your chest or shoulder.
  • Carry: Hug the object tight to your body, maintaining a braced core and upright posture.
  • Load: Use a strong hip drive to throw or place the object onto a platform.
• Tire Flip:
  • Setup: Get low, wedge hands under the tire, keeping a flat back and chest against the tire.
  • Drive: Explode upward with legs and hips, pushing the tire forward and up.
  • Transition: As the tire comes up, quickly switch hand position to push it over.

Programming Strongman Training

Integrating strongman into your routine requires thoughtful planning:

• Integration with Traditional Training: Strongman events are highly taxing. Many athletes dedicate one session per week to strongman, supplementing with 1-2 traditional strength sessions (e.g., squat, deadlift, overhead press) and conditioning.
• Frequency: For most, 1-2 strongman sessions per week is sufficient to allow for adequate recovery. Beginners may start with one session.
• Volume and Intensity: Start with lower volumes (e.g., 3-5 sets of 1-3 repetitions or short distances) and moderate weights. Gradually increase weight, distance, or time as strength and technique improve.
• Warm-up and Cool-down: A comprehensive warm-up is crucial, including dynamic stretches, light cardio, and specific movement preparation. Cool-downs should include static stretching and foam rolling.
• Periodization: Like any strength sport, strongman benefits from periodized training, cycling through phases of higher volume/lower intensity and lower volume/higher intensity to peak for competitions or prevent plateaus.
• Starting Safely: Prioritize learning proper form with light implements before attempting heavy weights. Strongman movements are complex and require coordination.

Safety Considerations and Injury Prevention

Strongman training is demanding and carries inherent risks if not approached correctly:

• Proper Form is Paramount: Incorrect technique with heavy, awkward objects is a primary cause of injury. Invest time in learning and practicing correct form.
• Listen to Your Body: Strongman taxes the central nervous system significantly. Pay attention to signs of overtraining, fatigue, or pain, and allow for adequate rest and recovery.
• Gradual Progression: Do not attempt weights or distances beyond your current capability. Incremental increases are key to long-term progress and injury prevention.
• Spotters and Coaching: Whenever possible, train with experienced spotters or a qualified strongman coach. Their guidance can be invaluable for technique correction and safety.
• Hydration and Nutrition: Proper fueling and hydration are critical for performance, recovery, and preventing cramps or fatigue during intense sessions.

Who Can Benefit from Strongman Training?

Strongman training is not just for competitive athletes; a wide range of individuals can benefit:

• General Fitness Enthusiasts: Looking for a challenging and engaging way to build overall strength, athleticism, and mental toughness.
• Athletes in Other Sports: Football players, rugby players, wrestlers, and martial artists can use strongman to develop sport-specific power, grip strength, and conditioning.
• Experienced Lifters: Those who have plateaued in traditional strength training or are seeking a new, exciting challenge to reignite their passion and stimulate new growth.
• Individuals Seeking Functional Strength: Anyone wanting to improve their ability to handle real-world physical tasks with greater ease and confidence.

Note: Strongman training is generally not recommended for absolute beginners to strength training due to the complexity and high demands of the movements. A foundational level of strength and body awareness is advisable.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Approach

Embarking on your strongman journey requires a structured approach:

1. Assess Your Current Fitness Level: Ensure you have a solid foundation of general strength (e.g., comfortable with bodyweight movements, proficient in basic barbell lifts like squats, deadlifts, and presses).
2. Seek Qualified Coaching: This is arguably the most crucial step. A strongman coach can teach proper technique, program safely, and provide essential feedback, drastically reducing injury risk. Look for strongman-specific gyms or trainers.
3. Start with Foundational Strength: Continue to build a strong base in compound lifts. These will directly translate to better performance and safety in strongman events.
4. Begin with Lighter Weights/Modified Implements: Don't jump straight to heavy stones or tires. Start with lighter sandbags, kegs, or even empty implements to master the movement patterns. For example, practice the log press with a lighter log or even a thick bar.
5. Focus on Technique Over Weight: Prioritize flawless execution. Strongman movements are highly technical, and good form will allow for greater strength gains and prevent injuries in the long run.
6. Be Patient and Consistent: Strongman training is a long-term endeavor. Progress may feel slow at times, but consistency in training, recovery, and nutrition will yield significant results. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey of becoming truly strong.