Strongman Training for Sport

Ashley JonesAshley Jones Fitness Trainer Crusaders - Super 12 Canterbury - NPC (New Zealand Domestic Competition)

Strongman Training for

Sport


Ashley Jones
Fitness Trainer
Crusaders - Super 12

Strongman training exercises are finding there way into the training programs of many sports and Getstrength have been at the forefront of producing equipment to satisfy the growing needs of trainers in this area.

I have been using strongman and dinosaur type training in the training of football players since 1997 when I was the strength and conditioning coach of the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League competition. What started as a session, which was included, as part of a break from traditional training has now become a major part of my strength-training program.

Strongman training differs form traditional weight training in that the objects that are pushed, pulled, lifted, dragged or carried are not uniform in size or shape or weight, nor are the players that we come across on a rugby field. I primarily use strongman training as a strength endurance circuit where players are paired off and one player works for one minute whilst the other rests and motivates and encourages his partner, when both players have worked for one minute they move onto the next exercise. We usually have about 10 exercises, but depending on the size of your squad and the e availability of equipment the choice is endless.

All the exercises/challenges that you see on the televised World's Strongest Man competition are relevant for sports training, and all are available through Getstrength as well which means you can set up a very challenging and rewarding training area. Always be on the lookout for equipment that you maybe able to use, check out the local dump and see what others have thrown out, truck tyres, odd shaped blocks and the such like are gold to people like us looking for something a little out there.

Look at the training of the former generation on non-professional rugby players, many were active in farming, building and other tasks that required physical were, so I guess this is a return to an older style of training, I think Mr. Meads would approve. I do not know of many players that would be able to spend the day dagging sheep or digging trenches and still be able to give 100% to training. Please do not get me wrong this type of training is excellent for strength endurance and also strengthening those support muscles that are not easily targeted, but they do not replace the fact that maximal strength and strength-speed type training is best developed using weights in the gym.

Some of my favorites for training rugby players in this style of training are:

Fingals Finger - where you have to lift a post off the ground and then with your hands above your head walk it forward until it is vertical.

Conan's Wheel - where you zercher lift a bar, which is connected to a load, in the crook of your elbows and proceed to walk in a circular path until you can no longer continue.

Farmers Walk - where you pick up two implements, one in each hand, and walk till the implements fall from your hands as your grip gives out.

Tyre Flip - position yourself in a good dead lift position and lift the edge of the tyre off the ground and continue lifting and pushing with your knee until it flips over, continue for time and/or distance.

Chain Drag - simply grab hold of a length of anchor chain and walk backwards as you drag the chain, ours weighs 150kg, and we picked it up at a fishing fleet store shed.

Yoke Walk - Take a squat bar out of the rack or have a yoke make specifically for the purpose and walk for as far as you can, a real challenge.

Keg or stone or buoy or any heavy odd shaped object Lift and carry - pick the object up and take it for a walk, the more awkward the better as this will challenge your stabilizer muscles.

Same as the above but instead of carrying for distance you press it above your head, a great use for the swiss ball as suggested by Alex is to fill a swiss ball with sand or water to the desired weight and then proceed to push this "live" weight overhead a real challenge.

Steel Log - clean and press for reps or time, the log being quite a wide diameter makes it awkward to lift and also puts extra emphasis on lower back stabilization, which is a bonus.

Sled Drag - use a sprint sled and load it up and proceed to walk towing this behind you, again for time and/or distance.

I feel that this type of training is ideal for all combat related sports and is a great way to add variety and challenges to your programs, for more advice and some training guidelines contact Alex care of this web site or read Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik, a must read for everyone and also look at some of the videos/DVD's that are on offer on the specifics of strongman training at www.elitefts.com As with all training there are inherent risks involved in this type of training so ensure that your lifting mechanics are perfect, also because of the endurance aspects involved in this type of training monitor how you are feeling and hasten slowly with adding weight or distance or time as your body accustoms itself to these new stresses and as I always believe make it fun.

Enjoy your training.

Ash

Getstrength Strongman Equipment

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