Fair points. I’ll keep the strict work to the OHP.
FYI video of my farmers walk.
My own assessment:
I’m hunched over as I walk. I need to straighten up/walk taller.
My legs keep brushing my hands which is why I lost grip. This is the only reason I put it down. 100% grip due to this.
My knees cave a bit at the start. Just a bit. But I’ll make sure I address this…
A little bit of a shrug helps widen out the grip, but I doubt you would be able to maintain it, the weight looks heavy for you (Not a criticism, just an observation). You will quickly get used to the weight and it will get easier quickly. Two tips. Over rotate your hands a little on the pick. Don’t just grab like that, but motorcycle the hands so the wrists are a little bit on the other side of the handles. When you lift they’ll straighten out but you’ll have a little bit better set for the handles. Second, once you are upright the only thought should be “Fast feet”. Move your feet as fast as you can force them, accelerate all the way until you set them down. At the contest the only thing that will likely matter is how fast you can accelerate. The faster you go, the less time your hands spend carrying the implements.
Believe it or not it didnt “feel” heavy . If you asked me I could just about make another 20kg a hand. I would have made it. But it might not have been pretty.
I get what you are saying. I was already slow. And more weigh would have slowed me down even more.
I was constantly trying not to create too much noise or drop stuff. As you see I had a few women jump over my track during which was a consideration. And whilst the owner was cool about my training and being noisy (he even helped my with my log training) I wanted to exercise control today. So even though I’m well aware my acceleration was crap (I remember on my turn thinking in a comp the oppo would already be 1/2 down the return) there was more in the tank. I guess what I’m saying is 100% agree my acceleration is poor. But it was exaggerated today.
I’ll give your motor bike handles a go.
Question: Farners handles. I struggle with the handles where the weight is higher up. Where as the style I used today I find easier. Is that normal?
It will come down to balance a lot of times. The better the balance, the easier the handle. You might try a run using straps when your grip starts to fade, just to practice acceleration, and I would do a turn instead of a repick for sure with the straps. It really affects your comfort moving withthe weight to practice some turns.
Thanks for the help.
Just (an other) quick question.
How many farmers walks would you do a work out? I did 2 heavish. The 90kg per hand and 110kg per hand. My plan would be 1 heavy - 2/3 lighter faster.
It would depend o what else we were doing that day, but usually at least 3 runs. And preferably with the comp weight as a minimum. I had two six foot square tubes from a sign post (Like the kind of signe you see for a business along the Interstate, thick wall and I think it was 10" x 10"). I had welded handles to them and then we filled them with concrete. They were 305 or 315 per handle I think, which was at or just above most of the contest weight I was seeing at the time. If contests got heavier we were going to weld some pipes in top so we could plate load as well. The contest should feel light, because it is all of the events stacked so you won’t have the same steam by the end of the day as you do in training. If you are used to heavier, it doesn’t grind you down as bad.
So - another events training day. 4 events:
Log
Finger
Medley
Stones
I will add I was feeling great today. So when I arrived I was determined to post some big numbers. Along with my new belt (never trained with a belt before)
Log:
My 85kg max is 1 clean 2 presses
82kg: 1 clean 2 presses, 1 clean 2 presses, 1 clean 1 press all in one set. Then a 65kg drop set of 6 reps.
Great result. Felt strong as well.
Finger - just a race through to 5 reps. Good work out that. Hard work. Worked the lungs. Some people were struggling with this. But it felt natural to me. Arms locked and most of the work was in the legs.
Medley was 85kg(per hand) farmers walk, 85kg keg, 60kg duck walk. 20m. I was 3rd in the group. the 2 guys in front of me have 300kg dead lifts. So I’m okay with that!
Stone.
105 done
115 done easy
130kg - SO close. Lipped it and bailed. If I’d have fought for it I would have got it. BUT its training and dropping a stone on you is not conducive to longevity.
Over all - GREAT session. Feel brilliant.
Zydrunas did it his first time at WSM. Flat on his back, stone on the belly IIRC. Just poking at you. Good work.
Fingal Fingers, that’s a cool event to mess with.
I’ve not seen that. I might have to look it up. But to put me and Big Z in the same bracket seems - unfair.
Oh yeah - its defiantly an odd one. Its what I would call a “classic strong man event”. There are no set movements that would make this easier. The only way to get faster is get “stronger”.
Fingal fingers is an event I’ve always wanted to take a shot at, one of the cooler looking ones.
Yeah it is cool. You think its going to be all arms and shoulders but to be fair if its done well its not. I mean sure you feel the pressure in your arms. But everything above the waist is just locked out. Its your legs that do 90% of the work. And your core. You’re doing a moving event - with weight over head, so your core is under some pressure. Its a great event. Fun to do - impossible to train for.
Overhead squats help.
I’ve seen that footage played on the UKs wsm coverage, the guy is an absolute unit it was a massive stone probably would have killed a smaller man! Looked for it online but could never find it.
Yeah I think I’ve seen it. And the steward shouts out “someone call 911”.
Its why in training I don’t fight for stones. They go quick or not at all. I’m not risking major injury in training. In comp - who knows. I’d like to think I’d be sensible about it. However I’m not known for rational…
It’s been 2 weeks since my last strongman training day. Had a deload after 3 weeks of 5x5. I was missing loads of reps and I have adjusted from 3 days at 90% effort to 2 days at 100% then 1 day at 75% and one at 50%.
Event day:
Log 75kg in 60 seconds.
Disappointed with 5 reps. It’s not strength but speed and technique of the clean its sloppy and I’m all over the place. It slows me down and I use more energy putting right than pressing. Lots of practice. Lucky I’m logging 2x a week.
Farners and yoke 20m medley.
Both at comp weight. Video below.
I lose the yoke in the video but that silver car goes to pull out. After than I’m off balance.
Comp weight feels light enough. Confident for these events.
A vid of the log clean would help. Good job.
Yeah - every time I was lining up my work outs the gym attendant got busy. He was gonna come over and then 4 guys walked in an wanted pre workouts and shakes and stuff. So I went for it. I’ll try and get one up ASAP. I’m doing log again Thursday.
Thanks. As I say I lose balance in this video. But the silver car starts to reverse. But if I were to say I have one work on in these events its keeping the yoke on my shoulders. I think if I run my hands up the vertical bar towards the cross bar it might keep my back and shoulders tighter. But I got 5 more yoke sessions before the big day. Lots of time to iron that little crease out.
Weekly log of my events training day.
One of the best things about today is - I done a hard as nails workout Friday (today is Sunday). And today I was still not too taxed. I won’t say I was fresh fresh. I think my struggles with the yoke were 50/50 down to fatigue. But given I WAS slightly sub par and still done well with competition weights in a short working window I’m a happy boy.
Log - 75kg max reps in 60 seconds
2 sets. One of 6 one of 5.
This was much faster. I’m still not 100% on the clean but the secret I think is to go and steady. When I rush and snatch it goes to crap and it takes twice as much energy to get it right.
Drop set after set 2:
65 x 5
55 x5
45 x err something.
Yoke next: 210kg 20 drop and return.
Had issues setting this on my shoulders. Set 1 was okay. Set 2 was a bit crap. Dropped it. Not too fussed. On the day I think this will be better. I’m just going to have to bully it.
Farners 105kg each hand. 5kg heavier than comp. Felt good. No issues.
2x 20m drop and return.