I’d train normal gym lifts throughout the week, then on one day a week try to mimic the events as best you can with gym lifts. Make it like a day of just burning yourself like crazy with a hellish circuit/event style things (of course, with barbells and dumbbells instead of implements.)
An example could be supersetting barbell rows with a clean and press. So like, load up a barbell with 60kg, row it for 15, then clean a 60kg barbell for 10 cleans and presses right after. Rest 3 minutes, do it again for 2 more sets.
Later on in the session, do dumbbell farmers (if they’re heavy enough, you might not wanna do it if they’re lighter than 30kg or so, but up to you) supersetted with cleans and then maybe zercher good mornings (just holding a bar in the zercher position but then bending only with your thoracic spine and then back up to extension/neutral spine in standing position.)
Honestly, dedicating that one day to pushing yourself really hard is gonna do so much for you on that day. Even if you have minimal usage of implements, you’re gonna fly through shit on contest day and not break a sweat.
Knowing this will be HUGE. Essential for determining how you practice for the event.
These events, overall are LIGHT. I don’t know how competitive strongman is where you are, but here, this would be a rep fest. These are all essentially sprints. Technique will be big, and ‘first step’. Whether that be how you pick the implement up, what stance you use to get it moving, your first pull on the car, etc.
@T3hPwnisher: thanks for the reply! It is really frustrating that I own a damn keg and can not use it! I might get about 2 sessions in with a keg, so we will see how quick I can learn this as I have never done a clean and press with a keg. That is the only part of the medley that scares me because I am not good at explosive lifting and can only power clean about 85 kg.
One motion with the log will probably not be possible with this weight for me.
Unfortunately I don’t. It is more common around here that you have to clean it every time so I guess that will be the case.
@strongmanvinny2: thanks for the Tips! I will definitely implement your ideas! I will probably make my trainings during the week harder as well conditioning wise. I also like the idea of the rock or some other odd objects. Will keep my eyes out.
@flipcollar: hey man, thanks for stopping by. The competition is set on a beginner level but I agree that the weights are pretty light. More advanced Strongman ist obviously heavier here. It is however a very very unpopular sport. You have no idea how lucky you are in the US with competitions everywhere and gyms that have all kinds of great equipment. You know what the best Equipment strongman gym in my area was? The cheese factory (my home gym) by far.
Do you have a trap bar or frame? That’ll work fine for training farmers.
Try the overhead with what you have, just push it hard and do lots of timed work. A rep or two will make the difference in placing with the weights listed.
I do but like the other equipment, I won’t bei able to use it during this prep.
Certainly not the best conditions to enter a contest, but when it comes to competition, I take every I can.
Hey man, appreciate the tag. For the arm over arm pull, make sure you aren’t trying to row it, it’s a high-rep deadlift! Plant your feet on the horizontal surface if you are privided one (feet flat on it), grab up on the rope as far as you can, and fully extend your body - scapula to pavement. Then repeat. Get your rythem down as early as possible, & never sacrifice a full extension for a faster, shallower rep.
@TX_iron: Those are some great tips, thanks a ton!
Would have approached this way different if it wasn’t for this explanation.
Would you recommend wearing a belt for the arm over arm pull? Initally I wouldn’t have used one but now I am wondering of it would help.
Holy shit my quads are smoked. I know I did something that I am not used to … but wow! It HURTS to just do a body weight squat. Not sure if I should be looking forward to tomorrow’s workout. To ensure that my recovery is at its best I am drinking a couple of beers and am staying up late listening to music.
In other news I won’t see my girlfriend for about 4 weeks. I brought her to Flensburg yesterday, she was flown to Mallorca and is going on board the “Mircea” in 2 days. The Mircea is a Romanian sailing ship that is used instead of the “Gorch Fock” (schooling sailor of the German Navy - currently in repairs). This is the final part of her officer’s program before her studies at the army university in Munich begin (hence my moving to Munich).
Why am I telling you this? Because I already miss her dearly and it makes me sad and this is kind of a diary for me.
They look okay as far as I can tell. I am in no way an expert though. What does Koestrizer mean ?
You have a nice looking facility. Is that a home gym ? By the way, German is my hobby.
Hey man, welcome to the log.
Köstritzer (it is mispelled in my Tnation name) is the name of a German beer. They make a widely spread dark beer. When I created my username I was drinking a few of these and one was standing right next to my keyboard, that is why I chose the name. Koestritzer Hopfentee (my youtube name) is actually a joke. Hopfentee translated means hops tea, which is a comedic way of saying beer in German.
The cheese factory that I am often referring to is a “home gym”. It is located in an abandoned cheese factory (hence the name) in my village. I own all the strongman equipment inside and I share the place with a few combat sport people. Unfortunately I had to give it up recently because I am moving. The gym in the latest video is a random commercial gym located in Flensburg (the very north of Germany).
How come that German is your hobby? I imagine it to be a very hard language to learn because of the much more complicated grammar and spelling.
Where are you from?
Ich komme aus Wales in Grossbritannien . Ich habe Deutsch in der Schule gelernt. Ich kann Deutsch gut lessen aber nicht gut schreiben. Ich kann z.B. FAZ lessen . Du hast recht , dass die deutsche Grammatik etwas schwer fuer Englander ist. Ich bin ein Jahr in Koeln gewesen , als ich Student an der Uni war. Er ist ein echt-geiler Ort zu wohnen besonders zum Karneval.
Du bist jezt nach Flensburg gezogen , hat jemand Dir ein bisschen Plattdeutsch beigebracht,
Ich uebe auch I’m Moment 'Front’Tiefkniebeuge . Ich hoffe , du kannst mein Deutsch verstehen.
Ich bin 37 , ich habe Deutsch seit einigen Jahren mit dem Fernseher und Zeitung gelernt.
Was die Rechtschreibung angeht hast Du tatsächlich nur einen Fehler gemacht. Lesen schreibt man nur mit einem “s”, aber ansonsten ist alles perfekt.
Ich ziehe aktuell nach München, ich war nur in Flensburg um meine Freundin dorthin zu bringen. Sie dient in der deutschen Marine.
Ich komme ursprünglich aus Niedersachsen, unweit von Hannover.
Definitiv, dein Deutsch ist sehr gut!
Was hast du denn studiert in Köln?
Das ist wirklich beeindruckend!
In case some is interested:
decimation wrote that he is from Wales in great Britain and that he learned to speak German in school. He further said that he can read German very well but has some trouble writing, he for example reads the FAZ (a big and complex newspaper). He said that I am right when I said that the grammar isn’t easy for native English speakers. He lived in Cologne for a year and studied there. He liked it very much, especially at Carnival time. He asked me if I moved to Flensburg and if someone has taught me how o speak “Plattdeutsch”, which is one of many German accents.
He also said that he is in the process of learning to front squat and that he hopes that I can understand his German.
He is 37 years old and is learning German for a few years with the help of television and the newspaper.
I answered that his spelling was very good and that he made only one small mistake in the whole paragraph. I also said that I am not moving to Flensburg but to Munich and I only brought my girlfriend to Flensburg and that she is serving in the German Navy.
I also told that I am from lower Saxony (federal state in Germany) near the city of Hanover.
I told him that I have no trouble understanding his German and that he speaks German very well.
I asked what he studied in Cologne.
Referring to his statement that he learns German from television and the newspaper I answered that I am very impressed.
Danke fuer Deine netten Worten. Ich habe Jura studiert, als Teil meines englischen Studiums. Ich habe das Jahrgang mit blossen 4 bestanden. Glueckerlicherweise musste ich keine Aufsaetze schreiben. Ausserdem bin ich kein Anwalt geworden. Ich arbeite ab und zu mal in Customer Service . Ich habe gehoert, das man ein gutes reines Deutsch in Hannover spricht. Ich stelle mich vor, dass Du wahrscheinlich auch Niedlerlaendish verstehst /sprichtst. Wo hast Du so gut Englisch gelernst? Du schreibst wirklich super.
In bezug auf Gewichtheben, mag ich Kreuzhebeb am besten und auch Reizen (well snatch pull) wegen meiner schlechten Flexibiltaet. Was magst Du am besten bezuglich Gewichtheben.
Ich habe Deutsch bevor, den neuen Rechtschreibungsreform gelernt.
Was both, excited and anxious for this training session.
1 push press
50 kg x some
60 kg x 3
70 kg x 2
80 kg x 2
90 kg x 1
100 kg x 1
105 kg x 0
105 kg x 0
90 kg x 1
100 kg x 1
102,5 kg x 1
80 kg x 11 - PR (+1 rep)
2 Complex: 15 bent over rows + 10 clean and presses with 50 kg
3 min rest.
Did 3 rounds
Forearms cramped so bad and got so tense that I could barely close my left hand. Conditioning wise this was hard, but the grip issue was worse.
3 Complex: Dumbbell farmer’s walk with 45 kg for as far as possible + 5 one arm db c&p with 22,5 kg
rest 2-3 min.
Did 3 rounds. Used straps on the third round
4 smith machine shoulder press
10 kg per side x 8
20 kg per side x 6
25 kg per side x 6
5 lat pull down
2 x 12 or so
Notes:
ouch. During the workout I thought this isn’t too bad but once I finished the second complex I started feeling not so well and realized that I was completely shot.
forearms are really done
dbs for farmer’s walks are shitty. You always hit your legs, nearly throwing the dbs away.
strength on push presses is definitely down a bit but not terribly.
Happy to help man.Yeah I wore one. It pinched me pretty good though as I was on a platform & my skin kept getting caught between it & the belt, but I’d wear it again next time for the bracing. I also wore receiver gloves (US football) because the rope was new and I didn’t want it to slip.
