Strongman training focuses on developing maximum physical strength through lifting, pulling, pushing, and carrying heavy objects. It emphasizes intensity over quantity and requires regular training with competition equipment. Beginners should start with modified exercises and safety precautions should be taken. The philosophy behind the training is functional and sport-specific.
Strongman training is a specific type of athletic training designed to develop maximum physical strength rather than simply building muscle mass. It has been largely developed by and for contestants in strongman competitions. These contests feature athletes performing feats of lifting, pulling, pushing, and carrying very heavy everyday objects such as refrigerators, trucks, and large tires. These feats require extreme tendon strength, particularly in the obliques, arms, hands, and wrists. Some modified components of this training can also be adapted to other sports and training programs.
The average strongman workout focuses on intensity rather than quantity of exercises. Some strongman training exercises are quite similar to bodybuilding exercises; The main difference is in the amount of recovery time. These exercises generally use heavier weights with fewer repetitions and longer recovery times. A strong athlete may have a rest time of up to 15 minutes between sets of a particular exercise.
An effective strongman training program in a gym includes cardiovascular exercise combined with weight lifting, with an emphasis on presses, pull-ups, and squats. To perform well in strongman competitions, an athlete also needs to train regularly with the same equipment used in competitions. This part of a strongman workout may involve lifting and carrying heavy rocks, flipping tires, and pulling vehicles on ropes or chains.
Veteran strongman competitors recommend that beginners, particularly those switching from other sports such as weightlifting, begin with modified strongman training exercises. These types of powerlifters are used to working a few less muscles, and your strongman training should start by compensating for that to avoid injury. These exercises may incorporate smaller or lighter equipment at first, while the new athlete works in the gym to build strength in previously untrained areas.
The philosophy behind the design of strongman workouts is that of functional training. This approach means that each exercise must condition the body’s muscle memory to easily transfer the same movement and force to athletic performance. Functional training applies not only to strongman competitions, but to many other sports that require speed, strength, endurance, and agility. Strongman training is also based on the ideas of sport-specific training, as athletes also need to develop a mental awareness of each movement in order to improve.
As with any type of athletic training, there are some safety precautions to consider. Strongman workouts should only be done under the supervision and advice of an experienced fitness trainer. Each specific exercise must also be adapted to the athlete’s age and existing physical condition. As strength increases, heavier equipment and more challenging exercises can be added over time.
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