I love to incorporate strongman training into weekly training programs and into various portions of the yearly plan as it offers so many positive benefits with regard to adaptations of conditioning and strength. Research has been done on salivary testosterone levels and strongman trainees and it was found that strongman training produces very similar levels of testosterone immediately post and 30 minutes post workout just as most traditional hypertrophy programs do. This is encouraging information as it is important to consider hormonal output and strength training as any level of increase in testosterone will have a good a positive response to weight loss and strength development. One can incorporate strongman training into hypertrophy programs sparingly and not negatively influence performance. One can also place strongman training into maximal strength phases and muscular endurance phases of programming. It has application in all avenues of fitness, there are many very simple methods of adding in strongman training to the program;
1. THE FINISHER – add to the end of any traditional strength training workout after a short rest. The best choices are carrying variations – yoke carries, farmers walks, keg walking, etc. These exercises have a low technical component and in many cases tax the torso and grip to a level that will aid muscular development and strength production. Strongman carrying exercises tax the torso musculature (core) more than does most traditional exercises, which will have a positive carry over to the traditional compound movement training.
2. THE POSTERIOR CHAIN – add to a posterior training day in place of deadlift variations or olympic weightlifting variations. Good examples of this are tire flips, log clean and press variations, or stone loading. Each of these movements has an element of triple extension hip extension similar to olympic or powerlifting pulls. Swap a power clean for reps of tire flipping or a stone loading to platform or over a height in place of deadlifts.
3. ANAEROBIC DEVELOPMENT – I like to use strongman training in the BOSS Triplets as a HIIT variation for anaerobic endurance training. Here is an example that can be used;
A. In 60sec complete;
– 3-4 tire flips
– 8-12 unbroken DB bench press or push press
– Double rope undulations for the remainder of 60sec
Every 4 minutes x 5-6 rounds.
**Shoot for near 20seconds at each movement for optimal results.
This workout is a great way to train the posterior train and the anaerobic endurance system, I use this in CrossFit group classes all the time. The combination of push/pull with a metabolic finisher is devastating and highly effective. HIIT training of course has a massive carryover to aerobic fitness due to the limited recovery each round, but the level of recovery is safe enough to allow for proper strength performance on the tires each round – do not shorten the rest or you will alter the strength stimulus and the energy system response.
4. AEROBIC PERFORMANCE – I hate most steady state aerobics (most of you know this about me), but you can very easily put together an excellent aerobic interval session with strongman training. This again is one of my favourite CrossFit group class workouts plans. An example workout that I have had success with is;
A. Complete in teams of 4 rotating through partners at each station of;
– 6 minutes of moderate load farmers walks (30-50′)
– 6 minutes of Backward sled drags at moderate to heavy load (30-50′)
– 6 minutes of Yoke walks at moderate loads (30-50′)
– 6 minutes of 30-50′ sprints
**The loads must be set appropriately at each station to allow each member to travel through he distances of each movement without breaking or taking too much time as it will slow the rotation of partners too much. At stations 1-3 each team member should get a minimum of 4-5 trips with the implement
5. EVENT DAYS – This is more for the person looking to compete or take their strongman training more seriously. This is an additional day of solely events training that would be tacked onto a traditional weightlifting or powerlifting program, strongman training makes a beautiful complement to these programs if programmed properly and with adequate recovery. Typically, one would choose 2-3 events to focus on and train each for 20-40 minutes with a 10-30 minutes break in between each to allow a small level of mental and physical recovery. Events to train might be;
– farmers walk variations (heavy and light for distance)
– yoke carries
– Keg carries
– stone or sandbag loading
– log clean and press variations
– tire flipping
– prowler pushes
– sled drags (forward, backward, lateral)
– Implement throws (shot-put, sledge, kettle bell, etc.)
– hand over hand rope pulls
– circus dumbell work
Last point – Take time to learn proper technique on all lifts as their dynamic nature and unique postural components require a good coach and a good sense of movement. Choose technique over load fort the first while as it is important to master the positional strength before pushing loads and performance.
1. Ghigiarelli JJ, Sell KM, Raddock JM, Taveras K. Effects of strongman training on salivary testosterone levels in a sample of trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Mar;27(3):738-47. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182578115. PubMed PMID: 23443220.
