hugerobb
VIP Strength Advisor
- Sep 15, 2010
- 2,027
- 56
Heavy Log Lifting is one of the most popular events in strongman contests. I have witnessed Jesse Marunde lift a 370 pound log overhead with little apparent difficulty.
There is something basic and primitive about lifting a large, heavy object overhead.
Some strongmen excel at overhead events like log lifting because they combine their strength with excellent weightlifting technique. Jesse Marunde is one of those guys. He is a multi-year weightlifting champion for the State of Washington is addition to being a top professional strongman. I have learned from watching him competing in log lifting, but I have not been able to learn the technique well enough for it to help me. My technique relies almost entirely on strength, with only a little help from momentum.
The first log lifting event for maximum weight that I ever did, was at the 2001 Washington’s Strongest Man contest. I tried to power clean the log and then press it overhead, without having ever tried it before. I did okay and lifted 282 pounds, and got third place behind Jesse Marunde and Grant Higa, who are both Professionals now. As I stated before, Jesse used a weightlifting technique, but what I really noticed was that Grant had a solid power technique and lifted 322 pounds. It was his style that I have tried to emulate.
Improve your Log Lifting with Olympic weight lifting.
The first step in strongman training for log lifting is to approach it and stand with a shoulder width stance, right up against the log.
Bend over and take a grip on the handles. Take a big breath and hold it, squat down slightly, and row the log into your stomach. Ideally, you want the log to touch your upper stomach just above your belt.
The next step is to quickly stand up, pulling the log up toward your shoulders, and then pushing your elbows forward, rolling the log up your torso until it reaches your upper chest and rests there. I know that is alot to think about at first, but with a little practice it becomes second nature. After reading this, it also helps to watch some strongman contests on TV or video, and watch the top guys do this. It will make more sense then.
Now it is time for the press. Take another deep breath and hold it. Dip your knees and bump the log up in the air. Push the log up with all your might at the same time until it is locked out overhead. When you get your timing down and can get a really big bump, the upward momentum of the log will allow you to lift a whole lot more weight overhead.
That is the Power technique for Log Lifting. Conducting your weightlifting workouts using that technique, you can work on either maximum weight or a set weight for reps, depending what your events are in your next contest.
For maximum weight, start with 5 sets of 5 reps from the ground to overhead and back to the ground each set. Do that once a week for 2 or 3 weeks. Then do 5 sets of 3 reps for 2 weeks. Finally do 5 sets of 1 repetition with a weight that you could do 2 reps with if you needed to, on your final training day before the contest.
If you are training to do maximum reps with a set weight, load the log to a weight that is about 20 pounds lighter than the one at the contest. Do 8 sets of 8 reps with only 2 minutes between sets each week until it is too easy. Then you can increase the reps per set to 10 or 12 while still doing 8 sets. You will have to be your judge to decide when to increase your reps, and by how much.
By following this plan, you should be able to improve your log lifting considerably and keep improving until you are lifting huge weights!
There is something basic and primitive about lifting a large, heavy object overhead.
Some strongmen excel at overhead events like log lifting because they combine their strength with excellent weightlifting technique. Jesse Marunde is one of those guys. He is a multi-year weightlifting champion for the State of Washington is addition to being a top professional strongman. I have learned from watching him competing in log lifting, but I have not been able to learn the technique well enough for it to help me. My technique relies almost entirely on strength, with only a little help from momentum.
The first log lifting event for maximum weight that I ever did, was at the 2001 Washington’s Strongest Man contest. I tried to power clean the log and then press it overhead, without having ever tried it before. I did okay and lifted 282 pounds, and got third place behind Jesse Marunde and Grant Higa, who are both Professionals now. As I stated before, Jesse used a weightlifting technique, but what I really noticed was that Grant had a solid power technique and lifted 322 pounds. It was his style that I have tried to emulate.
Improve your Log Lifting with Olympic weight lifting.
The first step in strongman training for log lifting is to approach it and stand with a shoulder width stance, right up against the log.
Bend over and take a grip on the handles. Take a big breath and hold it, squat down slightly, and row the log into your stomach. Ideally, you want the log to touch your upper stomach just above your belt.
The next step is to quickly stand up, pulling the log up toward your shoulders, and then pushing your elbows forward, rolling the log up your torso until it reaches your upper chest and rests there. I know that is alot to think about at first, but with a little practice it becomes second nature. After reading this, it also helps to watch some strongman contests on TV or video, and watch the top guys do this. It will make more sense then.
Now it is time for the press. Take another deep breath and hold it. Dip your knees and bump the log up in the air. Push the log up with all your might at the same time until it is locked out overhead. When you get your timing down and can get a really big bump, the upward momentum of the log will allow you to lift a whole lot more weight overhead.
That is the Power technique for Log Lifting. Conducting your weightlifting workouts using that technique, you can work on either maximum weight or a set weight for reps, depending what your events are in your next contest.
For maximum weight, start with 5 sets of 5 reps from the ground to overhead and back to the ground each set. Do that once a week for 2 or 3 weeks. Then do 5 sets of 3 reps for 2 weeks. Finally do 5 sets of 1 repetition with a weight that you could do 2 reps with if you needed to, on your final training day before the contest.
If you are training to do maximum reps with a set weight, load the log to a weight that is about 20 pounds lighter than the one at the contest. Do 8 sets of 8 reps with only 2 minutes between sets each week until it is too easy. Then you can increase the reps per set to 10 or 12 while still doing 8 sets. You will have to be your judge to decide when to increase your reps, and by how much.
By following this plan, you should be able to improve your log lifting considerably and keep improving until you are lifting huge weights!