woodswise
TID Board Of Directors
- Apr 29, 2012
- 4,348
- 1,358
I competed in three strongman shows and one power lifting show in the past year and took third place at two of my strongman shows. While I am enjoying both sports, I want to talk about what I enjoy most about strongman (some of which I also enjoy about Power Lifting but that's for another time).
First, there is a huge variety of unusual lifts, so there is really no way you will ever get bored. There are so many strongman lifts to choose from and not enough time in the day to do them all so no two shows are alike. My first competition involved Log cleans, yoke carry, deadlift off blocks, and Atlas Stones to a platform. A month later, we were doing log clean and press, keg carries, car deadlifts and Atlas Stone over a bar. My third show introduced me to yoke press, sandbag and keg loading onto a wheelbarrow, then deadlifting the wheelbarrow as a single lift, and frame deadlifts.
Second, the spectators and other competitors are there to have fun and want to see you succeed. Even the lowest competitors get raw throated cheering when they struggle hard and complete a lift!
Third, strongman is all about speed and power. Speed alone isn't sufficient because the weights being lifted are brutal. Strength alone isn't sufficient because there is always someone faster than the strongest guys. What wins the day is going both heavy and fast! Unfortunately, with heavy and fast, comes a higher risk of injury. I have been lucky so far, but I think that is because I am still slow and not reaching the really heavy weights yet. Hopefully those will come this summer, and without injury!
Fourth, don't be afraid to get dirty. Our meets are often outside, in the dirt. We are handling kegs, sand bags and other items that are on the floor and sometimes on the ground or in the dirt. Lifting Atlas stones requires tacky to grip the stone, which leaves your hands, arms shirt and shorts a sticky gooey mess! And if you don't watch where you walk, you'll end up with a patch of sticky on your shoe and track it all over. Many competitors have a dedicated suit of clothes for Atlas Stone lifting, that show their experience level with those heavy globes, in the form of a layer of blackened glop on the front of the clothes! Definitely not something for wilting violet types . . .
Fifth, most of the training equipment is something you can build in your basement or garage. You will do well if you learn to weld. Farmer's walk handles? get some 2" pipe, with elbows and a welder. Yoke? Get some square stock steel, a drilll press and a welder and lots of black paint. Circus Dumbbell? Maybe some propane tanks and a 2" pipe, or some 12" steel pipe casing. Learn to mix cement, not only for building Atlas Stones, but for repairing your basement floor when the Atlas Stones smash the cement floor to rock dust.
Sixth, none of the competitors is normal. These people are all somewhat off the wall and crazy. Nice, but crazy, with maybe a few marbles on the loose! That's okay by me because I am not normal either, and I fit in just fine!
So for anyone thinking of trying strongman, here is my advice. Be ready to have lots of fun, to spend a lot of time building strange equipment for training, to meet some wonderful and crazy folks who will give you lots of rough love. Do your best to get fast and strong, and be mindful of the risk of injury. And most of all, be ready to have lots of fun, because this sport is fun, if you like this type of thing!
Finally, if you really get good at this, let me be your agent to help you spend the $100 a year you will earn as a professional in the sport!
ww.
PS this is not a cut and pasted article, just in case you were wondering . . .
First, there is a huge variety of unusual lifts, so there is really no way you will ever get bored. There are so many strongman lifts to choose from and not enough time in the day to do them all so no two shows are alike. My first competition involved Log cleans, yoke carry, deadlift off blocks, and Atlas Stones to a platform. A month later, we were doing log clean and press, keg carries, car deadlifts and Atlas Stone over a bar. My third show introduced me to yoke press, sandbag and keg loading onto a wheelbarrow, then deadlifting the wheelbarrow as a single lift, and frame deadlifts.
Second, the spectators and other competitors are there to have fun and want to see you succeed. Even the lowest competitors get raw throated cheering when they struggle hard and complete a lift!
Third, strongman is all about speed and power. Speed alone isn't sufficient because the weights being lifted are brutal. Strength alone isn't sufficient because there is always someone faster than the strongest guys. What wins the day is going both heavy and fast! Unfortunately, with heavy and fast, comes a higher risk of injury. I have been lucky so far, but I think that is because I am still slow and not reaching the really heavy weights yet. Hopefully those will come this summer, and without injury!
Fourth, don't be afraid to get dirty. Our meets are often outside, in the dirt. We are handling kegs, sand bags and other items that are on the floor and sometimes on the ground or in the dirt. Lifting Atlas stones requires tacky to grip the stone, which leaves your hands, arms shirt and shorts a sticky gooey mess! And if you don't watch where you walk, you'll end up with a patch of sticky on your shoe and track it all over. Many competitors have a dedicated suit of clothes for Atlas Stone lifting, that show their experience level with those heavy globes, in the form of a layer of blackened glop on the front of the clothes! Definitely not something for wilting violet types . . .
Fifth, most of the training equipment is something you can build in your basement or garage. You will do well if you learn to weld. Farmer's walk handles? get some 2" pipe, with elbows and a welder. Yoke? Get some square stock steel, a drilll press and a welder and lots of black paint. Circus Dumbbell? Maybe some propane tanks and a 2" pipe, or some 12" steel pipe casing. Learn to mix cement, not only for building Atlas Stones, but for repairing your basement floor when the Atlas Stones smash the cement floor to rock dust.
Sixth, none of the competitors is normal. These people are all somewhat off the wall and crazy. Nice, but crazy, with maybe a few marbles on the loose! That's okay by me because I am not normal either, and I fit in just fine!
So for anyone thinking of trying strongman, here is my advice. Be ready to have lots of fun, to spend a lot of time building strange equipment for training, to meet some wonderful and crazy folks who will give you lots of rough love. Do your best to get fast and strong, and be mindful of the risk of injury. And most of all, be ready to have lots of fun, because this sport is fun, if you like this type of thing!
Finally, if you really get good at this, let me be your agent to help you spend the $100 a year you will earn as a professional in the sport!
ww.
PS this is not a cut and pasted article, just in case you were wondering . . .
Last edited:
