EVERYONE should do some form of strongman training...
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Yes,this may sound HERETIC but whether you are male or female,young or old,whether your goal is to gain strength,have more size,lose inches or simply just to look more toned,some form of strongman training is beneficial for you.
Strongman training is one of the most kickass read shiong yet shiok training around.This kind of training works virtually everything from top to bottom-essentially it is a full body workout and we all know full body routines kick ass in everything.
I know you may be wondering "I am so weak,how can I do strongman training,furthermore,I dont have the equipment." Well,my answer to you is simple-you can incorporate strongman training even in your clubfitt gym.You just need a few plates.
You can do the following strongman movements in your regular commercial gym.
Bear hug and walk-you simply hug a plate to your chest and walk up and down the gym for the desired no of times.When you go beyond a single 20kg plate,you can bring a big haversack and put the 10kg and 15kg plates inside it and walk.
Farmer's walk with dumbbells or plates-I know the heaviest DB in your regular gym is only 30kg,but seriously how many trainees can even hold a 30kg DB in each hand and walk fast? When you can go beyond 30kg DBs,try pinching gripping two 20kg plates and walk...
Plate pushing-put some plates on the floor,push the plates from one end of the gym to the other.Again if you work hard on this,you will progress quite fast and so you might have difficulty performing this movement if you stack three 20kg plates on top of each other and try pushing them-those at the top will slide off.In the meantime,use a 20kg as the base and smaller plates on top.
I just incorporated some strongman movement into my client's training this morning.After his weights session,I made him push 35kg worth of plates over the width of the gym,straightaway after that,I made him do farmer's walks.He was almost annihilated at the end,but he said it was the toughest yet utterly satisfying training session he ever had.Of course,what he did elicited quite a few stares.
As I said,this form of training works everything from top to bottom,afterall,when you are pushing some plates and you are just 3 m from the finishing line,your whole body is screaming for you to stop,you have to dig into your deepest reserves to go on. All in all,this training will also toughen up your resolve and build character.Only those who have trained this way can identify with what I say.
For those who say "I don't wanna be so hardcore",my retort to you is "Is farmer's walks with 30kg DBs hardcore? No chance in hell,I can do farmer's walks with 70+kg barbells and I dont consider it hardcore"
Sorry for the long post.You would do well to try what you have just read for for a change,you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.Lazy asses can quit anytime they want of course.
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I was thinking of starting.... Heaviest dumbbell in gym is only 25kg, not 30kg worOriginally posted by Marco_Simone:Farmer's walk with dumbbells or plates-I know the heaviest DB in your regular gym is only 30kg,but seriously how many trainees can even hold a 30kg DB in each hand and walk fast? When you can go beyond 30kg DBs,try pinching gripping two 20kg plates and walk...
25kg can walk rather fast if just hold and walk though..... Tried before when taking the weight and walking to the bench. Just dunno can walk how far.....
School gym max only 20kg somemore, which is damn stupid
I think probably I will try using the barbell instead and stack it to 30kg to try first.
Question: How is the body's position like?Originally posted by Marco_Simone:Plate pushing-put some plates on the floor,push the plates from one end of the gym to the other.Again if you work hard on this,you will progress quite fast and so you might have difficulty performing this movement if you stack three 20kg plates on top of each other and try pushing them-those at the top will slide off.In the meantime,use a 20kg as the base and smaller plates on top.
Just one thing, other than eliciting stares which I don't really bother, I want to know if the instructor will stop us from plate pushing. How far to push? Farmer's walk, how far to walk for each rep? Is about 15m ~ 20m enough before making a U-turn? Cuz Hougang gym only got 1 area around that distance which I can do it, and won't block anyone or get blocked by anyone. -
Someone wrote this on http://www.nlpbodybuilding.com/farmers-walk.html
The Farmers Walk is a traditional strongman event that requires a strong back and plenty of grip strength.
The Farmers Walk is done by grasping the handles of the weights in each hand, standing up with them, and walking. In professional competition, the weights vary from around 265 pounds per hand to almost 400 pounds per hand! The contest can be to walk as far as you can with the weights with a pre-set number of set downs allowed, or to walk/run a set distance for the fastest time. Most of the time the event is done over a set distance for time, and set up for two or more contestants to go side by side in a race.
The first time I competed in a Farmers Walk event was in the Highland Games in 1997. In this contest, we carried 175 pounds in each hand for distance. I finished in third place behind two guys who were not very strong, but I learned that my grip needed improvement.
In 2001, I was preparing for a Strongman contest and the Farmers Walk was to be the first event. I knew I wanted to do well, so I obtained a set of 260 pound Farmers Walk weights. They were not adjustable, but the weight was just right for training, because the weight in the contest was going to be 282 per hand. I was able to practice a few times before the contest, and it made a difference. This time my grip was just fine, and I picked up those weights and was almost running. What I had not prepared for was turning. I hit the turnaround at almost full speed and tried to turn quickly and keep going at the same pace. As soon as I rounded the turn, the long Farmers Walk implements began to swing violently across my legs and tripped me up. I dropped the weights, so I had to get them back next to each other, pick them up and continue. By this time the lactic acid was kicking in and I was wobbling down the course with no sign of the power and speed I had before the drop. I ended up falling down two or three feet before the finish line at 200 feet, and placing third behind Jesse Marunde and Corey St. Clair. Now both of these guys are professional Strongmen, and both of them are very good at the Farmers Walk, but on that day I believe I could have beaten them if I had prepared properly for the turn.
So here is what I have learned about the Farmers Walk and how to prepare properly for it. First you have to have the BACK STRENGTH to lift the weights and support them throughout the event. The best exercise to develop this strength is Deadlifts. You should train this just like you do for Powerlifting to help with your maximal strength, and also train it with higher reps to help with your strength endurance so that you can last the whole event. You should also include Good Mornings, Shrugs for your traps, and some heavy abdominal exercises to strengthen your core. Squats are a must to strengthen your legs, back and your core so that you can handle heavy weights easily.
Once you have the back strength you can pick up the weights, right? Only if your grip strength is up to par. I have seen many strong men fail to pick up the weights in the Farmers Walk because their grip strength was lacking. No straps will be allowed, so you must work your grip. The Deadlifts will help, but you may need to include some thick bar lifting, gripper training, wrist rollers and anything else you can find that will strenghen the muscles in your hand and fingers. Another factor to consider is that your skin needs to be tough as well. The knurling of the handles on a heavy weight can rip the skin right off your hand if it is not tough enough. Make sure to practice hanging onto heavy weights on bars with knurling to prepare your hands for the assault.
The third thing you need to prepare for is walking with the weights. Even if you can pick up and hang onto a weight with no problem, walking or running with it is another thing entirely. While Squats will help your legs to be prepared for the weight, the coordination of that strength cannot happen without specific training. What this means in simple terms is that if you want to be good at the Farmers Walk, you must practice the Farmers Walk. I especially believe you need to practice turning, since most people struggle with that aspect. You should practice with heavy weights for distance, light weights for distance, and medium weights for speed over a set distance. You may include more variety as you deem appropriate, but at least do these three.
Train hard and be consistent, and you can reach your goals! -
Plate pushing video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60AU7W96ROkOriginally posted by eagle:Question: How is the body's position like?
Just one thing, other than eliciting stares which I don't really bother, I want to know if the instructor will stop us from plate pushing. How far to push? Farmer's walk, how far to walk for each rep? Is about 15m ~ 20m enough before making a U-turn? Cuz Hougang gym only got 1 area around that distance which I can do it, and won't block anyone or get blocked by anyone.
Well today when I made my client do it,the instructor sorta looked at us,I thought he wanted to come forward and stop us but he didnt...
I do my sled work and farmer's walks for only around 15 m coz my gym is small,would prefer a longer distance but its still better than nothing -
Or he don't dare to stop youOriginally posted by Marco_Simone:Plate pushing video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60AU7W96ROk
Well today when I made my client do it,the instructor sorta looked at us,I thought he wanted to come forward and stop us but he didnt...
I do my sled work and farmer's walks for only around 15 m coz my gym is small,would prefer a longer distance but its still better than nothing
Hmmm... I shall attempt some farmer's walk after my deadlifts tmr with 25kg dumbbells as a start -
You mentioned you wanna try using barbells,well its very hard for the bar to be parallel to the ground,even if you are holding the exact centre of the bar,quite often,one end will invariably tilt towards the floor and terminate the walk.Originally posted by eagle:Or he don't dare to stop you
Hmmm... I shall attempt some farmer's walk after my deadlifts tmr with 25kg dumbbells as a start
Dont believe me,try it tomorrow...and yes I wonder what the instructor will say about using 2 barbells to do the walks. -
ya lor ya lorOriginally posted by Marco_Simone:You mentioned you wanna try using barbells,well its very hard for the bar to be parallel to the ground,even if you are holding the exact centre of the bar,quite often,one end will invariably tilt towards the floor and terminate the walk.
Dont believe me,try it tomorrow...and yes I wonder what the instructor will say about using 2 barbells to do the walks.
that's why try with dumbbells first after being tired
there's one corner in hougang gym near the toilet which is blocked from everywhere else... unless the instructor walk there, cannot see de. Distance about 10m or less I guess..... but won't block anyone who is walking around though... hougang gym rather crowded on weekends leh -
How to incorporate strongman training into your routine?
For me, i do 2 weights sessions and 1 strongman session per week.
You could follow this or assuming you train 3 days/week,you do 2s events fter each weight session. -
Originally posted by Marco_Simone:
Bear hug and walk-you simply hug a plate to your chest and walk up and down the gym for the desired no of times.When you go beyond a single 20kg plate,you can bring a big haversack and put the 10kg and 15kg plates inside it and walk.
this one i can do at home
carry my new sack of rice walk around the house
but hor got any weight recommendation? to start at 20.. not bad for back meh?
Farmer's walk with dumbbells or plates-I know the heaviest DB in your regular gym is only 30kg,but seriously how many trainees can even hold a 30kg DB in each hand and walk fast? When you can go beyond 30kg DBs,try pinching gripping two 20kg plates and walk...
this one i cannot do... my grip v lousy.. unless grip can be trained? can grip be trained de mah?
Plate pushing-put some plates on the floor,push the plates from one end of the gym to the other.Again if you work hard on this,you will progress quite fast and so you might have difficulty performing this movement if you stack three 20kg plates on top of each other and try pushing them-those at the top will slide off.In the meantime,use a 20kg as the base and smaller plates on top.
eh actually what does the plates look like?
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wah lau, u reply inside quote very hard to quote u back leh
1) your sack of rice 20kg ah? I think you can try try la. If too heavy then reduce amount of rice. If too light then do longer lorOriginally posted by shinta:Bear Hug
this one i can do at home carry my new sack of rice walk around the house
but hor got any weight recommendation? to start at 20.. not bad for back meh?
Farmer's Walk
this one i cannot do... my grip v lousy.. unless grip can be trained? can grip be trained de mah?
Plate pushing
eh actually what does the plates look like?
2) Grip can train de. One way is to just hold a heavy dumbbell and do nothing. Anoher way is to hang at pull up bar, just hang only also can train, hang till no strength. Another way is to use those Hand grips.
I think train forearm also improve grip. One way to train at home is to take a towel, soak in water, then twist it dry. Repeat many times. Another way is to use one hand only, crush up a page of the newspaper. Do for many pages and you will feel it.
3) Plates ah....
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the sack of rice.. get big big bag to put 2 packs lor.. but hor liddat start at 20 immediately will injure back anot? i got injured my back last time i think.. back aches quite oftenOriginally posted by eagle:wah lau, u reply inside quote very hard to quote u back leh
1) your sack of rice 20kg ah? I think you can try try la. If too heavy then reduce amount of rice. If too light then do longer lor
2) Grip can train de. One way is to just hold a heavy dumbbell and do nothing. Anoher way is to hang at pull up bar, just hang only also can train, hang till no strength. Another way is to use those Hand grips.
I think train forearm also improve grip. One way to train at home is to take a towel, soak in water, then twist it dry. Repeat many times. Another way is to use one hand only, crush up a page of the newspaper. Do for many pages and you will feel it.
3) Plates ah....
2) hmm last time i got try hanging.. cos i play at the monkey bar everyday my skin become rougher nia, more pain nia... my grip still kns.. but hor dunno related anot.. i can hold sth... den suddenly release my grip one leh.. i drop my hp a few times liddat -
then try 1 pack first lor.... 10kgOriginally posted by shinta:the sack of rice.. get big big bag to put 2 packs lor.. but hor liddat start at 20 immediately will injure back anot? i got injured my back last time i think.. back aches quite often
2) hmm last time i got try hanging.. cos i play at the monkey bar everyday my skin become rougher nia, more pain nia... my grip still kns.. but hor dunno related anot.. i can hold sth... den suddenly release my grip one leh.. i drop my hp a few times liddat
ya skin will get rougher. Most people who go to the gym and train heavy, or guys who do lots of chin ups (especially in army), hands sure rough de, especially at the place between palm and fingers. -
rough skin nt that much of a problem... just my grip still suckyOriginally posted by eagle:then try 1 pack first lor.... 10kg
ya skin will get rougher. Most people who go to the gym and train heavy, or guys who do lots of chin ups (especially in army), hands sure rough de, especially at the place between palm and fingers.
hp drop liddat.. replace v expensive
the rice pack... won't have back aches one hor?
i need to go buy rice liao... [my rice eat finish le] -
If you wanna get a gripper for some serious grip work,get the Captains of Crush one instead of the run of the mill types you can find sports shops.
http://www6.mailordercentral.com/ironmind/products.asp?dept=8