To start this program, you’ll need to make sure you have a collection of Strongman objects in your gym. “But Aaron. Sometimes it’s a medley. Done. Suits allowed?

During this time on the week of five-plus you will not go for max reps. Just do the five required. With all of this in mind, I put together a workout program that would focus on weak point training as well as maintenance of my "strengths". Let me start by prefacing this with an opinion stated as though it was fact. For the sake of argument, let's say you can complete five reps with the given weights for the static events.
It’s worth it. What height will they be set to? There are a few tweaks I’ve made to the program to help adapt it to strongman training. It is a variation on the First Set Last principle that Jim Wendler talks about in some of the later editions of 5/3/1.

No one will judge you if you’re not destroying every event — and if they do then fuck that person. If you have one of these, do your best to emulate the event. This is fine if you can actually judge it with some degree of accuracy. Short answer, yes. The SS Yoke Bar is also a great variation. However, if you can handle it and your shoulders have the mobility to squat without irritating your elbows then feel free.

“But I’ve seen this all before. What I am saying is that if you are being tested on your ability to run a mile and half, why the fuck are you not running a mile a half at least once a week just to get some kind of indicator? There is a crossover, but why leave it to chance? So many strongmen press from the rack only to find out they can’t clean the weight up on contest day. Fuck those guys, they don’t help you lift cool shit. Pick a number you want.

It’s not impossible, and sure, you may have to watch a few other people get to pull it before you. Replace front squats with the event. My suggestion is that if you run the three-day template you take one day off between each day and then two days off after the events. I’ve seen it all. Throw in a few Instagram shots of us holding up a Vauxhall and we’d be happy. I’ve been riding the exercise bike.”. In an ideal world you'll do more weight and more reps, but let's remember the core values. If you want to do strongman then the clue is in the name.

I’ve run 5/3/1 myself and I love the program (I may have mentioned that already). Yoke and farmers are probably the most notable, but cars, sandbags, stones, kegs, and even people have been used. The percentages for the core lifts of 5/3/1 are worked out from your training max (TM). To Recieve a Free 12 week Strongman Training Program Name: Email: We respect your email privacy Recent Posts Worlds Strongest Man Events Released! With the four-day template I would do the press and deadlift days consecutively, then take a day off before the squats and cleans, and then another rest between that and the events day. Fair question. “None. Due to my schedule, I was able to put together a 3-day program with 1 auxiliary day that Think of it as a medium effort week between two heavy weeks of three-plus and one-plus, both of which will have First Set Last protocols in place. After each cycle, you add weight to your lifts and repeat. I like to set a target for this last set before I’m under the bar. The barbell bench press is out. Shake things up and change things around, but most importantly never quit having fun with Also, check if it’s one clean then press from shoulder or if every rep is from the ground. Sometimes there’s a turn. If the event is way too heavy for you to complete at your current strength then take a look at whether you want to turn up and zero rep a contest and feel like shit after (because you will). Side handles? It has a huge crossover to strongman events having the weight out in front of your body rather than over your shoulders.

Sigh. Specificity, or at least training for a goal, matters. Go buy some rope and borrow a friend's 4x4. Do you want a quick fix for being strong? Either keep the weight the same and fight for more reps or increase the weight and try not to drop too many reps. All my programmed percentages are from 90 kilograms. Week 4 — Deload (not shown in the tables): Some people don't use a forced deload and go by feel. The answer is 90. I would look at a three-cycle prep personally, which is 12 weeks. Hahaha. Strongman training, or rather, training to be strong like bigfoot can have numerous benefits when added to your current training program. So I’ve decided to share what has worked for me and clients, athletes, and friends of mine who were just trying to get stronger and do some cool shit along the way. Read more about strongman training here. So I’ve stuck with two simple templates based on a normal working week. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy getting an extra day to build up my girly calves as much as the next man in denial that they’re “fine", and if you have the time and the recovery ability to do more, then fantastic.

This program has been written with the intention of getting you strong in the right way for the sport. All that shit after the main lifts is great, but it's pointless if you can’t recover session to session and do each event with maximal effort. Deadlifts become deadlifts with an axle bar, pressing movements are usually overhead, and atlas stones are in the mix too.

After this, do your deload week. It’s basic mathematics. You’ve managed the weight and distance on the farmers walks in training but you're no Speedy Gonzales. This is fine. So that makes my TM 90 kilograms. My response of, “I’d start fucking running now if I were you” was both meant as literal advice and a genuine threat because of the instant rage I felt at the stupidity of the answer. Alright.

I get that this is a common problem. Maximuscle Strongman Training Plan. Is it round robin? I’m not saying it needs to be for all the big movements in every three-week cycle. Work on increasing reps with that weight using the traditional 5/3/1 approach. Whichever you’re doing—and often a show will have two of these—practice as close to the event as you can! Do not look at your notes from three years ago, when you were on gear and training every spare minute you had but now you're just getting back into training.

A very large portion of us don’t really care if we ever get to worlds or the internationals. This program has been written with the intention of getting you strong in the right

You see these a lot. A lot can be done with a set of Fat Gripz, your own stretch bands to tie weight plates together to emulate stones or shields, and a beer keg (filled with water or sand) or sandbag in your garden shed. I compete and do well. Look, eat for your goal like you train for your goal. So take time to prep. This is a twelve-week strongman and strength training cycle, designed to build you up to a competition at the end of the twelve weeks and get you stronger across the board. Duh.

There’s no end to the fun! For example, if I can overhead press 100 kilograms then I simply grab a calculator and type in 100 x 0.9. Invest a little. The stones you’re going to use the next weight down from the top contest weight that you have available until it’s time to test a single. This program is very specific and can be run multiple times, just start over. In an ideal world, you’ll get under a yoke most Saturdays too. Strongman competitor and coach Michael Gill presents a 12-week program for strongman training, suitable for beginners and advanced athletes alike. Again, use your judgment. Strongman Cycle One. Specificity, or at least training for a goal, matters. Strongman Cycle Two. Yes, you, with the piss-wet pants. Questions? How could strongman training help you in your daily life and workout program? I like pizza. Keg toss, tug of war, pole push, log toss, and timed holds could also be in the competition. I like writing shit down. Well, most people. So I’m doing you a favor and getting you ready for it! Click the Cycle Names Below to See Each Program .

So you don't need it all in the beginning. The 8 Greatest Strongman Exercises Fill the gaps in your program—functional strength, grip and conditioning—with a dose of strongman training. So I went to my beloved Google and asked for “5/3/1 for Strongman” and I was surprised to see that there wasn’t a whole lot out there. One of my biggest peeves with the fitness industry and even more so in the strength world is people avoid doing the basic, obvious training in favor of overly complex programs that beat around the bush and never go for the fucking kill. Timed? So sack up and get involved. It’s like trying to pull a nine when your ugly mug is only a five and you don’t have money. Easy peasy!


Add the necessary numbers to your core lifts as you would with the normal 5/3/1 cycle and go again. I figured I could at least write something useful! Is it max effort? Jim Wendler is two things: cool as fuck and switched on when it comes to training. There are some adaptions I like to make to the training cycles and the adaptions are largely based on the events you will have. During his first year competing he won BodyPower UK’s Strongest Novice and in his second year qualified for England’s Strongest Man u105kgs. Do not get me wrong, I’m not winning WSM next year, but neither are 99.9% of us. "Strong" means get strong. Aaron is a competitive u105kgs strongman based out of Hereford, England.

This is usually one of two variations: in a harness pulling the vehicle behind you like a fucking workhorse or with a thick rope in hands, pulling the vehicle towards you hand-over-hand. Use the normal formula to work out your TM and work to your ability. Instagram: @I_A.M_STRONG. Add five kilograms for lower body lifts (squat and deadlift) and two and a half kilograms for upper body (overhead press and cleans). I’m simple too, you see. Dumbbell farmers walks are fine but it’s not like the torpedo they make you run around with on contest day. I asked how much running he’s been doing and his answer, unfortunately, did not surprise me.

“I used to be able to...” usually translates to “I don’t stand a fucking chance of…” It only takes a week or two to do some tests so your numbers are up to date. Max reps in an allotted time appear in every single contest. Do your research. Also, I’ve gone with front squat over traditional squat for a couple of reasons. But then use the First Set Last principle and do a timed set. You are bound to have one in your competition: log, axle, keg, monster dumbbell, medley. I have high aspirations for myself in the sport and I really hope that even if you don’t want to compete, you at least expect a high standard of your physical self. What am I to do?”. If you’re reading this and you’ve not at least read Jim’s first edition of 5/3/1, then go away and pay some respect. If the event is going to be a timed event it might be smart to practice working to time.