Lifts with Best Strongman Carryover?

[Jacob Rowell]

I've been competing in NAS contests for about a year and a half now. Most of my training has involved rotating cycles of basic strength training with big lifts (Back/Front Squat, Presses, Deadlifts, Oly), followed by fairly sport specific training (just log presses, axle deadlifts, farmers, etc.., maybe a little maintenance work on the squat). As I'm progressing, I feel that each time I switch from strength training to SM, or vice versa, I'm having to regain a little ground. Also, as I'm looking to compete more frequently, I don't have time between contests to complete 2 separate cycles.

What I need is a more sustainable training method. I'd like to make gains over long periods of time on the major barbell lifts, but I know that the majority of my efforts need to be directed towards getting stronger at the SM implements if I want to compete regularly.

So, which lifts would you guys suggest training frequently to get the most transfer to SM? How often do you guys still do full squats, strict presses, etc.. How relevant are these lifts compared to say, push presses, zercher squats, box squats with chains, and the like when it comes to SM? How often do you train events?

Any general thoughts from guys experienced in strength sports on balancing absolute strength and sport specific skills, and maximizing the carryover between the two would be appreciated.

[Dave Van Skike]

gret thread jacob .

struggling with the same thing myself, adding in highland games is only going to make it worse.

some random thoughts

i know that marunde is a bit of a BB.com black hole, but there are several people over there who are worth following. Tom Mutaffis and Craig Pfisterer have real rational plans. Muttaffis is a total mutant but Craig seems to be an stronger than average guy who simply busts ass.

another thing i've gleened from older SM guys is the need to hit the one top effort on each day and then call it, no extra bs. squats and cleans are accessories to the events, not vice versa.

also, it seems like a split that is one day heavy pressing, one day squatting or pulling and then one day of nothing but events seems to consistently deliver for LW and HW guys. two days a week with barbells following a 531 type progression and ZERO accessoriers is the best i can come up with at this point.

[Jacob Rowell]

Thanks Dave. I've been looking around the training logs at Marunde-Muscle, which got me thinking that I need to get a better plan. I've seen both of those guys logs, and they're quite impressive.

Maybe I'll throw out some ideas. I will recognize first, that a lot of this will dependent on my strengths, weakness, what I respond to, and necessary level of training complexity. I don't want to get anything close to one of those "If you could only do THREE lifts.." kind of threads....

I respond well to back squatting once a week, if it's at a high enough volume/intensity. I'm doing 10 sets of 3 right now, putting on 10# each week. The only times I've put pounds on my press is through high volume, frequently. And If I'm not going to kill myself, I use a few different pressing movements (bench/press/push press), and lately I've been doing log PJ and axle PP, as well as barbell shoulder presses.

I'll have to look into the 531 stuff some, I heard it's all the rage.

Any thoughts on particular lifts to throw into heavy rotation? I know you're a fan of Zerchers. Box Squats? Rack or Axle Deads? I'm torn betweenmoving towards movements that more closely resemble strongman events, and sticking with the classic lifts.

[Patrick Donnelly]

I have no SM competition history, so I can't comment what lifts are best, but I would like to second checking out Craig Pfisterer's log.

justgetstrong.blogspot.com

He's also got a longer history of his workouts logged on the Power & Bulk forums.

[Gavin Harrison]

I don't do SM anything, so I just figured I'd throw in a quote from a Q&A w/ Louie Simmons found here.

Strongman Training
Q: Coach Simmons, how do you recommend one train for strongman? Thanks so very much for your time and consideration.

Louie SImmons: We had a strongman visit us not too long ago. He trained the same as our powerlifters with respect to the core exercises. We had him do considerably more GPP work and varied his accessory training using some strongman specific movements (ex. Overhead presses after his main bench exercise).

With weights, the bulk of his training was with low box squats, good mornings, deficit deadlifts, and band pulls. We took him from barely pulling 500 lbs to 800 lbs! We did not train deadlifts for reps with our view being that absolute strength will provide the strength endurance needed for his meets. In other words, if you can pull 800 lbs for a single, you can pull 700 lbs for reps. Conditioning should come from GPP, not the weights. This is ALWAYS true and I cannot emphasize it enough. Weights are for absolute strength and GPP for more generalized endurance.

We skipped powerlifting gear with the exception of briefs. He would not be competing in a suit so we felt that training with one would serve no purpose.

[Dave Van Skike]

Jacob, I had a long reply sorted out but I nuked it...too many words anyway.

on lifts, zerchers, band pulls, box squats with chains etc...are all great but honestly, I like them becuase i'm good at them. If I really wanted to drive my zercher, i'd do front squats and if i really want to drive my DL, I do rdl's, if I want my log or axle press to go up I do push presses and incline bench. I think for me, simple is better.

doing SM, Highland games and PL etc looks like it's getting really complicated, I think maybe the right appraoch is whatever volume and instensity can be managed so that the barbell totally supports the event work....for me, sadly, that means taking weight off the bar and hitting reps.

[Donald Lee]

Originally Posted by Gavin Harrison

In other words, if you can pull 800 lbs for a single, you can pull 700 lbs for reps. Conditioning should come from GPP, not the weights. This is ALWAYS true and I cannot emphasize it enough. Weights are for absolute strength and GPP for more generalized endurance.

That's not quite accurate. I wouldn't look to Louie for much outside of Powerlifting, and even then, you have to modify his stuff if you're not on drugs.