The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

Hahaha not bad for doing after a full back day huh?! Thanks tho man. This place has strongman training every Wednesday and has strongman contest pretty often. I’m gonna get in the program as soon as I find out about this job tomorrow.

 

Ok so first off, narrow your stance a lot. See how you start wide on the pick then your feet immediately go back in? Start off a lot narrower.

Second, keep your head up looking where you want to go, not at your feet.

Third, keep your chest up and high. Take a big bracing breath and keep that tension the whole time, a thicker belt helps. Stay tight the whole run and take short quick breaths while keeping your bracing and your chest strong and high.

Also, don't wrap your hands around the yoke. Its hard to explain but keep your hands on the back and thumbs around only. Like grip the back of the yoke how you would a can of beer. You want to push the yoke forward with your arms/hands while simultaneously moving. It will feel like the weight of the yoke pushing forward is gonna make you fall on your face, but that forward running motion keeps that from happening.

Last... that didn't look like 50ft but not bad for a first time.

 

Thanks homie. I was looking down to try and keep the yoke on lol. I’ll do what you said next time I come to this gym! Shits fun. I’ll wear my belt next time too

 

You'll find that the yoke will be more on your shoulders than your actual back when you focus on keeping your chest and head high.

 

Any need to adjust the actual height of the crossbar?

 

In regards to stance, one of my best learning methods was farmer carries. Those force you to narrow your stance and when you have 100+ (ok IK 100 isn't shit, but that's alot for most of us ) in each hand your steps are baby AF

 

Noted. I’ll do it again in a few days and will do 50 feet lol. I tried the log and was like “okay... they roll it off their belly in videos” but ended up like “how in the fuck are they rolling it..” hahaha

 

I wanted to try those but my hands were destroyed lol.

 

https://youtu.be/_Aiexsle-sM this will show you everything I said but in video form. He is the one who trained me on how to do the yoke lol

 

The trick with the log is to bent over row it into your lap (once its past your kneed squat down). Handles must face upwards (when you get it to your lap) to help with rotation when it lands on your chest. Think of it in 3 steps. Bent over row, Belly roll through a hip thrust (kinda like power clean) and then a push press which is heavily focus on leg drive.

 

Its kind of personal preference really. I like it lower than most, but I also keep the yoke at the same angle during the run so it isn't dragging the ground. Some guys go high since they aren't as stable and the yoke is tipping back and forth catching the ground.

 

Yep, farmers and yoke should have basically the same foot placement, steps and chest/back position. Chest high, shoulders back and lats tight with smaller quick burst steps. Same breathing technique and everything.

Having said that, I will choose farmers carry over a yoke any day in comp lol After doing a super heavy yoke, especially for like max distance, I am trashed for while lol

 

Log is one those things that is hard to replicate by watching people, you have to just learn by doing it. The main thing is keeping it tight against your chest and using your whole body to clean it up, not just arms.

 

I’m hooked. This strongman stuff is fun lol. Definitely going to do it a couple times a week atleast.

 

Its definitely fun but if you take it serious enough be prepared to always be hurting lmao

It takes a toll, especially at heavyweight levels

 

I don’t have the bone structure, time or funds to ever get that serious.
I’m only 5’9-5’10 so my body can’t handle putting on massive weight, my wife and I are trying to get our finances together so I can’t afford to spend a ton of money on mountains of food and we are trying to put a baby in the oven so I don’t/won’t have tons of free time to practice for hours on end.

That being said, I’ll get as serious as I can for a hobby. The old country boy raised on a farm that I am feels at home doing this kinda awkward lifts and shit.

 

You don't have to be huge lol every comp should have a lightweight class and those are pretty competitive. I know lots of people smaller than you who compete regularly.

Just have fun with it, don't worry about being a giant.

 

Another thing is I’m gonna stay natural too. I joke and love the idea of juice but with trying to have a baby and being a noob.... I gotta be natural and just eat more.

If I can get a coach tho or someone to say “you got that farm boy strength, you may be a natural” then I’m gonna goto every come possible hahaha

 

5 days out from my comp. Felt weird doing legs today and only basically doing a warm up for squats. At least I’ll be well rested and ready to hopefully hit the numbers I want. Planning on opening with 450 squat, 330 bench, and a 520 dead.

Woke up at 228.5 so I’m good to go on my weight as long as my scale is correct.

 

Good luck! Nice numbers!!