fair post...about to finish work so gotta go in 10 so this will be brief until tomorrow
Training
I like your adaptability and this "odd lifting" type stuff is the same as lifting db's and bb's...the body doesn't recognise WHAT you're lifting but HOW HEAVY it is...so lifting a 20kg branch overhead is the same as a 20kg bb...you'll even use more stabiliser muscles as it it would be odd shaped and the wt wouldn't equal on both ends ect...check out this article:
http://www.defrancostraining.com/articl ... ongman.htm
This is other strongman stuff from archives:
Old School Training
• Sandbags – Carries, Rows, Squats, Rotations, Lunges, OH…combos and complexes with exercises such as Turkish Get Ups, Shouldering into Squatting, Burpees, Snatches, Clean Squat Press and Thrusters…also combine with walking and movements such as every 10 steps do 3 – 5 reps of an exercise (Squat, Bent Row, OH etc)…for power throw bag, Squat and Push Throw, Scoop Toss and Rotational Throw…can throw from grounds for starting strength or with pre momentum for acceleration…for athletes use TUT for up to 6mins without putting down…Sleds and Tyres – do sprints for starting power and power endurance…do Rows with 1 or 2 arms, Rows with Rotation, High Pulls, Chest Presses, Sumo Walks and Bear Crawls…if you don’t have a sled use a tyre…Wood Chopping / Sledge Hammering – use a tyre for Sledging…can use 1 or 2 handed swings…do in a variety of directions – OH with right than left hand on top, across right than left shoulder, side swings from left to right like baseball…do as finisher for reps or time putting entire body into each swing…start with a 10pd sledgey and progress to a 20…Trucks – builds lower, trunk stability, delts, tri’s and upper back…do for distance or time…if you have a heavy harness can use as a sled with forwards and backwards walking but hands on uses more upper…usually done last but can do anywhere
Old School Workout Ideas
• No program design rules…try Sleds 1 day, Sandbags the next, Sledging another and Trucks next time…will tax CNS so build up at own pace…1 – wu with callisthenics and joint mobility x 5 – 10mins…2 – Sled x 10 – 12mins non stop with Forward Drag x 35m, Chest Press x 8, Row x 8, Backward Drag x 20m, High Pulls x 5 and continue until time…3 – Sandbag Clean and Press 3 x 6 – 8…4 – Bag Shoulder and Squat 3 x 5 (10 total) each shoulder…5 – Truck Push 6 x 20secs or 1 x 50m non stop…6 – Sledgy circuit x 1 – 3 – OH Swing x 8, Left Side Shoulder x 8, Right Side Shoulder x 8, Left Side Swing x 8, Right Side Swing x 8, OH Swing x 8
Sandbags and KB’s for Conditioning
• Builds cardio vascular endurance, strength endurance and power endurance…improves conditioning via loaded movements…try alternate s/s Sandbag and KB exercises for 5 x 5 each with 1min rest between sets…Burpees with Sandbags or KB’s incorporating the sprawl back, push ups, clean, squat and press…can do sets of 10 – 20 reps or sets of 1 – 2mins…circuits of more than 2 exercises…Sandbag Bent Row x 8, 1 Arm KB Clean and Press x 5 each arm, Sandbag Dead / Morning Hybrid x 8 x 5 circuits at least…couplets which is combining sandbags or KB exercises with a bw movement and pushing for high reps…2 Arm Swings and BW Squats 3 x 20 each, Pull Ups and Double Clean and Press 5 x 5 each, Dips and Sandbag Snatches 3 x 10 each…training for time or rounds…pick 3 exercises and do as many sets as possible…reps can be descending or ascending or set…Sandbag Clean and Press, 2 Hand KB Swings, Walking Lunges with Sandbag
Sled Dragging Variations
• Use a rope that’s used for water skiing that’s in the shape of a Y…forward drag with strap around belt, backward drag with strap around belt, side (lateral movement) drag with strap around belt, side drag while crossing feet over with strap around belt, bear Crawls done for speed with strap around belt, walking lunges with strap around belt, standing Chest press with the split rope (done with elbows in and neutral grip), standing Chest press with the split rope (done with elbows out and palms facing down), forward lean tricep extension with the split rope, standing pulldown abs with split rope (done exactly as you would if using a cable or band apparatus), pull throughs using the split rope, forward walking with the rope in pull through position (sumo walks), forward walking with arms extended in front (walk with high knees for extra variety), one arm chest presses (alternate left and right one rep at a time), forward drag with split rope, hands behind back, backward drag with split rope, shoulders retracted slightly if weight is light enough, high pulls using the split rope, rows to chest with split rope, 1 arm rows using split rope, 1 arm rows with rotation, rotational pulls (complete designated reps for one side, then switch to the other side) – start with the rope down by knees and then explosively rotate up and across body, reverse Fly variations (using light weight / empty sled) – we call these the I, Y & T pulls, since you move your arms in the shape of these letters. These are great for working the smaller muscles of the upper back and deltoids and do not require heavy weights… is a safe option for dynamic work as there is no neg. You’ll know if it was explosive as the rope will be loose
Hard-Core Circuit Training
• Do for either predetermined sets/reps or time…uses strongman exercises mixed with DB / BB exercises…increases GPP…for most sports a 30sec rest between exercises might be used…#1 – Pull Ups x 3, jog to sandbag, Clean and Press w Sandbag x 10, jog back to pull up bars, Pull Ups x 3, jog to sandbag, Front Squats x 5…can sprint to and fro…#2 – 1 Arm KB Snatch x 12 each arm, Pull Ups x 7, Flat Bench x 5 @ 55 – 60% x 15mins…r/p Pull Ups if you can’t get 7…#3 – Dead variation x 3, 1 Arm KB Clean and Press x 3, 2 Hand KB Swings x 8, 2 Hand MB Chest Pass against Wall x 5…7 circuits…focuses on explosiveness…#4 – Squats x 20, Push Up variation x 15, V Ups x 10, Reverse Lunge x 12 x 10mins...wu with low rep calisthenics, some movement (skipping) and light DB or band work
Grip and Conditioning
• Towel Grip Sled Dragging…increases muscular and aerobic endurance with very little damage to the body and soreness…builds and preserves muscle while increasing work capacity…can use thin or thick towel grip to work forearms…try dragging by holding cloth like you would at judo
Fusion Workout
• Blend of heavy lifting, bw training and combat conditioning…4 workouts over 8 days with at least 1 day rest in between…go 1 rep short of F on all exercises…#1 – Deads 5 x 10, 8, 6, 3, 3 s/s Pull Up 5 x 1 rep short of F, 90 secs rest…1st 3 sets of Deads are progressive wu…Dip s/s Leg Raise 4 x 8 – 12, 45 – 60secs rest…Turkish Get Up 4 x 5 each side, 30secs rest…1 Arm KB Swing 3 x 10 each arm, 30secs rest…#2 – Hang Clean s/s Push Press 5 x 5, 60secs…Bent Row 3 x 8 s/s BB Push Up 3 x 15, 60secs…DB Lunge 3 x 10 s/s Pull Up Leg Raise 3 x 6 – 8, 60secs…do 1st set wide, 2nd shoulder and 3rd close grip…#3 – Squat 6 x 15, 8, 6, 5, 5, 90secs…DB Row 4 x 8 – 12 right side t/s Feet Elevated Push Up 4 x 10 t/s DB Row left 4 x 8 – 12, no rest…1 Arm KB Snatch 3 x 10, 60secs…Stifflift 4 x 8, 60secs…MB V Up 3 x 15 s/s SB Reverse Hyper 3 x 10, no rest…#4 – Clean t/s Burpee t/s Push Up 4 x 6, 60secs, do Clean x 1 and with hands still on BB do Burpee with Push Up for 1 rep…Burpee t/s Push Up t/s Pull Up 4 x 60secs, 60secs, do Burpee with Push Up x 1 then jump up for Pull Up…1Arm KB Squat s/s High Pull 4 x 5, 30secs…Dip s/s Leg Raise 3 x 10, no rest…SB Jackknife 3 x 10, 60secs
No Excuses Workout
• Try 100 rep Burpee challenge…Burpees, Pull Ups, BW Squats and Push Ups x 60, 45, 30 than 15secs for 4 circuits in 10mins…do not rest between circuits…if not strong enough on Pull Ups just hang from bar for time
Improving Work Capacity
• Do as many circuits and 20mins as you can aiming for 10…start each circuit every 2mins e.g. circuit takes 75secs so rest 45 and start on 2mins…vary exercises regularly…Pull Ups x 5…MB Slams x 10…Burpees with Push Up x 15…Star Jumps x 20…if too hard decrease Burpee reps or increase rest…
The Magic 50
• Perform 5 circuits of DB Snatches x 5 each arm…DB Swings x 5 each arm…Burpees x 10…60secs rest…this will equal 50 reps of each…do weak arm 1st…builds work capacity and explosive endurance
Training The Hands
• Wrist Roller with 10pds…Rice Grip in a bucket forcefully grabbing rice with each rep…can add a clock or counter clock wise wrist movement too…Knuckle Push Ups for wrist stability…Fingertip Push Ups for hands…Towel Pull Up alternating pulling up each side…Door Grab with an open hand leaning back for grip strength…as you get stronger increase how far you lean back…work both hands evenly…when advanced can hold a DB in free hand or can remove 1 – 2 fingers and then thumb and index finger…Door Jam which is the same but a wider grip is needed…do both at regular times during the day and grip will improve quickly…Farmer’s Walk as a strength workout finisher…Sledgehammer for forearms, work capacity and muscular endurance…can swing for reps or time…hit against a tire…alternate sides every 10 reps…1min rest with 3mins hitting…start with 3 rounds and work up to 6…Sandbag Lifting for grip and full body power doing Clean and Press and Sandbag Shouldering…Tennis Ball Squeezing for reps or contraction time or for 5 – 10sec intervals…sample hand circuit: Towell Pull Ups, Knuckle Push Ups, Fingertip Push Ups, Wrist Roller, Rice Grip…do 1 set of each but not to F, only about 80% int…can include 2 – 3 days of Sledgehammer and / or Sandbag Lifting
Carry, Run and Press
• 400m Sandbag Carry (any style), 400m Run, Sandbag Clean and Press x 10…aim for a 100pd Sandbag but decrease if need to…do at the end of week for extra recovery…beat time everytime you do it
Indoor Training
• Tabata Intervals x 8 cycles at 20 fast and 10 rest…Push Ups, Skipping, Squats, Chinnies doing 4mins of Tabata for each…can try Heavy Bag Punching…3 – 4/week
25 Rep Roulette
• 10 – 15mins…start with a Sandbag in front of you…Burpee x 1, Sandbag Clean and OH x 1, OH Lunge each leg x 1, drop bag to floor and repeat x 25 reps…the limiting sequence is the OH Lunge so if you have to just cradle it and Lunge…try and beat time every time…2 – 3/week…increase bag wt as you get stronger
Old School Training
• Sandbags – Carries, Rows, Squats, Rotations, Lunges, OH…combos and complexes with exercises such as Turkish Get Ups, Shouldering into Squatting, Burpees, Snatches, Clean Squat Press and Thrusters…also combine with walking and movements such as every 10 steps do 3 – 5 reps of an exercise (Squat, Bent Row, OH etc)…for power throw bag, Squat and Push Throw, Scoop Toss and Rotational Throw…can throw from grounds for starting strength or with pre momentum for acceleration…for athletes use TUT for up to 6mins without putting down…Sleds and Tyres – do sprints for starting power and power endurance…do Rows with 1 or 2 arms, Rows with Rotation, High Pulls, Chest Presses, Sumo Walks and Bear Crawls…if you don’t have a sled use a tyre…Wood Chopping / Sledge Hammering – use a tyre for Sledging…can use 1 or 2 handed swings…do in a variety of directions – OH with right than left hand on top, across right than left shoulder, side swings from left to right like baseball…do as finisher for reps or time putting entire body into each swing…start with a 10pd sledgey and progress to a 20…Trucks – builds lower, trunk stability, delts, tri’s and upper back…do for distance or time…if you have a heavy harness can use as a sled with forwards and backwards walking but hands on uses more upper…usually done last but can do anywhere
Old School Workout Ideas
• No program design rules…try Sleds 1 day, Sandbags the next, Sledging another and Trucks next time…will tax CNS so build up at own pace…1 – wu with callisthenics and joint mobility x 5 – 10mins…2 – Sled x 10 – 12mins non stop with Forward Drag x 35m, Chest Press x 8, Row x 8, Backward Drag x 20m, High Pulls x 5 and continue until time…3 – Sandbag Clean and Press 3 x 6 – 8…4 – Bag Shoulder and Squat 3 x 5 (10 total) each shoulder…5 – Truck Push 6 x 20secs or 1 x 50m non stop…6 – Sledgy circuit x 1 – 3 – OH Swing x 8, Left Side Shoulder x 8, Right Side Shoulder x 8, Left Side Swing x 8, Right Side Swing x 8, OH Swing x 8
Renaissance Body Development - A Holistic Approach to Bodybuilding (ct)
• Uses wts as well as sledgehammer striking, sandbag lifting and sled dragging…agility and dynamic mobility drills will also be used to ensure proper ROM and ease of movement…no iso’s…3 – 4 full body sessions/week…each training session should consist of the following: agility / mobility drills x 10mins to wu…strength x 30mins for size, strength and power…GPP x 15mins for further size, strength endurance and endurance…low int cardio which optional for aerobic capacity and decreasing body fat…can replace with a walk after work or something…for agility part do High Knees Short Steps x 10yrds…High Knees Short Steps Backwards x 10…High Knees Long Steps x 20…High Knee Long Steps Backwards x 20…Knee Tuck Jumps x 10…Backwards Knee Tuck Jumps x 10…Polka Running x 20…Polka Running Backwards x 20…Carioca Running x 10…Side Shuffle x 10…do each 2 – 3 times...for strength select 3 exercises with 1 lower, upper push and upper pull then select either 2 x 5, 2 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2 with 60 – 90secs rest…5 x 5 with 60 – 90secs rest…2 x 5, 3 x 3 with 60 – 90secs rst…1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 2 x 5 with 60 – 90secs rest…can choose different parameters for each exercise just change it each exercise…for GPP do either Sledgehammer Strikes hitting a lge tyre with a variety of strikes (straight, diagonal, hockey etc) and a variety of wted hammers and will hit upper body and torso…Sandbag Training with a variety of wted bags liftinf to a bear hug position or to a bear hug and then OH…can lift to bear hug and carry for time or distance…can lift and carry and put down for time, distance or reps and will hit arms, traps and back (upper and lower)…Sled Dragging for distance or time and will hit lower body and glutes…can also throw in Farmer’s Walk and Wheelbarrow Walking…do a medley of 3 exercises with each being performed for 5mins with as little rest as possible…can also do 4 – 5 x 2mins at each station…the low int cardio could help you gain mass as you can eat more…if you recover well enough try doing sprints instead of low int cardio doing 3 x 30m or 1 – 2 x 60m with 2 – 3mins rest…keep vol low so as not to burn out CNS
if you need any clarification on any of these just ask
for food focus on these:
carbs - fruit x 2/day, veg x 3+/day, pasta, bread or rice 1 - 2/day total
protein - lean sources such as skinless chicken, lean beef, fish, whole eggs, tuna/sardine tins, milk...i would try powder it's the only protein source that hits the muscles immediately which is what you need after training for recovery...sausages and rissoles are processed and have high trans fat levels which will make you fat and KILL YOU
Ftas - healthy sources such as tuna/sardine tins, fish, nuts / walnuts / almonds (all unsalted), avocodos, fish oil supplements and limit staurated fat from other meat sources where you can but some is alright
if your going for the lean look than i would do that first before bulking and you will probably gain some muscle anyway...don't go overboard on the jogging as it's pretty good at using muscle...some of the endurance stuff in the the abvove is better such as sled dragging and truck pulls will build muscle, burn fat and increae endurance at one time...the aim isn't to find out how much you can do but finding the correct amount you need to do to reach your goal so keep going by that "just keep going untill i can't do anymore" mentality...have a read and let me know what you think...poast any and all questions you have
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