I asked a few of my fitness friends to contribute guest posts this week. Today’s post is from Ryan Magin. Ryan is a muscle building and strongman training expert from Florida.
Strongman training is an awesome way to train for gaining muscle in the fastest time possible. It combines strength, endurance, and explosiveness all in one complete package.
One of the major benefits of strongman training is the equipment is very easily attainable, and can be had for FREE or at bare minimal cost.
I discovered this style of training after attending a seminar with NAS Strongman champ Tom Mitchell. He put me through a workout that taxed my body and made me sore in places I had never felt before. It was at that point I knew this type of training has a place in my quest for gaining muscle.
Here’s a few reasons you should try it…
- Equipment is FREE to obtain or bare minimum cost
- Unlimited variations of exercises
- It trains your body to function in a unstable environment
- Gives you a huge mental edge over your other competitors (if you’re an athlete)
- Develop usable strength not just pretty muscle
Strongman Training…
Here are some of my favorite strongman exercises to get you started:
#1 Tire flips–
Tires can be had for free by calling up your local tire yard and asking for them. They are a great full body exercise that works the posterior chain to the fullest as well as developing extreme mental confidence.
#2 Farmers Walk–
Is another great full body exercise that will pack on massive amounts of size to your legs arms and upper back. Farmers walks can be obtained by using 2 heavy dumbbells and carrying them for long distances.,. or you can purchase specific handles online for very cheap.
#3 Sandbag Loading–
This exercise is awesome for developing explosive power and is great for athletes, all you do is fill a bag with sand and lift it to a high platform. I recommend using a heavy duty military duffel bag that can be purchased for less than 20 bucks.
As you can see these pieces of equipment can be had for very little cost and have a huge carryover in packing on muscle size and strength you just can’t achieve by staying inside your local gym.
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Strongman training is SO much fun 🙂
Good post!
Thanks, Kira. Been using sandbags quite a bit myself lately.
Not only are these great exercises, they’re especially great for real life training like if you’re going into the military or want to get into farming.
-Rafi
or if u wanna get RIIIIIPED like i did…use Vics 30 day guide and throw in some of this training you just read…and booooya!
Thanks again for great info, VIC!
-Mike
Strongman training is getting on my nerves. You do 8 reps of deadlifts and get replies like “8 reps? That’s bodybuilding shit”. You do 8 reps of tire flips and you get replies like “Wow, that’s some hardcore conditioning!”
If somebody trains to get better at deadlifting and other “conventional” lifts for years and than spends a short time with some specific tire flipping training he normally gets pretty good at it very fast. Doing it the other way around doesn’t work as well. You can progress in many small steps, etc. I don’t really see an advantage.
It’s something new at least to most and that’s why it’s currently popular. In other words I think most of is just a fad.
I would pick some very few exercises that I believe have some unique attributes (personally I use farmers walks) and just ignore the rest unless I really want to compete as strongman.
Great points, Matthias. I agree the basic barbell lifts will transfer to many other skills and movements, but it will usually not work the other way around.
And your point about 8 deadlifts versus 8 tire flips is spot on. Thanks!
Matthias,
I personally have incorporated some “warrior” training into my routine and it has made a big difference. I’m not sure if “strongman” and “warrior” training are different, but I do know that using full-body movements with resistance (i.e. tire lat pulls, tire drags, etc.) as well as some HIIT movements like sledgehammers have improved my mindset (relieved the boredom that some gym-oriented workouts can promote) so that I not only get a great workout, but am more inclined to go outside and play! Especially if it’s just me – I don’t have to wait for a lift cage or bar – I just go with some really hard homemade training tools. Plus, it’s infinite in it’s design – if you want it harder, you can definitly achieve that.
Food for thought. Sue
My comment was deleted?