Getting into Strongman

Hi. I’ve gained a huge interest in strongman recently. I did my first competition last week and broke a national record (not in america). A lot of my pears said i have potential to do really well in this sport so it’s given me motivation to strive to compete internationally.

I’m buying some Strongman equipment next week and would like to know how i should set up a training program. The equipment i have access to are; Stones, Logs, Farmers Walk/Yoke & Thick bars. I can simulate anvil / conan’s wheel type lifting if i need to fit it in.

Anyway, im going to take the next couple of days to try sort out a strongman strength base program. Any ideas you can throw around at me would be great, thank you guys.

I’ll throw in my ideas so far;

Previously leading up to my first competition i basically did a customized sheiko 37 with back work twice a week and traps / grip strength & bi’s (hammer).

What i was thinking is something like this;

Monday - Overhead/Squats
Tuesday - Upperback/biceps
Wednesday - Deadlifts
Thursday - Off
Friday - Overhead/Squats
Saturday - Moving events
Sunday - Off

Basically leading up to a comp all static events will be done on monday, wednesday or friday; axle, log, circus db & deadlift variations etc. And Saturday will be my moving events; yoke, farmers, truck pull etc.

any tips would be helpful, thank you!!

I would be dead from that kinda volume with implements daily. This is just me and the majority of Strongmen I know set up something along these lines.

Monday- Squat, Rack Pulls, Core, Moving Event.
Tuesday- Log/Axle/DB Technique, Upper Back, Triceps
Wednesday- Mobitity/Stretching/Foam Rolls
Thursday- Front Squat,Speed Pulls or Stones
Friday-Off
Saturday- Log or Axle work up to Heavy 5,3, or 1. Upper Back, Triceps, Biceps.
Sunday- Same as Wednesday.

Sheiko has huge amounts of volume in it. Couple that with intense event training and you will be on the fast track to running yourself ragged. A crucial part in being a good strongman competitor is the ability to not only be strong in variety of events, but being able to recover from each training week. So be mindful of how much “work” you are doing and how it will inhibit your event days. Sometimes the saying less is more is true…

Anyways;
Setting up strongman training routines is not that hard. Reed offered some good suggestions. One thing I will say is that the more your practice with the implements the better you will become.

A good rule of thumb for any given strongman comp is that there will be some sort of pulling event (DL variant) a pressing event (log, axle, keg, DB) moving events such as yoke walks, farmers walks, keg carry, sled drag, or frame carry and then finally a loading event, usually atlas stones over bar or on to a platform.

I might suggest a template like this for someone new to strongman;

Monday: Overhead day
Tuesday: Off
Wed: Squat/DL day
Thurs: Accessory
Fri: Off
Sat: Events

This way you can hit the main pressing event or events on Monday be it with an axle, log or regular bar. That takes care of one event first thing in the week. Next comes lower body. Chad Wessley Smith has suggested that strongman competitors train the DL first then do high rep squats 2nd. It is very rare that you will see a squatting event at a contest. But having strong legs and large amounts of muscular endurance in the quads, hams, low back and glutes can take you a long way.

Accesory day would be more or less a high rep, light weight workout for rear delts, chest, arms and any other areas you may need to increase muscle in.

Then for event days stick to moving events and stones. So you could set up yoke walks and farmers carry medleys, sandbag carries, conans wheel or tire flips. Then finish with atlas stones doing either lighter weight stones for max reps or loaded to a high platform, or working with the heavier stones for singles, doubles and triples.