I’ve been messing around with stones now off and on (more off than on) for the past 18 months or so…
First time I tried them it was winter and way too cold to use tacky and 18" 275lb stone felt very heavy…
I’ve now got a stone loading setup in my basement (see above) where its climate controlled and I can use tacky year around and the same stone is much easier to handle…
I’ve heard of guys not using tacky in training and was wondering if anyone had quantified for themselves how much of a difference it really makes… i.e. I was able to load a heavier or larger stone for a max attempt or able to do x many more reps with the same stone etc…
I haven’t experimented enough of my own yet to find out for myself and can only say at this point it makes a big difference to me…
Also when not using tacky what muscles and or parts of the lift do you feel are being worked more… I think for me it’s my upper back and breaking the stone off the floor is much harder as opposed to the rest of the lift after the stone is lapped…
Some guys train stones w/out tacky, some guys never train stones w/out tacky.
Some guys have had problems with their elbows/biceps when they do stones w/out tacky.
For me, the lift/load changes without tacky, so there is not that great a carry over from no tacky to tacky training.
Unless you have a contest coming up that does not allow tacky (it happens), then there is probably no reason not to use it.
Can you develop better stone strength w/out tacky-- probably. But you have to weigh that against the cost of injury to your bi’s/elbows. If you can train w/out tacky, and it doesn’t hurt, and your stone lifting improves, then do it. If not, skip it. It does not work the same for everyone.
[quote]MSikora wrote:
Unless you have a contest coming up that does not allow tacky (it happens), then there is probably no reason not to use it.
Mark[/quote]
Makes sense…
Personally I’m not sure there would be much carry over or benefit to training w/o…
Does make it a completely different lift for me…
[quote]majik wrote:
^ pretty much sums it up, though your basement set up gives me a great idea for a ghetto platform setup![/quote]
Yeah man…
Improvising is one of my favorite parts of training for strongman…
This set up works great… drum is placed on stacked blocks… block formation is a T to help prevent backward rocking of drum… drum is full of water for ballast… heavy duty ratchet straps for safety measure…
My favorite part is the set up for floor protection… heavy duty industrial anti-fatigue mats layered with carpet remnants and mining belt on top… Perfect balance of shock absorption and rebound for dropping stones…
My wife cant even hear them hitting the floor when she is up stairs… She still complains about my music rattling the windows though…
tacky can be VERY helpful holding on to that stone.
But like with all assistance gear don’t get addicted or overly dependant on it.
train as much as possible without tacky, saving the tack for competition or max effort stones.
Be careful of you biceps without tack! I wouldn’t compare tack to assistance or gear, I’ve only been to one show where we couldn’t use tack and all we had to load was a single stone at the end of a odd object medley. I train with it every session.
[quote]sumabeast wrote:
tacky can be VERY helpful holding on to that stone.
But like with all assistance gear don’t get addicted or overly dependant on it.
train as much as possible without tacky, saving the tack for competition or max effort stones.[/quote]
I disagree with this. You should train the way you compete, and you will VERY VERY rarely see a competition with atlas stones where tacky is not allowed (loading medleys where a stone is included come to mind as a possibility). I would go so far as to say that no nationals or plat plus will ever prohibit tacky. Tackyless stones are fine every once in a while as a change up, but the injury/overuse aspect looms too large, in my opinion. The one time I’ve every done an extended cycle of atlas stone work without tacky, my bicep tendons felt ready to burst. Furthermore, some will have a weak point of getting the stone off the ground, but others fail int he loading phase. If that’s the case, no use strengthening your lap if all you’re loading is 275, 300 or whatever
