T Nation

Strongman at Fitness Gym

Strongman
#1

Hi guys,
I wanted to try a strongman FBW I could do in the typical fitness gym.
What would you recommend? I’m planning to train Mon, Wed and Fri-upper, lower and FBW (strongman style).
These is my routine:

Mon-
front squat 6X3
SLDL 3X15 / GHR 3X AMAP
squat/unilateral DB step-up 3X8
DB skull crusher 3X8 (my triceps lagging)
rev. woodchops 3X6-8/side

Wed-
military press 6X3
DB inc. bench 3X6-8
row 3X6-8
CGBP 3X6-8
face pulls 3X10

Fri-
strong man training, thought about- http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/strongman_training_made_practical

My recovering ability is fast so I have no problem deadlifting 3 days apart and if I’ll have then I’ll switch to GHR on Mondays.

I’m training for power, strength and aesthetic in case you wondering why I combine all this.
Anyway, what do you think? Will the strongman training will suit well?

#2

My take on training strongman in a fitness gym is that I need to train in a way that my main lifts are going up. The most important lifts are deadlift, overhead, front squat, and power clean, in my opinion. There are lots of other lifts to do, but it just comes back to working on your weak points and building strength to improve these core lifts.

After that, you train with the implements to build specific skill, but that’s already not at a fitness gym.

#3

[quote]Silyak wrote:
My take on training strongman in a fitness gym is that I need to train in a way that my main lifts are going up. The most important lifts are deadlift, overhead, front squat, and power clean, in my opinion. There are lots of other lifts to do, but it just comes back to working on your weak points and building strength to improve these core lifts.

After that, you train with the implements to build specific skill, but that’s already not at a fitness gym. [/quote]
I’m not sure I understood your point…
Those lifts really important for me either but I want to experience more with strongman style lifts, I wish I had strongman gym or something like that in the area but I really don’t…

You didn’t say what’s your opinion about the strongman training.

#4

[quote]Regev19978 wrote:

[quote]Silyak wrote:
My take on training strongman in a fitness gym is that I need to train in a way that my main lifts are going up. The most important lifts are deadlift, overhead, front squat, and power clean, in my opinion. There are lots of other lifts to do, but it just comes back to working on your weak points and building strength to improve these core lifts.

After that, you train with the implements to build specific skill, but that’s already not at a fitness gym. [/quote]
I’m not sure I understood your point…
Those lifts really important for me either but I want to experience more with strongman style lifts, I wish I had strongman gym or something like that in the area but I really don’t…

You didn’t say what’s your opinion about the strongman training.[/quote]

I wouldn’t say that I had a real precise point, mostly because I don’t feel that you have a real precise question (that’s not supposed to be a dig, I’d like to discuss strongman in a fitness gym). I train for strongman predominantly in a fitness gym. My focus is increasing the lifts that I listed. I do a lot of other lifts as assistance and prehab/balance. There is a good strongman gym about an hour for my house and I get there 1-2 times a month to practice events.

Your routine looks good if it focuses on your weakness and helps you improve your main lifts/has carryover to events. I don’t see a lot of guys going woodchops, but if it has carryover to deadlift or overhead, keep doing it.

#5

I think you’ll have a good set up but focusing on strongman and focusing on aesthetics are hard to do IMO. I train strongman at a gym that is more set up for this and train events on the weekends. I train in the gym 3 days a week. Monday pull, Wednesday press and Friday squat. I add in supporting exercises on each day but always work primary strongman functions such as strict press, push press, and than auxiliary work on biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

The same goes for the other days. I would make sure and include all the primary functional lifts in each week even on days you do seated strict or standing you can still do incline, close grip bench, and the like. Don’t limit yourself on to many “pump” exercise ( high reps). I like 5 sets of 5 and 8 sets of 3 going to 80-85% of 1RM for most all training exercises. Even doing things like 10 sets of 1 at 90% 1RM.

#6

Find some other people that want to do strongman and make it happen. Start a garage gym with these people. Start a club of sorts. If you want to do it do it. There might be one closer to you than you think which would make it a ton easier. Their are great resources to make your own equipment.