T Nation

Strongman Poll Question

Powerlifting
#1

All the strength/lifting sports are fun to watch, whether it be Olympic lifting/powerlifting or even bodybuilding training videos.

What I’m wondering is from these 3 sports which one do you think would carry over to Strongman the best?

Strongman tends to incorporate a lot of the different aspects of the three, whether its being explosive strong or balance of the two. Many of the athletes start either as a powerlifter, Olympic Lifter, or bodybuilder before going to strongman.

Lets use the best person in each of the 3 sports and explain why they could carry over to strongman the easiest and win.

rezazadeh, Ronnie Coleman-Prime-, Andy Bolton

They all have their strengths, reza is very explosive and powerful. Ronnie is well conditioned and very strong as well. And Andy Bolton is pure strength.

So who would be the next strongman and why?

#2

It’s more about the individual in each case, rather than where they are coming from. Mariusz’s lifting routine looks like it is straight out of Muscle and Fitness, but he makes it work for him. They would all probably be close, with the exception of overhead work of which I doubt Ronnie and Bolton do much if any of.

#3

Olympic lifting would carry over to strongman better than powerlifting I think.

They would be incredible deadlifters, great at anything over head, have the squating power to compete with the best of them. And they appear to be in prety damn good condition as far as endurance goes.

Andy bolton would be destroyed in strongman, his shoulders are fucked if I remember correct so any pressing movements would be out. And just because his squat and deadlift are good dosent mean he would be fast enough to compete with any of the other guys.

Just my personal views.

#4

I’ll add my opinion, I think bodybuilder would carry over the best. They are very balanced in their strength and in strongman thats what you need balance. Ronnie was as strong as many powerlifters-I remember seeing video of him repping out 800lbs on dl- and is probably better conditioned then reza or bolton-since he is much leaner-

Look at Mariusz Pudzianowski he looks just like a bodybuilder and actually trains like one also-while adding a lot of event workouts also- and he is the best strongman now. I think the lower body fat helps him a lot in his speed and endurance which a powerlifter and Olympic lifter like Reza would lack.

#5

[quote]shizen wrote:
I’ll add my opinion, I think bodybuilder would carry over the best. They are very balanced in their strength and in strongman thats what you need balance. Ronnie was as strong as many powerlifters-I remember seeing video of him repping out 800lbs on dl- and is probably better conditioned then reza or bolton-since he is much leaner-

Look at Mariusz Pudzianowski he looks just like a bodybuilder and actually trains like one also-while adding a lot of event workouts also- and he is the best strongman now. I think the lower body fat helps him a lot in his speed and endurance which a powerlifter and Olympic lifter like Reza would lack. [/quote]

So you’re saying that Reza wouldn’t have enough speed to compete in strongman and that Ronnie Coleman is better conditioned than him because of his lower BF.

I would disagree. All the great Olympic lifters are extremely gifted athletes in every sense of the word IMO. He probably even shits with fast-twitch muscles and has trained for world class performance in a strength sport since he was a kid. There’s a lot of carryover there.

#6

I should add that I think you’re not doing powerlifters justice by putting Bolton as their representative! I think Arild Haugen could be the next big thing in strongman.

#7

[quote]Nikiforos wrote:
I should add that I think you’re not doing powerlifters justice by putting Bolton as their representative! I think Arild Haugen could be the next big thing in strongman.[/quote]

Oh i just saw he had the world record total http://youtube.com/watch?v=KaM5bCfNXvk -MUSIC BAD MUTE IT- 2800+ so chose him.

#8

The best background to come from in strongman is strongman…

Watch the new crop of top strongman all started training for strongman right off the bat… It once was everyone did something before but not so much anymore and it will go away with that even more as time goes on.

Lots of the former bodybuilders who have done well in strongman also have a powerlifting background as well.

Example: Svend Karlsen

If you don’t think a powerlifting background is good for strongman how do you explain KAZ

#9

I think a powerlifting back ground would be great for strongman.

Lets face it, olympic lifting wont improve your squat and deadlift like a good powerlifting program will, and a good powerlifting program wont increase your olympic lifts like a good olmpic lifting program will.

Its a combination of everything.

As a category I would give it to the olympic lifters. But there is definatley some incredible strongman tallent in all categorys.

#10

imo, I wouldn’t pick between the “top” 3 in each category. Look at Bolton, sure he squats 1200lbs, but thats with a suit and knee wraps. Strongman doesn’t use suits. Plus I don’t think Bolton is conditioned enough for strongman. Maybe enough for PL, but prolly not enough for Strongman. Plus, I heard he has problems with pressing and that takes out a good number of strongman events.

Reza wouldn’t have the endurance or conditioning neccessary for strongman. He would excel in the overhead lifts, the deadlifts and squats, and probably with stones, but only with picking them up.

Ronnie might be strong, and he might have endurance and conditioning, but would the endurace work for axle clean and press for time? Or farmers walks? Doubt it imo.

Now, if you really want to get into the genetic aspect, a top OL will have a better time switching to Strongman only because he is a genetic beast to begin with and has been training since he was a small child. Hell, most top OL guys are perfect for strength sports, all fast twitch muscle and perfect insertion points for the muscles and tendons and the like.

Mikhail Koklyaev is an OL who went into Strongman, Benedict Magnusson is a PL who is in strongman and in the highland game type competitions.

personally, I think you would need good genetics + training early in life + some sort of strength training.

#11

Who ever heard of an olympic lifter switching to strongman? I’ve never heard of it.

On the other hand, most strongmen have either power lifting or body building backgrounds.

#12

Ok… you cant even talk about wearing gear bro. It is the hardest thing about the damn sport. Lifting raw is easy compared to putting on a Leviathin and wrappin the shit out of yourself. I aint saying that everyone agrees with it, but it’s the truth. Stepping into a set of gear makes you feel like superman, but you have to be man enough to deal with the pain.

Ronnie Coleman was an amazing powerlifter before he went into bodybuilding. I do agree with genetics… shit take jesse marunde ( God bless that boys heart and say a prayer for his family ) or some of the other younger strongmen in the field. They were built for this game. But it’s more than that, they have the heart for it.

Shit, I have shitty genetics. I have worked my ass off for years to get where I am. It all comes down to just plain old fashion busting your balls to reach that golden pedistal. Thats what it comes down to all yall, doesnt matter what you are into. If you have the love, the drive, the will to succeed, there aint nothing in this world that can hold you back.

#13

[quote]Racarnus wrote:
Who ever heard of an olympic lifter switching to strongman? I’ve never heard of it.

On the other hand, most strongmen have either power lifting or body building backgrounds.[/quote]

joking, right? Mikhail Koklyaev is a damned good example of an OL switching to Strongman. He has done 210/250 at the Russian Nationals… but ‘got sick’ at before olympics or something like that. I believe Mariusz had some type of OL training.

a lot of PL have switched to Strongman, but so have a lot of OL.

#14

[quote]Racarnus wrote:
Who ever heard of an olympic lifter switching to strongman? I’ve never heard of it.

On the other hand, most strongmen have either power lifting or body building backgrounds.[/quote]

You don’t follow strongman than.

Mikhail Koklyaev is one of the top strongmen in the world. He got 2nd at IFSA Worlds this year and I beleive 2nd? or maybe 3rd at the Arnolds.

Raimonds Bergmanus was a top strongmen for years and was an Olympic lifter before.

Just to name a few…

#15

[quote]Chefbc14 wrote:
Thats what it comes down to all yall, doesnt matter what you are into. If you have the love, the drive, the will to succeed, there aint nothing in this world that can hold you back.[/quote]

amen

#16

FYI deadlift suits and squat suits are allowed in some strongman comps. (in the deadlift and squat of course)

#17

[quote]Kalle wrote:
If you don’t think a powerlifting background is good for strongman how do you explain KAZ[/quote]

This is retarded. You don’t explain Kaz. He can’t be explained, so stop trying.

Many of the top strongmen are accomplished oly lifters. Misha, Marunde, etc. However, I don’t think you could just have Reza or Bolton jump into strongman. I think the best way to get better at strongman, is to practice strongman.

#18

Ya I know that. Shit… those mother fuckers are crazy, not stupid. I wouldnt strap myself onto a 900 car without the proper equipment. Its more about safety than anything else. These guys already have serious risk for injury, might as well less’n it a bit.

#19

[quote]threewhitelights wrote:
Kalle wrote:
If you don’t think a powerlifting background is good for strongman how do you explain KAZ

This is retarded. You don’t explain Kaz. He can’t be explained, so stop trying.

[/quote]

Truth

I was at the Venice Beach Super Series and Kaz was MCing. Between events he walked to the bathroom near the basketball courts and went right to the front of a huge line when a bathroom opened up he cut in front of everyone. The guy that was at the front of the line looked mad for a second than shrugged his shoulders and say “Its Kaz”

I think witnessing that was the greatest moment of my life.