Has anyone ever watched World’s Strongest Man on ESPN? These guys are f-ing huge! Their bodyweight hovered in the 280-325 range and all had a ton of muscle. Most of these guys were fat too, but you can tell that under all that fat is a LOT of muscle. So, being the inquisitive guy that I am, I’ve doing some hunting around to see how these guys weight train in the offseason. I know they do lots of other types of training in addition, but I was looking primarily for weight training info.
The results were kind of surprising (so far):
They seem to train like old time strength athletes: emphasis on multiple joint and olympic moves, tons of sets, tons of rest, low reps and lots of weight. It obviously works for them: Look at how big they are! How come this isn’t how more bodybuilders train? You can always strip the fat off later right? Tell me what you guys have observed…
As far as pro-bodybuilders, 95% could care less how strong they are, muscle size and shape are far more important since thats how they earn their living. As far as the rest of us are concerned? Don’t kid yourself, those guys are on the juice. Training like they train won’t get you as big and strong as them any more than training like a bodybuilder will get you as big as a bodybuilder.
Will “tons of sets, tons of rest, low reps and lots of weight” work for you? Hell yes.
Do they juice? Of course.
But you don’t think they were 135 lb weaklings before their first syringe do you?
That is definitely a productive way to train. Most people’s bodies are capable of a lot more than they give them credit for. You just have to match your rest and food intake to the workload and frequency you’re making your body lift the iron. Most guys can’t do programs like this because they don’t or can’t get 8-10 hours of sleep and down the huge amounts of food necessary.
A good book to read if you’re interested in this sort of old school training is John MacCullum’s Keys to Progress. It’s probably the best book I ever read on getting bigger and stronger. Simple. Brutal. Amazing results.
I watch it whenever I happen to flip channels and find it. I wish I knew when they were going to play it. But I did catch last week’s contests. And yes, that Polish guy was awesome. He was like 6’1", 269lbs, ripped and big. He’s an ex-bodybuilder. Now that is impressive. He was tearing shit up. Some of these guys have been profiled in MILO. And their training is pretty simple. Lots of heavy weights with basic exercises. They all have impressive squats, benches and deadlifts. Some do the Olympic stuff, others don’t. And most train for the events during the offseason. Crazy shit. To be that big and strong would be freakin’ awesome.
the reason bodybuilders dont train like that is simple, they dont do refinement excercises, adn could give a crap about proportionality, the just wanna be strong as hell
First off, not everyone uses drugs!
Strength and size do come together, but you can train for one or the other and get faster results at the one you want.
Neural training and metabolic training have different ends…neural you do lower reps and develope motor pathways which build strength by becoming more effecient…while higher reps force more muscular hypertrophy…which is best ??? both! Both Poliquin and King use multi rep ranges and tempos to get maximum results and so should the average joe.
I compete internationally and as many people are clean as use!
It is easy to say everyone is using, but it is untrue...some people are just stronger than others.
Just a note guys, T-mag is putting together an article now with Chad Coy on strongmen. We’ll look at their training and diet as well as supplement and drug use.
chris coy? who the hell is that? I have never seen him in the competition. Everybody who wins is from Iceland and named “magnusun” or some thing like that. This coy guy must not be very good. It is a joy to watch I must say. I hope to pull a fire truck up hill with my back and shoulder press a telephone pole one day.
Does anyone know the name of the ripper Polish strongman? Functionality, size, and ripped: he has the total package. I’d like to know his training and nutrition philosophies
I would love to do an article from time to time, but that all depends upon how well this first one goes?
The article is actually an interview.
As far as never being on TV…CHECK OUT THE 98 AMERICA’S. Good is a question of are you in the top 5 at the qualifier for Americans?Only 5 guys go out of the US…So if you are not on the big show you are no good? don’t worry I am not taking offense to what you are saying just trying to make you think a bit.
As far as a Magnus winning...Magnus Ver Magnusson has won the show 4x and Magnus Samualson has one it once........they are both exceptional athletes!
A buddy of mine has met and chatted with Whit Baskin, a rather young American who took part in the Strongest Man qualifiers in Sun City, South Africa. If you guys want to know how and what these guys do to train, visit Whit’s website, WhitBaskin. Whit, who was 23 when he competed, is currently recovering from a coma he suffered from a car accident last November or December. He’s slowly getting back to his old form, and will soon be the manchild we all knew and cheered for a while back.
Chad, good to see you here. Didn’t realize who you were using just coy as a name; no connection was made. Everyone, Chad is a damn smart guy when it comes to supps and training, and puts on strongman competitions in this country. As he says, there are many many more competitors, and great ones, than make the few episodes of “World’s Strongest Man” on ESPN.
Chad, I’m headed up north in Wisconsin in ten minutes to the Midwest Muscle Classic, a big NPC show, which features a strongman competition Sunday. Perhaps I’ll see you there. I’m taking a bunch of Test mags with me and of course will be wearing the colors if anyone else reading this shows up.
Hey Chad, can’t wait to see the interview! A new strongman column would be cool, too! My brother and I are going to try to make it to Kokomo in July to see the competition.
Yes…I am trying to help Cameron find a job now that he has graduated.
He came and trained with us on events Weds. He was very good…impressive on the stones and tire!