Yoke Walk


Question kid who works for me finally completed my Yoke set up. Now I have never done these, any suggestions for a starting weight? Yoke weighs approx 70 lbs. I can squat 450 raw and front squat 315. I have a log in the old guy section of over 35. I thought would be appropriate to ask the experts here.

Also would it be better to wear my Nike’s or my vibrams?

Thank you all in advance and have a great day.

DJ

You should be fine starting with 160 or 250, and from there I’d jump a plate each time. Right now your limiting factor will be coordination/balance, not strength. I’d wear the Nikes

^ Thank you sir. Okay next question, how far would you target?

[quote]DJHT wrote:
^ Thank you sir. Okay next question, how far would you target?[/quote]

How much room do you have? Anything from 50-100 feet should be fine for general training.

[quote]malonetd wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:
^ Thank you sir. Okay next question, how far would you target?[/quote]

How much room do you have? Anything from 50-100 feet should be fine for general training.[/quote]

25 yards down drive way. Did it this morning. I have a log in over 35. Did 250 without much difficulty 8 trips of 25 yards, sorry think in football field measurements.

Once you get your footwork/coordination down you want it heavy enough that you are at a fast walk. May sound silly but if its too light you’ll be at a jog with bad form.

[quote]MJENKS71 wrote:
Once you get your footwork/coordination down you want it heavy enough that you are at a fast walk. May sound silly but if its too light you’ll be at a jog with bad form.[/quote]

Okay I have never seen it done in real life, only on TV of course. Do you have any video examples? Also do you or anybody else suggest using my belt?

I would suggest using a belt.
The key is stability, staying balanced, and keeping your steps short and quick as the weight gets heavier. If the weight is light, you can basically run with it, but once it gets much heavier, you must gain stability and keep your steps short and quick.

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]MJENKS71 wrote:
Once you get your footwork/coordination down you want it heavy enough that you are at a fast walk. May sound silly but if its too light you’ll be at a jog with bad form.[/quote]

Okay I have never seen it done in real life, only on TV of course. Do you have any video examples? Also do you or anybody else suggest using my belt? [/quote]

Like these? This gentleman seems to be doing a “yoke” and also happens to be dashingly handsome

the pace on the first leg is way to fast to do w any kind of regularity, but in competition, you do what you have to do. Ideally you’re looking for a pace somewhere between the speed of the 2nd and 3rd legs

you probably dont want to go much faster than this (not that it’s blazing):
Yoke-Sandbag Medley at 2010 NAS National Championships - YouTube

picking a weight that’ll let you go 60-75’ in 11ish will give you a darn good workout, with weight that is appropriately challenging while still forcing you to be dynamic/coordinated/athletic/whatever

also, 8 runs w the same weight is too much volume, in my humble opinion. I’ve foudn bad things happen, for me personally, with anything more than, say 3-4 runs once you get to top weight (and that includes drop sets, or anything of the like)

Have to look at them when I get home. What is considered top weight? I guess in relation to squat max? I am not in a hurry with these of course and will take time to develop. Just looking for some guidance. Thanks again everyone for the advice.

[quote]DJHT wrote:
Have to look at them when I get home. What is considered top weight? I guess in relation to squat max? I am not in a hurry with these of course and will take time to develop. Just looking for some guidance. Thanks again everyone for the advice. [/quote]

When I say top weight I mean the heaviest weight that you will be using for that particular training session. So not the absolute heaviest weight you could handle, but maybe, I dunno, 80 - 90% of that? Whatever you have planned to work up to that day. Whether that means 10 -20 lbs more than last week or just enough to really feel some weight on your back. In my opinion it will have little to nothign to do w your squat max.

Also of note, DO NOT be one of those guys that carries a yoke like they’re getting ready to squat it, ie, low on the rear delts. It should be up high, on top of your traps. It’s a pet peeve of mine when newbs do this, because if they thought for two seconds, they’d see it makes no sense. You carry a squat bar low because it decreases the length of the lever arm, ie distance between your hips and the bar, because it is mechanically more efficient, since your hips are flexing and extending. Your hips arent mimicking a squat action during a yoke walk, it’s more or less a regular walk, so you want the weight in line w your center of gravity, ie your hips. What’s directly above and in-line with your hips? Top of your traps. [/rant]

Hahahahaha I figured that out after the first walk. No way I could carry it low like squat, had to do it high on traps. Its a 2 inch pipe also, so feeling is like starting over with squat when I was a kid. I know what you mean though about how that could irritate you. I dont know how someone could walk with it low anyway.

I guess I ask about the top weight in relation to squat because I have no point of reference. Being the first time I have done this dont know what else to equate it to. Are you in the video? What weight do you do it with?

I try to train without a belt as much and as heavy as possible. I personally think moderately heavy weight working on speed is better then loading it up and crawling along. Its like training for a sprint, you have to run fast to get fast.

[quote]MJENKS71 wrote:
I try to train without a belt as much and as heavy as possible. I personally think moderately heavy weight working on speed is better then loading it up and crawling along. Its like training for a sprint, you have to run fast to get fast.[/quote]

Okay that makes sense, but honestly I do not have any plans in the near future to do a contest. This is all for strength and cardio health. I also dont want to do a face plant on the concrete. :slight_smile:

[quote]KBCThird wrote:

Also of note, DO NOT be one of those guys that carries a yoke like they’re getting ready to squat it, ie, low on the rear delts. It should be up high, on top of your traps. It’s a pet peeve of mine when newbs do this, because if they thought for two seconds, they’d see it makes no sense. You carry a squat bar low because it decreases the length of the lever arm, ie distance between your hips and the bar, because it is mechanically more efficient, since your hips are flexing and extending. Your hips arent mimicking a squat action during a yoke walk, it’s more or less a regular walk, so you want the weight in line w your center of gravity, ie your hips. What’s directly above and in-line with your hips? Top of your traps. [/rant][/quote]

I was SO one of those guys.