My Top 5 Strongman Training Prerequisites

Mark Clevenger

My Top 5 Strongman Training Prerequisites

Having trained many different clients from various backgrounds into the sport of Strongman I’ve noticed some common strengths that many athletes have been lacking for the safe execution of Strongman training. Now this doesn’t mean these clients aren’t ready to train with Strongman implements, it just means they have certain training needs that must be addressed at the beginning of their Strongman journey in order to keep them safe and maximize the amount of weight they can move. The following is a list of my top 5 Strongman training prerequisites and are the most common areas of strength that must be addressed for the safe and effective execution of Strongman training.

1. Wake up da butt: The amount of people with underdeveloped and underutilized glutes that lift weights astounds me. The glutes are primarily hip extensors and abductors which are motions you will be doing a lot in Strongman. We use these motions to pick up odd objects from the floor, speed walk with odd objects, violently put odd objects above our heads, the list goes on. So make training your rear a priority and you will make your significant other smile while increasing the amount of weight you can move in the gym.
2. Hammies!: If the glutes are Batman in the DC universe of weightlifting than the hamstrings are Robin. These are also powerful concentric hip extensors and eccentric knee extensors, both strengths are necessary to stand up with any type of heavy weight, which is something we do a lot of in Strongman. These muscles may not be as ‘sexy’ or fun to train, because they’re not, but they are an absolute necessity for success and longevity in Strongman.
3. The power belly: The anterolateral (AL) abdominal musculature assists in the static and dynamic stabilization of the pelvis and spine. This is just a fancy way of saying the muscles of the ‘core’ are responsible for helping keep the spine and pelvis from moving while we lift something from the ground, put something over our head, or carry something in random positions on our bodies from one point to another. The stronger these muscles are the safer your back is and the more weight you can handle. Now this doesn’t mean you should do endless amounts of crunches, the muscles of the AL core are very dynamic in their individual function and must be trained as such. For more information about this see my article titled ‘Bringing Balance to your Force: An Argument for Focused Anterolateral Core Training in Strongman’ to learn how to optimally train these important muscles.
4. Strongman = Strong back: To protect the back and keep it healthy we must strengthen the muscles that share the load with it in static and dynamic movement (the anterolateral core muscles, glutes, and hammies) as well as the main bearers of the load themselves, the actual muscles of the back. Careful application of a loaded spine, a loaded spine in motion, and the direction of applied force on the spine, all warrant special considerations and must be approached with caution. The best advice I can give within the scope of this article would be to locate a certified strength coach or sports physical therapist to educate you on this topic and teach, or coach, you through strengthening your back in preparation for Strongman.
5. Welcome to the grind: The last type of strength I’ve noticed in my converts to strongman has been the mental game. A lot of athletes don’t know how to safely struggle with heavy weight. They either tension hunt when it gets heavy and force themselves into compromising and dangerous positions under load, or if it doesn’t go up easy they bail the lift. Both show a lack of mental focus on their bodies and the lift itself when the weight gets heavy. The first scenario shows an athlete who is disconnected from the way their body is moving and is only concerned with finishing the repetition without regard to how it’s finished, which is dangerous. The second scenario shows an athlete who is afraid to, or physically doesn’t know how to, struggle with heavy weight. By learning how to struggle with weight, or becoming aware of tension hunting under loads (which is usually indicative of a weakness in the chain, hint-hint, wink-wink), athletes will drastically reduce their chance of injury while drastically increasing their strength gains.

This is by no means an exhaustive list that considers all athletes from every different background imaginable, but it does include what my experience with transitioning athletes into Strongman has been. Most athletes think they have strong posterior chains (bullets 1-4) until you ask them to do a good morning, or GHR, or stability plank in the TRX. So before engaging in the sport of strongman, regardless of your background, put yourself through a gamut of test and measures to assess the strength of your posterior chain and core before putting a heavy yoke on your back or doing heavy atlas stones. By taking the time to assess the strength of these areas before throwing yourself under Strongman implements you’re going to ensure a solid base to build your sporting performance from while protecting yourself from injuries that can derail your participation or prevent you from competing in Strongman all together.