I was lurking around Joe Defranco’s website and I noticed that he uses strong man exercises on some of his clients. Does anyone here have experience using this type of training? How can this be intergrated into training? I could see how an athlete might get excited about doing this stuff but, it seems pretty risky. Thoughts?
Poliquin and one of his coaches are coming out with a book (I believe in April) to discuss integration of strongman methods into performance.
poliquin loves tire flips.
I have a little experience with some of this stuff…mainly dragging and carrying (not a sled I cannot afford one but in the summers I drag trees and other crap) also I have done lots of farmer walks with all sorts of different objects ( cement bags sand bags ect…) and I have some light tires I flip…I am trying to get a huge one this summer!!! I really enjoy it as it is really fun, but like you said it is risky… I was thinking that it may be useful in training strength and stability and strength endurance…this could also be trainied in the gym but when you carry around awkward objects you really have to use muscles that you don’t use in some gym type movements…you kind of have to turn on all of you muscles to push/pull walk drag, whatever. If you have ever carried bales of hay or big 100lb bags of cement on your shoulders you know what I mean on this one!!! :eek: I also really like dragging a heavy tree or sled backwards for distance…your hamstrings get killed on this one!!!
As for application to sports I really do not know how specific it really is to most sports and/or what the carry over effect is, I am sure some dudes on this site could provide some good info as I am interested in their thoughts as well!!..also NYCJAY, I was listening to joe D’s interview on the sportstalkradio show website you provided last night and in segment 2 or 3?? he talks about incorporating strongman into his football players training!!! GOOD topic man!!! I wish I was strong so I could compete in these events, like I said they really are fun!!! 
DAMMNNN BOY!!! I take it you bust ur hump at home.
I got so curious about this topic I picked up a DVD from total performance sport.
If your really hard core check this out:
http://www.ontariostrongman.ca/
I wish they had wieght classes. I would love to do something like the events you see on espn. I would compete in the worlds strongest skinny bastard LOL
In faith,
LOL
NYC I love to train as I am sure most people here due…UNFORTUNATLEY I am skinny and weak but maybe after by the time I am 50 or 60 I will be able to lift more than some small middle school children and if I go into the gym and put on 185lbs and hit it for a clean triple the kids will confuse me Magnus ver Magnusson and for a brief moment I will feel like a madman, that is until a ninth grader hits 190 for 10 right next to me! :mad: …I will check the dvd out…if you are just messing around and not training for any sports that have a set schedule… strongman kind of stuff is fun!!! check out dieselcrew, these guys do awsome strongman stuff and their grip is unreal…they do HUBCAPS with 45lb plates ( that is where you pick the plate up from the little round part on the indented written side where the bar goes through the hole in the plate…bad description but check it out
http://www.dieselcrew.com/Videos.html
…go in the strongman section and download 04 October 24- Just another Saturday!!! Lots of good ideas on this sight for fun stuff to incorporate into a boring training day!!!
Strongman type training is great for Absolute-Strength and Strength-Endurance days in your General Preperation Phase. I have my athletes go though them. I use more isolated drills early on and then move on to integrated drills that active full body tension. I only choose what I need and only use them on the correct training days geared towards increasing strength.
Strongman training is great for grip strength as well as post chain strength. If the volume is controlled properly this can be one of the best tools we can use in strength and cond.