Strongman Workouts for Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, and Performance
A recent study investigated whether “Strongman-style” training could yield benefits such as fat loss, lean muscle gain, and increased athletic performance–benefits way beyond being able to lift a car off the ground or carry a heavy log across a football field. The results are intriguing!
Ben Greenfield
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Strongman Workouts for Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, and Performance
I re
member tuning into ESPN in high school and college to watch “The Strongest Man in the World” competitions. In each episode, enormous men with thighs the size of my entire body would compete in crazy events like semi-truck pulling, enormous boulder carries, car lifting, and giant tire flipping.
Until recently, I wondered whether this kind of training was only for a strange subset of the male population who weighed more than 300 pounds, spoke with Scandinavian accents, and had an obsession with moving heavy objects..
But a new study actually investigated whether this “Strongman-style” training can get you benefits that go above and beyond just being able to lift a car off the ground or carry a heavy log across a football field – benefits such as fat loss, lean muscle gain and increased athletic performance. And the results are actually quite intriguing!
Strongman Training vs. Regular Training
The study, entitled “Strongman versus traditional resistance training effects on muscular function and performance,” compared the effects of 7 weeks of Strongman training versus traditional resistance training on body composition, strength, power, and speed measures.
Here’s how the traditional routine looked compared to the Strongman routine:
It turns out that the folks competing in the World’s Strongest Man Competition may actually be on to something. The results of the study showed that hauling around logs, lifting heavy rocks, and pushing heavy things across a field can get you results just as good as sitting inside a stuffy gym and hoisting around a barbell or dumbbells. This was the first study of its kind to prove the efficacy of a Strongman training program. It shows that Strongman training programs are just as effective as traditional resistance training programs in improving aspects of body composition, muscular function and performance.
Props for a Strongman Workout
Now, I know what you’re thinking … where in the heck does one get a giant log, a heavy sled, and an axle press (whatever that is!)?
The good news is that you don’t need the fancy or super-heavy equipment they had in this study to get good results. You can set up your own Strongman workout and Strongman-style training equipment quite easily. I’ve actually done it myself, recently. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Make A Sandbag: I made my sandbag in about 30 minutes by purchasing a couple military duffel bags off Amazon, then putting pea gravel into plastic contractor bags and putting the gravel-filled plastic bags into the duffel bags. Here are some good sandbag instructions.- Get A Tire: I pulled into my local tire store and asked them if they had any old heavy tires they didn’t need anymore. They gave me four of them for free, and even offered to help toss them into the back of the pickup truck for me! Afterwards, I realized that a true Strongman probably would have put the tires into the truck himself.
- Hunt Down A Tree: Whenever I go on a hike, I make it a goal to find at least one log and carry it for a little while, either overhead or clutched in my arms or on my shoulders. But the past couple times, I’ve taken the heavy logs home so that I have them in my garage for easy access.
- Find A Rock: My nearby river has some nice big rocks that I also took home to my yard. These kind-of-big river rocks are smooth and don’t give you as many scrapes and cuts as some of the rougher varieties.
- Push A Car: Have a manual car or truck, and a driveway or access to a big empty parking lot? Simply put your vehicle into neutral and get ready for the workout of your life!
Make A Sandbag: I made my sandbag in about 30 minutes by purchasing a couple military duffel bags off Amazon, then putting pea gravel into plastic contractor bags and putting the gravel-filled plastic bags into the duffel bags. Here are some A Sample Strongman Workout
Now that you’re outfitted for a Strongman workout, here’s a sample routine. You can do it once a week not just to get strong but, as research has now shown us, to burn body fat and build athletic performance. too.
- Warm-up with jumping jacks, arm swings, leg swings and other dynamic moves you can learn about here.
- Lift your sandbag off the ground up to your shoulders, do a squat, then press the sandbag overhead. Try to do this 3-5 times.
- Jog over to your tire and do 5-10 tire flips.
- Pick up your rock and carry it as far as you can without dropping it.
- Grab the log, hold it to your chest, squat down, then with a mighty Strongman roar, throw it as far as possible.
- Do 3-5 rounds of this routine, and then, once you’re good and tired, try to push a car (totally optional part of the workout, by the way) for a total of 25-50 yards. Be sure to look out for people, children, animals, cars, cyclists and other moving objects when you’re pushing a vehicle.
Sound like fun? I’ve been having a blast with my Strongman workouts – and it’s a great, affordable home gym setup, too!
By the way, you don’t have to be signed up for some crazy race or mud running event to reap enormous benefits from getting your hands dirty with some Strongman-style training. But if you find that you really like this style of training, check out the episode What Is Obstacle Racing, in which you learn all about how to sign-up for, prepare for, and complete in a rugged outdoor obstacle race, like a Spartan or a Tough Mudder. This style of training can come in quite handy there!
If you have more questions about Strongman workouts, you can leave your thoughts over at facebook GetFitGuy.
Wheel and Man with Rock images courtesy of Shutterstock.
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About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.