Lift Big Eat Big

We had the honor of interviewing Pat Mendes, a young US Olympic Weightlifter with astonishing numbers. Pat is planning on making a comeback after some injury setbacks, and is already hitting big numbers in training. Check out his answers to some questions that the LBEB team members asked him:

Pat Mendes: "I started to do Olympic weightlifting in 2008 after my coach John Broz recruited me from a local high school power clean meet. He said he had a gym but it was really a 500 square foot office he used for his granite business with plastic chair mats as platforms. I committed 100% from day one, buying shoes and training 12 times a week, and under two years of training I snatched 200kg/440lbs. Then, eventually I hit an unofficial junior world record of 207kg/456lbs. Another one of my favorite lifts done in the first gym was my 800lbs squat. After an unfortunate shoulder injury, I made my way back on the competition platform and won two national championships, and competed in the pan American games in Mexico, along with the world championships in Paris, France. Unfortunately I spent all of 2011 dealing with extreme hip pain. This was eventually diagnosed with a torn labrum. I quit lifting to get a full time job in order to acquire health insurance. After surgery last year, I am finally starting my comeback and looking to regain my title as America’s strongest weightlifter, even at a reduced body weight."

Best training lifts as +105kg/231lbs:
Snatch 207kg/456lbs
Clean and Jerk 230kg/507lbs
Squat 363kg/800lbs

1. Can you tell us about your injury and the recovery process so far?

Pretty much all of 2011 I was training with a torn labrum in my right hip, which dealing with the ice pick in my hip was easy enough but the back pain that came with it shut my progress way down and made it very difficult to train. March 2013 I finally had surgery started my therapy the day after surgery was visiting the PT three times a week and was doing another 6 sessions alone at the gym. For the first 4 weeks I was doing about 20 hrs of rehab/training a week. My physical therapist was so baffled by my progress I took was he said and did a more hardcore version, by week 5 I was walking. 6 miles a day doing door to door sales in El Paso and just working on my hip in the morning at a local commercial gym. My first squat was 405lbs after surgery fast forward 11 months and I'm at 639lbs now, so recovery progress has been good now that I'm back into being a weightlifter lack of health insurance and income make it hard to get all the therapy I want but I make do. Overall my hip being fixed has made all the difference in the world in training.

2. What weight class are you now and do you plan on staying there?

Right now I weighing about 227 and will be competing in the 231lbs weight class through the games in 2016, I joke with john and tell him I still need to snatch 500lbs one day so maybe after Rio ill get up to 260 and go for it in training, but I have no plans on competing as a super heavyweight again.

3. Can you tell us about how you program your squats? You seem to be outright Bulgarian in nature.

The programming for my squats has just one major guideline: everyday lift as much as you can handle. I've never done a fixed program where I squat certain weights on certain days for this many reps. In a typical daily squat workout I go up to a heavy single. This is normally between 90% of my best and maximum. If it feels good I keep going, if not, I do reps or stop. That's when John will make the call. Most of the time I always want to push it Johns job now is to slow me down and make sure I stay healthy because I just always want to lift as much as a can.

4. What is the training environment like in Vegas? Is it easy to get distracted?

It's good, for the first couple years it was pretty much just John and I, but since the gym has gained popularity it's nice to have other people to train with. I've never been a person that gets distracted-I don't even know how to, so in that respect, being in Las Vegas doesn't impact me.

5. What's a quick day in the life of Pat Mendes look like? How often do you eat./train/work/study?

I'm training again full time still getting back in shape so currently I'm doing 10 sessions a week trying to work back to 15 sessions. On a typical two a day I will wake up at 7. Breakfast is bacon, eggs, and an avocado, train at 9:30, get back home around 11:30, nap until 1:30. Lunch is usually steak or ground beef with vegetables, and another avocado. Train again at 4, get home around 8, and finish the day with any meat of choice with sweet potato. In bed by 10:30. My diet is gluten and soy free.

6. Did you play any sports when you were younger? If so, how do you think they prepared you for Olympic lifting?

When I was really young I played football basketball and baseball, but when I started high school I wanted to specialize in football. Football had the biggest influence on getting me prepared for Olympic Lifting because that's where I was introduced to the power clean and strength training. My sophomore year I competed in local power clean meets which is how ended up meeting John Broz, my coach.

7. What is a myth of Olympic lifting that you would like to dispel or clear up?

That's easy! Assistance exercises such as hang, pause, no feet, no hands, chair, banded, chained lifts, drops, etc will NOT make you better at snatching and cleaning.

The most common question I get asked: What exercise do you do to get better at snatching, cleans or squats? My answer is snatch (or clean or squat) as much as you can and for years, you will improve. I understand that novice lifters look up to competitive weightlifters for tips and advice but they forget these guys started lifting when they were 8 and now they can do whatever they want because the technique to them is like breathing. The real problem is monotony and boredom. It’s hard for people to do the same thing, day in and day out without change, so they come up with goofy exercise and complexes to make it interesting. My belief is until you lifted your lifetime goals; stick with the classic lifts from the floor. Take it from the only American to snatch 200kg/440 lbs in training ever, the only way to snatch 200kg (440lbs) is to snatch 200kg.

8. What is your opinion of straps for Olympic lifts, and how do you think they help accelerate your training?

You’re only as strong as your weakest link and with straps it takes away the weak link of your skin, so you can train snatches 10 times a week. Straps are necessary because if you let one day go by that you could have lifted more but your hands hurt, then you fall behind. That's just unacceptable when you’re trying to be the best. They can become a crutch for some people so I recommend snatching at least once a week without straps.

9. How many times do you attempt maxes in your training? How many misses before you say “OK time to move on”?

With squats usually just once unless I felt like there was a technique flaw. As far as snatching and clean and jerks in the beginning the magic number was 6 attempts. Now that my technique and feel for the barbell has gotten better, if I feel like I can make I will keep going until John says otherwise. For novice lifters, I would recommend 6 attempts in the Snatch, and 3 in the Clean and Jerk.

10. What advice do you have your youngsters who are interested in joining your sport?

Have clear goals know exactly what you want out of this sport and what you need to lift to get it. It's a very easy sport to get bored, so if you can stay focused on why you lift, it makes it easier. Stay humble, train hard, avoid distractions, eat smart, get a good coach, remain focused and progress comes easy.

Follow more of Pat Mendes here on his Youtube channel as he works towards to 2016 Olympics.

Left to right: Shelle Carroll (USA), Callie Marunde Best (USA), Cornellia Kaiso (Austria), Tory Lane (USA), and Diana Hiund Guuuousdottir (Iceland

Article written by Alanna Casey

“What’s it like to be married to a strongman?” I asked Callie Marunde Best. Callie brushed her platinum blonde hair to the side as she carefully mixed butter, flour, sugar and banana for the banana bread that her husband had requested. She moved her lips as she contemplated my question; tire grit from the 600 lb tire flips we had done 20 minutes earlier was still smudged across her chin. “It’s a pain in the ass. They shit more, eat more and cry more than a toddler. Our entire schedule revolves around him and his training and competition preparation … but, at the end of the day I’d never want to be with a pencil neck,” Callie said.

I have been curious lately about what it feels like for women who are dating/engaged/married to an amateur or professional strongman. A few weeks ago, I got a chance to find out. I spoke with five different couples who have been together for 2 to 18 years. Three couples were American, one was Austrian and on was Icelandic. I was amazed at the dedication of these women to their partners. They stood out in the scorching Las Vegas sun, dripping sweat, taking video of their men training; and all with a smile on their face! And all were genuinely interested in the training her partner was accomplishing.

One couple was in the process of driving across country to California where World’s Strongest Man was to be held, and where he would be competing. I asked the woman, Diana, where they had stayed the night before and she said, “We slept in the car.” I was astonished. She wasn’t complaining about it, simply stating where they had slept. I asked, “Why?” She replied that the hotels were all too expensive and they wanted to stay in the Vegas area that night to be able to train with Nick Best the following day. I couldn’t believe what she was willing to do to support her strongman partner. This got me curious. I wanted to know more about these women and how they viewed their partnership with their respective strongman.
I asked each of the women a variety of questions. I did my best to make sure the questions were not asked in a biased fashion and I simply wrote down how they responded. I then opened the floor to any additional comments about being in a relationship with a strongman. I was motivated to conduct this interview after thinking about myself and how difficult it must be to maintain a relationship with a competitive strongwoman or strongman. I was also curious to see if any of my needs in a partner were similar to what other strongman partners experienced from their partners. Finally, I wanted to know if these women thought that dating a strongman was significantly different than dating a “normal” guy The overwhelming feedback I got was, yes; dating a strongman is very much different that dating your typical guy.

I will not directly attribute the following responses to any one woman in particular but, understand that the responses came from one of the five women I interviewed. My interview was conducted in similar fashion to that of a focus group, where I was acting as the moderator.
Q: Do you feel that a strongman’s needs are different from that of a typical man?

A: “Yes. They require more food and sex than the average man.”

“I agree, they need more [sex and food]. There’s two ways to keep a man happy; feed him and f*ck him. And the reason that we are with these men is because we can feed their appetites, all of their appetites.”

Q: Do you view his need for frequent sex as a positive thing or a negative thing?

A: “I view it as a very positive thing and I feel that my sex drive has increased since being with him. I guess because his level is so high that mine just follows. ”

“I view it as a positive thing. If I happen to be too tired one night, I just say ‘two times tomorrow ‘, and he’s good with that.”

“A positive thing! No one can give it to you like a 300lb strongman.”

Q: What are some challenges of being with a strongman?

A: “At dinner parties or when you fly you always have to share your seat. He is just too big for regular seats.”

“Finding clothes for him can be challenging as he doesn’t fit into regular clothing. It’s extremely hard to shop for him.”

Q: Who is the boss in your relationship?

A: “Together we are the boss.”

“I give him options. Do you want this or this? This way he feels like he is the boss because he chooses, but, I gave him the options.”

“When it comes to food, he’s the boss. I’m the boss in most other things.”

Q: What tactics do you use to keep your man fed?

A: “I constantly carry around food with me. I carry beef jerky, protein bars, protein powder. I never come home without asking if I can bring home something to eat. Our biggest fights happen because he is hungry. He is snippy when he is hungry… things that don’t normally annoy him do. So when he gets snippy I usually offer him food to see if that’s the problem.”

Q: In a relationship, if one person is strong/into fitness, and the other is not, do you think that relationship can work?

A: “No, I don’t. That would be similar to being a different faith. It’s a lifestyle.”

“No, because the person who’s not into it, wouldn’t be able to understand the choices that he makes. She wouldn’t be willing to travel to contests, to stand in the hot sun while he trains or competes…”

Q: How often do you travel for strongman training/events?

A: “Every weekend to once a month depending on what his schedule is. That travel could be national or international.”

Q: How do you stay positive when you have to travel so much due to his training/contests?

A: “I love him very much and he loves [strongman]. I knew what I was getting in to. It’s an adventure. I like it because I get to meet new people and develop a strength family.”

Q: What is your role during strongman contests?

A: “I play the role of cheerleader, water girl, equipment inspector, ice bag maker/holder, tacky girl, Gatorade reminder, food runner/supplier, diplomat, video taker, boo boo kisser, loudest yeller and, hottest wife. “

Q: What do you do if your man performs poorly in a contest?

A: “Once he calms down tell him what he did right, pat him on the back and, tell him everything will be okay.”

Q: Do you feel strongmen are any more or less emotionally needy than a typical man?
A: “I think they are more emotionally needy. Usually I try to just let him ride out emotional outburst/mood swings. Sometimes I can predict and can help avoid it. Most times, it’s time to eat.”

“Most strongmen have a very big presence and their emotions are that much bigger. There is a certain type of man who gets into strongman. Most of these Alphas have to be the biggest and the best at everything they do. Being emotional is no exception.”

Q: Are you ever scared that he will physically hurt you?

“No, no. I know that I am his Achilles heel.”

“I am sure he would never hurt me.”

“Pshhh, yea right! I make the rules… he wouldn’t lay a finger on me.”

“No. He just has a hard time accepting that it’s his fault sometimes. But he is soft …very romantic.”

Q: Would you ever attack your man’s strength?

A: “No… because that would really hurt him. He will remember it.”

Q: Your man gets a lot of social media attention. Do the comments from other men/women make you jealous?

A: “No, it doesn’t usually bother me.”

“No. He will take care of it and if he doesn’t that’s a sure sign something is going on.”

Q: In one word, how does it feel to be with a strongman?

“Entertaining”

“Badass”

“Exciting”

“Sexy”

“Motivating”

“It’s cool to be able to say, ‘My boyfriend can kick your boyfriend’s ass, and he actually can. It’s still entertaining to see how other guys react to him though. They puff out their lats and try to act tough.”

Q: Do you train together with your strongman?

A: “We train together as in we arrive and leave at the same time but, we both do our own thing.”

Q: What would you say if your husband told you he wanted to quit strongman?

A: “I would say, ‘I think we need to rethink this.’ … I don’t think anyone wants to quit but is forced to retire when the body has taken a beating. Strongmen want the fame and glory that comes along with being a strongman. No one wants that taken away from them. In this sport if you are not winning, you’re losing. If you don’t show at a contest, you’re old news.”

Q: What’s your favorite quality about your partner?

A: “He is hardworking and very caring. He is a good husband and a good father. He sometimes acts like a doofus but everyone acts like a doofus.”

Q: Have you changed your lifestyle since being with your strongman?

A:” I feel I need to be hot for him. I’m more conscious about eating right and feeling healthy.”

“I was never as motivated to reach my goals until I met him. I was a little lazy.”

After my interviews were conducted I felt good, and so did the other women. They remarked how nice it made them feel they that they all share similar positives and challenges when dealing with their strongmen. As I reflect on the sport and various relationships I’ve observed, I make a couple conclusions. The REAL purpose of my interview was not to find out about strongmen but, to find out about the women who support and love them. What I was REALLY wondering was, “Does it take a certain type of women/man to be with a strongman or strongwoman?” And the answer is a resounding, “yes.” A strongman or strongwoman needs a partner who is faithful, resilient, and determined. All of the women I spoke with were remarkable. They cared for their men in a way that was admirably selfless. They didn’t mind traveling with their men, putting out for their men, cooking for their men, or being present and encouraging for his contest. The overwhelming feeling that I got was that each of these women where their man’s biggest fan and supporter. Sure they get annoyed with him every now and then, and occasionally get into fights. But, each of those women was just as strong, if not STRONGER than her man.

That is the point I am getting at. A strongman or strongwoman needs a partner who will not stand behind him but, a partner who walks beside him and sometimes even in front of him, cutting down the tangle of brush in his path. These women do more than just “support” their man. I have zero doubt that without their respective women, none of those men would be as successful as they are today.

As Callie says about strongmen, “Kids admire them, woman desire them, men want to be them.” I would like to add one thing; it takes a very VERY special person to lovethem.

Callie Marunde Best / Nick Best

Tory and Jonathan Lane 3 years

Cornellia Kaiso / Martin Wildauo Austria 3 years

Diana Hiund Guuuousdottir / Valgeir Gauti Arnasou Iceland 2 years

Shelle Carroll / Doug Carroll 18 years > met getting ready for a powerlifting show

*The opinions expressed in this interview are not necessarily the opinions of LBEB.

Article written by Seth Larsen

Is it possible to limp with both legs at once? I'm not talking about being so sore from a squat workout that your legs just won't work properly, or doing so many walking lunges that each step makes your knees buckle. I'm referencing the kind of pain that means each step must be taken gingerly for fear of bearing any kind of weight. The walk that causes a wince with each stride, as if the mere act of doing something as menial as taking a step is a struggle. If you've ever suffered from shin splints, you have doubtless pondered this question while wishing you could just lie down all day in the hopes that your pain will subside long enough to take the few steps towards the medicine cabinet so that you can continue eating ibuprofen like Skittles. Sound familiar? If not, I envy you. Shin splints, regardless of how innocuous they may sound, can be one of the most painful overuse injuries you will ever experience as an athlete.

While waiting for my first patient to arrive earlier this week, I again saw what I like to call “the shin splint shuffle” firsthand. A young, healthy woman lightly stepped through the doors of the clinic and sat down. She immediately began rubbing her lower legs as if they were going to fall off, her face twisted in pain. While I interviewed her about her current problem, I asked if she was a runner. She said no. As she appeared very fit, I asked her if she had recently lost any weight, which she once again denied. She also could not describe any trauma to her legs that led to her pain. As she daintily pulled off her minimalist running shoes before the exam, she stated that she was a nurse, spending 10-12 hours per day on her feet in said shoes. I immediately had my diagnosis. This woman had developed severe medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), one of a few anterior lower leg injuries more commonly known as shin splints. This happened without her running more than a mile in her life!

It has become clear to me, and many researchers in sports medicine, that shin splints are not a problem reserved to the cardio bunnies we strength athletes like to scoff at on a daily basis. It is not the sole purview of the overweight, middle-aged men we see on the side of the road trying to run their way out of a mid-life crisis. Shin splints can affect any one of us, from bartenders to triathletes to strongmen and everything in between. As with any overuse injury, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So if it hasn't happened to you yet, it's time to make sure that you don't have to learn my least favorite dance move, the “shin splint shuffle.”

First, what are shin splints? This is an umbrella term coined to describe one of three anterior lower leg injuries: MTSS, tibial stress fractures (TSF), and anterior tibialis tendonitis. Without going into too much detail on their pathophysiology, I will describe all three here. MTSS is an inflammatory process that affects the medial aspect of the tibia, directly anterior to the muscle bellies of the calf. While the exact mechanism is poorly understood at this time, a person suffering from MTSS will generally experience pain along the entire length of the inside of the tibia. MRI studies have shown that edema (tissue swelling) of both the tibial periosteum (the membranous covering of the bone) and tibial bone marrow occurs in most cases of MTSS. While this swelling may not be palpable, it is the likely reason for the pain in this area. Tibial stress fractures are slightly easier to understand. Over time, force on the bone itself can cause both microscopically and radiographically visible cracks. This is more associated with point tenderness in specific areas that refers pain elsewhere with weight-bearing. Anterior tibialis tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon that attaches to the lateral aspect of the tibia. In severe cases, this can cause separation of the anterior tibialis from the tibia and sometimes tendon rupture. Pain in this case occurs on the outside of the shin closer to the knee, but often encompasses the entire length of the tibia as well.

Now that we have an idea of what shin splints are, I will discuss why this injury occurs in the first place. While it is true that running too many miles or being on one's feet for too many hours are common inciting events for MTSS and its counterparts, they are not necessarily the cause of the injury. It all starts with the functional anatomy of the foot and lower extremity. I won't belabor you with all the intrinsic muscles and bones of the foot and lower leg, as there are dozens, so we will stick to the basics. The major joints important to shin splints are the knee, hip, and ankle, while the major bones I'll discuss are the tibia and the fibula, along with the many bones of the foot and ankle. Ensuring proper mobility of these joints and movement of the bones by the muscles that act upon them is paramount in the treatment and prevention of MTSS, TSF, and anterior tibialis tendonitis.

The important muscles here are the fibularis (previously known as peroneus) triad, the anterior and posterior tibialis muscles, the gastrocnemius, the soleus, the popliteus, and the long flexor and extensor muscles acting on the foot. Let's break this down. First, the fibularis triad. The longus is the most lateral muscle of the lower leg, and functions in eversion of the foot and plantarflexion, along with support of the arch. The brevis is deep to the longus and extends and abducts the foot. The tertius is a small muscle that flips the foot at the ankle and weakly dorsiflexes. The anterior tibialis, while obviously being most integral to its tendonitis, lies directly lateral to the tibia and functions to dorsiflex and invert the foot. Its posterior counterpart is also a dorsiflexor, but mainly functions to stabilize the foot while walking or running. The popliteus is a small muscle behind the knee that assists in knee flexion, but more importantly for our purposes is involved in rotating the lower leg medially. The gastrocnemius is the “calf muscle” that we all normally think of when we are doing calf raises (but seriously, who actually does those?). Other than making Pastor B's (and my own) legs look tiny, its major function is to powerfully plantar lex the foot and push the body forward during a stride. The soleus lies deep to this and assists it in plantarflexion, especially when the knee is flexed.

I know what's going through your mind right now: “I'm tired of reading all this science-y bullshit. Can you just tell me how to fix it? Are you done firing a bunch of big words at me to make yourself feel smart?” The answer is yes to both, although I do feel pretty smart. But first let me explain why shin splints happen. The answer is pretty simple. Repetitive trauma to the lower leg without proper foot strike, most often due to muscular imbalance and other anatomic issues, is the number one culprit in the development of shin splints. Whether this is from running distance, walking all day at work, or grinding through sets of yoke walks with 800lb on your back, the mechanism remains essentially the same. When the foot strikes the ground improperly, undue stress is placed on the bones and joints of the lower leg. Not only can this result in knee, hip, and lower back issues, it has caused countless people to experience shin splints. Unfortunately, for a litany of reasons, we develop poor foot strike and gait patterns over time. Imbalance in lower leg musculature is the most common issue, which increases in severity if training continues without treatment due to the strike and the concept of reciprocal inhibition (which I explained here).

Overly tight gastrocnemius, fibularis, and tibialis muscles wreak all kinds of havoc, based on their actions that I detailed above. IT band tightness and increased hip external rotation, which unfortunately often occur together, are also major risk factors for shin splints, as is being female. Sorry ladies, the stats don't lie. In any of these cases, when the foot hits the ground, it pulls on muscles and tendons in a way they aren't necessarily intended to move, ultimately resulting in improper force distribution to the bones and muscles throughout the body's kinetic chain. This is worsened by an increased load, which is why a greater body weight is another risk factor. What do you think happens when that weight hits the ground from the top of a box or with an extra 800lb added to it during a yoke walk? This is one of the many reasons why I am not a fan of jumping down from the box during a set of box squats. Unless it is for time in a competitive setting, step down to the ground or be prepared for pain.

Alright, now it's time to really get into shin splint prevention. Since running is a major contributor, an easy answer is not to do it. I would in fact argue that unless running more than 100m is integral to your sport, avoid it altogether. Running sucks. It beats you up more than it helps you. Now for you CrossFolk, I know you have to run in some of your WODs. First, I'm sorry for you. That sounds awful. Second, you need to control your foot strike! With the advent of minimalist running shoes, people have bought into the dogma that less is more when it comes to running. This could not be further from the truth. Sure, if you have absolutely no foot pathology, no muscle imbalances, and no foot strike issues, go throw on some toe shoes and hit the pavement. The lack of cushioning notwithstanding, these shoes do absolutely nothing to control your foot strike. If I had a dollar for every shin splint patient I've seen walk into the clinic wearing minimalist shoes, I'd still be broke, but my student loans would have a much larger chunk out of them. Before my transition into strength sports, I was part of this crowd too. I wore my Nike Frees like they were the only shoe on the planet, and ran multiple triathlons and obstacle races in them. It just so happens that I developed shin splints, in addition to exacerbating my knee and back problems. Why do you think Vibram is paying out millions for their false claims about barefoot running? So if you are going to run, get a gait analysis. This can be done at most running stores, and they will be able to put you in a shoe that will properly control the motion of your foot strike.

As for those of us who avoid running like the plague, shoe choice is still important. When doing heavy farmer's walks, yokes, or carries, go for a shoe that has actually less cushioning but still holds your foot firm. Cushioning in these exercises will cause too much movement at the ankle as it compresses down, and can result in lower leg pain due to the muscles and tendons being pulled in different directions. This will be a little more personal, and the right shoe for these events will likely be discovered through trial and error. Unless you can find a store that does yoke walk gait analysis, in which case let me know and I'll fly there in a hurry.

In both cases, the previously mentioned muscles must also be addressed. Stretching, SMR, and a few basic strengthening exercises are the big weapons here. Never, I repeat, NEVER do any running or loaded movement events without properly warming up your legs. Stretch your calves from every angle you can find, turning your foot in different directions to hit all the intrinsic muscles of the lower leg. You should also stretch your anterior tibialis by placing your toe point on the ground and extending your hips until you feel a nice pull in your ankle and on the outside of your shin. Perform your regular hip mobility circuits to make sure they are rotating properly during your movements. Also make sure to work on your ankle mobility. One way to do this is to sit in a squat and rock your knees forward over each foot individually and hold. As far as total time for this, do what you feel is necessary to improve your mobility, as it will depend on where you are currently at. And for God's sake, roll! Using a pipe, foam roller, ball, or your torture equipment of choice, roll out the soles of your feet, your anterior and posterior lower legs (including your Achilles tendons; fair warning, this hurts like hell), your quads, your IT bands, and the muscles of the hip girdle. Your shins will thank you.

As far as strengthening exercises, anterior tibialis weakness in comparison to the gastrocnemius helps to contribute to shin splints in a big way, especially in the case of anterior tibialis tendonitis. Because we use our calves in so many exercises, the posterior lower leg is often extremely over-developed in relation to the anterior. This, like any imbalance, is bad news. The fix for this is relatively simple: multidirectional toe raises. To perform these, first anchor a light band to something. Then lay on the ground and loop your foot through the band so that it is just proximal to the base of your toes. Pull your toes towards you, keeping smooth tension in the band throughout. No jerky motions or huge thick bands; you are not going to impress anyone with your toe raise prowess, and will probably wind up having your foot slip out and kick you in the face. If you are going to do it that way, please put it on YouTube so I can laugh at you. Do 15 reps per leg of each of the following: toes pointed in, toes pointed forwards, and toes pointed out. If you do this every day, steadily adding in more sets, you should be able to help reduce the imbalance.

So what if you already have shin splints? My condolences. They suck. No getting around that. There are some solid and essentially free treatments for them, though. First and foremost, rest. Multiple studies and my own clinical experience has indicated that the best way to calm these things down is to stop doing what caused them in the first place. Since I know that nobody wants to take time off, there are other options. In addition to all the preventative measures above (especially getting the right damn shoes!), you can adjust your training to save your shins. CrossFolk, sub out multiple sprints for your longer distance runs to keep your cardio up. You can also replace distance runs with hiking to get a similar muscular and cardivoascular stimulus without the impact. Biking and swimming are also excellent low-impact ways to keep your conditioning while avoiding distance running. For strongmen, lower the weight on your yoke walks and carries. Train them for speed, distance, and proper movement patterns instead. This is why many high level strongmen train heavy yoke walks very sparingly. There is no reason to trash yourself under a heavy implement day in and day out if you do not have a specific competition in mind. Another treatment method is an ice massage. Take a dixie cup, fill it with water, and freeze it. When it is frozen, massage the affected areas with it until it melts to the point that you can no longer do so. This will help to alleviate the pain and reduce inflammation, so do it after every training session and while relaxing on rest days. Epsom salt baths are another great option, and you can actually do some of your stretches in the bath. What runners call “the death stick” can help as well, and also falls into the category of SMR for prevention. It looks similar to a rolling pin, and can be used to roll out the lower legs very effectively, even if it is extremely painful.

Now that you've read this, you can probably agree that it's time to make some changes. So go throw your toe shoes in the trash, grab a roller and some bands, and get to work. Let's leave the shin splints to those chicken-legged, multiple-trips-for-the-groceries, ET-looking people who think running 26.2 miles is a good way to spend a Sunday.

Seth Larsen has a Bachelor's of Science in Biology and Neuroscience and is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine candidate for 2015 at Midwestern University. He is a former NASM-CPT and student athletic trainer. He currently serves as a reserve officer in the US Navy Medical Corps while he finishes medical school with a specialization in primary care sports medicine. Seth is a former NCAA football player who now competes as a LW (105kg) strongman, Highland Games athlete, and raw powerlifter.

References

1. Murphy, K, Curry, E, Matzkin, E. “Barefoot Running: Does It Prevent Injuries?” Sports Medicine, 2013. Vol 43(11): 1131.

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3. Moen, M, Schmikli, S, Weir, A, Steeneken, V, Stapper, G, Slegte, R, Tol, J, Backx, F. “A prospective study on MRI findings and prognostic factors in athletes with MTSS.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2014. Vol 24(1): 204.

4. Craig, D. “Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome: Evidence-Based Prevention.” Journal of Athletic Training, 2008. Vol 43(3): 316-318.

5. Moen, M, Tol, J, Weir, A, Steunebrink, De Winter, T. “Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome: A Critical Review.” Sports Medicine, 2009. Vol 39(7): 523-546.

6. Newman, P, Witchalls, J, Waddington, G, Adams, R. “Risk factors associated with medial tibial stress syndrome in runners: a systematic meta-analysis.” Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 2013. Vol 4: 229-241.

7. Tolbert, T, Binkley, H. “Treatment and Prevention of Shin Splints.” Strength and Conditioning Journal, 2009. Vol 31(5): 69-72.

8. Image sourced from: http://www.doereport.com/generateexhibit.php?A=&ExhibitKeywordsRaw=&ID=690&TL=

Article written by Matt Mills

The overhead press is something that gets overlooked in the average gym-goer’s training, in favor of the more popular bench press. Everyone knows Monday is national bench press day at any local gym, but how many people do you really see in the rack doing strict overhead presses? The overhead press is a far better test of overall strength compared to the bench press, and I’m a Powerlifter saying that. If you are a Powerlifter, and your bench presses haven’t moved in a while, I guarantee you need to start working on your overhead. Want to improve your pull ups? Yes overhead pressing is the answer. The overhead press was even in Olympic Weightlifting alongside the clean and jerk, and snatch. When I say overhead press, I mean strict with no leg drive, to be clear. The overhead press was brought into the Olympics in 1928 as it was thought to be a better test of strength compared to the clean and jerk, and snatch. The crazy thing in my opinion is that the weight still had to be cleaned to the shoulders before it was pressed. For any of you that compete in weightlifting you can imagine how difficult it would be to perform 3 moderately heavy cleans to later perform 3 more max weight cleans for the jerk.

Unfortunately the overhead press was taking out of the Olympics in 1972 for a few reasons. Many lifters would excessively lean back turning the press into a standing bench press so there was tremendous stress on their lower backs.

However with the popularity of weightlifting there was a huge push to increase the overhead press. The first man to ever press 400lb was deemed the strongest man of his time Paul Anderson.

With the rise of Strong(wo)man and Crossfit, the overhead press is making a big comeback. Unfortunately in Powerlifting you do not see the overhead press as I used to a few years ago. Although in Strong(wo)man you never see a true strict press in competition, there is no doubt that any competitor should be working on their strict press. We are seeing in many Strong(wo)man competitions, two pressing events, and if strongman is your sport then I recommend pressing as much as twice a week. For Crossfit, you have the Crossfit Total which I absolutely love for bringing back the overhead press back into popularity. With that being said, overhead pressing is not as simple as just pressing the bar over your head, there are many common mistakes that will hold you press, back so let’s start from the beginning.

I’m assuming most of you will be pressing out of a rack so save the cleans for when you have to jerk the weight overhead. The position you press out of will not be the same as you will perform the jerk out of. This is probably the most common mistake I have seen when working with weightlifters, and Crossfitters. Most will come out of the rack with the bar on their shoulders, in the tips of their fingertips, and with the elbows high. When it comes to the jerk this is the ideal position to be in as you are going to essentially “jump” the bar off your shoulders. However, when it comes to a strict press, you will be starting from a very weak position, and making your triceps do the work to get the weight moving off your shoulders. Instead approach the bar, and get it deep in the palm of your hands. You want your wrist to be perfectly straight so the bar should not be too high toward your fingers as this will cause your wrist to bend once you take the weight off the rack, same as the bench press. It’s important to use wrist wraps here, because you want your wrist and the bar to be in a perfect straight line.Once the bar and wrists are in the proper position, the elbows should also be directly under the bar and wrists. With these 3 points in line you are ready to initiate the press.

Before you press, take a huge breath of air in and hold it in your belly. If you use a belt then push out against it like I outlined here. To protect your lower back and prevent yourself from leaning back too much, squeeze your glutes as hard as possible. The quads should also be contracted so you don’t cheat and use any knee bend. As you press, you want to think about pushing yourself away from the bar, not the bar away from you. This will keep your lats tight through the lift so you remain stable. You will have to slightly lean back for the initial press, but like I said, do not get excessive and risk injuring your lower back. As soon as the bar clears your head, push your head and chest through until you lock the bar out so it should be directly in line with your shoulders. A common mistake is to lean back too much and miss the press out in front, placing too much stress on the anterior deltoids. Once the bar is directly over the top of your head, the triceps can come in to help finish the lift.

If you were to video yourself or have someone stand to your side, once the bar is locked out in the proper position the bar, wrists, elbows, and shoulders should be in a perfect straight line. Also, do not just lock the weight out and quickly bring it back down. Always hold the top every the press for at least a second, and do not just think hold, continue to press the weight as high as possible. In Strongman, there is always a down command where you have to hold the weight under control. When performing reps on the overhead press breathing becomes more important. Before initiating the press like I outlined above, take a huge breath in and push against your belt if you have one. Once you lock the weight out, breath out, and before you descend, quickly breathe out and take another big breath of air in and hold it until you get to the top again. The reason for this is you will not be able to get as much air in you when the bar is coming down and you certainly do not want to try to breathe in again once the bar touches. Once you breathe out, you will relax to some degree, so this is why you will breathe out and quickly back in once you are at lock out.

Now we all know by now how much I love accessory work and hammering weak points, so let’s get into the best exercise to improve your overhead press. Like I have said before, you cannot just stick with the basic movement and expect to get stronger continuously. Training like this will keep your strengths strong and your weak points weak.

Two of my favorites I have already outlined in a previous article here. The Z-press is perfect for correcting form as you will have no choice but to press the bar in a perfect straight line. If anything is out of line you will simply fall back, as many of you know if you have tried this exercise at a heavy weight. If you are a Strongman competitor, try Z-presses with a log or an axle. I have even done these with a circus dumbbell for added difficulty. If lock out is your weak point, then the overhead Dicks press is for you. With increased time under tension (TUT) on the triceps you will add some serious muscle to them to increase your lock out strength.

Kneeling Landmine Press

The overhead press involves a lot of core strength, and I have seen many people miss a lift due to an imbalance. The kneeling landmine press takes care of both of these problems. You will feel your obliques work to stabilize the spine as well as the individual arm work harder with the balance of the bar at this angle. On a side note, most of us have one arm stronger than the other, so when the weight gets heavy, one arm will be able to press the weight up much faster while the other lags behind. Do not continue to press with the stronger arm as the weight is now shifting to the weaker side. Slow the stronger arm down and let the weaker arm catch up. You will be far more likely to press the weight with both arms in line. One arm will always be stronger than the other but you want to balance this out as best as you can. Another benefit of the kneeling landmine press is that you have everything in line in order to press. If the wrist and elbow are not in a straight line, the weight will fall right out of your hands. Simply take a bar, and use a landmine attachment if you have one. If you don’t have access to one, then take the bar and anchor to anything that will keep it in place. Get down on both knees, and when you bring the bar in place you have to stay extremely tight when the weight gets heavy. Give them a try, but they are very humbling the first time.

Dips

I won’t get into much detail here, but to press heavy weights you need to have extremely strong triceps, and there is no better exercise then dips. As much as I love ring dips I would not recommend then as accessory work to overhead pressing. The pectorals come in to a much greater degree with the rings. I should also say that these should be done without kipping. We’re going for tricep strength, not just to do as many reps as fast as possible. Ideally these should be done weighted when you are strong enough, so make it a goal to get better at dips and your overhead will go through the roof. Now I know many of you may not be able to perform dips due to a shoulder injury but try this trick I learned from Strength Coach Josh Bryant: If you have a sling shot simply perform dips with it on. It will take the pressure of the joints at the bottom of the movement but allow you to perform a full range of motion. Now for many of you that are trained this will be fairly easy, so load the weight up on these. This is a great way to strengthen the triceps as again they come in more to lock the arms out at the top.

Arnold Press

If you want to press big weights you have to have big shoulders, so use this exercise from Arnold Schwarzenegger. Back in Arnold’s time strength was still an important part of bodybuilding, and the overhead press was a staple. The Arnold Press is essentially a seated dumbbell press beginning with the elbows in front with your palms facing you. Simply press the dumbbells overhead and rotate your hands in the opposite direction so your palms will be facing out at lockout. The Arnold press is one of my favorites because it will add muscle to the front delts like no other exercise because of TUT. The rotating of the dumbbells will have you staying at the bottom position slightly longer than a standard dumbbell press. This will help increase your strength out of the bottom on the overhead press. If you want a good shoulder finisher try this at the end of your training: Take the heaviest dumbbells you can do lateral raises with and do them to absolute failure for about 15-20 reps, once you can do no more then bring them up and perform Arnold presses to failure.

Pull ups

Pull ups may not directly strengthen the muscles that aid in the overhead press, but if your opposing muscles are weak, it will only hold you back. Most competitive Strongmen I know press twice a week, and some even more. If you do not perform the opposite movement this will lead to an imbalance, and very soon an injury. Shoulder injuries are very common in the sports of Strongman, Crossfit, and Powerlifting, and most can be avoided through proper programming. A good rule to follow is for the pressing you do make sure you pull, or row 2/3 more. Performing this much back work will ensure healthy shoulders as well as a stable base to press from.

If I had my way, I would eliminate all future internet articles that focus on these three topics:

1. Running will kill you. Lift weights instead!

2. Carbs make you fat.

3. Crossfit is dumb because I say so.

Luckily today I will only write about option #3, so let's get started.

I will preface this article by stating that I am a 285lb Strongman that never wants to even think about doing a kipping pullup or metcon again in my life. That being said, the prevalence of Crossfit-bashing articles have become nothing less than tedious, and contribute nothing to the strength world that hasn't already been said hundreds of times, usually by the same people. If you are like Mark Rippetoe, your ONLY contribution to the strength world these days is writing over and over how you think Crossfit is just so dumb! It's dumb and I hate it, because it’s dumb!! Now, that isn't to say that there aren't some things in the Crossfit world that make my face cringe and my groin hurt, such as this:

What the WAT?

Yea, there aren't really any words to describe the stupidity of the competition event pictured above, but you know what it is? Growing pains, as Crossfit finds its groove as it tries to become a sport in its own right. Every sport has them, as they try to iron out what works and what doesn't work. In Crossfit's case, it will probably take a little longer than usual, because it is a sport that revolves around competing in unknown events that you probably haven't trained for. If people want to partake in that sport, good for them! I can think of a lot worse habits to pick up than Crossfit that will kill you much quicker.

As someone who has spent the last four years studying theology, no argument against Crossfit appears weaker to me than the "Crossfit is a cult" argument. Being a cult does not inherently make something evil or detrimental, and before you throw the C-word around, think about this: What cult in America causes its members to don face paint every week, spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually to spectate, cause city-wide riots, spend countless amounts of money on alcohol, and generally distract us from the real world?

That's right: Football is without a doubt, the biggest cult in our country, yet most people have absolutely no problem participating in or spectating with an almost religious zealotry. In reality, any sport, even strength sports, can develop cult-like tendencies. The bottom line is, who cares? If you hate Crossfit because it is a cult, this photo sums you up quite nicely:

Crossfit is dumb because I choose to not do it!

Simply based on observation online, it never fails that most of the individuals who claim to want to "increase the growth and the awareness of their sport (PL, SM, WL) are the EXACT SAME individuals that will incessantly post troll videos with hundreds of comments that revolve around bashing other strength sports, and even their own sports, for not doing things the way THEY want them to be done. Think about all of the factions of Powerlifting: How long will you argue about squat depth, what is raw, bench arch, and suits before you realize that YOU are holding your own sport back from progressing. No one wants to join a sport where the vocal minority are nothing more than online divas. Powerlifting in the Olympics? Fat chance unless you can all pull your shit together.

Another way that Crossfit is bashed is from the health and safety standpoint. Again, it is very easy to call something dangerous, when you are on the outside looking in. People like to claim that "Crossfitters are a chiropractor's best clients". According to who? One chiropractor you talked to? Maybe two? Do they represent all chiropractors?

Yes, Crossfitters may go through wear and tear in their sport, but think about it this way: a race car sitting in the garage may require no maintenance, but it also isn't going anywhere. Wear and tear is normal across all strength sports, and let he who is without stiffness or injury cast the first stone. Do sedentary people need to be doing snatches and kipping pullups in their first WOD? Probably not, but I won't hold the entirety of Crossfit responsible for the irresponsibility of the minority of new Crossfit coaches.

Sure, some Crossfit events do look pointless, dangerous, and even comical. So what? In Strongman, we do some of the goofiest events ever conceived, yet no one is outside our homes with pitchforks and tar. Why is that? Because we don't get as much attention from mainstream media as Crossfit does. I think it really boils down to: "Hey I am stronger than this Crossfitter, but they get more attention than me. It’s not fair, look at me!"

While I never want to do Crossfit again, I challenge all non-Crossfit strength athletes to think of another fitness movement with thousands of gyms around the world, where we can bring in our Strongman equipment, have a big open floor to do whatever we want, and most importantly, not be surrounded by treadmills, mirrors, and "no deadlifting" signs. LBEB lifters are eternally grateful to all the Crossfit gyms that have let us use their space in the past, because without them, we would be screwed.

If you truly want your sport to grow, embrace all of the people that are introduced to your way of lifting by Crossfit. Gyms and coaches who put their heads in the sand when it comes to Crossfit are gyms and coaches that will struggle greatly to make ends meet, for the most part. Adapt or Die comes into play greatly here, and if you just can't bring yourself to embrace thousands of potential new athletes for your sport, then perhaps you are the problem here.

It is time to end the repetitive Crossfit-bashing articles, mainly because they don't convey any new ideas, they are just click-bait, and they present a very biased view of the sport that could easily be said about the rest of us.

Competitive Crossfitters, like us, are not participating in their sport solely for health reasons. No one wants to win a gold medal, or be the world's strongest person for health reasons, they want to win. If I was about 100lbs lighter (and not terrible at Crossfit), I would do kipping pullups until the sun set if it gave me a chance at winning 500,000 dollars. The sooner we start to embrace these people, the sooner we won't have to compete for first place, and MAYBE win a jug of protein if we are lucky.

Also, we sponsor hot Crossfitters

Article written by Alanna Casey

“I can’t deadlift, I have a bad back.”

“I can’t squat, I have bad knees.”

“I can’t ‘insert exercise here’, I have an ‘insert excuse here’.”

We all get injuries, we all could make excuses. Some are actually legitimate, but the majority are just that: excuses. Unfortunately, body pains are part of the world of lifting heavy things, especially back pain. But, you don’t have to accept the pain. Instead, you can do things to mitigate back pain or eliminate it all together.

I will start with the disclaimer that if you have persistent, unmanageable pain, symptoms of nerve damage (numbness/tingling), or loss of bladder control then get to a doctor ASAP.

I have struggled with back pain for years. Ever since I started deadlifting/squatting over twice my body weight I have had to manage back pain, especially lower back pain. Many of my world class powerlifting/strongman friends suffer from back pain as well. Even my friends who participate in crossfit have back pain.

There are many different causes of back pain. Within the strength community the most common are muscle strains, nerve impingement, disk degeneration and muscle imbalances.
My personal back pain is from muscle imbalances which led to muscle tightening in my lower right side, which led to nerve impingement. It took me about 10 doctor’s visits and 3 years to figure that out,but I finally got it! Yay.

I would first recommend seeing a doctor about your particular issue but, given my issues I’d like to offer some advice on how to alleviate your pains.

1. Stretch

I hate stretching! Its sooo boring: it takes foreevver, it’s uncomfortable and most importantly, I cannot feel myself immediately getting bigger/stronger when I’m doing it. Yes, I understand stretching sucks. But it’s immeasurably important. At a minimum, I recommend stretching your shoulders, back, and hamstrings prior to any lifting workout. See the below illustration for some simple back stretches.
Stretching is important to your next PR attempt. Here’s why. Stretching will improve flexibility and increase your range of motion (especially important on squat). Stretching will lengthen tight muscles that are pulling your body away from their optimal and balances position (correct posture). Stretching also can decrease your chance on injury by preparing them for work. AND stretching after you train could possibly decrease muscle soreness by increases blood and nutrient supply to muscles which helps to clear and distribute lactic acid build up.

2. Take note of your posture

As you are sitting at your computer at work, or driving your car, watching tv, or sitting on the bleachers cheering on your kid during her soccer game, take note of your posture. Is your spine aligned or are you slouching over? If you’re slouching, correct it. Is your head at neutral or are you constantly looking up or down? As you sit do you have equal pressure on both cheeks or are you favoring one side?

I found that I had a tendency to lean to the right when sitting. This meant that my left side was constantly getting a stretch but that my right side was tense and constricted. This contributed to my back pain. I now make a conscious effort to correct my posture, no matter where I am.

3. Use proper form on squats

Yes, I’m talking about squats NOT deadlift! A lot of people end up hurting their back while squatting (or trying to squat). Women especially seem to have this problem for some reason. I am referring to the tendency to lean forward when squatting (see figure below). Many people (myself included) make the mistake of allowing their back to fall forward on the squat. When this happens the lower back has to work 1000% harder and in a 3D plane instead of a 2D one. Some people call this “clamming.” When you squat, you want your upper body as erect as possible. When you feel yourself leaning forward, your lower back has to try and compensate to keep you from toppling forward. Essentially, you end up doing a good morning while squatting. If you can keep your back straight up and down, your lower back will not be overworked.

But, in order to do that you must have enough flexibility in your hips and hamstrings, ESPECIALLY your hamstrings. During my last training cycle I stretched my hamstrings about 5-6 times a day for ten minutes (my doctor recommended 10 times a day but 5-6 was the best I actually did). I would also stretch my hips after each deadlift and squat session. One really good way to stretch your hips is to stand directly in front of a wall, get your legs into your squat stance, spread your arms onto the wall, parallel to the floor, and then squat. Concentrate on keeping your hips open and knees out; it’s the only way you will be successful.

4. Work your lower back muscles

Your back hurting (alone) is no reason not to train your lower back. My doctor recommended that I perform isometric (static, non-moving) back exercises, with lesser weight, as opposed to full range of motion exercises. Some great exercises for lower back are:

- Barbell row

- Standing or seated good mornings (I prefer seated)

- Back extension (great exercise to make isometric)

- Reverse glute ham raises

5. Get a good spotter

If you know that your back might be an issue, having a good spotter for heavy exercises is a must. Brief your spotter on exactly how you want him/her to assist you. Tell him what you will say if you need assistance and exactly what you expect him/her to do. I see a lot of people “spotting” on squat but, if their partner actually needed help, I’m not sure they would know how to properly assist.

If I am spotting someone on the squat, I squat directly behind and with my partner. I put my arms under their arms by their lats. If he/she needed help I would place my hands on or under his/her chest and squat the weight up using my legs. As you spot someone on the squat you want the lifter to be able to maintain form.

If you start to experience extreme discomfort in the middle of a lift, you want someone there (who is capable) to help you out to avoid injury. If you don’t have a spotter at least use a safety rack.

5. Know when you call it quits

There is a fine line between discomfort and pain. When pushing yourself in any exercise you will be uncomfortable. But, if you feel sharp pain, I recommend you stop your exercise. About once a month I will end a session early because my back is in sharp pain following an exercise. When this happens “pushing through it” will only cause greater damage. If you feel pain during any workout I suggest you stop that movement and either dramatically correct/change your form OR drastically lighten the weight OR start a cool down complete with stretching. It’s important not to let your ego get the best of you in this situation. Do what is best for YOU every day. Just because your lifting partner is doing a certain exercise or weight, doesn’t mean you have to do it. Exercise your brain as well as your muscles.

6. Deep tissue massage

I invest in a deep tissue massage about once every 4-8 weeks. If I had the funds I would do it every single week. Deep tissue massages help to release toxins from your muscles and help to prevent scar tissue from forming after muscle tears/strains. Deep tissue massage can also break up and eliminate scar tissue from previous injuries. If your deep tissue massage is an enjoyable and relaxing experience then your massage therapist isn’t doing it correctly. A true deep tissue massage will be quite painful as muscle knots are broken up. Be sure to drink lots and lots of water following a message.

7. Strengthen your core

Back pain may be caused by an imbalance between your lower back and your abdominals. Strengthening your abs will help correct this imbalance. I recommend training abs 1-2 a week, especially women.

8. Ice

I recommend icing your back for 20 minutes prior to going to sleep. Just make sure you don’t fall asleep with a bag of ice on your back and wake in a puddle! Icing will reduce inflammation and ultimately decrease your pain.

9. Osteopath vs Chiropractor

If you do all these things and still have back pain I would recommend and MRI. If the pain isn’t caused by a herniated disc, you might have a nerve pinched. In this case a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.or DO) would be able to best help you. Unlike a chiropractor, an osteopathic physician is a doctor. I have found that osteopaths are more likely to offer a more permanent solution to pain rather than short term pain relief. My osteopath realigned my spin and corrected the nerve impingent. I had been to a chiropractor many times before and he offered a 60 second massage, 60 seconds of hip stretching, and 10 minutes of a TENS unit (electrical stimulation). That did offer me relief but it only last a day or so. When I go to the osteopath my relief lasts a month or so, big difference.

I hope this article helps you to manage your back pain. Remember, pain doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a particular muscle group, just that some sort of correction needs to be made and attention given.

Article written by Matt Falk

In just a couple weeks, I will be celebrating my one year anniversary as a Strongman competitor at Washington’s Strongest Apple (if you live in WA, you should probably come out), and wanted to take a moment to reflect over a few things I’ve learned as a competitor and strength athlete in the last 365 days. So, take a seat and hold on to your compression shorts, it’s about to get inspirational.

Become Unbeatable

I’m sure most of you are wondering, how is that possible? I’m not talking about competition wins, although those aren’t too shabby either. I’m talking about the development of an unbeatable mentality. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times people have asked me “what is/are the best supplement(s)”? The best supplement available is a relentless and tenacious work ethic. This mentality can’t be sold or consumed in pill or powder form; it’s all on you. As we all know, your actual training is only a partial component of the big picture. Train harder, eat more, eat better, and make recovery/mobility your two best friends. Outworking your competition doesn’t mean lifting until failure every workout. It means developing an around the clock, 24/7 approach to your success as an athlete. Your “normal” life doesn’t have to come to a screeching halt. That would be unhealthy. However, there are plenty of sacrifices that have to be made along the way, and if you are unwilling to skip your happy hour to get your squats in, then just throw in the towel now. You’re going nowhere fast.

As a side note, I would like to say that the whole “train smarter, not harder” adage that is thrown around the fitness community is in most cases, a total bunch of bull. First, you need to identify what constitutes “training smart”. Seriously, what does this mean? Hard work and a few extra sets will ALWAYS beat the person who spends their free time reading a thousand research articles, lifting blogs, and trying to finesse and tweak their program to perfection. Train logically, but always train harder. A bit off topic, but there are those who believe that training PR’s don’t matter? Hmmm… yeah, no. PR’s in the gym are every bit as important to your success as numbers in competition. They may not go in the record book or earn you a trophy, but they will certainly boost your confidence, provide you with a solid indicator of where you’re at, and provide a small reward for the blood, sweat, and tears you have shed along the way. I’m not just talking about 1RM’s either. Smoking a new deadlift triple or even executing a set with better and more efficient form should be viewed as a victory. Celebrate yourself, feel accomplished, and then move on. Intensity seems to be a component that a large percentage of our society has allowed to atrophy over time, like their twiggy legs. Find it, harness it, use it.

Drop Your Guard

Pretty self-explanatory and certainly nothing new, but drop your guard for a minute and keep reading. Not only is an inflated ego unbearably difficult to tolerate, it makes you an idiot and less of an athlete.

Strongman and CrossFit are a bit different than PL and Weightlifting in the sense that the weights and events are predetermined. Because many Strongman competitions do not have a novice division you have one choice, compete in open class. It’s do or die. Last year, at my first competition, the yoke weight was just under 800 pounds. I picked it up, almost blacked out, and made it a grand total of ten feet before I was seeing the lights closing in at the end of the tunnel. I did not finish or zeroed over half of the events. This last weekend, the yoke weight was almost identical and I completed it with one of the fastest times, winning several events and winning my weight class. A year of total dedication goes a long way. Strength sports are grueling, and if you can’t handle being knocked in the dirt while getting your wings, you should pick up knitting.

Next point. Unless you are a multiple time world champion in your respective sport, chances are it would behoove you to seek out the advice of a better athlete. If your press sucks (like mine), find someone who used to suck, is now a press god, and ask for help. Yeah, HELP, scary word to many. I will never understand why you would continue to train week in and week out, while blatantly disregarding all of the amazing resources surrounding you. Social media, as angering and pointless as forum threads may get sometimes (thanks trolls), has been an integral component of unifying strength athletes around the world. The ability to converse with people at the top of their game has never been easier. Hence, your excuses become null and void. Becoming a sponge of information does not make you weak. I would argue it does the exact opposite. It is however, your responsibility to deem what information is worthwhile, and what should have been taken out back to the pasture and shot dead.

There are assholes everywhere, but there are fewer of them in the strength world. People can recognize their shaky beginnings and are more often than not flattered by the request for advice. If coaching is their profession, compensate them accordingly (good advice is not always free, read: don’t be cheap). Just ask, it won’t kill you.

Set Attainable Goals

Once again, nothing new here, but I’m still always surprised when trainees or athletes I work with want 200 pounds on all their lifts, tomorow. This is a giant pitfall. You WILL lose this battle. Sure, setting big, long-term goals is awesome and a necessary source of inspiration, but you need short-term goals first. “I want to win Strongman Nationals”, cool story. You need to qualify first, meaning you need to win a local show, meaning you need to get better at your weak events, meaning you need to develop a plan. If you set yourself up for failure from the start, you will never feel good about your performance. Expect a lot from yourself, but if you aren’t a freak of nature and can’t consistently add 10 pounds to each lift per month, don’t sweat it. Most of us can’t. Look through your training logs (I assume you are doing your homework…), and figure out what these goals should be, based upon your history.

Make the necessary changes, adapt, and become successful. A success is what you dictate it to be. Nobody can tell you otherwise. Keep your head down and as Dubya once stated, “stay the course”.

I’m far from the best, the strongest, or the most conditioned. But, I am a very hard worker, and while being a hard worker does not guarantee a win, a win is always achieved through hard work. Strength cannot be cheated by a bad call, you can’t blame the refs, you can only blame you. Lift weights, eat meat, and play your music loud. It’s pretty simple.

Get Some.

-Matt

Article written by Matt Mills
The sport of Strong(wo)man requires a combination of strength, power, speed, and even endurance at times. Possessing all of these skills is a difficult thing to do, as just about any competitor will have a weakness at one of them. The great thing about Strong(wo)man is that every contest is completely different. One show you might have to be in a last (wo)man standing event, where the weight increases each round until there is only one competitor left. Next competition the weight may be extremely light and over 20 reps gets the win (on a side note, I hate events like that). There will always be moving events in Strongman, so conditioning is a must to move weights quickly. However, the overhead press and the deadlift is where we see the most amount of changes from contest to contest. A max event will require slightly different training then an event of extreme high reps.

Over my years of competing I have also noticed a big difference in the amount of reps the lighter classes will achieve over the heavier competitors. This of course is not always the case, but it is something myself and many other competitors have noticed. At last year’s Nationals for example, the car deadlift was extremely heavy but the heavy weight competitors never broke double digits, with the winner only getting 6 reps. Now compare the heavyweight repetitions achieved to the 175lb class or the now “fitness” class, where the winner got a total of 16 reps! When it comes to a car deadlift you can never really tell exactly how much weight you are lifting BUT, when it comes to Nationals, you can expect the weights to be extremely heavy. This is something to take into consideration when programming based on your weight class.

Some of you may argue that no matter what whoever is the strongest will win both the max event and the rep event. I would have to disagree with this, as I have seen the strongest lifter get burned out rather quickly once the reps get over 10, while the “bodybuilder” type competitor will be able to keep going into the 20+ rep range. A famous example of this is Fred Hatfield aka “Dr. Squat” the first man to squat 1000lbs vs the original Quad Squad member Tom Platz.

In 1993 Germany, the squat gauntlet was thrown down and the two were set to face each other in a max squat event, and then 525lbs for reps. With not much surprise Hatfield was able to squat 855lbs while Tom Platz maxed out at 765lbs. Moving on to 525lbs for max reps Hatfield “only” managed to get 11 reps, while Platz was able to squat 525lbs for an amazing 23 reps all while smiling!

Tom Platz was known for his high intensity workouts and very high volume training to develop his massive legs. I’m sure most of you reading this are not interested in stepping on the bodybuilding stage, but having both maximum strength and conditioning will probably pique your interest. Now, I will be the first to tell you I hate doing extremely high reps, and even in my training I will rarely go over 10 reps. In the sport of strongman you have to be ready for just about anything, so both aspects must be trained.

With that being, said maximal strength should always be your goal, so let’s get into how we can work on both. I’m sure we have all asked a great lifter at some point what’s the best way to deadlift more (or whatever exercise you wish to improve) and the answer is always “if you want to deadlift more weight, deadlift more often.” To the beginner lifter, this can be a little frustrating as they are most likely maxing out every week grinding out ugly reps, and eventually reach the dreaded “plateau” in a short amount of time. What I take this to mean is to simply use the main lift as your accessory work, and it’s one of the reasons I was able to increase my deadlift by 50lbs in the last year. First we build strength by performing low reps typically 5 reps or less. Building muscle in the hypertrophy zone is anywhere from 8-12 reps, where most bodybuilders train.

I like to combine both ways of training to not only build strength, but also conditioning for the exercise. Start by choosing a rep scheme in the strength range; let’s say a heavy 3 reps is the goal for the day. Once you achieve this weight you will then drop down to 65-70% of this weight to perform “speed reps.” For example if you deadlifted 500 for 3 reps you will then drop to 340lbs. This is where you will be getting your volume work in so now perform 6 sets of 4 reps. Each rep will be as fast as possible, and here comes the tough part. We are trying to build conditioning at the same time so the rest period will only be one minute. By keeping the rest periods short, we will also be working on building muscle. For the 4 week mini cycle your goal each week is to slightly increase your heavy triple, and then add 2 more speed sets until you reach the 3rd week. The 4^th will be a much needed deload. Starting with 500lbs on the deadlift the program will look like this:

Week 1Deadlift 500 x 3

Speed Deadlift 340 6 x 4 (sets x reps) 1 minute rest

Week 2Deadlift 510 x 3

Speed Deadlift 340 8 x 4

Week 3 Deadlift 515 x 3

Speed Deadlift 340 10 x 4

Week 4 Deload

This will be a great way to get ready for an event that will be you know will be higher repetitions. By the 3^rd week you will be performing 40 reps in a very short amount of time, so you will be building great endurance to go 20 or more reps when it comes time to compete.

Now let’s look at a last man standing event which is a crowd favorite at any show. In a last man standing event there is a set weight to begin with that every competitor must do to move on. Every round the weight increases a certain amount until there is only one competitor left. Most people train this event just trying to increase their one rep max, but with this event you are most likely performing a lot of reps until you even come close to what that might be. When it comes time for the event many competitors are not prepared for the high volume that they fall short way before their actual 1RM.

Also once competitors start dropping out your rest time in between lifts will also drop making this event even more difficult. Again training economy must be built up to withstand the volume of this event while increasing your one rep max so the answer again is “deadlift more.” We are going to take a slightly different approach this time, but with the same general set up. Since you will only be performing one rep at a time the goal each week will be to reach a heavy single, BUT you are not going to grind out a max rep until the 3^rd week. This is very important to follow, as you are not building strength by grinding out heavy singles every week. Like I said before, you will only stall out fast. Also just to be clear, I am using the example of the deadlift but this setup can be used for any lift you would like to increase.

For the first week, set a goal for yourself to work up to a heavy single, but this does not have to be a new PR just yet. You should leave a little in the tank, so you know you can increase it next week. Let’s say you get up to 600lbs on the deadlift. For your speed reps you will now be working at 75% so the weight is now 450lbs with 90 seconds of rest. Now instead of increasing the amount of sets like last time, we will now increase the weight each week as that is the main goal while training for this event.

Week 1 Deadlift 600 x 1

Speed Deadlift 450 6 x 2 90 seconds rest

Week 2 Deadlift 610 x 1

Speed Deadlift 465 6 x 2

Week 3 Deadlift 620 (PR week)

Speed Deadlift 475 6 x 2

Week 4 Deload

Using either of these programs will prepare you for any event you are training for. Also these mini cycles can be repeated for as long as they continue to work for you. Start each cycle over with your new max and use the given percentages to continue both increasing your weight and training volume.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Rory ever since we were young teenagers. We used to swim on the South Sound Titan swim team together, and she regularly came to our house for our annual 4th of July party. Now, Rory is all grown and routinely mops the floor with her competition. She is poised to compete at the Crossfit Games again this year, and if it will be anything like her performance last year, we will be in for a great show. Rory was nice enough to take the time to answer some questions for us, check them out below:

1. What were some sports you played in your earlier years, before finding Crossfit?

How do you think they helped become the Crossfitter you are today? I used to swim when I was younger, until the age of 12. But my real sport of choice was softball. I played through high school but chose not to continue once I got to college, deciding to focus more on academics and CrossFit. I was surprised by how helpful swimming turned out to be in the 2013 CrossFit Games. Though I didn't swim competitively, just having a basic capacity and comfort in the water allowed me to take 3rd in the pool event-- my best placing at the Games. My softball skills have yet to be directly tested, but there's definitely something to be said about the benefit of growing up as an athlete. Having experience with sports through my childhood has helped me to further develop a strong athletic mindset.

2. Some say that the top Crossfitters don’t really use with the traditional “Crossfit” style of training at the top level, specifically following the WOD on Crossfit’s website. Can you give us a little example of the type of lifting you do in training, in addition to your metcons?

I would disagree that elite CrossFitters do not follow traditional CrossFit programming. We may do more volume than what is found on CrossFit.com, but the heart of our training is the same. We do constantly varied, functional movements, executed at high intensity. Our sport is CrossFit, and to excel at our sport following that methodology is essential. With that being said my program entails more than one workout a day, typically with a few components to each training session. I'll work a strength component, a gymnastics focus, and some metabolic conditioning everyday. The type of movement in each category varies. I may work Olympic lifting, power lifting, or something strongman oriented. I'll spend time developing high skill gymnastics, strict gymnastics movements, or kipping. And the metabolic conditioning varies as well, in loading, movement, and duration most commonly. The name of the game in effective programming is to know and develop your weaknesses and target as many different stimuli as possible to create broad general and inclusive fitness! Though elite CrossFit athletes may not be specifically following .com, they are for sure utilizing the same principles!

3. What do you think are your biggest strengths in the grueling events of a Crossfit competition? What are your weaknesses?

I would say that my biggest strength is my consistency. I may not win every workout but I can consistently place near the top. More specifically, I'm best with barbell cycling or moving odd objects. I love to see high rep barbell movements in a workout, or something like stone loading or yoke carrying! I do not, however, love to see high volume gymnastics movements. I have a difficult time with handstand pushups and chest to bar pullups.

4. Everyone has a different ritual leading up to a competition, and some have very specific rituals the night before a competition. Do you have any special rituals you follow as a competition nears?

I'm not a huge believer in superstitions or rituals leading in to competition. But, I do hold one tradition. Before every competition I get my nails painted bright pink. Don't ask me why, but it seems to help me play better!

5. People like to eat different things to fuel their workouts and keep energy levels up during competition. How do you keep yourself fueled? What are some of your go-to foods?

During competition I have a really difficult time eating! I've spent a lot of time over the last few years playing with my game day nutrition to see what works best. Unfortunately relatively bland foods are what seem to do the trick. Fruit (namely melons and grapes), chicken, sweet potatoes and avocados are what I live off of during competition days. I'll also include post workout protein shakes mixed with coconut water, something to refuel my body immediately post workout. At night post competition I'll eat a normal meal-- steak and some starchy veggies for extra carbohydrates.

6. How do you see the sport of Crossfit progressing in the next few years? I like to think of Crossfit as a gateway drug to the variety of strength sports we have today, do you think Crossfit has helped get more individuals into other strength sports? How do they complement each other?

CrossFit as a sport is growing exponentially every year! More athletes participating means a larger pool from which to draw the fittest people on earth. I can imagine that as the sport progresses we will see the standard of fitness increase. The bar will be set higher and more will be demanded from the athletes as the community begins to discover what our human potential for fitness truly is. We'll run further, lift heavier, and move faster. CrossFit has undoubtedly helped bridge the gap between normal gym goers and the strength and conditioning world, and draw more individuals in to other strength sports. Olympic lifting, power lifting, and strongman work are all things CrossFit gyms expose their clients to, allowing them to pursue those sports more specifically. Those strength sports are often what make CrossFit so much fun-- it's the chance to do something different, lift an odd object, move something heavy, or learn the technique for the world's fastest lifts. So it's no surprise that CrossFit has helped to bring awareness to those other communities. It's pretty awesome to see how many subject matter experts CrossFit uses as resources and the benefit both communities bring to one another.

7. How do you deal with the pain factor during competitions? I watched you at Regionals a few years ago, when you severely tore your hand. Your hand tear didn’t stop you, so what goes through your brain, to shut out the pain?

Dealing with pain during a competition is an inevitability. It's something that's going to happen-- the only thing to do is accept it and continue to push through it. The most elite CrossFitters have some extreme capacity in strength and endurance, speed and agility and a lot of other areas, but what truly makes them elite is their capacity to push through pain. How willing are you to hurt? I spend so much time in workouts really uncomfortable, and I think the more time you spend there the easier it is to push through it. When a workout really hurts, I tell myself "I can" (however cheesy that may seem), I push harder against the wall, and try to go to "that place". As far as hand tears and other injuries go, they're tough to get used to but unfortunately a part of the game. A torn hand isn't worth throwing a year's worth of training out of the window. It's not comfortable but I do my best to shut out the pain and continue to put my hands back on the bar. Oh, and if you tear your hands don't look at it. It's always worse if you look at it!

8. What advice do you have for folks who want to become more competitive Crossfitters?

The best advice I can give to people to want to compete with Crossfit is to master the basics and do less better. Don't underestimate the results you can achieve from pouring your whole heart and everything you have in to one workout a day. Intensity truly is what gives us results. More work doesn't always mean more fitness.

Five things you may not know about me:

1. I used to love comic books. I'm a DC fan and Superman will always have my heart.
2. I hate scary movies. I've only seen one, the Grudge, and it was a huge mistake. Now every time a scary preview comes on in the theater I close my eyes and cover my ears.
3. If I'm not at the gym I'm probably at home reading. I'll read just about anything, though I'm partial to historical fiction.
4. I LOVE coffee. If you ever want to make my day better bring me a cup of coffee. Or a cookie. Or both!
5. I have a massive crush on Jimmy Fallon. The Tonight Show is one of the only television shows I regularly watch. He can sing, dance, he's funny-- what's not to love?

Follow her social media outlets here:
Instagram: @rzambard
Twitter: @rzambard
Facebook page: Rory Zambard
Rory's bio:
"I started CrossFit in 2005 with my mom to help my softball performance. I continue to play softball through high school. When I decided not to play college ball CrossFit began to take a much larger role in my life. I swam until I was 12, played softball until I was 18 and I've been CrossFitting for nearly 9 years now. When I got to college I started coaching CrossFit and pursuing it as a sport. Now I've been coaching for 5 years and have worked for CF HQ on the Level 1 Seminar Staff for 2 years. I placed 11th in the NW CrossFit Regionals in 2010, 9th in 2011, 1st in 2013, 3rd in 2014 and 14th at the Reebok CrossFit Games in 2013."

Article written by Matt Mills
I have seen this too many times to count, when a new lifter is going for a new PR: The lifter will start out with a very light weight, which is smart, but then will continue to do high reps at that weight ,as well as the next few sets. The problem with this is, by the time you get to hit your new PR, you are most likely burned out from all of the energy that was expended on the warm up sets. All of a sudden that new PR feels a lot more heavy then it should have. Let’s take the bench press for example: Even the most experienced lifters will start with just the bar to work on their set up, and make sure they set the groove for the following sets. We will use 315lbs as the previous one rep max, and the new PR attempted will be 325lbs. Typically 135lbs is put on the bar and an easy 10-12 reps is easily done, followed by 185 for another 8 reps or so. Just with the first two warm up sets the lifter has already moved 2,830lbs, and may have even began to lose bar speed at 185.

While warming up to a heavy set, you should never let the speed of the bar slow down, because this is where fatigue sets in. As you approach every set, you must attack it and move the weight as fast as possible. As Brandon Lilly told me “Squat 135 like it’s your max, and squat your max like it’s 135.” Now if your max is 135 then I think you get the point of this statement. Obviously a 500lb squatter will have confidence and speed while squatting 135. This same approach should be taken when that lifter goes for his new PR. A common mistake is to load the warm to an easy weight and get sloppy with your form. Any time you approach a bar, you should have the exact same set up as you would going for a new max. When you get lazy because it’s “easy weight”, you only reinforce bad habits that will carry over to your heavier lifts.

When going for a new PR, you should keep the reps low while warming up to conserve energy for the heavy set. This rule goes for whether you are going for a 1RM, or going for a 3RM. Many times in a program, I will call for reaching a heavy single, double, or triple without giving any amount of sets to do. The reason for this as it is will depend on the strength of the lifter. A novice lifter with a deadlift of 315 may get there with as little as 5 sets, while a more advanced lifter with a deadlift of 600lbs will take closer to 10 sets to properly work out to that weight.

Let’s use the example of someone going for a new 3 rep max and the goal is 500 for 3 reps. Here would be an effective set and weight scheme to have a better chance of achieving this goal:

Set 1: 135 x 5 25% (of 1RM)
Set 2: 225 x 5 40%
Set 3: 315 x 3 58%
Set 4: 365 x 3 67%
Set 5: 405 x 3 74%
Set 6: 455 x 2 83%
Set 7: 500 x 3 New PR

Notice how in the beginning the jumps in weight are much bigger than the later sets. This is again to conserve energy. Obviously 135 to 315 are going to be easy weight for someone who can move 500lbs. The jumps get smaller as the weight gets over 65% of their projected max. I also made the jumps very easy to follow. I like to use the least amount of plates as I warm up so don’t feel you have to stay to the exact percentages that I outlined above. Also, notice that the set before 500 was only for 2 reps, and not 3. The reason is to keep the speed of the reps as fast as possible to boost confidence. I’m sure there have been plenty of times when you warm up and end up grinding out another rep that only wastes energy, but gets in your head. If we had gone 455 for 3 then the third rep might have been a little slow making them only doubt themselves coming into the next set.
Now let’s take a look at how we would approach a new 1 rep max. We will use the example of someone going for 600lbs, and then someone going for 315lbs.

Set 1: 135 x 5 22%
Set2: 225 x 5 38%
Set 3: 315 x 5 53%
Set 4: 365 x 3 61%
Set 5: 405 x 3 68%
Set 6: 455 x 2 76%
Set 7: 495 x 1 83%
Set 8: 525 x 1 88%
Set 9: 565 x 1 94%
Set 10: 600 x 1 PR
As you can see, once we get about 80%, we only do singles from then on.
Now 315:

Set 1: 95 x 5 30%
Set 2: 135 x 5 43%
Set 3: 185 x 3 59%
Set 4: 225 x 2 71%
Set 5: 265 x 1 84%
Set 6: 315 x 1 PR

As you can see the stronger lifter will need a lot more sets to properly build up to their max. I will say that these are only suggestions, and in the end you know your own body best. Try these out and let us know if you hit any new PR’s!

Jay is an up-and-comer in the world Sumo wrestling, a sport that we don't hear too much about in the U.S., which is why I decided to interview a Sumo athlete myself. Jay competes in Sumo wrestling, as well as Powerlifting and Strongman. Jay was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions we had for him., check them out below:

1. Jay, you seem to participate in a multitude of different sports, can you tell us a little about that, and how you got into the variety of sports you are in now?

Brandon, I currently compete in Sumo wrestling for the United States Sumo Federation- www.http://americansumo.org and Strongman for the NAS organization.

I got into strongman a few years ago. I was training powerlifting with some guys and was honestly getting bored. I googled Tennessee Strongman and the NAS website popped up. On there I found the Tennessee state chair Martin Wieckowski and began training with him for strongman.

About a year and a half ago, the strongman team I train with Brose Strength Llama Bears founded by Mike Tumminello and Richard Brose switched to a badass gym called NBS Fitness in Memphis, TN. While training strongman I started talking to one of the best middleweight Sumo wrestlers in America, Rob Daniel. He invited me to train for the Memphis Open with his team 901 Sumo at Memphis Judo and Jui-Jitsu and I said sure. Once I competed In the Memphis Open I was hooked. I won HW Gold, Open weight Silver, and Team Gold at the Memphis Open. Then I went to the Atlanta Open and won HW Gold, Open Weight Bronze. I then started training for Nationals that was held this past Saturday June 14 2014 in Jackson Hole WY. There I won HW Gold and Open Weight Silver. This qualifies me for the World Championship in Taiwan at the end of August.

2. How do you think your strength training has prepared you for the world of Sumo wrestling?

At first the only 2 things I knew was, I am quick and I am strong. So when training with Rob we worked my Tachi-ai which is the initial charge of the bout. You put both hands on the ground then fire out low and hard. My strength served me well in that I was able to push people out of the ring, but I didn't have any control. That is a problem when facing very seasoned and experienced guys, because they could use that as momentum to throw me. Once we started training for nationals Rob had me focusing on moving in the ring, controlling my power and tachi-ai. We work on a lot of things that will help him and me at the next level.

3. What are some misconceptions you think folks may have about the sport of Sumo wrestling, both internationally and nationally?

I think there are a few, because I had them, so we will go with those.

1. it’s just some fat guys pushing people around - well I'm here to tell you that this is not the case. Sumo wrestlers are athletes. I lost the Open Weight Gold this weekend to Kena Heffernan who is the reigning Middle Weight National Champ and will hit you hard and knock you on your ass ( I've been there) very fast.

2. You have to wear a diaper- well the actual name is a Mawashi. It is a loin cloth or canvas belt worn during training and competition. It is used when wrestling as a way to grab your opponent.

3. My naked butt has to show in the Diaper- in amateur sumo you are allowed to wear black compression, spandex, or biking shorts underneath your Mawashi. Now I have competed both ways and prefer going Raw (nothing underneath) however it doesn't make for pretty pictures.
The only thing I have seen as a want/concern, and I have only been doing this for 8 months so it might not be right, but is that the Amateur Wrestlers are hoping and praying that this becomes an Olympic Sport. This is a dream of mine now too.

4. Can you give a little run-through of what your eating looks like? Some of us are familiar of the rigorous bulking diet that Japanese Sumo wrestlers go through, is it the same for you?

In all honesty I probably do not have the typical diet of what you think a sumo wrestler would eat. On some days I only get in 2 meals. On other days I eat 6-7. I typically follow a Carb Backloading type diet. I eat 6 eggs with 5oz of meat for brunch, for lunch I'll eat 8-10oz of chicken/meat with 2 cups of green vegetable and olive/coconut oil, for dinner I will eat whatever my wife cooks. On training days, I consume post training 3-4 cups rice/gluten free pasta, ice cream, oatmeal crème pies, cookies or whatever the wife cooks for those days.

5. Besides Sumo wrestling, what are some of your other favorite types of athletic competitions?

Well obviously I love strongman, but I also follow powerlifting, Olympic lifting, Crossfit, and then other sports like football. But whenever one of my beautiful daughters Jailen and Jacey have a softball game, basketball game, or volleyball game I am there, and that's the only sport I care about at that time.

6. What advice do you have for those that may be interested in getting started with Sumo wrestling? How has the sport changed in the past 10 years?

As I'm new to this, I'm not sure how American Sumo has changed over the past 10 years. From what I've heard and seen it has been moving in a positive direction because of the governing body: The USSF. If you are a new beginner I say go to USSF website www.americansumo.org, read the articles, email the contacts there for some info and ask for some contacts you can get with to learn what to do, also just join and compete. That is where you will learn how to fight. One last thing I did and recommend is research Sumo. Learn the culture, the tradition, the ethics and truly grasp what it means to step into the Dohyo.

Five things you may not know about me:
1. I am a big computer nerd
2. I can sing every song on Grease 1 and 2
3. I prefer to cuddle with my wife and kids and watch movies instead of going out
4. I hate traveling alone
5. I hate eating at a restaurant alone even more

I want to thank my beautiful wife Joey, my family, the Llama Bears, 901 Sumo, my sponsors GX Supplements and Play Again Now, and anyone else who has supported me thru all of my competition journeys.

Jay Holder was an All-County football player who played for Belhaven College. He went on to play semi-pro football for the Memphis Xtreme. After playing football, Jay started competing in strongman. He is the current HW Log Press record holder, set in 2012. Jay is now additionally competing in Sumo. His accomplishment include 2 Gold and 1 Silver medal in the 2013 Memphis Open, 1 Gold and 1 Bronze in the 2013 GA Open, and 1 Gold and 1 Silver in the 2014 USSF Sumo Nationals and is the HW Sumo National Champion that will represent USA at the World Sumo Championships at the end of August in Taiwan. Jay is married to his wife Joey with 2 beautiful daughters Jailen (10) and Jacey (9) and a 10 week old son Jay Jr. Jay is also sponsored by Play Again Now and GX Supplements.

You hear it in videos, you read it in articles, you see it on Instagram photos: "I am competing against myself’, ‘it is me vs. myself", etc. Well, as someone who formerly swore they would never compete, I am here to tell you that these statements are mostly hot, steaming bowls of poop soup.

Look, I get it, you may be new to lifting, and you don't want to compete. That is fine, as it is your choice. But, if you aren't going to compete, you should at least be honest with yourself, regarding the reasons why. More often than not, it comes from fear: fear of losing, fear of looking like an idiot, or more importantly, fear that you might not be as strong as you like to think you are. Ironically, these are all great reasons as to why you should compete. Unless you don't mind living with these feelings, competing will help to alleviate them quickly.

Yoke: my least favorite event. I do it anyway.

Let me tell you a little story about myself: When I started LBEB, I lied to myself and said that I was fine with never competing, that you didn't have to previously be an athlete to be a coach (I even found a few high-level college football coaches who never played football to back up my position), and that competing isn't really necessary in order to get better. While some of these things can be true in the rarest of cases (That is why they stand out, due to their rarity), they were really just things I told myself to justify my fear of competing.

You would be hard pressed to find another male athlete and writer out there that has to deal with all of the negativity that is sent my way. I am one of the lucky few that gets called "obese" and "skinny guy with chicken legs" in the same day. I could have internalized all of these things and quietly suffered from gluteal distress, but I decided to compete instead. June 2013 was my first Strongman competition, and although I took second place out of five, I didn't feel like I earned it, because I didn't get a single rep on two of the events. Rather than dwelling on what I considered to be a poor performance, I used this as fuel to get better and better. Last month was the first show where I completed all events, including the press event, previously considered to be the bane of my existence.

This is the big disconnect between the "working out" crowd, and the "training" crowd. The training crowd knows that although a win may not be in the cards, there is always something you gain from a competition. Whether it is a big PR, some tips and tricks from more seasoned athletes regarding training or equipment, or even just expanding your local network of known lifters, you never know how a competition may benefit you. I promise you, whatever fear you may have about competing, whether it is justified or not, has probably been overcome by someone else before you.

When I went to school as a teenager, I was friends with a girl who, I didn't know at the time, would become an inspirational figure for Powerlifting. During school, we would make trips to Jack In The Box, and try to figure out how to pronounce their new "Ciabatta" sandwich. A few years later, she would become involved in a boating accident that took one of her legs. What did she decide to do?

Ally Mcweeny decided to compete.

That's right, instead of dwelling on the fear of failure, the fear of being judged, she decided to compete in Powerlifting with one leg. Can you fathom that? Now, look at your fear of competing, and compare it to hers. Hopefully now yours seems trivial in comparison.

This is not to say that your fear of your first competition isn't justified, it absolutely is: you have no idea of what you are getting into, and how you will respond to it. Like I said, I had almost no confidence in my abilities when I started lifting, so believe me when I say that I know exactly how you feel. You can take some solace in the fact that no one is ever "ready" for their first competition. By the time someone is truly "ready", they are probably getting close to the advanced, or even pro level. Just like with anything in lifting, the only way to overcome weakness is to tackle the issue head-on.

Practice makes events

One of the best things about competing is it truly shows you where your strengths are lacking. It is easy to be a gym hero, or even a Youtube hero, but it takes a true competition to show where you really stand. Just as water seeks its own level, so will you, if you continue to just "work out". If progress is your goal (if it isn't, what are you doing here?), then a competition is how you get there. Sure, setting PRs in the gym is fun and even useful at times, but beating someone else is even more fun. And for me personally, winning now feels better than any gym PR ever did.

This isn't to say that your primary goal in life is to beat others, that isn't mentally healthy. However, taking all those endless hours spent in the gym, focusing them on a tangible goal like winning, then actually winning, is one of the greatest feelings ever. Not only does it feel great, it justifies why we train so hard in the first place.

Your first few competitions don't even need to necessarily be about winning, just getting competition experience is its own reward. Though as you progress, winning should probably become a goal. Otherwise, just competing "for fun" can turn into a cop-out as to why you haven't trained hard enough to win in the first place. If you have been training your face off for the last six months, why would you NOT want to win? Get onto that competition stage and leave nothing in the tank, give it everything you have, and you will profoundly show everyone, and more importantly yourself, what you are capable of when push comes to shove.

My favorite event: Atlas Stones.

Just to be clear, I am writing this with the knowledge that I am still an amateur Strongman, with many years of hard training ahead of me before I get close to my overall goals. The important thing to remember is I started competing before I felt "ready". There are still events at shows that I dread, and I may even fail, but I attempt them anyway. You may feel like other competitors are judging your failures at the competition, but even if they see you fail, they should be so preoccupied with their own performance that they won't pay too much attention to yours.

Stop making excuses for why you aren't competing and give it a chance, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised with the new-found fire that has been lit under your training. Do you have some knowledge you gained from your first competition? Post your experiences in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.

I first saw Erika compete at the Feats of Strength Strongman show in August of 2013. Since then, I have watched her constantly progress at each show we have competed in. I predict that she will be an impressive performer in less than a couple years. She was nice enough to sit down and answer some questions for use, check them out below:

1. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Erika. The first time I saw you compete was at the Feats of Strength Strong(wo)man show in Redmond, OR last year, was that your first competition? How did you first hear about the sport of Strong(wo)man?

Thanks, Brandon, for the opportunity! Dean Munsey actually held his first competition in August of 2012 and that was my first one. It got me hooked but I didn’t compete again until Feats of Strength last year. I’m part of the cliché saying that I got introduced to Strong(wo)man through Crossfit. I started attending Crossfit Breakthrough in Redmond, OR in February of 2012 and was eager to learn more about lifting and my abilities. Within my first few months there my coach, Tom Benge, asked me, “Have you ever lifted?” And he was slightly shocked when I said no. I had no idea of my abilities and potential when my coach was constantly telling me to add more weight. He is the reason I am where I’m at right now, he’s introduced me to everything I know about lifting and the sport of strongman. My coach isn’t your typical Crossfit coach. He has worn many hats in the fitness industry; strength and conditioning coach, Olympic Lifter, powerlifter, strongman, bodybuilding, black belt, MMA striking coach and the list goes on! Everything Coach Tom has thrown at me; I’ve said yes with a smile and dedicated myself to it 100%.

2. What other sports did you play before you started Strong(wo)man? How do you think they helped you prepare for the sport you compete in now?

I ran track in high school, I was too shy to try out for team sports! Going into college in Arizona I was introduced to rugby, no try outs either ;) I fell in love with the rush of the sport as well as all the family I acquired. I played rugby for a total of 6 years, ending my rugby career with the Bend Lady Roughriders due to an injury in April of 2013. Rugby prepared me for Strong(wo)man in a lot of ways! You have to be a powerhouse in rugby to drive through rucks and tackling. There is also a lot of up and down, recovering from tackles and pushing through any pain. This carries over into Strong(wo)man for medleys, all those uncomfortable carries, and digging deep during those pulls/pushes.

3. You seem to have a lot of support at shows. Who is your biggest supporter, and how do they help you perform? How do you repay the favor?

Gosh, this is a hard question! I have so much support from my friends and family. I don’t have family in Redmond but I sure have made one! Between rugby, Crossfit, and friends there is so much support. I would have to say my biggest supporter would be Coach Tom and my box family. I see them usually 5 days a week; my box is my comfort zone and my safe house. I’ve been through a lot the past 1.5 years in my divorce and making a lot of life changes and my box has been a constant and unending support. Having so many people believe in me keeps me performing to the best of my ability, whether they are on the sidelines cheering me on or not. I repay the favor to Coach Tom in my time and dedication. I’m on time, ready to go, and never question him! Sometimes I’ll give him a look that says, “Are you serious? You want me to do that!?” Then I put a smile on my face and go do it.

4. Did you qualify for Nationals this year? If so, how will you begin to prepare for some of get heavy weights that will be present?

The Apple was my second qualifying show this year! Now it’s time to focus on my event training and just getting stronger overall. For the Apple, I decided to cut down to middle weight 160# and my body is really agreeing with performing here! My plan is to continue through October at this weight and build my base strength. My last two shows brought to attention a few weaknesses that need to be dialed in, so rounding out the rough edges. I’m just about to start a new training cycle that I’ve never done before. A lot more hands on implements as well as Olympic lifting. Building my confidence in my strength and ability is also something in and out of training I’ll be working on. So much to continue to learn about my body and to keep my mindset in check!

5. What does your three-year plan look like, concerning your athletic career?

Oh man, how about the next 3 months?!? So many opportunities lay ahead and I’m taking them in stride. Within the next 3 years I want to have a solid list of competitions under my belt, start competing out of the Northwest to experience a variety of shows and meet more people in the sport. I’d like to be invited to the Arnold and get my Pro card! I’d like to get more involved with my box and the Northwest to introduce more people, especially women, to the sport of Strongman. I am currently attending Oregon State to get my bachelors in Exercise and Sport Science, using my degree to spread my passion for Strong(wo)man and lifting is my goal.

6. Most people have favorite events, and events they can’t wait to just get over with. What is one of your favorite events, and what is the one that you dread?

The sport of strongman has such variety that you get a taste of everything, good and the bad! So far my favorite events are pressing, but by far the log! I recently did Grace (30 reps, clean and jerk) with a 100# log and yes I enjoyed it! 200# axle jerk in my near future! I dread any deadlift events. It has been my weakest lift this past year with a lot that I need to work on. But ultimately, you are your own competition in this sport. If you can’t place first in an event, it better still be a PR!

With coach Tom Benge

7. Do you have pre-competition rituals that you always like to follow?

I’m still trying to figure out what works for me. The Apple was the first time I listened to my headphones prior to events and it helped clear my head. I put together a playlist of motivational, upbeat songs to warm up to. I also prefer to go off by myself and not talk to anyone while I stretch etc. This helps me cut out the socializing and I’m able to focus on the challenge ahead. I also tend to think of my dad before every competition, he passed away when I was 4 and competing makes me miss him a little more. I always say to myself, “If you could only see me now, Dad.” I give myself a few moments of reflection and then it’s time to do work.

8. We tend to get pretty beat up and dirty by the end of a show, so do you have any special advice for women who want to get into the sport, but might be intimidated?

All you women out there, wounds heal and dirt washes off! Nothing shows hard work more than getting dirty; it makes me proud of what I’ve just accomplished. I don’t mind getting beat up, just don’t mess with the face! Women can be strong, beautiful, and bad asses all at the same time! Scars are sexy and so are muscles, I’m proud of mine and they tell my story. There’s no need to be intimidated, get involved! Reach out to fellow lifters, don’t be afraid to say you’re intimidated because I’m pretty sure we’ve all been there. Strongman has so much community and so many resources, use them!

Five things you may not know about me:

1. I worked as an assistant baker at a cupcake shop for 1.5 years and lost 20lbs. I’m an amazing baker, true story.

2. I have a very large collection of high heels. Still know how to get fancy every once in a while.

3. I don’t like scary movies, can’t even handle the Walking Dead.

4. I always wanted to join the Air Force, did ROTC while I was in college.

5. Cannot clean without loud music and dancing. My daughter and I have quite the dance parties.

Bio:

In grade school and high school Erika played basketball, softball, ran track and was introduced to her first gym environment her junior year. Leaving for college in Prescott, Arizona she could often be found at the gym, running hills, hiking, or on the rugby pitch. She moved to Central Oregon after having her daughter in 2008. Needing to be active again she found the Bend Lady Roughriders Rugby Club and slowly became their president and helped rebuild the team. Starting Crossfit in February of 2012, Erika has come a long way in her athletic and personal life. Since then she’s become a single mom of a 6 year old girl, is attending Oregon State University to get her bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science, bought a house, got her real estate license, and carves out time for her 4-5 days of training. Last summer was her first time participating in Highland Games and wears a purple kilt for the festivals! She wants to use her bachelor’s degree, as well as her experience in strong(wo)man, to share her story of her transformation through her hard work and dedication. Getting involved in Strong(wo)man has helped her conquer obstacles along the way and come out the other side stronger and thirsty for more. Since competing in her first competition in August of 2012, she has a total of 4 competitions under her belt and is attending Nationals for the first time this October. A few of her greatest lifting accomplishments recently are her 202lb bench, 195lb axle jerk, and 312lb back squat.

Grant Higa is one of the old school boys from the Pacific Northwest. He is a Powerlifter and Pro Strongman, he is the state chair for North American Strongman, and on top of everything else, he is one of the nicest guys you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Check out our interview with him below:

1. Thanks for taking time to answer these questions, Higa. Can you tell us a little more about your history in strength sports? As far as I know, it’s quite an extensive one.
I started Powerlifting in 1992. My first contest was the “Mauka Gym push/pull” in Kona, Hawaii. I didn’t start weighlifting till 1992 when my friend, Keith Daniels & I worked at Big Island Moving while in college. Keith was 165 lbs and could bench press 325 lbs with a pause. He told me that if I wanted to workout with him, he would pick me up at 4:45am cause the gym opened at 5am. We worked out 5am-7am, then had to be at work by 7:30am.

I moved up to Corvallis, Oregon in 1995. Still competed in powerlifting in the USAPL and WABDL federations. In 1997, the USPF Bench Press Nationals was held in Portland, Oregon, and a team from Hawaii came up to compete. Odd Haugen was part of that team, and he told me that he was putting together a Strongman contest in Honolulu. Odd said that if I was able to fly back to Hawaii from Oregon, he would waive my $100 entry fee. I said “sure” and figured it was just a local strongman contest with guys from Hawaii. Come to find out, Magnus ver Magnusson, Mark Philippi, Joe Onosai and Regan Vagadal were there competing. What the hell did I get into? These are guys that have been to the World’s Strongest Man. This contest was also shown on ESPN. I thought I was strong as a Powerlifter, but was quickly humbled by doing the events. I carried a 220 lbs Farmer Walk for only 18 feet, pressed a 190lbs keg for only 1 rep, and my only good event was placing 5th in the Lava Rock load medley.

After that humbling experience and how different it was from Powerlifting, I was hooked on to Strongman. I was fascinated at how strong but athletic you need to be. Been a strongman ever since the 1998 “Beauty & the Beast World Strongman Challenge” at the Waikiki Shell.

2. Can you tell us all a little bit about your cultural background, and how you think it has helped you become the Higa Monster you are today?

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. My parents & I moved to Hilo, Hawaii when I was 12. I was always a big kid, growing up on a farm. My Dad would wake me up early to do chores around the farm before I had to go to school. So I learned quickly how important hard work was, despite the long early hours. My Mom was very strict with making sure I stayed on top of my schoolwork, but she also made sure I knew how to cook some meals, iron my clothes, and fix my bed. She always told me, “one day you are going to need to do this on your own, so you better learn now”. She was right.

3. You are very well known in the PNW for hosting some of the best shows around. What goes into making a successful show for the athletes, as well as the spectators? What were some mistakes you used to make when hosting shows?

My first strongman contest that I promoted was in 2002 and it was the “Oregon’s Strongest Beaver”. I promoted that show for 6 years on the campus of Oregon State University. The challenge with putting on a strongman contest is that you need to keep the audience captured & engaged. Nobody is going to stay at a strongman contest for 6 hours, except maybe the competitor’s family & friends.
So, my wife & I have been through some great contests in powerlifting & strongman, but have also been to some bad ones. I wanted to use my experience as a competitor, and my wife gave her input as a spectator too, because Lord knows she has been through her fair share of long-ass contests.

Combining both of our point of views helped ensure that we put on a quality show. The first show you put on is the most important IMO...you need to impress the sponsors, athletes and audience and make them say at the end of the day, “I can’t wait to come back for this show next year!”

4. You have been competing since, what, the late 90s? How do you think the sport of Strongman has changed in the last 10 years? Where do you see it going in the next 10?

The weights of the events have increased so much, but what is even freakier is that smaller guys can hang with these huge Event weights. Also, I think you see alot more agile big guys...guys like Brian Shaw who are over 400 lbs but are agile. In contrast though, Chad Coy just won the “Masters America’s Strongest Man” contest that I did last month and he only weighed 265 lbs. Chad won the 176 lbs Circus Dumbbell press for reps with 13 reps, and he did 6 on his left hand.

5. What was one of the craziest things you have ever witnessed backstage at one of the Pro shows?

Jesse Marunde and Corey St Clair telling Jon Andersen at “The Oregon’s Strongest Beaver” that he needs more tacky on his arms. Now Jon had alot of tacky already, but Jesse & Corey told him, “No bro, thats not enough...you need more” so Jon looked like he was attacked by a Glue Factory and holding onto the stone like he was grabbing a greased pig!
Whit Baskin using a cheese grater to shave his callouses. I kid you not, its like he was grating cheese for your meal at Olive Garden.
Scott Cummines (Canada) likes to scoop 5 spoons of Instant Coffee into a water bottle and drink that before the contest starts. NASTY.

6. Your Instagram feed is chock full of food photos. What is one of your favorite go-to meals for eating big?

I am a big fan of Asian food, especially Japanese food like Sushi. Great nigiri sushi or sashimi is always a favorite of mine. I am not a big Fried Food kind of guy, so I don’t crave french fries all the time or drink soda regularly. The one thing I have enjoyed since moving from Hawaii to the Mainland is Mexican food. In Hawaii, Mexican food was going to Taco Bell. Now I can eat such yummy items like Cabeza, Lengua and Menudo.

7. How do you juggle with your busy schedule, taking care of your kids, and being the State chair of NAS, while still finding time to lift big?

If you really want to compete, you make time to do it despite the busy schedule. I remember working out at 4:30am while my wife & daughter was asleep, cause when my infant daughter wakes up, I won’t have time to train. So you gotta do what you gotta do.

When I travel, I make sure that I plan ahead and look for a good gym where I can get my lifts in. Does the gym have strongman equipment? Does it cater to powerlifters? Plan ahead and if that gym is great, remember it when you travel back to that area.

I also want to give back to my community because I think its important to remember where you came from. I got my start in lifting from a co-worker in college, and he would pick my ass up at 4:45am on his own gas money to teach me how to lift. I will never forget that.

8. What are some pieces of advice you have for athletes who may be interested in competing in Strongman, but don’t know where to start?

Try to hook up with a strongman crew locally in your area, so that you can learn proper techniques and get familiar with using strongman equipment. Also, if there is a strongman contest within a 3 hour drive of your home, I encourage people to try it! There is so much to learn from competing in a actual contest, which includes watching the other competitors.

Finally, make friends with a Welder or Scrapyard employee. Because you can make a lot of equipment for cheap as a start-up strongman. My first Log & Farmer's Walk implements were made from scrap pipe that came from the construction of CenturyLink Field, where the Seattle Seahawks play. A gym member was a pipe-fitter on that project and he brought me some pieces from the job site that weren’t going to be used. Then another gym member worked at a company that made Security Storage gates & Railroad Crossing signs and said that his welder could weld it for me if I bought him an 18 pack of Coors Light. SOLD!!!

Five things you may not know about me:
1. I played Piano for 12 years in Hawaii. I even had recitals playing Bach, Mozart & Beethoven.

2. I never drank coffee while living in Hawaii. I started when I moved to Oregon and my friend said, “Here, try this drink...its called a Mocha”.

3. My parents bought me a 50cc motorcycle to drive myself to school in the 8th grade. We lived 4 miles away from a paved road, so I was able to park my motorcycle under a school building. One day, I was driving to school and thought I was late for school. I looked down at my left hand watch to see what time it was and when I looked up, I was going into the forest and hit a huge rock. I went end over end, then struck my head on another rock. Woke up and was so worried that I would be late for school, I drove my broken motorcycle all the way to school with blood dripping down my hair and the forks of the motorcycle all twisted. The bad part was that my Mom was driving maybe 1 mile behind me, and I was afraid that they were going to be mad at me for wrecking my motorcycle. My parents said, “Are you kidding me? Your life is more important that a damn motorcycle...so now you will walk 7 miles to school” Whoops...

4. I never played football growing up. People always ask me if I played football, but I only did some Judo for 2 summers and Boxing for 1 year. So when people see me, they assume I played football at some point of my life.

5. My first state Powerlifting meet was the USPF Hawaii State Championships at the Turtle Bay Hilton. Gus Rethwisch was the promoter. So this was my first meet where you had to do a Equipment check-in and all that other fun stuff. I had read in Powerlifting USA that all the big squatters were using the Inzer Z-Suit, so I ordered one without properly measuring it. Got it 3 days before the contest and I try to put it on and I couldn’t event get the crotch all the way up and the legs were tight like a tourniquet!! I couldn’t stand the pain. Barely got through the squats and couldn’t wait to strip that damn suit off. As I am warming up for the bench press, Ski Kwiatkowski comes up to me and says, “Higa, where is your singlet for benching?” I looked at him confused...I thought I could just use the Bench Shirt with my athletic shorts. He said no, you have to have a singlet for every lift. WTF?? So I had to hurry and put that damn Z-Suit back on to frickin bench press and it was so horrible to endure that pain again. I had rings around my legs that actually scabbed up. Thats how I found out that I need to invest in other equipment if I wanted to keep Powerlifting.

Grant Keola Higa
43 years old
5’ 8” tall
310 lbs
Personal Trainer
Resides in Maple Valley, WA
Married to Michelle Higa, and have 2 daughters Kaiea and Kalani
Sponsors: Animal Pak, Bulky Boy Clothing and Strideline Socks
My Blog: http://bulkyboy.blogspot.com/
My Instagram: http://instagram.com/higamonster
My Journey on Animal Pak

Powerlifter since 1992

Strongman since 1998, turned Pro in 2001

USAPLWashington state records:

Open 275 lbs class (with gear & knee wraps): 810 lbs squat; 1965 lbs total

Open 275+ class (Raw): 750.7 lbs deadlift; 1919.1 lbs total

Masters 1a 275+ class (Raw): 749.6 lbs squat; 440.9 lbs bench; 750.7 lbs dead; 1919.1 lbs total

USAPL Raw American record

275+ lbs class: 749.5 lbs squat

USPA Washington state records:

Open & Masters 40-44 Raw 308 lbs class: 744 lbs squat, 446.4 bench, 705.5 deadlift, 1896 lbs total

Strongman

2014 Sequim Strongman Showdown winner (Sequim, WA)

2012 Sequim Strongman Showdown winner (Sequim, WA)

2006 Hawaii’s Strongest Man winner (Honolulu, Hawaii)

2005 British Columbia’s Strongest man winner (Ladysmith, Canada)

2002 Behemoths & Boats Strongest Man winner (Kennewick, WA)

We were extremely fortunate to catch some time with "Thor" in between his travels and competitions, in order to answer some questions for us. Thor is quickly becoming one of the world's best Strongman competitors, as well as starring in the role of The Mountain, on HBO's Game of Thrones. Check out his answers below:

1. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us, Thor. Can you tell us a little bit more about your athletic experiences before becoming a Strongman?

I played basketball a lot and had it not been for an injury during my basketball career I would probably still be playing basketball. But as it happens the injury caused me to take up more weightlifting than I had done before and it became apparent that I was a natural when it comes to a combination of strength, explosive power and endurance, hence my strongman career.

2. You have also radically changed your body composition since becoming a Strongman, can you tell us a little bit about that experience as well?

Everything in life seems to be about trying out different things. I have tried to compete at different weight levels and have now found balance between all the different elements that have to be there and in place for a strongman but not less as an actor.

3. The 4th season of Game of Thrones recently finished, with you starring in the role of The Mountain. How did it feel to wear armor all day, and prepare for the swordplay? Any chance you can tell us about the future of The Mountain for season 5?

The fight scene was some of the more difficult work I’ve had to do and the armor definitely did not help. But I think most people will admit that it is a fantastic scene! It might be that sometimes the pen is actually mightier than the sword, at least we know that Dave and Dan hold our (character’s) lives in their hands, no one but them knows exactly what will happen.

4. Your HBO contract supposedly states that you have to eat every two hours. What do some of those meals look like? What is your favorite go-to meal when you are in a hurry?

My experience with HBO has been a good one. The food I get has been excellent and ranges between protein-rich sources, such as different kinds of meat, and fuel to go with it; like sweet potatoes , rice and such but I try to also eat broccoli and similar vegetables. But it’s actually my dad that makes some of the best steaks I get. For a go-to meal I might have a huge protein shake that also has carbs with it, along with peanut butter or something similar.

5. You train at Jakabol, one of the most impressive-looking Strongman gyms we have seen in a long time. What are some of the more crazy training sessions you have experienced in Jakabol?

Some of the guys I do workouts with are true Viking warriors and sometimes we dare each other into doing all kinds of crazy exercises. Recently we have done boxing to complement all the other stuff, but one of my training partners is a heavyweight boxer - it’s really hard but I love it.

6. How did you feel about your winning performance at the recent Giants Live competition?

Well, I won it, very shortly after competing in the WSM, so I am very happy about it.

7. I consider myself tall at 6’5”, and I love the advantage that my height gives me for stone loading. I am a dwarf compared to you, however. How do you think that your height affects certain Strongman events, for better or worse?

Better for most events, although I have to get even stronger in the squats.

8. Where do you see the sport of Strongman going in the next 10 years?

It will only get harder. But the events will provide the audience with what they want, explosive strength, power and endurance with fantastic athletes that give all they've got for the sport.

9. Do you have any advice for men and women who are interested in getting started in the sport?

That is simple, START!

Five things you may not know about me:

1. I love being with my daughter but sometimes traveling around the world, doing strongman and acting, makes it hard for us to be together.

2. If I have the time, I sometimes enjoy playing computer games.

3. Going to the cinema is something I favor, we have probably the highest standard of cinemas here in Iceland in the world.

4. I sometimes do frisbee-golf with my friends

5. I love women

Thor's Stats (Courtesy of Wikipedia:

Born: November 26, 1988 (age 25)
Height: 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)
Weight: 200 kg (441 lb)

Competitor for Iceland

World's Strongest Man
6th 2011 World's Strongest Man
3rd 2012 World's Strongest Man
3rd 2013 World's Strongest Man
2nd 2014 World's Strongest Man
Arnold Strongman Classic
10th 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic
8th 2013 Arnold Strongman Classic
5th 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic
Giants Live
4th 2011 Poland
Strongman Champions League
3rd 2013 SCL Iceman Challenge IV
1st 2013 Latvia
2nd 2013 Germany
Jon Pall Sigmarsson Classic
2nd 2010
1st 2012
Iceland's Strongest Man
3rd 2010
1st 2011
1st 2012
Strongest Man in Iceland
1st 2010
1st 2011
1st 2012
Iceland's Strongest Viking
1st 2010
Westfjord's Viking
4th 2009
1st 2010
1st 2011
1st 2012
OK Budar Strongman Championships
1st 2010

Article written by Matt Mills
When it comes to strength sports, abdominal training has been somewhat controversial. One side believes that all you have to do are the big lifts to get all the abdominal training you need. There is no doubt that squats, press, and deadlifts heavily tax the abdominals, but like any other body part, they need direct training to some degree. In the sport of strongman, strong abs becomes even more important, as there is a greater risk of lower back injury during such heavy events.

The abdominals purpose during a lift is to brace the rest of your body to not move. Endless crunches will not get the results you are looking for, if you want to move heavy weights efficiently. For those of you who have ever done a heavy yoke or farmers walk, you will no doubt know what I mean. Now in the sport of Crossfit, situps on the abmat and on the GHR/GHD, etc must absolutely be trained as they will be in competitions. However, I am discussing exercises that will benefit the big lifts and moving events. The first time I did the yoke was in my second strongman contest, and for added difficulty it was a car yoke. For those of you who have tried the yoke, you can imagine how much harder a car yoke is. With the increased length of the car it creates much more instability then a regular yoke. My legs were more than strong enough to move the car but my abs completely broke down over and over. The next day it felt like I went 15 rounds with Rocky Balboa. Granted I had never done the yoke before, but it was obvious my abs were extremely weak. At the time I was doing a lot of sit ups, crunches, and other useless exercises, not knowing any better.

The exercises I am going to outline are going to make your abs work the way they are meant to through bracing your core not to move. Pressing a heavy log or circus dumbbell takes a lot more than upper and lower body strength to hold the weight for lockout. If your abdominals cannot support the weight, then it will become a weak point you must get stronger.

Ab Wheel
The ab wheel is usually on everyone’s top of the list for strengthening your core, but the exercise itself is almost always done completely wrong. When setting up, have your knees and toes together to better engage your abs. The hips must be down and in line with the rest of your body. There should be a straight line from your head right to your knees. This posture must be held throughout the movement, and this is where most people get it wrong. The butt will come up while rolling the wheel out, or when the wheel is pulled back in. Both will make the movement much easier than it should be. In the video below I demonstrate how to correct these mistakes, and what it should look like. Like most abdominal movements, I like to keep the reps high, at least 12 reps per set. When these become easy, you can try a weighted vest, add a band to the wheel, or if you really want to impress people, do them standing up.

Power Wheel Walks
The power wheel is a great investment for any gym, because there are a variety of exercises you can do with it. Not only can you put your feet in it like I am about to demonstrate, but it can also be used as an ab wheel. The power wheel walks, or sometimes called alligator walks, is essentially a moving plank. Place your feet in the wheel, and get in a push up position. Use the cue I demonstrated in the video where you pull your ribcage down to activate your abs better, and avoid your lower back sinking in. As you walk on your hands do your best to not let your hips rock at all. Keep your glutes as tight as possible to avoid any movement here. These can be a fairly advanced exercise, so make sure you master the ab wheel first before trying these. Once the hand walk is mastered, you can also add some difficulty to these. One of my favorites is adding pushups with each step, make sure you keep the elbows tucked in to your sides for the safety of your shoulders. Another extremely difficult variation is what we call the Caterpillar. Start in a pushup position and raise your hips as high as possible, then slowly walk your hands out without bending your knees. Another advanced variation is what I call caterpillars. With each step you will raise your hips high as possible contracting your abs hard at the top before lowering yourself and moving again. I like to cover at least 50 feet at a time for these exercises, and up to 100 if you are advanced.

Dragon Flags
For anyone that has seen Rocky IV, and if you haven’t stop, reading this and go watch it right now, you will remember the training montage in the barn when he is doing these. These are incredibly difficult, and place a lot of stress on the lower abs, which is very important to protect the lower back on heavy lifts. Lie on a sturdy bench, and grab the back of it with your hands. Start by raising your legs, and then your hips straight up in the air so they point to the ceiling. Now the hard part is lowering yourself under control. Lower yourself as far as possible while keeping your body as flat as a board, then raise yourself up to the top position, and repeat for reps. For repetitions here, I would do as many as possible. Starting out you will only be able to get a few, so keep working on them to do at least 10, and keep telling yourself “no pain”.

Body Saw
The body saw has been one of my favorites for years not because of how effective it is. I like doing these best with my feet in suspension loops, but if you don’t have you can always use furniture sliders or even paper plates. These can be done on your elbows in a plank position, or on your hands. Body saws on your hands will be much more challenging, so if you are new to the exercise, start on your forearms until you are ready to add difficulty. Think of your body as a hand saw (hence the name), you will be staying as rigid as possible, and push yourself away without moving your hands. Similar to the ab wheel, do not let your lower back sag as you will feel it here more rather than your abdominals. Again this exercise is very difficult, so do not push yourself away quickly. Moving just an inch at a time is perfectly fine when you are first starting out. How far you will be able to move will depend on how strong you are. Stop the movement just before you feel you abs will give out. One of my favorite variations of this exercise is to do simple holds when you push yourself away. These can be done for reps as in holding each rep for a few seconds before coming back, or holding for as long as you can.

Front Lever
The front lever hold is the most difficult of these exercises, so when you have mastered the others here, you will be ready. One thing I will say with all of the exercises in this article is that they all teach you how to protect your lower back, and how to tense up your entire body. Whenever you perform any squat, deadlift, press, weighted carry, etc., your entire body must be tight. Front levers will teach you how to be extremely tight, or you will not be able to hold them. Start by pulling yourself up on either a bar or a pair of gymnast rings, and tuck your knees into your chest. Having your knees tucked is the first progression of this exercise, but make sure your torso is completely parallel to the floor. Have a slight bend in your elbows and contract your lats, and abs hard. Once you can hold the tucked position without fail for 30 seconds you are ready to move on. The next progression is to put one leg out as this will make the lever much more difficult. I will generally do 4 sets on this, and alternate which leg I put out. A full front lever is to put both legs straight out, having your entire body parallel to the floor. This is incredibly difficult and something I can only hold for a few seconds at best. Make sure you have someone watch or video here because it is easy to raise up to high, or low making the exercise much easier than it should be.

Stefanie is a top level American Strongwoman who has been in the sport for many years. She recently won the 2013 Strongwoman Nationals for the LW division, and was nice enough to answer some questions for us. Check out the interview below:

1.Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Stefanie. Can you tell us a little about your athletic history, before you started Strongwoman?

Hi, Brandon! Thanks for having me. I’ve been athletic all my life. I started off playing softball, soccer, and swimming, up until high school, then played volleyball, track, basketball, and even cheerleading. Once I got to college, I joined the swim team. This is where I was first introduced to the weight room. I was hooked, instantly. I should also mention that I danced for over 20 years. I did ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and flamenco. In 2007, I was introduced to Strongman, and, of course, that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

2.It is amazing to see how many strength athletes get to the top, many of them using different training styles. How do you think becoming a top-level Strongwoman has changed your outlook on the vast array of different training styles currently available?

Well, this just goes to show that there is no right way or wrong way. Each athlete must find a program that works for him or her. The key is consistency. If you stick to a good program and believe in it, you’ll get results. I see, too often, people losing patience or getting frustrated with their program and changing it before they even give it a chance. What ends up happening is that they get no results at all, and then, they don’t perform well come showtime.

Although I’ve been doing Strongman since ’07, I only began following a real training program about two years ago. Is it a coincidence that my strength has improved dramatically and that I’ve won most of my competitions in that time? I don’t think so. I used to go to the gym and do random workouts and max out all the time, never really progressing, and I put on mediocre performances at shows. I think this is the mistake that people who aren’t following a well-designed program make, and their performance suffers because of it. It can also cause lots of injuries and frustration.

3.I hear you have competed against Alanna Casey in the past. How was that experience? Are you both as competitive with each other as it seems?

I competed against Alanna at her very first Strongwoman competition back in 2010, and at The Arnold in 2012 and 2013. It’s amazing how far she has come since her first competition. It’s funny, because whenever we talk about that competition, she always says how in awe she was at my strength for my size, and that I was an inspiration to her. Now, the tables have turned, and she has become a motivator for me. She makes me work harder and inspires me to get as strong as possible.

I can’t speak for her, but I don’t view her as my competition, because I don’t view anyone as my competition. When I compete, I go to do my best and not to compare myself to anyone else. This may sound like a bunch of BS to some, but this way of thinking has helped me actually become a more levelheaded competitor. It takes my focus off others and puts it on myself, relieving tons of pressure and clearing my head. This is how I won Nationals in 2013.

4.We don’t hear too much about the role of kettlebells in our sport, how do you think your experience as a kettlebell instructor has helped you as a competitor?

I can honestly say that kettlebell training has taught me more about body awareness than anything else I’ve ever done before. I learned to use my muscles in concert – I could lift so much more weight, because I was using my whole body to lift rather than isolating particular muscle groups. I learned to press with my lats, create tension throughout my entire body, and fire from my glutes. A kettlebell is also a fantastic conditioning tool. You can get a killer conditioning workout in five minutes. That’s about all the cardio I can take!

5.What are some of your favorite lifts or assistance lifts for building overall strength, besides the obvious ones?

Z presses! I love Z presses. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love overhead pressing. The Z press has helped my overhead press go way up. I also love front squats. This lift has helped my log press and stone loading in a big way. And I love Pendlay rows and GHR’s – gotta have that strong backside!

6.Where do you see yourself as a competitor in the next five years?

I chose to sit this year out. I need to fix my metabolism and focus on my strength. All the weight cuts and dieting I’ve done have really messed me up. I’ll be spending this year getting strong, of course, and getting myself to a comfortable weight that I can maintain. No more weight cuts or diets for me. I want to compete at my natural weight and not have to cut into a weight class. I’ve gotten a lot stronger in the last year, and with that came a lot more muscle and a lot more bodyweight. I’ll be working on this with Trevor Kashey. Trevor’s nutrition, in combination with strength programming by Mike Mastell, I think will make me a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight class in 2015! I’ve already won Nationals for the lightweight division, and I see no point in competing there again. In addition, I want to get a Powerlifting meet under my belt at some point. But I think in five years, I’ll be doing more coaching than competing. I’m a lot older than most people think I am.

7.For some athletes, the contents of their gym bag is a reflection of their personality. What are some must-haves in your gym bag?

I keep it very simple: my Rogue floss, my EliteFTS wrist wraps, my Nike Romaleos, my APT belt, and my LiftingLarge.com training log – that’s it!

8.What are some pieces of advice you have for athletes who may be interested in competing in strength sports, but don’t know where to start?

Do your research and seek out a coach who has an extensive background in the sport. Ask the top competitors who their coaches are. The coach doesn’t necessarily have to compete, but he or she should have experience in successfully coaching others. If you’re interested in a particular coach, talk to the athletes who have worked with that coach. How have they improved with that particular coach?

Five things you may not know about me:

1. I believe that mayonnaise is the condiment of the Devil.

2. I could eat pizza all day, every day.

3. I speak Italian.

4. I spell my name with an F, not a PH

5. After I won Nationals, American Ninja Warrior contacted me to be on the show. I told them I didn’t have time, but the real reason was that I’m terribly afraid of heights!

Stefanie Tropea is the 2013 North American Strongman Lightweight Women’s National Champion. She currently co-owns the National record for Axle Clean and Press Away with 11 reps in 60 seconds with 135lbs. She competed at The Arnold World Championships in 2012 and 2013, earning 8^th and 11^th places, respectively. Stefanie is the owner of Punch Kettlebell Gym of Norwalk Connecticut, and works with beginner to elite athletes. She is a graduate of Manhattanville College and earned her Masters in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport. In addition to training the members of her gym, Stefanie also coaches athletes online in training and nutrition, working with beginners to three-time National Champions. You can contact Stefanie at stef@punchgym.com, and you’ll find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stefanie.tropea, and at Instagram@strongwomanstef.

Article written by Matt Mills

We see a lot of methods floating around the internet, many of them touting benefits for your lifting. Unfortunately, some of these methods are not as great as touted, while others are an outright waste of your time. We have listed five in this article, check them out below:

1: Tempo work

Using tempo work is something I never understood when lifters use it to build strength. For those who are not familiar tempo training, it is lowering a bar for a certain amount of time, then performing the concentric phase for a certain time. A simple example would be the bench press. Lower the bar for 5 seconds, pause on the chest for one, press back up for 5, and lockout for 1 (5,1,5,1). There is no correlation for moving a lighter weight slowly to moving maximal weight. With that being said, I do use tempo work from time to time. I think it’s great for injury prevention, and hypertrophy with smaller body parts such as biceps, and calves. The deceiving part of tempo training is that it makes you very sore, so lifters think because of the soreness, they must be getting stronger.

One important point to remember is that soreness does not necessarily mean you are making progress. I have continued to increase my strength and I honestly can’t remember that last time I was extremely sore. Our muscles consist of two different types of fibers, one being slow twitch and the other fast. Unless you are an anatomy nerd like myself I won’t get into the specific fiber types, but the slow twitch are built for endurance of higher reps, and to move weight slowly. The slower twitch fibers also produce the most delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) yet barely help when moving weight explosively, or near max as you would for building strength.

2: Using the wrong rep schemes

If you want to get strong then you have to lift heavy. This should be an obvious one, but I still see many lifters going 80% or below in their training. For a beginner, higher reps are best as they will adapt to nearly any stimulus to add muscle and weight to the bar, but this won’t last for very long. The more advanced you get, the higher the intensity must be when training for purely strength. A good place for intermediate lifters to stay is with a 5-8 rep range to continue to build strength. Once the lifter is more advanced they can progress to heavy triples, doubles, and singles to continue to build. One of my most effective ways to add weight to the bar is to perform multiple singles above 90% of your 1 rm. Remember that maxing out is only a test and you are not building strength by grinding out singles every week.

This is a sure way to burn yourself out, and even get weaker. You build strength doing repetitions near your max for multiple sets. A good way to set up a program would be to take your 3rm and perform 5 singles with fairly short rest of about 90 seconds. You can progress each week to either add another set on at the same weight or increase the weight slightly and perform only 4 sets.

3: Training environment: big fish in a little pond

This is one that really drives me crazy. You will usually see this at commercial gyms as plenty of guys like to flex in the mirror, and take selfies. For those of you that do train at a commercial gym, I don’t know how you do it. If you want to be strong then you have to train with people stronger then you. Many lifter’s egos are too big to take the step to change gyms because they don’t want to be the weakest one. Personally if I can go somewhere where I am the weakest one, I would drive over an hour, because I know that’s somewhere I’m going to make the most progress. One thing I don’t understand is when people say they are intimidated to go to the gym, or to go to a more “hard core” gym. The least judgmental people are the lifters that are the strongest and most experienced. If you want real results, then get out of your comfort zone. Trust me when I say no one is impressed if you are the strongest one at Planet Fitness.

4: Setting too high of goals

This is one I unfortunately hear too often. I have had many new competitors tell me how they want to win their first strongman competition, qualify for Nationals, and go pro. YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN. There are very few competitors that have ever walked into their first competition, won, and then went on to do well at nationals. If you have this mentality, then you are just setting yourself up for failure once you don’t achieve that goal right away. I didn’t win my first contest for over a year, and it took me over 2 years to get my pro card. When I first started competing, I didn’t think I was going to go in and win the whole contest. With that being said, you should always compete to win but don’t feel like a failure if you don’t. Learn from your mistakes and move on. If you haven’t yet this is a must read about why you should compete.

Setting too high of goals also applies to the numbers you want to hit in the gym. Let’s say you are a 405lb deadlifter and you set a goal of pulling 500. Every week you add too much weight to the bar and maybe grind out a few ugly maxes and eventually stall out like I discussed in number 2. Having a goal of pulling nearly 100lbs more is perfectly fine but you must work backwards. Before 500 you must pull 475, 450, 425, etc. Have long term goals, but remember progress is made with very small steps at a time. Getting stronger is a marathon, not a sprint.

5: Doing what you like and not what you need

This is one that I have been guilty of many times. It’s always easy doing what you are good at because it’s simply just more fun. Don’t let your weak points hold you back, or more importantly lead to an injury. This is where having a qualified coach to write your program comes in. Having someone write your program for you will force you to do what you suck at. Weak points are the first thing I look at when going over someone’s programming. I highly recommend you work with a qualified coach no matter what your level is. You can learn more on the LBEB page.

Using myself as an example: I am very slow deadlifting off the floor, but very strong at lockout. A good way to improve this is with deficit deadlift, but I avoided these at all costs because I was so much weaker at them that I didn’t want anyone to see it. Finally I got over it, added them to my program, and my deadlift went through the roof. The same can be said about changing stances or using different bars if you have access to them. If you suck at pulling sumo or benching close grip, then that’s exactly what you need to do. If you have access to a safety yoke bar then give it a try but be ready to be humbled. Always rotate movements, and as long as a proper deload is in place, you will continue to get stronger.

6: Not tracking your progress

I have had many conversations with lifters about why they are not getting stronger, even though it looks like they are following a solid program. Keeping a record of everyday you train is extremely important. And please don’t tell me that you remember all of your lifts because there is no way you can. Maybe your big lifts and your 1rm, but there is so much more that needs to be improved upon. Getting one more rep at the same weight, just 5lbs more, and even just performing the same weight the same amount of reps, BUT now easier with better form are all PRs. You may not be able to increase your compound lifts every week but you can always do a little more on your accessory work. If you are a strongman, then you better be timing your events just the same.

I constantly refer back to my training journal to be able to beat my previous week in something. It’s always a competition with yourself to improve. Another great part of having a journal is being able to refer back when you are having a bad training day. Look back to a year and see the weights you are moving then and I guarantee you will be more motivated to lift some heavy shit after that. Finally, if your current program isn’t working for you, then look back to a time that you were getting stronger. Check out the differences in your training and figure out what you were doing right at that time.

Hopefully some of these tips work for you. Let us know in the Facebook comments if you have anything to add to this list.

Online coaching and programming, as many of you may know, is a booming business. It allows you to connect and work with coaches and athletes that otherwise would be too far away from your physical location. Online coaching can be very beneficial for athletes who have become disenchanted with their gym's current model of programming, athletes who train by themselves but have no real guidance, or just athletes that are looking for something new.

The downside to online coaching is, of course, the lack of a physical coach to work with you. This isn't to say that it is ineffective, it just means that preemptive steps need to be taken, to ensure that both the athlete's money isn't being wasted, as well as that of the coach's time. I have worked with 200+ athletes via our online coaching programs, and in this article, I will outline five different tools an athlete can utilize, in order to get the most out of their online coach.

1. Maintain Contact With Your Coach.

This one is first on my list, and it is one of those things that shouldn't even need to be stated, meaning it, of course, HAS to be stated. When someone signs up for our programming, I make it clear that if you want the most out of the deal, YOU must put in the effort to remain in contact with your coach. If you were coached in person, would you just go without talking to your coach for two or three weeks at a time? Doubtful, so why do it with an online coach, where they don't even get in-person coaching time with you?

Your online coach needs to be kept in the loop when it comes to your training; we want to know what felt good, what hurts, how hard the day way for you, etc. This feedback is doubly important when it comes to knowing what we should program for your next week or next month. Don't get me wrong, I am sure your online coach will gladly accept your dollars, whether or not you maintain contact, but it can get very bothersome to talk to an athlete once a month, get zero feedback from them, while they request the next cycle of programming. If you want your program to be tailored to your needs, maintain contact with your coach, you paid for it. Otherwise, just save your money and download a free program, since you will most likely be receiving generic programming anyway.

2. Film Your Lifts.

“I couldn’t film my lifts because I lifted by myself.” Honestly, as a coach, this is one of the most pathetic excuses about filming your lifts, and one of the easiest remedied problems. I along with everyone in our crew, film 80+% of all of the lifts we post online. Believe it or not, you can actually film yourself when no one is around to do it for you. Lean your camera against a wall, set it upright in a shoe, by a 15 dollar tripod, etc. I let the filming issue slide for roughly two weeks, before I tell my clients that they will no longer receive programming from me until I see your lifts.

This brings us back to the first point of maintaining contact with your coach: we want to see what you are doing. Telling us: “my back hurts when I deadlift, what am I doing wrong?” when you have no video to show, severely limits our options of assisting you. You can also look at it from a financial point of view: NOT filming yourself is like throwing money down the toilet when working with an online coach. For my clients, we schedule one day each week to watch all of the week’s previous videos together, so they can get feedback while we both watch the lifts. Something that I find extremely helpful when asking my athletes to film themselves, is the angle of the camera. If you were to look at a clock, I would ideally like the camera to be positioned at either the 2 or the 10, this will allow me to see what is happening in the front, as well as part of the side angle. Filming directly from the side is usually inadvisable, since the plate will block most of the shot.

3. Have Concise Goals, Or Let Your Coach make Them For You.

If you want to reach a destination, you should probably have your path planned, or you will never get there. Newer athletes get a lot of leeway with me on this one, as it is simply something they may not have thought of. For example: “get stronger, lose bodyfat, increase my lifts” are of course good goals (Who doesn’t want these three things?), they aren’t incredibly helpful when trying to figure out the steps you take to get there. How much stronger? How much of a decrease in bodyfat? What lifts, how much weight? You can see what I mean when I say concise goals. I prefer when new athletes have goals that are specific, such as adding 80lbs to their squat in six months, a 4% decrease in bodyfat, etc. Having your goals written out and broken down will help you hold yourself more accountable to them, much like having a carrot dangled in front of a horse’s face while walking.

Keeping your specific goals in the front of your mind will help you to stay on track on those days when you may feel lazy. Six months is a finite amount of time, and keeping streamlined goals will help you to work towards it every day, instead of just wanting to “get stronger,” which is pretty relative. Technically, a 5lb PR means you have gotten stronger, but I don’t think it would be worth hiring an online coach for.

4. So Let It Be Written, So Let It Be Done.

Plain and simple, if you pay someone to write your programming, you should be following only that programming. I take it as a personal insult when clients pay me to spend hours every month writing their programming, only to find out that they are following their own gym’s programming at the same. Look at it this way; you are cheating on your online coach. When a coach designs a program, it is usually designed as a complete program, not a half-done program that you then must supplement with other lifts of your choice. If you want your coach to design a powerlifting program for you, don’t suddenly decide that you want to become more “explosive” by also following an Olympic lifting program. I have just given clients their money back in the past, because I do not want to waste my time with a client that can’t respect me enough to hold up their end of the bargain. We are there to help you progress, that is why you hired us: because you don’t know how to do it by yourself. And, because you don’t know how to program yourself, why would you suddenly decide to write your own programming? Don’t make this mistake, it is one of the worst offenses you can give to an online coach.

5. You Must Hold Yourself Accountable.

The more an athlete puts into the relationship I have with them as their online coach, the more I want to help them. We can write the world’s greatest programs, give you a stellar nutrition plan, and offer to assist you in any way that is feasible for us, but ultimately, the buck stops with you. I don’t think I am the only coach out there that receives blame from a client for their lack of progress, even though the client followed maybe 50% of what we have written for them. You could have the best person in the world working with you online, but if you don’t possess the willpower to achieve what you wanted in the first place, you won’t progress. If you ever just have “one of those days”, take a step back, remember your goals, and figure out what desire of yours is stronger: The desire to achieve change, or the desire to throw in the towel. Ultimately, all athletic careers can be boiled down to the sum of your desires. Your desire to change must be stronger than your desire to have an easy day.

These are just a few of the ways I have found to be most effective when working with an online coach. Have I left anything out? Do you have anything to add? Let us know on Facebook.

Allison Moyer is a figure competitor and Crossfit athlete with a long list of credentials, as well as some unique approaches to both Crossfit and figure competition training. She sat down to answer some questions with us, check them out below:

1. Allison, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, as well as your sport?

Ah I’m so bad at the self talk J Let’s see I’m a 30 year old nationally ranked NPC Figure Athlete, published fitness model, crossfit athlete, weightlifter, and nutritionist and coach. I own Alli-Fitness Systems LLC which is my online fitness coaching company and I work fulltime as a trainer, coach and nutritionist.

I compete in crossfit and in figure. Crossfit, of course is a sport to me, but I don’t necessarily consider figure to be a sport. I consider it to be an art more so then anything else- the art of sculpting the body or shaping the body to fit a specific set of criteria.

I’ve been competing in figure since I was in college. I did my first show, a small local NABBA show was I was only 20, and by the age of 23 did my first NPC show, where I won my class and the figure overall. I’ve been competing at the national level on and off since 2008.

2. For those who don’t know the differences, can you explain the differences between figure, bikini, and bodybuilding competitions?

Female bodybuilding is really a dying arena of physique sports at this point- it’s mostly been replaced by women’s physique. And then of course there’s bikini and figure. The classes are differentiated by the judging criteria set forth by the NPC/IFBB standards. I compete in figure, which is judged based upon the overall symmetry, shape, conditioning and aesthetic flow of the athlete.

3. For you, what is the hardest part of being on stage? What sort of things to do you, in order to make prepping for the stage as simple as possible?

Posing, for me, is the hardest part of being on stage. It doesn’t come naturally to me, and probably the ONLY time I wear heels is when I’m on stage, so perfecting my comfort in heels, and in figure poses is something I try to work on in the weeks leading up to a contest. The more comfortable you can be flowing in and out of your figure poses and walking in your heels the more confident and effortless your stage presentation come contest time will be.

4. How does your diet change as you get closer to competition day? Do you believe in cheat meals, or do you follow a Macro approach instead?

I have Ulcerative Colitis so my diet is very strict and very structured. As it regards competing in figure, my diet can change daily if it needs to, or it doesn’t change much at all when it comes to being stage ready. I know that sounds vague, but honestly contest prep is all about making decisions based upon the responses of your body. So anything I do nutritionally in the weeks and days leading up to a show is going to be entirely dependent upon how my body is looking in that moment. It’s a very meticulous approach.

As far as cheat meals, it’s not something I find effective for me. I have a weekly re-feed which I find beneficial to both my body composition and my performance.

5. Fasted Cardio is a method that has vehement proponents and opponents on both sides. Do you use fasted cardio in your training?

I train twice a day most days, and usually one of those sessions is an early morning session, however I don’t go in “fasted” in the traditional sense. I usually have some coffee blended with MCT Oil and some protein powder prior to. I should also note that my sessions aren’t really cardio based- I don’t do traditional cardio anymore.

6. Based on your social media outlets, it seems like you continue to incorporate heavy and explosive compound lifts throughout your training cycles. How do you think this sets you apart from other competitors who may focus on mostly isolation movements?

I don’t “train for figure.” I train to become a better weightlifter, a stronger athlete and a more efficient crossfit competitor. Figure isn’t the focus of my training. I’ve found that mentally, for me, it was important to let go of training based on how I look. The last thing I think about when I’m training is whether this exercise or that exercise is going to make my shoulders bigger, or make my waist thicker or whatever. I’m focused on getting stronger, on squatting more weight, or increasing my pressing strength, or working towards a new snatch PR.

Although I do still compete in figure, I don’t train in the same manner that traditional figure athletes do, or even with the focus most figure athletes have, and I know this makes me a bit of a pariah in the bodybuilding world. But I’m okay with it, because I very STRONGLY believe that the way I have been training has positively influenced my mind and my body. Even though I don’t train for aesthetics, my physique has changed for the better. Training for strength has made a huge impact on who I am as a coach, as an athlete, and as a woman. I eat more now than I ever have in my life and yet I carry less bodyfat then I ever have. I also carry more lean muscle. I’m stronger. I’m healthier- both mentally and physically and I believe that training the body as a whole (i.e squatting rather than doing leg extensions) has allowed for a more streamlined and athletic look then can be found in athletes who train the body in terms of pure isometrics.

7. Since you don't train primarily for aesthetics, can you give us some examples of what your training looks like?

I train two sessions a day. My morning session is usually 100% conditioning related like a metcon or perhaps aerobic related- running, rowing, or Airdyne work.

I have a coach who helps with my programming- which is usually structured (somewhat) as follows:
My second session is my main session and involves some light aerobic work to get my body warm, then a good 20-30 minutes of a dynamic warm up, followed by my weighlifting which would be snatch, clean, and clean and jerk including their variations. Right now I'm on a cycle which is emphasizing pushing and pulling strength so there's a lot of push press, clean and snatch pulls, etc.

After my weightlifting I usually wind up doing some form of squat or other strength based movement. Occasionally there's a strict OH press or bench press, but since I'm focused on my Olympic lifting I don't bench much. Sometimes there's a deadlift. Mostly rows or rowing variations, pullups (weighted or in a weighted vest), weighted pistols, etc. It varies.

The remainder of my training could be gymnastics or skill practice, some accessory work on my weaker points (hams/glutes and shoulders) and then a metcon or some interval work. I like to work a lot with sled drags, prowler pushes, tire flips, sandbag carries or run, etc.

Currently I train 3 days on (mon/tues/weds) then one day off (thurs) then two days on (fri/sat) and then Sunday off. Thursday I usually do something monostructural and low intensity in the morning (restorative aerobically) and then some technique work or gymnastics skill practice in the afternoon. Sunday's I always do a long run in the morning with my German Shepherd, usually 4-6 miles and then take a hot yoga. 8. Where do you see yourself in the sport in the next 3-5 years?

I’m not sure- honestly. I’d love to say that one day I’ll be blessed to receive my IFBB Figure Pro card, but in all honesty that’s only one facet of fitness I enjoy. I love weightlifting and would love to compete someday and see where I can take that. I also love competing in crossfit, in mud runs and adventure races, and of course figure. I don’t label myself as one form of athlete or another now, and I doubt I will in the future either.

9. Do you have any pieces of sage advice for women who may be interested in joining an aesthetic competition, but still want to continue lifting heavy?

My advice would be don’t focus on aesthetics. Allow them to be the byproduct or the nice side effect of your training. Instead focus on strength, focus on performance, focus on eating well and fueling your workouts, and I think you’ll find your body will wind up looking exactly as it needs to.

Five things you may not know about me:
1. I have what can only be described as a very strange obsession with Wonder Woman.
2. I dislike eating off regular spoons. I only eat off of soup spoons.
3. I weigh and measure EVERYTHING I eat. Even lettuce. My fiancée is constantly chastising me for it.
4. I eat all my food cold. I hate hot and warm food.
5. I’m up at 4am every day. Even on the weekends. I can’t ever sleep in.

Born and raised in rural PA, Allison has been a well known and respected face in the fitness industry since early 2007. A national level NPC figure athlete, competitive Crossfit athlete, professional fitness model and published author, she has currently worked with nearly 300 clients both in and out of the U.S since she launched her online fitness coaching company, Alli-Fitness Systems LLC in mid 2008.

She has been voted "Best of Central PA's" Fitness Trainer five years in a row and is a well renowned trainer, competitor, athlete, model, author and motivational personality, writing for magazines like Paleo Living, and critically acclaimed websites, The Athletic Build, and BreakingMuscle. She currently features an athlete journal on breakingmuscle.com.

WEBSITE: www.alli-fitness.com
INSTAGRAM: @Allisonmoyer
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/allifitness?fref=ts

Interview With Pat Mendes

What Is It Like To Be Married To A Strongman?

Shin Splints: What You Need To Know

What's Your Press?

You Don't Like Crossfit? Get Over It

I Have A Bad Back: Training with Back Pain

Memoirs of a Strongman

Maxing Out: Singles Vs. Reps

Athlete Interview Series: Rory Zambard

How To Warm Up For A New PR

Athlete Interview series: Jay Holder

Me vs. Myself: Why You Need To Compete

Athlete Interview Series: Erika Drinkard

Athlete Interview Series: Grant Higa "Monster"

Athlete Interview Series: Hafþór "Thor" Björnsson

Training Your Core

Athlete Interview Series: Stefanie Tropea

Five Ways You Are Holding Back Your Own Strength

Five Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Online Coaching

Athlete Interview Series: Allison Moyer