by Thomas Incledon, PhD(c), RD, LD/LN, RPT, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Feelin’ Groovy
Last you heard, this mild-mannered scientist went home from the Tawas CityStrongman 2000 taking 15th place and learning some valuable lessons. I wanted to test my new techniques and now there was no turning back. I had been bitten by the competition bug and was hooked. Chad Coy was running the Central USA strongman competition a week later in Indiana. I had to compete because I knew that I was better than 15th and wanted to prove it by kicking some ass. I practiced some new techniques, bought some cleats, and I was ready. In Indiana I met Magnus ver Magnusson and saw a bunch of guys from the week before. If you don’t know who Magnus is, you’re a poor excuse for a man (or a woman). Just in case you’ve been locked in a cave for the past six years, Magnus is a 4 time World’s Strongest Man winner. The man is so strong that just by sitting next to him, I was getting stronger! With experience, cleats, and fired up motivation, I was in the groove. Fear this!
The Events
The competition was held in Kokomo, IN on Saturday, July 1, 2000. It was a beautiful day and everyone was psyched up. I was competing in the 220 and under division (middleweight), as well as the open division. Hell, I couldn’t let those big bastards think that they have all the strength! I needed to humiliate myself in front of them, too! Since both the middleweights and heavyweights used the same events and implements, both could compete in the open. Still recovering from the Birdshit Curse only a week earlier, I was careful to avoid all contact with the avian species during my warm-ups. I practiced some light movements and mentally rehearsed what I would do. In this competition I was the last competitor to go. This was fantastic and a tremendous advantage. I could see everything ahead of time - what worked, what didn’t, and who was leading.
The first event was the Keg Run and Tire Drag. Each athlete picks up a 200 pound keg, runs 100 feet and then drags back a 365 pound tire 100 feet in the grass, with a 90 second time limit to do both. The tire drag doesn’t sound too hard, but it actually is the toughest event. Only 3-4 guys out of a field of 50-60 will finish the event. The tire has so much surface area that to drag it is a real bitch. The chain to the handle is too long to allow you to lift up on the tire to make it easier to pull. Imagine dragging TC’s personal stock of blow-up plastic women filled with cement and you have an idea of how monumental this task was. I watched the competitors in the early heats. Running all out with the keg didn’t matter because when everyone got to the tire, things evened out. When my turn came, I took my time with the keg run. I was feeling great when I got to the tire because I still had energy to spare. I pulled aggressively on the tire to start the drag and it didn’t budge. This was not a good sign. If the first inch is hard, the rest of the 100 feet will be a living hell. Last week’s sled drag memory of me falling on my ass flooded my brain. I fell over because I was keeping my arms straight and just pulling. I trained in the gym heavily for rowing movements and I am extremely strong in this area. I decided to row instead of pull. So I started rowing the tire backwards. It was popping backwards in bursts of 12 to 24 inches at a time. At 25 feet, my whole body was on fire and I just had nothing left. Shawn Smith (one really big SOB) was yelling at me to keep pulling and to not quit or he was gonna have Magnus shove the tire up my ass. I rowed the tire back about another 50 feet! Talk about encouragement – shit, I was scared to death! The whistle blew and I finished in 3rd place in the middleweight division.
The next event was the Farmer’s Walk. Two 220-pound cylinders are carried for 200 feet. Since last time I got crushed in this event, I sought advice from Brian Duncan. He told me to stand up and stabilize the cylinders, start out slow, and accelerate towards the finish line. I made it to about 150 feet and then the cylinders fell out of my hands due to the flesh ripping off my palms. No big deal. Erica Neese was screaming at me that Magnus was on his way with a tire, so I waited 5 seconds then picked up the cylinders and rushed for the finish line. My time was about 46 seconds. This was much better than last time, but still a long way from the 19-20 seconds I needed to win. After this event I was tied for 3rd.
The Accident
The next event was the Tire Flip. A 700-pound tire is flipped end-over-end for 100 feet. This is my favorite event and I was anxious to get started. When my turn came, I knew nothing would stop me. The whistle blew and I pushed the tire forward. Immediately as it landed, I moved in for the kill and ripped it off the ground, driving it over again. I ran forward to flip it a second time. As I ripped it off the ground, I heard a loud popping noise and felt myself falling to my right. I shifted my weight to my left leg and pushed the tire over using my arms. My right leg wouldn’t move. I looked down and then it hit me, my right tibia was dislocated from the knee joint. At first there was no pain, but slowly as the adrenaline-high wore off, and the realization of what happened set in, the pain started to come. I was carried off the field and people started clapping. “That’s nice,” I thought to myself, “My leg is ripped off and they’re clapping.”
Back at the triage area under a tent, a chiropractor started to work on my knee. It freaked me out. “Who are you, what are your credentials, and what are you doing,” I spurted out. He calmly stated he was a chiropractor and that he was going to adjust my dislocated tibia. “How do you know it’s dislocated?” I asked. “What do you think?” he responded. I looked at my lower leg. It was about 45 degrees to the right relative to my knee joint. In case you’re not up on your anatomy, it’s not normal to have your lower leg stick out from your knee joint like that. He tried valiantly to reduce my dislocation, or in other words, pop my tibia back into place. After the third try I was going to say just forget it, the pain was becoming unbearable. I guess 4 is my lucky number because he got it back into place on that next try. I iced my knee and kept it elevated. That took care of the swelling, but it didn’t do shit for the pain. I stayed around, cheered on my friends, went back the next day to watch the pros, and swore that next year I would redeem myself.
The Outcome
The accident was on Saturday, July 1st and it wasn’t until Monday, July 3rd when I got home that I was able to get X-rays and a MRI. I had a severe buckethandle tear of the medial meniscus and a grade II medial collateral ligament sprain (MCL). Most people only tear the posterior (back) section of the meniscus. But I managed to rip my entire medial meniscus off of my tibia and then flip it upside down. With this type of injury the options are to not do anything at all and let nature take its course, remove the meniscus, or repair the meniscus. Well in my knee, things could definitely not be left where they were. I didn’t have normal range of motion because the torn meniscus was blocking my extension and flexion. And don’t forget that I wanted to compete again. The best possible scenario was that my orthopedic surgeon, Robert Baylis, MD, could repair the meniscus. Dr. Baylis wanted my surgery performed ASAP if he had any chance of repairing my meniscus. The longer that it was buckled up in there, the more likely it was to shred. I needed the surgery ASAP because I was scheduled to leave for Las Vegas to speak at Nutracon on Sunday, July 16th and then on to San Francisco to hold a seminar. However, it was still very swollen and I had virtually no muscle strength. My therapist girlfriend told me that the best outcomes for surgeries were after waiting until there was no swelling and some strength and range of motion back. She used ultrasound, ice, electrical stimulation, massage (not only on my knee but, thankfully, other places. Hey, I was injured, not dead!) to decrease the swelling and heal the MCL. I did some light range of motion and strength exercises and had surgery on Thursday, July 13th. It would have been on Wednesday, but the insurance company screwed me over. Luckily Dr. Baylis was able to repair the meniscus by using 3 resorpable tacks in the back and 3 mulberry knots in the front. What that means to us idiots is that it was a hell of a repair job. To protect the repair when weightbearing for the next 6 weeks, my knee wasn’t allowed to bend. So when walking, I had to wear a brace locked at 0 degrees of extension. I walked like a crooked Frankenstein.
I walked out of the hospital on crutches into a torrential downpour (happens every day at 3 pm in South Florida in the summer). I recuperated and did therapy before I had to fly to Vegas. Luckily, we got moved into first class in the first row to accommodate my leg. I was only allowed to bend it to 90o when sitting, but I couldn’t even make 20o yet. Even in first class, though, the plane ride was tough. Since everything in Vegas is so spread out, my girlfriend pushed me around in wheelchair a lot. But I did walk short distances and I did my exercises in the hotel room. I even got some good weightbearing on it when I had to speak for 1 hour and then endure another hour standing and answering questions. I was never so happy to sit after that! The first three days after the surgery, I lost an inch off of my thigh and calf circumferences. By 4 weeks post-surgery, my left leg looked great from carrying all of my weight around, but my right leg looked like a toothpick with fat all around it. I had to watch in horror as my leg lost muscle and grew fatter at the same time, not something any of us ever wants to see. But I do rehab daily or my girlfriend withholds sex. My rehab consists of isometric contractions of my quadriceps, balance training, hip strengthening, pool therapy, and range of motion work. Of course, I am still training upper body in the gym and even have a training partner now. At the end of six weeks on August 24th I can take the brace off and start walking and training like a real man. By December, my therapist and I expect me to be back in full shape. And yes, I will be competing again, hopefully in April 2001.
Those Crazy Exercises
Since many people emailed about how to do the exercises from my Lab Geek to Strongman article, here ya go. I listed the exercises in the alphabetical order since some are repeated throughout the training cycle, along with simple tips.
Ab Rotations
Use stretch tubing or a cable attached to weights at chest height.
Stand next to a tubing/weight stack and line up your shoulders to it. This puts your face at a right angle to it.
Grasp the tubing or cable handle and step arms length away.
With legs shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, extend your arms in front of you and rotate your torso. Use your abdominal muscles to work against the resistance.
Work from left to right for a given rep count and then do the same number of reps from right to left (this means facing the opposite direction).
To give you a better idea of the movement pattern, simply stand with your arms out in front of you and rotate all the way to your left. Now rotate back towards your right. Your hands moving through space will form a semi-circle.
Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
Instead of pressing both DBs up at the same time, press one and hold.
Now press the other.
Lower the first DB and repeat. For example, press the right and hold, then press the left. Lower the right with the left still holding and then press the right. Lower the left with the right still holding and press the left. Repeat.
This will feel awkward at first, so start out lighter than regular DB benches.
Alternating Dumbbell Inclines
Just like alternating DB bench Presses, except you are at an incline
Alternating Dumbbell Upright Rows
This is done similar to the Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press.
Grab two DBs and let them hang in front of you.
Pull one up to your shoulder and hold
Pull the other up, hold and lower the first.
If you are prone to getting shoulder impingement avoid this until you strengthen your scapular muscles.
Back Sqats
I use this to work my weakness, which is hip strength.
If you have weak hips, wide squats with a pause are great.
Set up, squat under control, pause at the bottom, and explode up.
You’ll read/hear debates over squat depth. The real key is to squat as deep as good mechanics will allow. Sitting in the bottom of a deep squat while rounded like a turtle is stupid, and so is loading up the bar and not moving anywhere. Don’t just squat aimlessly, learn how to use your body and move the weight.
Barbell Rows
I use three styles for barbell rows.
The first is a simple movement where I get the bar into position and then bend at the waist until I am parallel to the ground. From here I just use my upper back and arms to pull the bar up. I try not to use any lower body.
The second type which occurs later in my training cycle is just like above except now I use my legs and lower back to help drive the weight up. Remember, I have to use all my muscles in competition in a coordinated fashion.
The third type of row is what I would call a power row. I set up like a clean pull. I then explode off the ground and finish in the top position of a barbell row. This is a very explosive movement and great for helping me to lift the stones.
Bench Press
You should know this movement by now. Remember to press the bar straight up and not lift your ass up so high that you work your hamstrings.
Cheat Curls
Work on using your legs, hips, and lower back to help curl a heavy barbell. This mimics many of the movement patterns in a strongman competition.
If you can, try to do these with a log using a parallel grip or at least a triceps bar.
Chin Ups
Hang from a bar with your palms supinated.
Use a full, pain free, range of motion. Come all the way down and all the way up unless you have a contraindication.
Clean Holds
As an early preparatory exercise for Farmer’s Walks, I used this to increase my grip strength. Holding something in front of your thighs is harder than when your hands are on the side of your thighs.
Grab a barbell, using a regular grip.
Deadlift from a rack or the floor (the floor is harder) to lockout and hold for 60 seconds.
Clean and Jerks
The first part of the clean is just like doing a clean pull. At the top you pull yourself under the bar, moving into a deep front squat position. Make sure to quickly turn your wrists over and move your elbows up so that you can rack the bar on your clavicles.
Front squat the bar to the top position.
Bend your knees and hips slightly, stop the bar, and then drive it overhead while splitting your feet underneath. You should dip as deep as if you were going to do a vertical jump. Your front foot should land after your back foot.
Push off the front foot and then the back foot until your feet are in line.
Clean Pulls
Set up like a deadlift, except use a hook grip and keep your hips lower.
Pull the bar past your knees and at the lower third of the thigh, move your knees and hips forward.
Extend explosively into a top shrug position.
Do not let your hips kick up past your shoulders.
Clean and Push Jerks
The first part of the clean is just like doing a clean pull. At the top pull yourself under the bar, moving into a deep front squat position. Make sure to quickly turn your wrists over and move your elbows up so that you can rack the bar on your clavicles.
Front squat the bar to the top position.
Bend your knees and hips slightly, pause for a second.
Drive it overhead while splitting your feet underneath. Your front foot should land after your back foot.
Push off the front foot and then the back foot until your feet are in line.
Dumbbell Snatches
This is one of my favorite exercises.
Grab one heavy DB from the ground and power snatch it overhead using only one arm. Repeat on the other side.
Position the DB between your feet to start.
I like to alternate arms with each rep.
If the DBs get too light use a 7-foot barbell. The barbell is longer and more awkward, but it also revolves, while most DBs do not.
Dumbbell Step Holds
This is another preparatory movement for the Farmer’s Walk.
Grab a DB in each hand and step up and down using a low step (2-4”).
Explosive Good Mornings
Unrack a barbell positioned like a high bar back squat.
Arch your back and bend forward. You can do these with a close stance or wide stance, or with straight legs or bent knees. These factors will influence how heavy you can go, so use your head and start out light. I use these to work my weak links as well, so for me a straight legged, wide stance movement helps quite a bit. I can’t handle any heavy weights this way, but remember it is to help me strengthen my weak links so when I lift a 330-pound stone, I have the strength where it counts.
Bend forward until parallel with the ground or slightly below.
Explode to the starting position.
Farmer’s Walk
Grasp a heavy object in each hand and walk - that’s it.
Since the grip width, implement diameter, and weight vary from competition to competition, practice with all kinds of grip widths, weights, etc.
I like to walk a 100-foot course and then come back. Early in my training I focus on increasing the weights I can walk with. My next goal is to work up to 400 pounds in each hand. As I get closer to the competition, I focus on speed for the actual distance.
Tips: Start with your wrists flexed. As you lift the weight, it will straighten your wrists out. Make sure you are balanced before trying to walk fast with the weight.
Front Squats
Grab the bar wider than shoulder width and rack it in so that it rests on your clavicles.
Take two steps to set up your foot placement.
Descend as deep as possible, while keeping a neutral to arched low back position. Do not round in the bottom.
Ascend back up and repeat.
Between each rep, reposition your hips so that you always hit the correct mechanical positions. Don’t bang out reps blindly and allow your technique to worsen with each rep.
High Pulls
These can be done from the floor or from various other positions.
The mechanics are like a clean pull, except you pull the bar as high as you can.
Don’t do what most guys do, that is to pull themselves down to the bar instead of pulling the bar up towards their chin.
Incline Bench
Lying face up on an incline bench, unrack a barbell to arms length.
Lower to your chest, pause, and press up.
Keg Carry & Load
Set up 3-6 kegs weighing about 200-220 pounds 25 feet from a 4-foot high platform.
Time yourself as you carry and ”load” each keg to the platform.
For 5 kegs, 30 seconds is a winning time in most competitions.
Keg Deadlifts
These are done simply to develop the strength to lift kegs from the ground.
Lay a keg on its side and grab each end by the rim and deadlift it up.
You can work on using you hips, back, and legs to power it up.
Light keg runs (to learn how to run with a keg)
There are all kinds of ways you can lift a keg. You just want to practice different techniques to see which one works best for you. Keep in mind if you get injured during a contest, you may have to change your technique. This is where it is helpful to know what your options are beforehand.
I like to grip the keg with one hand high and one hand low. This allows me to manipulate it easier when I have to lift it onto a platform.
Military Press
This is just a standing barbell overhead press.
Make sure you lockout the elbows and finish the movement with your head between your extended elbows.
One Arm Rear Reaches
Use either stretch tubing or a weight stack and cable set up.
Face the base, extend your arm overhead, and pull the tubing or handle behind you. Emphasize your shoulder blade pulling and the arm just going along for the ride. It is a short range of motion if you perform it right.
This can be done with one or both arms, and/or on one or both legs.
One Arm Rotations
Just like Ab rotations, except you use only one arm at a time.
This can be turned into a rotate and press movement as well. With your right shoulder in line with a weight stack, grab a pulley handle in your right hand, pull it in toward your right shoulder, and twist toward your left. Then finish by pressing the weight at a diagonal across your left shoulder. After a set on the right side, switch and do the left side.
One Legged Anterior Reaches
This is an abdominal movement.
Face away from some tubing or a weight stack.
Grab the tubing/handle and extend your arms overhead, then balance yourself on one leg.
With your arms extended overhead, use your abdominal muscles to flex your trunk. Keep your arms in the same plane as your torso and don’t allow your shoulders and arms to do all the work. This is great for training the abdominals in a very explosive fashion.
After your flex forward, return back to the starting position by using your abs to slow you down. Be careful that you don’t come back too fast.
Power Cleans
Use a hook grip and grip the bar wider than your hips.
Lift the bar from the ground with relaxed arms. Keep the shoulders over the bar and do not allow the hips to kick up first.
When the bar reaches the lower third of the thigh, move your hips and knees forward. Do not bounce against the bar.
Extend your knees, hips, and ankles explosively, causing your feet to move laterally.
As your feet are shuffling, rack the weight in by moving your elbows under the bar.
Catch the bar with a slight knee bend.
Power Snatches
Use a hook grip and grip the bar as wide as comfort will allow.
Lift the bar from the ground with relaxed arms. Keep the shoulders over the bar and do not allow the hips to kick up first.
When the bar reaches the upper third of the thigh, move you hips and knees forward. Do not bounce against the bar.
Extend your knees, hips, and ankles explosively, causing your feet to move laterally.
As your feet are shuffling, pull the bar over your head in one motion.
Catch the bar with a slight knee bend.
Pull Ups
Come all the way down, pause and pull yourself up
We do these with thick, jute rope (you can get it at a boating supply store). You can also do pull-ups with a staggered grip. One elbow is extended and the other is flexed about half way. This simulated the rope pulling ones has to do when pulling boats, planes, trucks, etc in competition.
Push Presses
Set up like you are going to do standing barbell presses.
Let the bar rest on your clavicles.
Bend your knees slightly and extend them explosively.
Use the momentum from your legs to drive the bar to lockout.
Standing Cable Rows
I do this to simulate pulling on the big thick rope that is used for truck and boat pulls.
I use the Ironmind Rolling Thunder handles and a pulley height about knee-high.
I vary from using one or two hands, but I start out a training cycle using minimal hip and knee movement and gradually progress to using my legs, hips, and lower back to complete the movement.
Step Ups
Set up like you are going to back squat.
Step up to a platform with your right leg.
Step down from the platform with the opposite leg (so your left leg will touch the ground first on the way down).
Repeat using the opposite leg (left up, right down).
I use all kinds of heights and movement speeds. I generally use a height about 20 inches, but this can change depending on what my needs are.
Tire Flip
This is tough to do unless you have a tire. So the first thing is to get a big tire, at least 600 pounds.
Set up like you are going to do a deadlift. You will have your hands placed in between your legs.
Start to lift the tire up and lean into it. If you can pin your chest against the tire, then your legs should be able to lock out and lift the tire pretty easily.
Now you will be standing with your hands on the bottom of the tire and the tire is at about waist level.
Position one leg forward and use that knee to brace against the tire to keep it from falling back down.
Reposition your hands from an underhand grip to an overhand grip.
Use you legs to help push the tire up further until you can press it. As it goes up it gets easier to lift.
Once the tire is almost vertical, you can easily push it over.
Congratulations, you have just flipped a tire.
As you practice flipping the tire, try different strategies and figure out an optimal technique for you.
Some guys will use their knee to help them keep the tire moving once it starts to lift off the ground. This can make things easier, but it can also be very dangerous. If you slip with only one leg in contact with the ground, you can get hurt (like me).
Truck Pull
Set up at the front of a truck using a draft harness, like what Ironmind sells.
As soon as you begin, dive to the ground. The lower your keep your body, the easier it will be to pull the truck.
I like to use both feet to start the pull and then switch over to a normal running pattern (ie one foot then the other).
Stay low and move in a straight line. Too much lateral movement will kill your efforts. Just a hint: It is tough to move in a straight line when you are exhausted.
Truck Push
Set up at the back of a truck by positioning your hands, shoulders, hips, and feet in roughly a straight line. In general the lower you can set up against the truck the better.
I like to use both feet to start the push and then switch over to a normal running pattern (ie one foot then the other).
Keep your head up and try to keep your arms straight, so that you can transfer more leg and hip drive into pushing the truck.
Wall Marches
This will get some stares from people in the gym.
Set up like you are going to push a truck and push against the wall.
I do this for 30 seconds, but every 5 seconds my training partner yells out and I switch my front and back feet.
This really helps the start of the truck push.
Wood Chops
I got this idea from Mel Siff.
Use stretch tubing or a weighted cable.
Set up in between two pulley stacks like you are going to do cable crossovers. Grab a handle from only one side and with the arms overhead, move diagonally across your body to the opposite foot. You will be simulating chopping wood, hence the name.
Switch and do the other side after each set.
You should feel this in muscle all across your midsection.
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