PDF Summary:Tactical Strongman, by Josh Bryant and Adam benShea

Tactical Strongman delves into the rich history and evolution of strongman training, showcasing its development from ancient practices to modern competitions. Authors Josh Bryant and Adam benShea present the benefits of strongman workouts for full-body conditioning, grip strength, core stability, and functional athleticism. They also offer strategies for incorporating strongman principles into commercial gym environments.

Bryant and benShea provide comprehensive guidance on proper warm-up, technique execution for key strongman events, preparing for competitions, and specific training programs tailored for tactical performance goals. Whether aiming to develop practical strength, cardiovascular fitness, or mental resilience, readers gain insights into harnessing the unique advantages of strongman training.

(continued)...

Detailed Technical Instruction for Mastering Core Strongman Moves

Bryant and benShea highlight four primary strongman events: the yoke, farmer's walk, atlas stone, and log clean and press. They break down how to correctly execute these fundamental events, providing detailed instructions on technique, safety considerations, and common pitfalls.

Yoke, Farmer's Walks, Atlas Stone, Log Press

Each base event is explained with detailed instruction on technique, starting from the set up and hand placement, to the movements' implementation. Safety considerations are paramount, with specific instructions regarding bracing, avoiding jerky movements, and walking patterns based on how much the load weighs and the purpose of the workout. The authors also provide training recommendations for achieving different training effects, such as technical improvement, maximal strength, muscle growth, and overload, by manipulating the number of sets, reps, distance, and intensity of the training session.

Context

• This involves carrying heavy weights in each hand, like suitcases, and walking a set distance. Hand placement is crucial for grip strength and balance, often requiring a firm, centered grip on the handles.

Other Perspectives

• Prescribing walking patterns based on load weight and workout purpose is useful, but it may not account for individual differences in biomechanics and personal comfort, which could be equally important for safety and effectiveness.
• The concept of periodization, which involves planned variations in training specificity, intensity, and volume over longer periods, is not mentioned, which could be critical for long-term progress and avoiding plateaus.

Key Coaching Cues, Safety Considerations, and Common Pitfalls

Throughout their description of each base event, the authors provide key coaching cues to help you identify and correct any flaws in your technique. They emphasize safety, reminding you to listen to your body's cues, halt the set if your form falters, and avoid progressing too quickly with your load. The authors also point out common pitfalls that beginners tend to fall into, like shrugging the shoulders during the farmer's walk, not getting the stone tight to the body during the atlas stone lift, and allowing the elbows to drop while cleaning and pressing the log. By highlighting these common mistakes, they help you avoid them and maximize what you gain from strongman training.

Practical Tips

• Create a progress journal with specific focus areas. After each practice session, jot down what went well and what didn't, paying special attention to the technique aspects you're trying to improve. If you're working on public speaking, note things like your posture, vocal clarity, and audience engagement after each practice speech, and plan targeted exercises for the next session to work on any weak points.
• Partner with a workout buddy who has a keen eye for form and can provide live feedback during your exercises. They can watch for the specific issues you're trying to correct, such as keeping the stone tight to your body or maintaining proper elbow position, and cue you immediately when they see a mistake.

Adapting Strength-Based Exercises to Commercial Gym Settings

This section addresses the challenge of incorporating strongman workouts into a setting without specialized equipment. Bryant and benShea acknowledge that gaining entry to a dedicated strongman facility is not always feasible but offer a range of alternative exercises that can be performed in a standard commercial gym, highlighting their benefits and specific execution techniques.

Strongman Exercises at Standard Fitness Centers

The authors acknowledge that training for strongman activities at a conventional fitness center requires adaptations and creative solutions. They provide a series of substitute exercises, making it possible to experience the advantages of training like a strongman even without dedicated equipment.

Creative Use of Tools to Simulate Strongman Movements

The authors advocate for creatively replacing strongman equipment. For example, they suggest using overhead deadlift holds to build grip strength instead of dedicated grip events. Instead of using a dedicated apparatus for the crucifix exercise, they advise using dumbbells for this exercise. They also recommend using a trap bar deadlift farmer's walk to substitute traditional farmer's walk implements and replacing the Conan Wheel and Zercher carrying exercises with Zercher squats. By utilizing readily available equipment in new ways, you can still achieve many advantages of strongman workouts.

Practical Tips

• Transform your garden into a strength training arena. Use heavy bags of soil for deadlifts, carry potted plants over distances as a farmer's walk substitute, or shovel dirt for time to mimic the motion of a sandbag throw. This integrates physical activity into your daily chores and makes the task of gardening more engaging and physically demanding.
• Use a stress ball or grip strengthener during idle moments throughout the day. Keep one at your desk or in your bag, and work on squeezing it for several minutes at a time to build grip strength incrementally.
• Pair the crucifix exercise with complementary movements in a circuit training session to enhance overall upper body strength. For example, after completing a set of crucifix exercises, immediately follow with push-ups, pull-ups, or overhead presses. This approach ensures that you're working a range of muscles and can lead to more balanced strength development.
• Create a DIY trap bar using PVC pipes and connectors to fashion a hexagonal frame. Attach weighted bags or buckets filled with sand or rocks to the ends of the PVC trap bar for an improvised farmer's walk. This can be a cost-effective and space-saving solution for those without access to a gym or standard equipment.
• Use video analysis to refine your Zercher squat technique for maximum effectiveness. Record yourself performing the exercise, then review the footage to identify areas for improvement. Look for a consistent bar path, proper hip and knee alignment, and stable core engagement. Adjust your form based on your observations, and track your progress over time to ensure you're reaping the full benefits of the exercise.
• Transform your laundry day into a lifting routine by using heavy detergent bottles as makeshift kettlebells for swings and squats. This not only makes use of a common household item but also integrates strength training into your weekly chores, promoting the idea of functional fitness.

Strategies For Developing Grip, Core, and Posterior Strength

The authors emphasize that training for strongman events in a commercial gym demands a focus on developing grip strength, core stability, and the posterior chain—particularly the back, glutes, and hamstrings. They recommend incorporating exercises like heavy rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, and exercises that use one leg to work these key muscle groups. These exercises can be further modified with fat grips or towels to increase demands on your hold and enhance carryover to strongman events.

Practical Tips

• Incorporate towel pull-ups into your workout routine to enhance grip strength. By wrapping a towel around a pull-up bar and gripping the ends, you engage your forearms and fingers more intensely than with a standard bar. This mimics the grip challenges faced in strongman events and can be done without specialized equipment.
• Integrate resistance bands into your daily routine to target your back, glutes, and hamstrings without needing heavy gym equipment. Start with simple movements like band pull-aparts, glute bridges, and hamstring curls, which you can do at home while watching TV or during a work break. This approach allows you to strengthen these key muscle groups with minimal investment and preparation time.
• Turn waiting time into strengthening time by performing one-legged stands or squats when in line at the grocery store or waiting for the bus. This not only utilizes otherwise idle time but also helps in building endurance and muscle coordination in a real-world setting.

Adapting Strongman Exercises for Commercial Gyms

The authors provide strategies for effectively incorporating strongman work into a traditional gym program, emphasizing proper recovery and exercise sequencing.

Balancing Explosive Work With Technical Practice and Recuperation

The authors emphasize the need for a balanced approach that combines the explosive nature of some strongman actions with dedicated technical practice and adequate recovery. They suggest incorporating explosive exercises like trap bar jumps or jumps onto boxes to improve power output while dedicating separate training sessions for practicing strongman events with submaximal weights, focusing on proper technique and movement efficiency. They also stress the importance of recuperation, incorporating deload weeks and active recovery days to allow your body to adapt and avoid overtraining.

Practical Tips

• Integrate a timer app with customizable intervals to structure your workout sessions, ensuring you alternate between explosive exercises, technical drills, and rest periods. By setting specific time blocks for each type of exercise, you can maintain a balanced routine without the need for expert knowledge. For example, you might set a 30-second timer for high-intensity jumps followed by a 2-minute interval focusing on form and technique in a particular skill, then a 1-minute rest period before repeating the cycle.
• Add stair sprints to your weekly cardio sessions for lower body power. Find a set of stairs or a stadium that's accessible to you, and perform short bursts of sprints up the stairs, walking back down to recover. This mimics the explosive action of box jumps but uses readily available infrastructure.

Incorporating Strongman Work Into an Exercise Program

While training for specific strongman competitions demands specialized equipment, Bryant and benShea offer several ways to incorporate strongman principles into a gym program. This includes emphasizing compound exercises, using free weights instead of machines whenever possible, and including movements that challenge your body across various dimensions. They also encourage unconventional training methods like heavy carries, sled drags, and odd object lifts to mimic the functional demands of strongman and improve overall athleticism.

Practical Tips

• Create a compound movement challenge for yourself by picking five compound exercises and setting progressive weekly goals. Start with a manageable weight or resistance level and aim to increase either the weight, the reps, or both each week. This approach not only keeps you engaged but also allows you to track your strength gains over time.
• Integrate a 'movement menu' into your daily routine by writing down a list of physical activities that engage different planes of motion, such as lateral lunges, bear crawls, and rotational twists. This ensures you're not just moving in the typical forward-and-backward motions of everyday life but also incorporating side-to-side and rotational movements that challenge your body in new ways.

Strongman Competitions: How to Participate

This section delves into the intricacies of strongman competitions, covering the intricacies of event formats, scoring systems, and strategies for maximizing performance. Bryant and benShea also offer practical tips for preparing for strongman competitions, including training recommendations, psychological techniques, and essential gear considerations.

Structure and Scoring of Strongman Contests

Bryant and benShea demystify strongman competition, explaining that event formats, rules, and equipment can vary between individual contests. They emphasize the adaptable nature of strongman, highlighting the importance of thorough preparation and attentiveness during rules briefings to ensure success on competition day.

Event Formats, Equipment Specifications, and Rules Enforcement

While strongman contests generally aim to test participants' strength, power, and endurance through a series of feats involving heavy weightlifting and movement of unconventional objects, the authors explain that the specifics can change from one competition to the next. The number and types of challenges, the heaviness of implements, and even the rules governing execution can be subject to modification even on competition day.

Context

• Due to the extreme physical demands, competitions enforce strict safety protocols, including medical staff on-site and equipment checks, to ensure the well-being of participants.
• Organizers might alter event formats to enhance entertainment value and audience engagement, such as by including more visually impressive or fast-paced events.
• In some regions, traditional or culturally significant equipment might be used, which can differ from standard international specifications.
• Sponsorships and partnerships can sometimes influence the enforcement of rules, as sponsors may have specific interests in how the competition is conducted or presented.
• The specific objects and weights used can vary significantly between competitions, requiring competitors to be versatile and adaptable in their training.
• Outdoor events might require adjustments in weight due to weather conditions, such as rain or wind, which can affect the safety and feasibility of lifting heavier implements.
• On-the-fly rule changes can address logistical issues, such as time constraints or venue limitations, ensuring the competition runs smoothly and efficiently.

Pacing, Load Selection, and Maximizing Performance

Given the unpredictable nature of strongman competitions, Bryant and benShea emphasize the importance of strategic pacing, careful load selection, and maximizing performance on each attempt. They point out that, unlike in powerlifting, where a dominant lift can offset less impressive performances in other lifts, strongman relies on a consistent scoring system across all events, making it crucial to perform well in all events. They also advise monitoring how rules are enforced throughout the competition, as strict adherence to rules that are not consistently enforced may put you at a competitive disadvantage.

Practical Tips

• Maximize your performance in daily tasks by setting clear, measurable goals and breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. For instance, if you aim to declutter your home, start with one room at a time and set a timer for focused work intervals, followed by short breaks. This mirrors the performance maximization strategy by allowing you to maintain high levels of productivity and motivation throughout the task.
• Engage in a monthly challenge that requires diverse skills, such as a mini-triathlon or a local obstacle course race. These events will push you to train across different disciplines, mirroring the varied demands of strongman events. As you prepare, you'll naturally strive for consistency in your performance to tackle each segment of the challenge effectively.

Getting Ready for Strongman Competition

Beyond just increasing strength, Bryant and benShea emphasize that preparing for strongman competition encompasses a multifaceted approach to training, diet, recovery, and psychological preparedness. They provide a practical checklist encompassing various aspects that are crucial for a successful showing in strongman competitions.

Building Force, Explosiveness, and Preparation for Competitions

The authors highlight the need for a balanced approach that emphasizes increasing maximum strength while developing explosive power, endurance, and specific conditioning for the requirements of chosen competition events.

Other Perspectives

• Overemphasis on balance could lead to a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none scenario, where an athlete becomes good at many things but fails to excel in the specific skills that are critical for success in their sport.
• Focusing too much on explosive power could lead to overtraining and fatigue, which might impair an athlete's performance in competitions due to inadequate recovery.
• Improving endurance could potentially compromise maximum strength gains due to the interference effect, where aerobic training can inhibit the muscle adaptations required for maximal strength.
• Specific conditioning may not be as crucial for novice competitors who might need to focus on foundational skills and general physical conditioning before specializing.

Psychological Techniques For Managing Nerves and Maintaining Focus

While getting physically prepared is crucial, the authors also emphasize the importance of psychological preparedness for managing nerves and maintaining focus during competition. They advocate for visualization techniques, deep breathing exercises, and staying grounded in the now to minimize anxiety and direct your energy towards achieving peak results.

Practical Tips

• Engage in regular mindfulness meditation to improve focus and reduce anxiety. Start with short, daily sessions of mindfulness practice, where you concentrate on your breath and observe your thoughts without judgment. Over time, this can help you stay centered and reduce the impact of distractions during high-pressure situations.
• Develop a 'visualization jar' where you write down different scenarios or affirmations on slips of paper and pull one out to visualize when feeling anxious. This could be as simple as writing "I am confidently presenting to an engaged audience" or "I am calmly taking my exam, recalling all the information I need with ease."
• Create a personalized playlist of songs with tempos that match the rhythm of deep breathing exercises. Listening to music can enhance the relaxation experience, and by syncing the music with your breathing, you can maintain a steady pace and deepen your focus. For example, choose songs with a slow tempo for inhale-exhale exercises, and use the beat to guide your breaths.
• Create a "Now" anchor object: Choose a small item you can carry with you, like a stone or a piece of jewelry, and whenever you touch it, let it serve as a reminder to focus on the present moment. This tactile cue can help redirect your thoughts away from anxiety-inducing future worries and ground you in the now.

Specific Training Programs for Strongmen Aiming for Strategic Goals

This section delivers two distinct exercise regimens designed to improve practical strength, cardio fitness, and mental resilience. The authors provide detailed training schedules, exercise advancements, and guidelines on intensity tailored for those seeking to achieve peak tactical performance.

The Tactical PHA Program: An Intense Circuit Training Approach

Bryant and benShea's Tactical Peripheral Heart Action program is a grueling, high-intensity circuit-based approach to fitness. It prioritizes compound movements, significant loads, and minimal rest periods. They emphasize that this plan isn't suited for the faint of heart and requires strong physical preparedness and mental fortitude to properly execute.

Peripheral Heart Action (Pha) Training Principles and Applications

The authors explain that Tactical PHA training draws upon the principles of Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) training, a method popularized by legendary bodybuilder Bob Gajda in the 1960s. PHA focuses on minimizing the intervals between exercises while strategically alternating between upper and lower body movements to keep blood circulating throughout the body, enhancing cardiovascular conditioning and maximizing fat loss.

Practical Tips

• Create a PHA-inspired circuit at your local gym by selecting machines or stations that are close to each other to minimize downtime. For example, use the leg press machine, then quickly switch to the lat pulldown, followed by the chest press, and finish with leg curls. This approach can help you maximize your time at the gym while still getting a full-body workout.

Other Perspectives

• Some research suggests that longer rest intervals may be more beneficial for hypertrophy (muscle growth), contradicting the idea that shorter rest periods are always preferable.
• For beginners, the rapid alternation between different body parts could be overwhelming and may increase the risk of poor form and injury if not properly supervised or if the individual lacks foundational fitness knowledge.
• Blood circulation is a continuous process in the body, and even without PHA training, the heart and vascular system ensure blood circulates throughout the body at all times.
• Some studies suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may offer superior cardiovascular benefits compared to continuous circuit-style workouts like PHA, especially in terms of improving VO2 max and other markers of cardiovascular fitness.
• Fat loss is primarily driven by creating a caloric deficit, and while PHA training can contribute to this, diet and overall lifestyle choices play a crucial role that might overshadow the specific training method used.

Sample Pha Workouts and Exercise Progressions

The authors provide sample PHA workouts, each featuring two distinct sequences with specific exercises, sets, reps, and intensity guidelines. They also provide a selection of alternative exercises for those without specialized strongman equipment, making it possible to adapt the program to a variety of training settings.

Context

• Intensity in PHA workouts is often managed by adjusting weights, repetitions, and rest periods, tailored to the individual's fitness level to ensure both safety and effectiveness.

Other Perspectives

• The sample workouts may lack variety or creativity if they rely too heavily on a formulaic approach, which could lead to boredom or plateau in training results.
• Some alternative exercises may require a level of creativity or improvisation that could compromise form or safety if not properly instructed.
• The adaptability of the program may not consider individuals with specific physical limitations or disabilities who require more tailored exercises.

Gas Station Strongman: Developing Power, Mass, and Velocity

The authors' "Gas Station Strongman" program aims to develop muscle mass, power, and velocity, emphasizing functional carryover to real-world scenarios. It incorporates elements of power lifting, strongman, and HIIT training to develop well-rounded athleticism, enhancing your ability to exert force, move explosively, and endure prolonged physical exertion.

Periodization, Load and Repetition Routines, and Exercise Substitutions

The authors structure the program in eight-week training blocks, incorporating periodization principles to progressively overload the body and maximize adaptations. They provide specific load and rep schemes for each exercise and offer alternative exercises for those who may lack access to specialized strongman equipment. The authors also emphasize the importance of recovery, incorporating weeks for adjusting exertion and recovery-focused days into the training schedule to manage fatigue and optimize progress.

Practical Tips

• Partner with a friend or colleague to start a simultaneous eight-week training block, offering mutual support and accountability. You could both aim to learn a new language, with weekly check-ins to practice speaking and share resources, turning the individual challenge into a collaborative journey.
• Incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine to target different muscle groups and prevent plateaus. For example, if you typically do flat bench presses, try incorporating incline or decline variations to challenge your muscles from different angles. This approach keeps your workouts diverse and ensures that all muscle fibers are engaged over time, which is essential for continuous improvement.
• Partner with a workout buddy to challenge each other with the set load and rep schemes. Find someone with similar fitness goals and agree to follow the recommended schemes together. During your workouts, motivate each other to stick to the plan, and share feedback on what's working and what's not. This social aspect can increase accountability and make the process more enjoyable.
• You can create a DIY strongman training circuit using household items. Start by identifying heavy objects that can be safely lifted, carried, or dragged, such as filled water jugs for farmer's walks, a backpack filled with books for weighted squats, or an old tire for flipping exercises. This approach allows you to mimic the resistance and functional movement patterns of strongman exercises without needing specialized equipment.
• Designate a "recovery room" in your home where technology and work-related materials are banned. This space should be dedicated to activities that allow you to unwind and recharge, such as reading, meditation, or yoga. By physically separating areas for work and recovery, you encourage a mental shift when you enter this space, enhancing your ability to relax.
• Track your daily energy levels using a simple color-coded system in your planner or calendar. Assign a color to each level of exertion (e.g., green for low exertion, yellow for moderate, and red for high exertion). At the end of each week, review the colors to identify patterns and plan the following week with more green days after a red day, allowing for natural adjustments in your exertion levels.
• Integrate a "tech-free Tuesday" into your weekly routine to promote mental recovery. By setting aside one day a week where you disconnect from all digital devices, you give your brain a rest from constant stimulation, which can improve focus and reduce stress on the following days.
• Experiment with micro-exercises to combat fatigue without needing a full workout. Set a timer to remind you to do two minutes of physical activity every hour, such as desk stretches, stair climbing, or wall push-ups. These brief bursts of movement can increase blood flow and energy levels, helping you stay alert. If you're working from home, you might do a quick set of jumping jacks before returning to your desk.

Optimizing Exercise for Transfer to Real-World Tactical Performance

Bryant and benShea designed the "Gas Station Strongman" program to enhance real-world tactical performance, building strength, power, velocity, and endurance that directly translates to demanding scenarios faced by tactical athletes, law enforcement officers, and those preparing for uncertain, unpredictable situations. They emphasize the importance of developing a "Gas Station Ready" mindset, staying mentally and physically prepared to handle any challenges that come your way.

Practical Tips

• Create a "real-world obstacle course" in your backyard or local park, using benches for box jumps, playground equipment for pull-ups, and sand for carrying exercises, to simulate the varied physical challenges you might face outside the gym.
• You can track your progress with a custom-built spreadsheet that includes metrics for strength, power, velocity, and endurance. Create a spreadsheet where you log your daily or weekly stats, such as the weight lifted, sprint times, jump heights, and distance run or cycled. This will help you visualize improvements and identify areas needing more focus.
• Develop mental resilience through "stress inoculation" exercises. Stress inoculation involves gradually exposing yourself to controlled levels of stress to build tolerance. For example, you might start with cold showers to build mental fortitude against discomfort, then progress to more complex tasks like solving puzzles under time constraints. This method trains your mind to stay calm and focused under pressure, a key attribute for anyone in high-stress roles.
• Engage in improvisational activities to enhance your quick-thinking skills. This could be as simple as joining an improv class or playing improvisational games with friends or family. The key is to be placed in a situation where you must react spontaneously. This practice will train your mind to think on its feet and come up with solutions on the spot, which is invaluable when facing unpredictable circumstances.
• Start a habit of checking your home's "fuel levels" by setting a monthly reminder to inspect and restock essential supplies like batteries, water, and non-perishable foods. This routine ensures you're always prepared for emergencies, akin to keeping your gas tank full.
• Develop a "Physical Readiness Routine" by integrating micro-exercises into your daily schedule. These are short, simple exercises you can do almost anywhere, like squats while brushing your teeth or calf raises when standing in line. This keeps your body in a state of readiness and can improve your overall fitness without requiring a significant time commitment.