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Other/Mixed Strongman, sandbags and rehab

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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DavThew

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So I've recently had a few things happen in my lifting career.

Firstly I've injured my hip, seen a physio, discussed what to do and agreed on what I can and can't do for the next month. It's not actually very restrictive, just a lot lighter than I'd like. That said I will be patient and spend the next month following his advice and look after my health first and foremost. I actually ended up showing him KB365 from Geoff Neupert and he was happy for me to undertake the first month as part of my rehab, just going pretty easy on the swings (and omitting them if they cause any pain).

Secondly just before my injury I had discovered a brilliant local gym which has strongman equipment and an outside training area. It has logs (both loadable log bars, and wooden logs with handles just screwed on), a huge TRX setup, a feast of kegs, a nice variety of tires and a brilliant set of farmers carry logs (not loadable but about 40kg each). There's also sledgehammers, battleropes, outside squat racks, pull up bars, climbing ropes, gymnastic rings and gymnastic bars. I like this place and having played with some of the strongman equipment I am keen to see where I can take this when recovered.

Thirdly I have ordered a Cerebus Strength sandbag recently, this was done whilst slightly under the influence of some whiskey. I had discussed loaded carries with the PT and he is happy with these as long as they are not too heavy. We have agreed 25kg at present.

So my questions are
1. How do those of you out there who use sandbags load them? I was thinking I would make up a couple of 25kg liner bags to put inside the main bag. Steadily adding extras as my hip improves - I'd like to vary my bag from 75-125kg in 25kg increments for different uses (125kg for atlas stone type lifts, 50-75 for presses etc).
What do you load them with? Sand seems like the obvious choice, but I can imagine other materials might offer different benefits.

2. Apart from carries and presses what else do you do with sandbags?

3. How often do you train with sandbags and how do you incorporate it into your other strength work?

4. For those people into strongman: how often do you use strongman equipment vs more traditional strength training?

Obviously I am going to have quite a long time to mull over all this as I am being patient and rehabbing.
 
I have posted about heavy sandbag training before.

Sandbag top movements
Sandbag training program.

I do not use the liner bags. I use large heavy duty reusable demolition bags as the inner bag. I add a scoop of filler material each workout, Milo style. Try tying the bag tight like a stone, or loose like a sandbag for a different challenge.

As for exercises use your imagination. My favourites are:
-loading to a high platform or over bar in/on power rack, horizontal and vertical(harder version)
-bear hug, squats, carries, bag vertical or horizontal
-overhead throws, focus on triple extension, and power
-shouldering, reps, carries, squats, walking lunges, overhead shoulder to shoulder press
-shoulder get ups, hard variation

The last few months I have changed things up and been training Bench Press, Squat, Overhead, Deadlift, and Strongman focused days. I add an odd object exercise, or two to each day. I like loading and deadlifts. Sandbag and keg clean and press on overhead day. A few sandbag get ups with KB get ups. Sandbag squat or lunge variation on squat day. I like variety based around core exercise. Discovering ,learning, and training exercises, and implements is my hobby.

Strongman Saturday I use implements like axel, kegs, heavy sandbags, farmers handles, plate loads, and circus dumbbell, in medleys, combos, complexes, singularly. Odd object training has really improved my strength. I was a competition, and training Weightlifter for many many years, and trained traditional gym exercises, but Kettlebell, and odd object training pushed me from Gym Strong, to Strong.

Strongmen are not good a Strongman because they only train implements. It's because they are really strong, both static and moving, and conditioned. They mostly train traditional strength and conditioning exercises, and practice implements to improve technique, and simulate a contest. Just like good Crossfitters are not good at Crossfit because they do Crossfit.
 
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@Geoff Chafe thanks for that brilliantly comprehensive response. After I'd written this post I dived down an internet hole and read everything I can about strongman. I imagine I will be doing something similar to what you are doing. Strongman Saturday sounds like the plan for me as well as that's the day that I can give the most time over to trying out the equipment. Traditional strength training and then specialised strongman days sounds perfect.

The only thing that might hold me back is the lack of bar for deadlift practice at home, but I might try and solve this by adding it to my strongman day.

Of course as I said this is all once my rehab is done.

Do you compete in strongman at all Geoff?

Thanks for the link to those two previous posts - this forum remains a goldmine of good info.

Thanks again.
 
No, I have never competed in Steongman, it's just a hobby for fun, and I like the methodology behind it.

The first time I did a drop in at a local Powerlifting gym with Strongman implements I loaded 300lb+ Atlas Stone, and Clean and Strict Pressed a 220lb 12" Log. The owner came up to me afterwards, and he questioned me on what I do, and that he is getting a local contest together, and with some training I could easily hit some big numbers.

I said I had never touched those implements before, and he stated he had never say anyone walk off the street and do that. I felt pretty good, and still drop in once in a while.
 
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If you have not found Kalle Beck of Startingstrongman, and Allen Thrall of Untamed Strength yet, and they offer fantastic resources. They are accomplished average sized amature strongmen, not the giants you see on TV. There technique is more applicable to "normal" trainees.

If you watch someone like Brian Shaw or Haftnor load a Stone, keg, or heavy sandbag they do not even extend their hips. They are so big and strong they do not have to, but I need aggressive triple extension to add projection and elevation to the stone, and finish it with the arms. Their overhead press technique is quite different also. In the dip they sit back, but we should sit the butt between the ankles, and the bar rests on the arms not on the body, to maintain the colum of support for maximum power transfer.
 
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+1 to all the exercises Geoff listed.
Personally I don't do sandbags as often as I should, but when I do it's usually get-ups, and various carries (shoulder, bear-hug, grip)
 
Did my first bear hug carries with a 45kg (I went with wood chips to start) sandbag today. They are a whole diferent animal to most other loaded carries, constricting breathing and working the upper back like nobodies business. I can't imagine 100kg carries for a while! Great fun.
 
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