Weakness Is A Crime

Another great Re-post form an Elitefts.com article I wrote.

Top 5 Max Effort Lifts for Strongman – Upper Body

By CJ Murphy, MFS for EliteFTS.com

This is the second installment in the Top 5 series.  This article is on upper body max effort exercises.  As with the lower body article, you need to decide whether you do high, low, or timed reps. 

Here they are in no particular order:

Axle or Fat Bar or Log Clean & Press

Lifting a weight from the ground to overhead is a staple in Strongman contests.  It is also a true strength builder.  It doesn’t really matter if you use a log or a bar, just clean it and throw it overhead.

Banded Log Press

The Banded Log Press is one of our favorite dynamic exercises for Strongman and for several reasons.  It builds and teaches speed in the overhead press and it helps to teach you to “get under the weight”.

Svend Karlsen cleaning a 3" bar with a ton of weight on it at the original TPS.

Getting under the weight is what allows you to press much more than you could do strictly.  Olympic lifters call it a ‘double knee bend’, you can call it a tuna sandwich – just learn to do it.

Power Clean/Power Snatch

This might sound like a repeat of #1, but it is not.  Power Clean/Power Snatches are a little different in that they are more “fluid” athletic movement.  This is because you will use a bar that has revolving sleeves (an Olympic bar).  Cleaning a non-revolving bar, such as an axle or log, is more of a brute strength type of movement.  Using an Olympic bar allows you to do it in a much more dynamic way.  Do yourself a favor and get a good Olympic lifting bar for these. Get strong on gym lifts, they will help your strongman events.

Incline Bench Press

The Incline Press is a great choice for athletes because it is much less technical than a Powerlifting styled flat bench and we feel that it builds strength that has a better carryover to Strongman.

Bosu Ball 1-Arm Lateral Raise

Just kidding on this one.  I only wanted to see if you were paying attention.  What I really meant was….

Dumbbell Overhead Presses

You can do these standing or seated.  We prefer standing because Strongman events are not done seated.  Mix it up: do some standing, do some seated – just go heavy. Try mixing in alternating presses too.

There you have it, our Top 5 Max Effort Lifts for Upper Body movements.  I am sure you have your own favorites just find what works for you and get strong.  I’d like to hear what some of you readers use and have success with, so click the “Artcle Discussion” button or shoot me an email.

Don’t curl in the power rack or I’ll kill you,