Unlessthe athleteis perfoming the Timed Holds that are describedin this section,the

executionofthe Farmer'sWalk shouldemploy rapid footwork. The increasedspeedofexecution

will increasethe tendencytowardsinstability of the movement,hencerequiring more-rapid
adjustmentson the part ofthe athleteto compensate.It is this whole-bodystabilizationeffolt that
generatesthe training effect.
Basrc Exrcurtor
The liftoffof the Farmer'sWalk is crucial, and shouldbe executedin a deadlift style
with a straightback, using a slight arch to avoid injury.
The body shouldbe in an upright position with a slight lean forward
The feet shouldbe directly undemeaththe shoulders.Howeveq an offset foot
placementcan be usedfor specialpurposesdescribedbelow. Here,one foot is set
forward of the other in the "set" position.
Hand placementis usually dictatedby the type ofhandles on the apparatusbut should
be centered.This will result in a tilting of the weight forward towardsthe strongest
part ofthe grip.
Ifthe rear ofthe hand is in needofrehab or strengthening,the grip positioncan be
shifted toward the forward part of the grip handle.This will tilt the entireapparatus
backwards,hencetraining the third and fourth fingers.
Severaltypes ofgrips can be usedduring the Farmer'sWalk: a hook grip as usedin
weightlifting; a thumblessgrip wherethe thumb is not wrappedaroundthe handlebut
insteadis kept adjacentto the index finger; and a standardwraparoundgrip, wherethe
thumb is wrappedaroundand restson top ofthe index finger and possiblythe middle
finger.
Stride length shouldbe a normal, fast walking gate.Overstridingwill result in an
unnecessarytuming ofthe hips, which has little training benefit and could result in
injury evenwith light loads.
Norr: lt is very importantto maintaincontractedabdominalsduring liftoffand throughoutthe
length ofthe carry.A momentaryrelaxationofthe abdominalswould result in a type ofinjury
similar to what happenswhen an athleterelaxesthe trunk musclesduring a squat,becausethe
supportivemusculatureofthe spinewould then be requiredto bearthe entire load

32

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

Learn backgroundinformation about the event

Learn the technical applications of the equipment
Identify specific sports the event will benefit
Learn specific exerciseoptions
Learn the o'bestperformances"in eventcompetition

The Iermyoke is quite ancient.To this day, a yoke is commonly attachedto cattle in order to
usethem to haul a particularload. It hasbeenused(and still is in someareasofthe world) as a
feasibleway for peopleto haul heavy loads,suchas water and crops,over long distances.Thrs
standardusagewas later greatly exaggeratedin strongmanconteststo test overall body strength,
and it remainsone ofthe foremosttestsoftorso strengthknown.
The currentlyrecognizedworld recordin the SuperYoke is held by Dan Ford from the
United States.He carrieda yoke weighing 1,245poundsa distanceof5 metersat VeniceBeach,
Califomia,in April 2004.
One unexpectedfunction demonstratedby the SuperYoke is its ability to help identify
athletictalent.In general,individualsthicker throughthe torso will haveinitial advantageshere,
but superiorathleteswill quickly excel.The SuperYoke is arguablythe most challengingofthe
tools describedherebecauseit requiresa keen senseof multiplanar,unilateralproprioception(or
body awareness).
That is, the athletemust constantlycorrecthis or her position underthe load
while moving forward as quickly aspossible.Only athleteswith a combinationof superiortorso
strength,reactiontime and kinestheticawarenesswill accomplishthis with any kind ofsuccess.
Thereforeit is very effectivein evaluatingathletictalent.
It is all too commonto seeathleteswho arevery impressivein the weightroombut who
cannotdemonstratea high level of skill on the football field. lt is our experiencethat athletes
who perform well with the SuperYoke also excel on the football field.
Art McDermottandCharlesPoliquinO2010

At this time,thereis no setstandardfbr yoke design.As long asthe structureis safeduring

the pickup,canJ and dropphases,
thcrcis almostno limit to thc variationsin yoke designusedin
tr ain in gsi tL r ationi
as well asin crrmpeti t io n .

46

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

As previouslymentioned,the SuperYoke is an outstandingtool for strengthdevelopmentin

the torso.Therefore,only well-constructedhiking+ype shoesor boots shouldbe wom.
Do not usethis tool to train ankle stabilizationas describedearlier in the Farmer'sWalk
chapter.There is too much dangerof ankle injury.
It is, however,recommendedthat a variety ofsurface areasbe usedfor training to provide
varied trunk stabilizationfeedback.Grass,AstroTurf, field turf, asphaltand cementare the
oreferredchoices.

Tna.xsnenro rue Squlr,rNo Dtanltrt. We have many athletesreport poundageincreasesin the

squatby just training the lower body exclusivelywith the SuperYoke and Farmer'sWalk, while
abstainingfrom squatwork. One commonstatementheardfrom the athletesis that ifthe Super
Yoke is going well, everythingis going well.
SponrsAppuclrrox. The SuperYoke is an effectivetool for virtually any sport;however,the
transferis especiallynotablewith contactsportssuchas rugby and American football.

When designinga programincluding SuperYoke work, the coachmust be vigilant with the
athlete'sreadiness,generalstrengthlevelsand training volume. Our experiencehasshownthat
settingspecificminimums for useof this tool is not possibledue to the greatvariability among
individualsand their innateathleticabilities.
It is possibleto developkneejoint irritation and possiblyshin splintsif this tool is overused
or executedwith impropertechniqueon a hard surface.Ifa particularathletehasa history of shin
or kneeproblems,consulta licensedhealthprofessionalwho will correctyour biomechanics.
Progressionsin this exerciseshouldfollow the sameslow, steadypattem aswould be
seenin a squator Olympic lift so that the load useddoesnot exceedthe ability ofthe athlete.
Progressionsin this exerciseshouldproceedfrom light, short walks (50 feet or less),to light,
long "runs" ( 100 feet).Light here is definedasroughly bodyweightfor a male or femaleathlete.
As a generalrule, "runs" of more than 100 feet are only done for accumulationphasework rn
straightruns describedbelow.
In generalthereare two mindsetspossiblefor a given SuperYoke session.The first approach
is usedwhen the requirementis for the athleteto useas healy a load as possiblefor a set
distancc.During this run, the goal is to preventthe apparatusfrom moving off-line by firing the
torso stabilizersto preventunnecessary
movement.For this goal, handplacementshould

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

47

be straightout to the side with the handsin contactwith the uprights.The athletethen usesthe
shouldergirdle and torso to hold the entire apparatussteadyduring the forward movement.
The secondapproachis to intentionallycreatean unstableapparatusand to force the athlete
to correcthis or her body position againstthe subsequentgroundforcesgenerated.This is
achievedby moving the hand placementaway from the uprightsand onto the crossbar,allowing
a pendulum-typemovementofthe supportbaseofthe yoke. This is why we havehandplacement
on the sideuprights,with the higher hand placement,creatinginstability.Unlike in the Farmer's
Walk, little advantagehasbeenseenusing unevenloadingpattemsdiagonallyon the loading pins
or left{o-right unevenloading.

The strideusedshouldalwaysbe a normal walking gait do not overstride.The foot

placementshouldbe a tight, straightline. An unevengait will result if the feet fall in too wide a
patternoffan imaginarystraightline in front ofthe athlete.The glutesshouldremaincontracted
to keepthe hips in line, directly undemeaththe shoulders.
As with most lower body exercises,the abdominalsshouldremaintight throughoutthe
entirerun. A momentaryrelaxationof the abdominalscould result in low back injury. This is
no different than a hear,ysquatwith regardto torso stability.In fact, it is this forced contraction
againstgroundforcesthat producesthe training effect ofthis exercise.
The height ofthe crossbarshouldbe at pectoralheight for liftoff. As a rule, the longer the
upright or pendulumportion, the more unstablethe load becomes,as the distanceis greaterfrom
the load to the supportingcrossbar.Ifa more stableload is desired,the crossbarshouldbe lower.
Be aware,however,that a lower crossbarresultsin a substantiallymore difficult liftoff. The eyes
shouldbe looking straightahead,neverat the ground.
The coachor observercan preventinjury to athletesby watchingfor the following key
indicators:postureand pace.The load usedshouldbe modified if the paceis below that ofa
quick, steadygait. Becausewe are attemptingto train torso strengthin reactionto a normal
competitivesituation,to deviatetoo much from a somewhatacceleratedwalking pacecan negate
this training effect.A heavy footfall is one good indicatorofexcessiveload.The stride shouldbe
hee[-to-toeswith a quick and almostsilent tumover of steps.
Improperpostureshouldbe an easyflaw to spot.Ifan athletecannotmaintainan upright
posturewith the hips in line with the shoulders,injury may result.A forward lean is not a
desiredtechniquehere.Decreasethe load usedimmediatelyif the back beginsto lean forward
of perpendicular.Be awarethat supportivegearcanmask the presenceofboth ofthese faults
and shouldthereforeneverbe used.Knee wrapsmay be acceptablefor heaviersets again,no
different from heavy squats.In general,belts are only usedby competitivestrongmen.Their use
negatesthe training effect on the torso.
Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

In this exercise,the athletestartswith the fect ofliet, rvith one foot clearlybehindthe othcr,
so that a runningstrideis achievedmorcquickly.This typc of cxcrciseis oftenusedaspaft of a
complcx,to be discussed
in a laterchapter.This novementis only donefor 3-5 yardsat a time.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

This exerciseinvolves simply standingup with a given load. This is usuallyperformedat

a positionjust aboveparallel, and heavyweightscan be used.The SuperYoke hasexcellent
transferfor developingexplosivestrengthfor powerful starlsor vertical takeoffslike the ones
necessaryfor blocking in volleyball. The advantagehereis that the apparatuscan be dropped
without regardfor damageto a lifting bar or power rack. The yokes are designedto be dropped
to the ground.In addition,the instability demonstratedby the yoke at liftoffwill work the
stabilizersin a way not possiblewith regularbars.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

51

This exerciseis directlyapplicableto contactsportsin which an athletesnust resistopposing

forcesattemptingto movehim or heragainsttheiru'ill, suchas rvhenan ice hockeydef'enseman
getsexposedto whcn protcctiugthc goal.To pcrfonnthe ForwardStopand Startthe athlete
intentionallybeginsto walk foru'ardandthensuddenlystopsthe yoke.The swingingactionof
Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin 02010

thc yoke r.r'illforcethc athlctcto con'ccttheir balancein ordernot to bc throrvnout ofpositionby

the excrciseevenmorespoft
the rvcight.an effectthatdevelopsexccllcntcorc strength.'Ibn.rake
corrective
spccific,a coachcanshout"Stop" at randonrintcn als.therebylequiringunannounced
rvhichis callcdthc Rcvcrsc
measures.
This exercisccanalsobc pcrfbnncclmovingbackr.r,ards,
Starlar.rdStop,andrvorksan entirclydiff'crcntsetof conectivelrovenlents.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin O2010

a5

This is a tremendouscore exercisc,cspeciallyfor the oblique musclesthat are often neglected

in many strengthand conditioningprograms.It also strongly works the adductorsand abductors
ofthe hips.After standingerectwith the yoke, the athletetakesshort steps,side to side,trying to
keepthc crossbarparallelto the ground.

54

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin O2010

Anothergreatexcrciscfor thc coremusclcsandthe adductorsand abductorsofthe hips.For

rvalkssidcrvays,
usinga distinctpendulummotionto
this crercisethe athletestandserect,ther.r
incrcascthe involvementof the obliques.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

55

Any exercisedonein a Zercherpositionrefcrsto thebar beinghcld in thebendofthe elbow

instcadofa standardshoulderposition.The arms are bent at 90 degrees.The handsare then
generallylocked togetherfor stability and arms are locked in closeto the abdominals.This
holding position is very challengingand will shift the load being canied from the spineto the
upperback and arms.The position is quite commonly usedin strongmanshowsasparl of the
Conan'sWheel event.The SuperYoke can now be adaptedto strengthenthe upperback and the
biceps.In this manner,athleteswho may be unableto carry the apparatuson the shouldersdue
to flexibilityor injury issuescanreapthe benefitsofthe exercises
describedaboveby usingthis
unique supportposition

A targetgoal of the traineeshouldbe IRM in thc full Back Squatat the 100-feetintensity
level detailedbelow. Betterathleteswill use signilicantlymore than this. lt is not uncommonto
see2.5 or 3 timesbodyweightusedin testingscenarios.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

INrnrsrrv. Maximal intensityfor the SuperYoke can be definedas the maximal load moved for
100 feet without droppingthe apparatus.
Sunrtnc PorNr.An average,healthyathleteshouldbe able to supporttheir own bodyweight
for a total load in this exercise.This includesthe weight ofthe apparatus.For any variation of
instability work, up to a bodyweighttotal, load shouldbe the target.The upper limit for unstable
work canbe definedas 50 percentof maximal intensity.
AccuuuLerrox WoRK.Thirty to 65 percentof maximal intensity.The minimum distanceis 100
feet.Distancesofup to 250 feet are employedherein order to generatea time undertensionof
30 to 40 seconds.The numberof setsis determinedby the requirementsof that spofi.
INrrxsurc.q.rronWonx. Eighty to 125percentof maximal intensity.Minimum distanceis l5
feet, up to a maximum of 100 feet. Time undertensionis kept to lessthan 20 seconds.Again, sets
aredeterminedby sport-specificparameters.

FoorsAl-r-Lrxmral
Forward bursts@ 80-85percentmaximum intensityx 15 feet x 6 setswith 30 secondsofrest
betweenruns
Rest 180seconds
Repeatonce
This routine could be usedas an integralpart ofleg day.It shouldbe usedat the beginning
ofthe workout to assurethat the vital stabilizermusclesare not fatiguedfor this activity. Injury
could result doing Yoke work with a fatiguedtorso.
Hocrrv
Performin succession:
BackwardWalks: 50 feet @,45-50percentmax intensity
SidewaysStartsand Stops:50 feet
Forward Burst: 100 feet
Drop the yoke on the groundto repositionfor next phase
Totaltime: l:00 to 1:15minutes
Repeat10-l2 times for energysystemtraining
Be certainto move in eachsidewaysdirection an equalnumberof times

Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquinO2010

57

58

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

.Understandthe backgroundof the event

.Understand specific sport applications

.Identify specific sports the event will benefit

.Learn specifc exerciseoptions

This strongmanevent startedin the 1970sas a standardtest of shoulderstrength.Prior to

becomingpopular as a competitiveevent,Log Pressingwas often usedby military forcesto
developoverall strength.Its useby weightliftersfor generalphysicalpreparationpurposesgoes
back to at leastthe beginningofthe last century.For obviousreasonslogs are readily available
training implementsin rural areas.
Prior to the 1950sthe benchpresswas virhrally unheardofand overheadpressingwas the
methodroutinely usedto improve upperbody strengthlevels.In fact, weightlifting competitions
usedto havean overheadpressas a primary eventuntil 1972,whenit was eliminateddue to
the difficulty in judging the movementand becausehaving threeeventssignificantlyextended
the length of competitions.Anecdotally,therewere far fewer rotatorcuffinjuries prior to the
useofthe benchpressas the staplefor upperbody sfength testing.This is becausethe neutral
anatomicalgrip ofthe Log Pressis actuallymuch more biomechanicallysuitablefor the shoulder
girdle than the internally rotatedposition associatedwith the benchpress,and thereforeit is less
stressfulon the wrists.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010

59

The Log Pressis optimally performedon an apparatuswith handlesrecessedinto holes

carvedin the wood or, more realistically,cut into a hollow steelor aluminumtube.Thesehandles
generallyrun perpendicularto the lengthofthe log. The distancebetweenthe handlescan vary
considerably,but 22 inchesapartis a generallyacceptedstandard.The overall length ofthe
log can also vary but generallyit doesnot exceedeight feet and can be as short as four to five
feet.The longer the log, the more difficult it is to control, creatingan additionalhaining effect.
The logs are generallyfrom 6 to 14 inchesin diameter.All logs shouldbe plate loadablefor
practicality.
We strongly discouragethe useof a lifting belt while training with this exercise,as the
belt would negatethe core strengtheningeffectsofthe Log Press.In addition,unlike in other
exercisesdiscussedin this book, in the Log Pressthere is no benefitto performing this movement
on an unevenor unstablesurface.The existingrecruitmentofthe stabilizersis sufficient.

60

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

Toral Bony Exmcrsn. A large amountof muscleis usedduring the Log Press,especiallywhen
a full clean and pressmovementis performed.In overheadLog Pressesthe upperback must
stabilizethe torso in concerlwith the abdominalson the oppositeside ofthe body.
Funcrtoxal Tna.ININc.Novices using the Log Presswill immediatelynotice the needfor
superiorrhomboid strengthwhen training with the apparatus.The log is a more transferable
movementpattem for football playersand many other athleteswhen performing cleanand press
movements,and there is significantlymore bicepsinvolvementin the cleanand pressmovement
due to the neutralhandplacement.All ofthese resultscanbe attributedto the awkwardnessofthe
apparatusitself. "Odd object" lifting hasfound a place in many sportstraining programsin recent
years.This family of movementsproducesmusclerecruitmentnot seenwith more balanced
barbell exercises,and that certainly is not possiblewith machine-based
exercisemovements.
Rrueulrrlrrorl. After an athletereceivesmedicalclearancefor rehabilitationpurposes,the Log
Pressshouldbe reinffoducedinto training belore any back-supportedpressingmovementssuch
as the benchpressand incline benchpress.This approachwill enablethe trunk stabilizersto be
more fully developedbeforeother higher-loadupperbody lifts are reintroduced.
Conr Tn r.rNrrc.The Log Presshasan advantageover Olympic bar pressingdue to a greater
recruitmentofthe torso stabilizers;incidentally,the needfor stability in the torso muscles
increasesin proportionto the diameterofthe log. Additionally, becausethe centerof massofthe
log is fartheraway from the lifter's own centerof gravity than with a regularbarbell,thereis an
increasedlower back recruitment.It is not uncommonfor an athleteunfamiliar with Log Pressing
to experienceconsiderablesorenessin their abdominalmusclesafter an initial Log Pressing
training session.
BpNcs PnnssTn,c.NspsR.
OverheadPressingtransfersto increasedbenchpressstrength,but the
reverseis not true. Traineesoften reportpersonalrecordsin the benchpressafter dedicationto
increasingLog Pressingweights,concurrentwith abstinencefrom benchpressing.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

61

Also known as a Bottom PositionPress,this exerciseis performedin the power rack with the
log fixed so that the handlesofthe log are at foreheadheight when the log is restingin the rack.
The lifter may be in a seatedor in a standingposition.From here,the log is pressedto a fully
lockedposition overhead.This is a superiorway to developthe tricepsand shouldermusculature.
Considerthat any form ofLog Presscanbe performedinerlia-stylein the power rack. In
otherwords, Flat, Decline or Incline Pressescan be donewith the log within the power rack
Practicalexperiencehasshownthat band work, aspromotedextensivelyby Louie Simmonsand
the lifters at WestsideBarbell, works extremelywell with Inertia Pressingwith the log.
We suggestthat the log be placedmotionlesson the pins for a count of two secondsto
eliminateany musclestretch-reflexin the lift. This trainsthe lifter in the ability to overcome
inertia,which has greatapplicationfor the shot put athlete,for example,but is equally true for
football linemanand powerlifters.Becauseofthe relative instability causedby the handlegrip,
the Ineftia Pressis an effectivewav to strensthenthe wrists in both the ulna and radial flexion
olanes.

62

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

This lift is performedin the samemanneras a barbelljerk from the rack. From a standing
position (the bar can be cleanedto this position or taken from a rack), the athletedrivesthe bar
up overheadusing an initial kneebend.Once the hips, kneesand anklesare at full extension,the
lilter dropsunderthe bar using either a split or power drop. If a Splii Jerk is used,bc certainto
altematebetweenthe left foot and the right foot as the forward foot in an cqual numberofsets;
this lift is completedwhen the feet are broughtback to a side-by-sideposition.
It shouldbe notedthat due to the thicknessof the log, a significantmovementofthe headis
requiredto protectthe chin when lifting the log to the overheadposition. Many a chin hasbeen
inadvenently
clippedduringe\eculion.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

With this exercisethe log is pressedoverheadafter an initial push from the legs.After thrs
initial knee extension,no re-bendis allowed in the kneein the PushPress(in comparisonto the
Jerk) so as to place more emphasison the shouldermuscles.

Here the log is pressedoverheadwithout any assistancewhatsoeverfrom the legs.The lift

may be performedwhile standingor seated,but standingis prefened in order to retainthe upper
back involvement.

While the pressingportion of this lift hasbeendescribedabove,the cleanmovementis

significantlydifferent from that of a normal barbell lift. The log doesnot revolve and has a much
largerdiameterthan the barbell.Hence,the movementis more of a roll up of the abdominalsand
chestofthe lifter to a position on the front deltoids,which teachesthe traineehow to usethe hips
to throw the massofthe log upwardstowardsthe chest.

66

Art McDermottand CharlesPoliquinO2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin O2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

This exerciseis a dircctmodificationof thc benchpressbandlockoutsusedat Westside

BarbellClub.Thcy do a greatjoboftraining acceleration
at the top ofthe lift, asthc athlcters
awarethatthe bandswill makelockoutextremelydifficult if thc load is not rnovedrapidly.Thc
followingarethe stepsto performit propcrly:
Setup a log in the powcrrack at roughlyforeheadheight.
Adjustthc bandsso thereis sometensionat thebottompositior,.
While standing,rapidlydrivc the log to an overheadlockoutposition.
Hold the lockoutfor threeseconds,
anclthenretumthe log to the supportpinsunder
control.
Aftcr a 2-sccondpausc.pressthe log up again.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

69

Art McDermotiand Charles Poliquin O2010

(t

(a
(a
(l
(a

a
ia,
o

a
C

a
o

o
e

c\

a
a

?,

Theremay be sitLrations
u,hcno.u.crloading
the lockoutpositionof a StandingPressnecds
e\tra atteution.For tlriserercisc.placethe log in the pou,errackrcstingin bandsthat havcbeen
suspended
from the top ofthc rack.A siurilirrapproachhasbeenusedby liftcrsat \VcstSide
Barbcllu,ith thc Deadliltand BcnchPressfor quitc somctiure.
As the rveightincrcases.
the log rvill descendlorverand lorverasthe bandsarc slretched.
Due
to tlreassistancc
liorn the bancls.
thc litler r.reed
only supporta portiono1'theentircweightof the
log r'r.
hen it is in the shoulderposition.This makesthe initial movcmentmucheasicr'.
and the
litler will bc ableto lock out in the vicinity of I | 5- I 25 pcrccntof his or her regLrlar
pressingr.nax.
the clriveis tnuchmoreporverfulanclfaster.the lifter canlrandlemorc u'eight.Locking
Because
out this slrpramarinalrveightcanalsohavca significantpositiveimpacton confidcncelcvcls.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin 02010

71

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin 02010

This lifl is perfbrmedexactlylikc the barbellversiurbut r.viththe neutralgrip. The elborv

flexorsarc at thcir strongestinvolvelneutithercfbrc,rlorc loadcanbe handledand morc
resistancc
is providedlbr backdcvclopntent.
Thc incrcasedlog diametcr.hou,ever.
providcs
a significantclrallenge.
This lifl will fatiguethc lorvcrbackarearnuchmorcthanthe balbcll
version.This fact needsto bc considerecl
duringprogran.r
design.

Thisis theexplosivc
versionofthc lili above.Thisvcrsionhastheadvantages
ofrelievirrg
the lolr'erbackof its sttpportive
clutiesr.vhiletrainingcxplosivepou,erin the santcmusclegroup.
With the log startir.rg
on thefloor,the hlier dynanicallypLrllsthe log to the cltestandthenlowers
it aeainto the floor.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

73

This is a greatconditionerfor athletesin mixed martial arts and grapplingsports,and in fact

it can be usedas a predictorof sport-specificfitnessfor thosesports.
The athleteis given a set time period within which he or shemust executeas many
repetitionsin the full Cleanand Pressas possible.It is importantherethat the log be fully locked
out and that the log touch the groundbetweenevery repetition(seesampleprogrambelow).

This excellentexercisehasgreattransferto any sportwhererapid explosionis necessary

Track and field athleteshavebeendoing variationsof this exercisefor agesemployingbarbells,
logs and medicineballs. Relatively light weightsare used.This exerciserequiresa padded
landing areaor a sandpitand is performedas follows:
First, cleanthe log to the lap position.
Next, roll the log up to the chestposition,then drive the arms,hips and legs to full extension
at approximatelya 45 degreeangle,throwing the log into the landing area.
The coachneedsto make certainthat the athleteuseshigh speedto executethe major
oortionsofthe lift in orderto recruit the fast twitch fibers.

74

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

When the apparatusis held on the chestwith kneeslocked,the male athleteshouldbe able to
use 66 percentofhis bestBench Pressperformancefor the samenumberofreps. Femaleathletes
would use45 percentoftheir best BenchPressperformancefor the samenumberofreps.

Orrersrve LrNrNrsfi
Inertia Incline Pressin the Power Rack
6 setsof2-3 repson a 22X0 tempo; rest4 minutesbetweensets
This will developexplosivestrength,as inertia hasto be overcomeon every rep
Mrxeo Manrrnt- Anrrsrs
Cleanand Pressfor Time
6 setsof l5 secondsofwork; rest 120seconds
betweensets
This will developalactic capacitybecauseofthe incompleterest interuals

Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO2010

75

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

Heolthy.Leon.Slrongl

. Understandthe equipment

.Identify the musclegroupsworked

. Identify specific sports the event will benefit

Perhapsthe easiestpiece of equipmentto acquire,and the one most likely to provide the
highestretum, is the tire. The setsand repsin Tire Flipping are extremelyeasyto manipulatefor
anythingfrom pure power work to extendedlactic-acidtraining.
The posteriorchain is remarkablywell targetedduring Tire Flipping. The exercisehas
thereforebeencorrectlyprescribedfor sportsrequiring sprint speedand explosivemovements
with the hips in addition to its obviousbenefitsfor energysystemwork. Perhapsthe only
other functionaltraining tool that can be comparedto Tire Flipping is the "lumberjack" tool
populadzedby CanadianOlympic lifting coachPiene Roy (seeAppendix B).

Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquin@2010

Usedtires are consideredhazardouswaste,and thereforetruck tire dealersare eagerto get

rid ofthese. You shouldneverhaveto pay for a usedtire. The only downsideofthe equipment
is that thereis no consistencyamongdifferent usedtires ofthe samemodel, as matchingsets
are virtually nonexistent.And while methodshave beendescribedregardingaddingweight
to existingtires by the use of sandbagsor by bolting platesinside the tires,neithermethodis
recommended
or very practical.
One of the most impofiant factorsin tire selectionis the profile, or width, of the tire; this
is the height ofthe tire as it restsflat on the ground,on its side.As a generalrule, tires having
a width of lessthan 20 inchesare too low to achievea safeposition for eithermale or female
athletesbecausethe athlete'schin shouldbe restingon orjust abovethe top surfaceat the startof
the drivephase.The chestand upperaffnsofthe athletemustbe restingsolidlyagainstthe side
ofthe tire aswell. If the chestextendstoo far abovethe height ofthe tire, the arms are forced to
bear too much of the actualtire weight and injury can easilyresult.Ideally,the chestshouldbe
the point throughwhich the majority ofthe force passesto the tire.
It must be kept in mind that tires vary considerablyin diameter,thickness,content(e.g.,steelbeltedradial), wear,treaddesignand texture.Here are somerough guidelinesfor selectingthe
corect tire weight:
325 to 400 poundsfor women and smallermale high schoolathletes
400 to 600 poundsfor largerhigh schooland collegiateathletesor for
professionalwomen strengthathletes
600+ poundsfor collegiatelinemenand professionalathletes
Tires below theserangeshavevery little training value.Athleteswho find that tires below
300 poundsin weight are difficult to work with are not physicallypreparedfor tire training. In
contrast,tires in excessof 700 poundsshouldbe consideredexcessivefor collegiateathletes,
given the potentialfor injury versuspossibletraining benefit.

78

Art McDermotiand Charles Poliquin @2010

Multiple articleshavebeencirculatedrecentlydepictinghorrendoustechniquesbeing
employedwhile flipping the tire. The most commonerror is that of an athleteaddressingthe tire
with the handsinside the legs,the back in a sumodeadlift-typeposition and the feet very close
to the baseofthe tire. This position resultsin a line ofpull that is quite closeto the vertical. Such
a line of force hasresultedin many torn bicepstendons.This is the singlemost commoninjury
associated
with Tire Flipping.
The conect approachis to lean the chestinto the tire and move the feet back to roughly
2-3 feet away from the baseofthe tire, dependingupon the overall height ofthe athlete.Grasp
the tire with the handson the outsideofthe legs,as this position will encouragean automatic
forward lean into the tire.
When the athleteis in the conect position, the athlete'schin shouldrest on the top surfaceof
the tire. Keepingthehips low, the athletewill drivethe hips,kneesandanklesto full extension.
If this action soundsremarkablylike an Olympic lift, then you have a correctunderstandingof
the movement.Once the triple extensionis complete,the athleteshouldthen be able to drop into
the catch,or transition,position.This largelyrequiresthe feetto moveinto a split recovery-type
positionand the handsto move from an underhandstartpositionto an overhanddriving position.
Thc athletethen drivesthe baseofthe handsforcefully into the tire and pushesit over end to the
groundonceagain.
Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO2010

Again.do not attelnptto usethe bicepsto lift the tire from a low position,asa bicepstear
caneasilyresult.It is generallynot considered
wiseto bicepscurl 500+por-rnds.
As statcdabove,
bicepsinjuriesarethe singlenrostrepoftedinjury with this tool.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

Arl McDermottand Charles Poliouin@2010

Sponrs Tnarxrxc. Thereare very few sportsfor which the Tire Flipping exercisewould not be
applicable.For example,in soccer,with its lower-body-onlyinvolvement,athleteswould likely
derive less-than-optimalbenefit.Due to the low pulling position involved, basketballplayersare
anothergroup for whom tire training would be impractical.Athletesin most other sportswould
possiblyderive somebenefitfrom tire work.
Emncy SysrsnrTnarurc. The tire is arguablythe top endurancetraining and/orfunctional
haining exercisefor American football, rugby and mixed martial arts athletes.It shouldbe
consideredone ofthe top enduranceexercisesin general.Thereare still someoutdatedfootball
coachesusing a 1.5-milerun for linemenas a test offitness and mentaltoughness aerobic
testingfor football makesas much senseas giving a Japaneseexamto measureGermanlanguage
knowledgelIt has zero value and hasa high risk of injurying the largerathletes.
Ifone wishesto arguethat aerobictestingis a test of mentaltoughnessfor linemen,we would
counterthat the athletewho guts out the last threeflips ofa l0-flip serieswith an S00-pound-plus
tire hassuperiortoughnessover the athletewho plods throughthe last 200 yards of a I .5-mile
run. In short,the tire training exercisetestsboth preparedness
and mentaltoughnessfar better
thanotherage-oldtechniques,
especiallyaerobics.

SurcrnEs
For this routine threeathletestake tums flipping the tire without rest.Each athleteperforms
3-5 rapid flips, and the next athletethen stepsin and continuesthe rotation.
Repeat12-15timesfor conditioning
Irrrnv,qr Tnarlrxc
30 seconds(roughly 4-6 flips)
Rest90 seconds
Repeat3-4 sets
Powrn Tn,rrxnc
3-5 flips for shofiesttime
Rest 3-5 minutes
Repeat5-6 sets

Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquinO2010

83

a4

Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquin@20'10

Learn how strongmaneventscan be combinedto increaselocal muscularendurance

Learn how to employ the laws of specificity with strongman training while increasing
local muscularendurance

One unique aspectof functional strongmantraining is its versatility.Becausethe modality

itself is basedon true functional movementsusing variousobjectsand implementsin a more
realisticcompetitionenvironment,the training becomeshighly transferableto athletics.This rs
crucial when dealingwith sporl-specificendurance.
Studieshave shownthat in order for energysystemtraining to benefita given sport,the
methodusedto developthis energysystemmust be as closelyrelatedto the spoftingmovement
as possible.It hasbeenwell documentedin scientificliteraturethat energysystemadaptationsare
not only centralbut also peripheral.For example,training on a bike to improve endurancefor a
kayakingevent is somewhatlimited in effectivenessby its lack of specificity.
Having athletesperform aerobictraining on a treadmill despitethe fact that it doesnot
resembletheir sport movementscan largely be a wasteof time. This is especiallytrue for sporls
(suchas wrestling) that involve a wide cross-sectionofdifferent musclegroupsand where
enduranceis neededin multiple planes.It makesmore senseto haveathletesin suchspots use
more-functionalenergysystemwork, particularly in a collegiateenvironment,wheretraining
hoursoften can be limited by classschedulesor evenNCAA regulations.
With theseconceptsin mind, the strongmaneventsdiscussedherecan be combinedto form
the basisofan endurancetraining programthat will provide the greatestathletictransferability.
Specificexercises
thatmay lendthemselves
to complexesareTire Flipping,Farmer'sWalk,
SledDragging,SuperYoke and a new category loadingevents.In general,loadingeventsin a
traditional strongmansettingcome in the form of StoneLifting. However,StoneLifting events
arenot recommendedfor athletesin other sports,due to safetyconcernsand practicalequipment
issues.Instead,Sandbagand Keg Loading are the preferredoptions.Here are someeffective
combinations
of theseevents:
Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquinO2010

Carry (Sandbag,FW, Super Yoke, Keg) and Drag (Sled)

Flip (Tire) and Drag (Sled)
Carry and Load (Sandbag,Keg)
Thesefew movementscan be combinedinto severaldifferentpattemsdependingupon the
level of localizedmuscularendurancedesiredor how much lactic acid tolerance(i.e., "pain") the
coachwishesto placeupon the athlete.

A typical football linemanexecutesa play roughly onceevery 30 seconds.While the

play itselfis brief, the linemanmust be conditionedto repeatthis effort without a decreasein
performancerepeatedlythroughoutthe courseofan entiregame- a conditionoften referredto
as accumulalive.fatigue.
Therefore,his alactic"capacity" must be on a par with his one-time
"power"
alactic
to be effectiveduring the game.To developthis quality,the following complex
is recommendedfor a typical collegiatelevel lineman and for athletesin other sportsthat have
subsequentincreasesin the time ofexecution.
Borroru Posrrrox Squar axo Trnn Fnp Clusrrns
I Bottom PositionSquator Blast Start
Immediatelyfollow by 2 flips with a large (600+ pounds)tire
Total time for eventcompletion:approximately6-10 seconds
Rest30 seconds
betweencomplexesanddo 8-12 complexes
Rest5 minutesbetweenclustersand do 4-5 clustersets
On any given play, the linemanmay be requiredto block/sheda block multiple times,
particularly ifthat play involvespursuit ofany kind. The Bottom PositionSquatwill duplicate
the neuraldemandsto come off the stafi. The tire portion of this combinationwill simulatethe
subsequentblocks extremelywell. However,grapplingsportsshouldusesandbagsto simulate
fighting an opponent.

86

Art McDermott and Charles Poliouin @2010

Becausethe work periodsofwrestlers, football players,hockey playersand soccerplayers

vary significantly,work/restratios shouldbe changedaccordingly.Good strongmanevents
include the Farmer'sWalk (grip, unilateralmovement,lower body/upperbody-combinedsport
requirements)and Bent-OverHamstringDrags(skating,local muscularendurance).Here is a
sampleworkout:
Farmer'sWalk, startingwith an offset foot, for 150 feet (this will take approximately25-35
secondswith a reasonableloacry
Next, pick up the sled for the Bent Drags for a retum trip of 150 feet
Total time to completion: approximately45-50 seconds
Rest 90 to 120 secondsbetweensets
Repeatfor 6 sets
The typical shift in ice hockey lasts45 seconds,which is addressedby the 45-secondload on
the entirebody with the combinedFarmer'sWalk and sledwork. Statedmore scientifically,the
45-secondrest interval will mimic the lactic acid capacitvdemandsof a standardshift rotation
pattem seenin hockeygames.

While the true conditioningneedsin baseballareminimal, speedand trunk power is required

in short burstsofball pursuit and hitting. Actual shengthgainspossiblein the obliqueshave
beenshownto be limited, and in fact increasesin hitting power come from lat strengthgains.
The uniquenatureof Single-Arm Dragsaddresseslat and shoulderstability.Ball- and baf
grip strengthrequirementsare sufficiently addressedby the Farmer'sWalk (grip, upperback,
unilateralbasis)and One-Arm BackwardsSled Drag (becauseit is a single-sided-dominant
sporl). Here is an effectiveroutine for a baseballplayer:
Farmer'sWalk for 150feet (this could also be an UnbalancedWalk if muscular
asymmetryls present)
One-Arm BackwardsSledDragsfor return trip of 150 feet
Total time to completion: approximately45 seconds

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @20'10

a7

The aerobicrequirementsfor soccerare much higher than in most other sports,with much
ofthe work coming in the form ofshort burstsofspeed in many different directions.Each of
theseplanesis addressedalong with a longer time to completionfor eachset.The minimal work/
rest ratio will generatea challenginginteNal training effect.Greatexercisesfor soccerare the
Side-to-SideSled Drags(ab/adductionof hips) combinedwith Bent HamstringDragsand then
BackwardsSled Drags.Here is a good strongmanworkout for soccer:
Bent-OverSide-to-SideSledDrags for 50 feet
Repeatfacing in the oppositedirection for another50 feet
Bent HamstringDrags for 150 feet
BackwardsDrag for return trip of 150 feet
Total time to completion: approximately60-90 seconds
Rest4 minutes,then repeat
Comolete10 sets

Womour I
By using a variety of musclegroups,blood lactatelevelsskyrocket.Every single musclers
involved in the following complex,and as suchit is a greatconditionerfor athleteswho do not
have accessto many different training partnersfor grapplingwork. As such,this workout will
provide them with superiorenergysystemwork:
Tire Flip, 3 reps
StandingLog Press,6 reps
SledFacePull,6 stepseachleg
Total time to completion: 40-60 seconds
Rest 3 minutes,then repeat
Complete5 sets
ln this workout and the one that follows, note that sled work is performedlast. Sledwork,
especiallyBackwardsSled Drags,is alwaysperformedlast due to the extremefatigue and lossof
stability it involves and to allow sufficientenergyto perform other strongmanevents.

88

Art McDermott and Charles Poliquin @2010

Womour II
This is a greatcomplexto improve anaerobiclactic (alactic)capacity.Again, becauseofthe
multitude of musclesinvolved, lactatelevelsareunbearable.Every physicalquality is developed,
from explosivestrengthto the capacityto maintain speedin fatiguedconditions.Here is the
workout:
StandingLog PushPress,4 reps
SuperYoke Sideto-Side pendulummotion, 6 stepseachdirection
ShotokanBackwardsWalk, 6 stepsper leg
Total time to completion: 60-70 seconds
Rest 3 minutes,then repeat
Perform4 sets
In this sectionwe provided severalexamplesofcomplexes,but the numberof effective
complexesis limited only by a coach'simagination.As a rule of thumb, however,perform a
specificcomplex for only six training sessionsin a row before changingthe complex.

Art McDermottandCharlesPoliquin@2010

89

$29 .95
rsBN 978-0-9826086 1 6

ttltlt[ti
illillilllilil

$29-95
rsBN 978 0 9E 6086-1 6
52995>

ilililil|
illillillLil