AWE-INSPIRING PICTURES OF SHAOLIN MONKS TRAINING

On August 2, 2014 by Physical Culturist

It is in my opinion that Shaolin Monks are the emboiment o! physical culture"
As #any roach puts it,
$or many, li!e may be as simple as a strong, banal !ocus on purely the physical, %ith little or no e&ploration
o! any other hori'ons" (o%e)er, !or some in the pursuit o! a richer enlightenment, it*s a constant seeking o! a
symphonic balance bet%een the conitioning o! the boy, the culti)ation o! the min, an a continuous
un!oling gro%th o! the spirit, all the %hile maintaining a harmony %ith their natural en)ironment" In actuality,
e)eryone practices their o%n Physical Culture %hether or not they*re e)en a%are o! its meaning" A number
o! our pioneers o! boybuiling re!erre to themsel)es as +Physical Culturists, %ith their o%n constitute
!rame%ork o! the term"
Accoring to legen, a -uhist monk name -ohiharma )isite the Shaolin temple an notice that the
monks %ere %eak an coul not complete the emaning meitation routines that they shoul ha)e been
practicing" .he monks o!ten !ell asleep %hile meitating ue to !atigue, an !or this reason, coul not
achie)e spiritual gro%th"
-ohiharma %as mo)e by the terrible physical conition o! the monks o! the Shaolin .emple" /ikening the
monks to the young -uha, %ho almost ie !rom rigorous meitation practices, he in!orme the monks
that he %oul teach their boies an their mins the -uha*s la% through meitation an physical training"
-ohiharma create an e&ercise program !or the monks that strengthene their boies an coul be use
in sel!0e!ense" -ohiharma*s primary concern %as to make the monks physically strong enough to
%ithstan both their isolate li!estyle an the ecepti)ely emaning training that meitation re1uires"
2onetheless, the techni1ues he taught also ser)e as an e!!icient !ighting system, %hich e)ol)e into the
marital arts style calle kung !u" -ohiharma taught, ho%e)er, that martial arts shoul ne)er be use to hurt
or in3ure neelessly" In !act, it is one o! the olest Shaolin a&ioms that 4one who engages in combat has
already lost the battle.4 5source6 monkeytree7
(ere is a compilation o! photos sho%ing the intense physical training o! the Shaolin Monks toay6
Credits: Memolition, Wikipedia
OLD TIME STRONGMAN TRAINING METHODS
On 8anuary 24, 2014 by Matthe% Chan
written by: Matthew Chan, Physical Culturist
9uring the 1:th an 1;th century, there e&iste a group o! e&traorinary strongmen %ho coul per!orm !eats
o! strength that %oul be consiere superhuman toay" .heir legenary strength %as accompanie by their
e1ually0astonishing physi1ues" In an era be!ore !ancy e&ercise e1uipment, supplements an rugs, these
ol timers accomplishe %hat most men toay cannot< =hat %as their secret>
/ike many athletes an strongmen toay, their training philosophies an methos )arie" I! you*re looking !or
the per!ect training program, you*re out o! luck" Many o! the ol timers i not necessarily !ollo% any speci!ic
routine?but rather, they stuck to their o%n set o! training principles" -y e&ploring the methos o! the ol
timers, you may get an iea o! ho% they traine, so you can perhaps incorporate them into your o%n
training"
.his article %ill e&plore the training methoologies o! !i)e ol time strongmen6 @ugen Sano%, Aeorge
(ackenschmit, Arthur Sa&on, (ermann Aoenrer, an @%ar Aston" =hether you*re looking to gain some
muscle mass, get strong, or both, the e&amples belo% %ill gi)e you some ieas on %hat you can implement
into your o%n training"
1. EUGEN SANDOWS TRAINING
Bno%n as the $ather o! Moern -oybuiling, @ugen Sano% %as a per!orming strongman, tra)elling the
country per!orming !eats o! strength, incluing bearing the %eight o! horses an soliers on his chest,
bening iron bars, snapping chains, li!ting pianos, an bench pressing a co%" (e %as also kno%n !or his
athleticism, being able to per!orm acrobatic mo)ementsC he coul per!orm a back somersault %hile holing a
D0 lb umbbell in each han" (e coul also bent press E00 pouns"
.he bulk o! Sano%*s training in)ol)e umbbell training an hea)y %eightli!ting %ith barbells6
My !aith is pinne to umbbells, an I o all my o%n training %ith them, supplemente %ith %eightli!ting F%ith
barbellsG"
O%ing to their smaller si'e it is possible to ha)e greater )ariation in the %eight o! umbbells than in the long
hanle bar commonly kno%n as the barbell Fback then, barbells %ere not plate0loae an %ere there!ore
not a3ustableC they %ere !i&e in %eightG" Any physical culturist can obtain se)eral pairs o! umbbells an be
in a position to progressi)ely practice the more a)antageous mo)ements"
H=hile I !a)our umbbells in training, %eightli!ting F%ith barbellsG as a great eal o! interest an training
bene!it to the program" .he largest an strongest muscles o! the boy, the po%er!ul muscles o! the legs an
back are brought into )igorous action %ith the hea)y barbell through competiti)e or e&hibition li!ting"
H@&ercises shoul be per!orme progressi)ely, !or the muscles become accustome to the %ork they are
aske to per!orm, an i! the eman is not steaily mae greater, the esire gro%th in si'e, strength, an
shapeliness %ill not be attaine"
Sano% %as kno%n to li!t light umbbells as part o! his training, an still achie)e great results" .he reason
being that he implemente %hat is kno%n toay as the mind-muscle connection" =hen li!ting light
umbbells, Sano% i not 3ust go through the motionsC he concentrate on recruiting as many motor units
as possible %ith each muscle contraction6
Iou may go through the list o! e&ercises %ith umbbells a hunre times a ay, but unless you !i& your min
upon those muscles to %hich the %ork is applie, such e&ercise %ill bring but little, i! any, bene!it" I!, upon the
other han, you concentrate your min upon the muscles in use, then immeiately e)elopment begins"
Sano% employe some !orm o! perioi'ation into his training, al%ays )arying the intensity6
Jariation in the training program brings best results" 9on*t train e)ery ay, skip a ay no% an then to gi)e
the muscles time to thoroughly rest an to gi)e nature the opportunity to rebuil them an a to their
strength an enurance" 9on*t al%ays train %ith the same amount o! %eight" Some ays use more moerate
%eights to tone the muscles, on other training ays really e&ert yoursel!, gi)e the muscles plenty o! %ork to
o, then nature %ill take care o! builing more strength, muscle an better health"
.hese )ery )igorous ays shoul not be practise by the a)erage man more than once or t%ice a %eek" O!
course I go through my program !rom one to three or !our times a ay, epening upon %here I am
appearing" -ut years o! progressi)e training an proper li)ing as I am recommening le up to my ability to
%ithstan this rigorous program an to continue to gain in strength an e)elopment %hile maintaining
per!ect health"
2. HACKENSCHMIDTS TRAINING
Aeorge (ackenschmit %as a pro!essional %restler an strongman" (is training %as not e&clusi)e to
%eightli!ting" (ackenschmit*s training also inclue cycling, gymnastics, s%imming, running, an 3umping"
As a strongman, he coul per!orm astouning !eats o! strength incluing li!ting a small horse o!! the groun,
li!ting 2KL pouns o)erhea %ith one han, an per!orm a pullover and press %ith a E11 poun barbell in the
%restler*s brige position" In 1;02 he 3umpe 100 times o)er a table %ith his !eet tie together" (e set
se)eral %eightli!ting recors throughout his career an %as consiere both the strongest an best0
e)elope man in the %orl"
/ike many physical culturists o! his era, (ackenschmit belie)e it %as important to e)elop not only
physical strength, but also e)elop athleticism" (e e&plains in his book, The Way To ive: !n "ealth and
Physical #itness6
$or it is only by e&ercising %ith hea)y %eights that any man can hope to e)elop really great strength" (e
shoul o! course combine these e&ercises %ith skipping, running, 3umping, an gymnastics o! e)ery
escription in orer to similarly e)elop his acti)ity an agility, but unless he seulously carries out the bar0
bell an umb0bell e&ercises as %ell he can ne)er ac1uire really great physical po%ers ? Aeorge
(ackenschmit 5The Way To ive: !n "ealth and Physical #itness7
(ackenschmit !urther escribes his )ie%s on li!ting as !ollo%s6
Some trainers recommen to their pupils !or the training o! all muscle groups one an the same 5light7
%eight an belie)e they are able to obtain the same e!!ect by !re1uent repetitions" My e&perience has taught
me that this is %rong, !or the muscles o! men or animals %ho are istinguishe !or certain !eats o! enurance
are by no means o)er0e)elope" A long0istance runner or long0istance cyclist al%ays has comparati)ely
thin legs, as ha)e a racehorse, stag, or greyhoun"
2ature oes not act %ithout aim an purpose" (ence there is a great i!!erence bet%een !eats o! enurance
an !eats o! strength" One must consier that, although it is 1uite possible to enlarge muscles by certain
light, prolonge e&ercises, at the same time the e)elopment o! the sine%s may be neglecte, an it is the
sine%s %hich transport the action o! the muscles to the bone &!rame" .he sine%s can only be e&ercise an
strengthene by corresponingly hea)y muscle %ork"
-esies, to take a parao&ical e&ample, it is 1uite impossible to impro)e strong muscle groups, as, !or
instance, the hip muscles, %ith light0%eight e&ercises" A !urther illustration o! the !allacy o! attempting to
e)elop the muscles by !re1uent repetitions %ith the same light e&ercises may be !oun in a comparison
%ith any an e)ery other !orm o! athletics, in %hich a man %oul ne)er think o! merely repeating his training
programme" In orer to impro)e himsel! either in pace or istance, he must set himsel! a steay progression
o! aruous e!!ort" ? Aeorge (ackenschmit 5The Way To ive: !n "ealth and Physical #itness7
(ackenschmit belie)e in breathing through the nose throughout e&ercise %hile a)oiing training to !ailure6
-reathing through the nose is the only proper %ay o! respiration an at the same time an important regulator
!or the mo)ement o! the boy, !or i! !or any kin o! %ork the breath through the nose ceases to be su!!icient,
one ought to either iscontinue the %ork or restrict the mo)ement until breathing has again become normal"
? Aeorge (ackenschmit 5The Way To ive: !n "ealth and Physical #itness7
3. ARTHUR SAXONS TRAINING
Arthur Sa&on %as a Aerman strongman an circus per!ormer !rom the late 1;th century into the early 20th
century" Sa&on is mostly kno%n !or his populari'ation o! the bent press li!t, %ith %hich he set a %orl recor
o! EK0 pouns" (e is also kno%n !or li!ting 44: pouns in the two hands anyhow mo)ement"
Sa&on %as a proponent o! $trength %ndurance, rather than ma&imal strength" (e belie)e that e)eloping
this kin o! strength allo%e one to ac1uire not only physical stamina, but mental stamina as %ell, %hich
%oul carry0o)er into other aspects o! li!e"
.he usual iea about strength?I mean the iea o! the a)erage reaer o! health maga'ines?is generally a
%rong one" Although a %eightli!ter 5an %eightli!ters are suppose to be )ery narro%0mine in their )ie%s
on this sub3ect7, I hope that I, personally, am broa0mine enough to recogni'e that a man oes not pro)e
himsel! an all0roun strong man 3ust because he is able to li!t a hea)y %eight, especially %hen the %eight is
li!te once only" .he !ollo%ing is my iagnosis o! real strength6
Aenuine strength shoul inclue not only momentary strength, as pro)e by the ability to li!t a hea)y %eight
once, but also the !ar more )aluable kin o! strength kno%n as strength !or enurance" .his means the
ability, i! you are a cyclist, to 3ump on your machine an rie 100 miles at any time %ithout unue !atigueC i! a
%restler, to %restle a har bout !or hal! an hour %ith a goo man %ithout a rest, yet %ithout becoming
e&hauste an reaching the limit o! your strength"
Apart !rom sports, enuring strength means that the business man shall stan, %ithout a break0o%n,
business cares an %orries, that he shall be capable, %hen necessary, o! %orking morning, a!ternoon an
night %ith un!lagging energy, holing tightly in his grasp the reins o! business, retaining all the %hile a clear
min an untiring energy, both o! boy an brain"
.he man %ho can miss a night*s rest or miss a meal or t%o %ithout sho%ing any ill e!!ect or %ithout losing
any physical po%er, is better entitle to be consiere a strong man than the man %ho is only apparently
strong, being possesse o! momentary strength, %hich is, a!ter all, a muscle test pure an simple"
In the latter case, %here a man raises, once only, a hea)y %eight, all that he pro)es himsel! to possess is
muscular control an great contractile po%er, but this oes not guarantee soun internal organs, nor oes it
pro)e that a man %oul come out %ell in an enurance test" .he man capable o! long !eats o! enurance
shoul li)e longest, an such a man %ill !in his po%ers o! more a)ail in e)ery0ay li!e than the man %ho has
sacri!ice )ital strength !or an e&tra !e% eighths o! an inch o! muscle, an perhaps the ability to raise a !e%
pouns more in a certain position in a %eightli!ting test"
I think the abo)e %ill cause some o! my critics, perhaps, to amit that a!ter all I ha)e broa0mine )ie%s on
this important 1uestion, i"e", +=hat is real strength>, there!ore, i! a %eightli!ting competition %ere hel, I
shoul like to see 1uite a number o! li!ts attempte, as is the metho on the Continent, an to see each man
go on %ith the li!ting %ithout too many opportunities !or rest, so that %e shoul not only ascertain %ho is
possesse o! greatest momentary strength but also %ho is possesse o! the enuring strength as %ell, an
it is a combination o! these t%o %hich makes real strength"
/ike many other physical culturists o! his ay, Sa&on belie)e in being a %ell0roune athlete" (e %rites,
2either o I consier a man a really strong man i! he is in certain parts e)elope out o! proportion to others"
I! a man has tremenous arms an chest an %eak legs then he is only hal! a strong man" I! he shoul ha)e
strong legs an arms an %eak lungs or a %eak heart, then again he is by no means entitle to be calle a
strong man, an some ay the ine)itable breako%n %ill occur %hich %ill cause carping critics, al%ays reay
to attack Physical Culture, to point to such a broken0o%n athlete an say6 &"ere is a proo' o' the harm done
by Physical Culture and weightli'ting,( the cause really being that this man has not properly unerstoo
Physical Culture, an has e)elope one part at the e&pense o! another" So you see that i! a thorough
e&amination coul be mae o! all so0calle +strong men, be!ore the public, %e shoul probably !in that only
one in t%enty is really eser)ing o! the name o! +strong man",
Arthur Sa&on selom use barbells in his training" Instea, he relie mostly on umbbells, kettlebells an
ring0%eights, %ith %hich he %oul mostly practice one0hane li!ts such as the bent press" (e %oul o!ten
practice the bent press by tying smaller %eights onto the ens o! a umbbell or barbell, making the li!t more
i!!icult as the %eights %oul !all o!! uring e&ecution"
4. HERMANN GOERNERS TRAINING
Aoerner %as a circus strongman %hose stunts an !eats o! strength inclue the !ollo%ing6 =restling an
elephant, carrying o)er 1000 pouns across one shouler, one arm snatch 22;M pouns, two hands
anyhow li't %ith 4E0 pouns, eali!t :E0 pouns, t%o han curl 242 pouns, !ront s1uat 4K4 pouns, 3erk
behin the neck %ith 411 pouns, an many more<
Aoerner traine an a)erage o! !our to !i)e ays per %eek" @ach session laste 1uite a %hile as %ell" A close
!rien o! Aoerner name @gar Mueller %rote,
@ach training session a)erage t%o hours %hen per!orme in the Club, an %hen training in the open air it
%oul )ary bet%een three an !our hours ? sometimes e)en longer"
=hen training !or such long perios o! time, one must be sure not to burn onesel! out" Aoerner mae sure
he i not o)er0e&ert himsel! %hen training an al%ays traine accoring to his moo" (e al%ays traine
%ithin his limits6
In per!orming the greater ma3ority o! his many ama'ing !eats, FAoernerG )ery rarely e&erte himsel! to
any%here near the limits o! his astouning po%er" In many cases, he coul ha)e e&ceee the li!t he mae
at the time o! per!ormance by a !urther attempt, but this he al%ays re!use to oH(e traine al%ays as the
moo took him ? )arying his programme to suit his energy an conition o! the moment an ne)er i he
!orce himsel! to per!orm any %orkout %hen not !eeling 3ust in the mooH (e i not ha)e or !ollo% %hat
might be really terme a +set, training programmeH(e i, o! course, use a planne an progressi)e
programme but he i not, as many o, map out a certain number o! li!ts %ith a certain pounage an then
per!orm them a set number o! times !or a gi)en perio"
.he main tool Aoerner use in his training %as the kettlebell" As escribe in the article, +)uest #or
$implicity in the *+st Century, by #on $ernano, in the March 2010 issue o! Powerli'ting ,$- maga'ine6
It is a kno%n !act that Aoerner traine %ith kettlebells !rom the age o! 10 an %as able to per!orm a one0
hane s%ing !rom the groun to o)erhea %ith a D0 kilos 5appro&" 110 lb"7 at the tener age o! 14" .his last
!act is astonishing as many o! toay*s kettlebell e&perts %oul be har presse to o this" -asically, &.ie
/ette( %as a comple& o! e&ercises %ith a series 5or +Chain, Bette7 o! 1; kettlebells 51E kg" to D2"D kg"7 line
up in a ro% on the !loor"
@ach comple& %as per!orme %ith 1 s%ing, 1 press, 1 curl, an 1 press %ith each han be!ore progressing
to the ne&t kettlebell" All o! this %as one %ith no rest" Sometimes, i! the moo suite him, he %oul o only
sets o! s%ings either one or t%o hane %ith kettlebells, again %ith no rest" .his %arm0up took aroun 40
minutes, an a!ter a short rest Aoerner sometimes repeate +9ie Bette, only %ith thick hanle Alobe
9umbbells<
It %as only a!ter per!orming +9ie Bette, that Aoerner got into the meat o! his training?Military presses,
cleans, snatches, s1uats, curls an eali!ts, both %ith one an t%o hans" (e s1uatte )ery rarely, an,
again, as the moo hit him, but still manage a L00N rock bottom s1uat using no e1uipment an a D00N
!ront s1uat" (is eali!t, an his ability to grip an hol hea)y block %eights, engines, an other un%iely
ob3ects %ere helpe by a generous use o! this special %arm0up e&ercise" Aoerner per!orme a t%o0hane
eali!t o! K;E lb" %ith a stanar barbell 5using an o)erhan grip7 o)er :0 years ago?a li!t many o! toay*s
supers %oul kill !or?an o! course the a!orementione one0hane pull o! K2K lb", a !eat %hich boggles the
imagination"
As a matter o! i!!erentiation, the late 8on Pall Sigmarsonn %as able to o a one0hane pull o! DD1 aroun
1;:0 or so %hich %as then thought o! as near impossible !rom those %ho ha ne)er hear o! Aoerner" .his
proigious back an grip strength %as in part e)elope !rom the consistent use o! kettlebells" .he use o!
kettlebells as a eali!t builer has been con!irme by 9onnie .hompson, current holer o! the all0time
=orl Superhea)y%eight total" =itness a 1uote !rom Pa)el .satsouline*s 9ragon 9oor %ebsite6 &We
honestly have not seen anything that +001 trans'erred over to a sport like kettlebells. ! mean, there is
nothing about /2s that doesn3t trans'er over to powerli'ting.( .his is a statement (ermann Aoerner pro)e
o)er an o)er again almost 100 years ago"
Mueller pro)ies insight into the other tools an methos Aoerner inclue in his training6
(is in)enti)e min %as al%ays scheming out ne% an i!!erent %ays o! li!ting all kins o! %eights ?
kettlebells, umb0bells, barbells, block %eights, barrels, loae sacks, etc"H(ermann !a)oure lo%
repetitions ? usually E an )ery rarely 4 ? %ith the %eight being increase by D kilos 510 lb"7 a!ter each set"
Aoerner*s training principles can be summe up into the !ollo%ing points6 !re1uent training, train accoring to
moo, ne)er train to !ailure, train %ithin limits, train progressi)ely, use a )ariety o! e&ercises %ith lo% reps"
5. EDWARD ASTONS TRAINING
@%ar Aston %as kno%n as -ritain*s Strongest Man" (e %as also the %orl*s mile0%eight %eightli!ting
champion an the -ritish hea)y0%eight champion %eightli!ter" (e retire une!eate" As a strongman, Aston
coul li!t E00 1O2 lbs in the 4ight "and -nyhow mo)ement" 9uring a challenge in a music hall act, he picke
up a 2:0 lbs sack o! !lour, place it on his back an %alke o!! stage< Aston %as also %ell0kno%n !or his grip
strengthC he coul eali!t a 4;L lbs thick bar 52 1O4P7 using a o)erhan grip"
Aston belie)e that ha)ing pretty muscles %as o! no use unless you coul o something %ith them6
One oes not %ant muscle solely to look at" It must be use!ul or it %ill only ser)e to assuage one*s )anity"
Aston %as a proponent o! grip strength, an belie)e that ha)ing a strong grip carrie o)er into all other
physical an e)en mental acti)ities6
@)eryone o! us toay shoul be intereste in the possession o! a po%er!ul gripH 2o matter %hether you
%ere a solier, sailor, airman, policeman, !ireman, air0rai %aren or rescue %orker, you %ill agree that the
possession o! a po%er!ul grip %as one o! your best physical assets an most o! us %ho ser)e in any o! the
abo)e capacities are more than grate!ul beacuse o! the ser)ice it renere to us an othersH .he man %ith
goo gripping po%ers is in)ariably a man %ith a min o! his o%n, kno%ing %hat he re1uires !rom li!e an
etermine to get it"
Also kno%n as the +%eight0li!ting acrobat,, Aston incorporate 3umping into his training6
8umping is one o! the most neglecte e&ercises an yet it is by !ar the best !or creating energy an
1uickness, both o! %hich are the greatest assets o! strength"
(e practise his 3umping by 3umping o)er a chair" (e recommene that beginners begin by 3umping onto
the seat o! the chair, an then !rom there, 3ump o)er the back rest" .hen, progress to 3umping o)er the chair
entirely"
COMMON FACTORS
Although the training philosophies an methos abo)e are )arie, they o share some common !actors that
many li!ters toay !ail to employ into their o%n training?the main !actor being the a)oiance o! +training to
'ailure+"
As strength coach, 8ason $erruggia %rites6
The single most important concept for people to understand is that strength is a skill and you need
to treat it as such.
I*m gonna repeat that because it*s so important that you unerstan itH
Strength is a skill"
/et it sink in !or a secon"
=hen you think about it that %ay the %hole thing becomes much easier to grasp"
You are training your nervous system to be more efficient.
.hat*s %hy all o! the great ol time strongmen, like /ouis Cyr, @ugene Sano% an @arle /ieerman calle
their %orkouts +practice", /i!ting %as their sport so they unerstoo, as oes a goo pitching coach, that you
can not continue practicing in a fatigued state or you ingrain bad habits" A goo pitching or tennis
coach %oul not let you continue on %hen your spee starts slo%ing o%n an your !orm gets sloppy" .hey
kno% that you*re one !or the ay at that point" .he same can be sai about a goo sprint coach"
/i!ting a hea)y %eight is really no i!!erent than ser)ing or thro%ing a ball increibly har or sprinting at high
spees" Sure, some people may %ant to argue semantics, but it*s all human per!ormance an base on the
same principles at the en o! the ay"
You get stronger in one of two ways; improving the efficiency of your nervous system or increasing
the size of your muscles. Ob)iously, you can*t continually increase the si'e o! your muscles !ore)er" -ut
you can steaily make neural strength gains !or 1uite some time i! you train properly" .hat*s ho% athletes in
%eight class sports are able to get continually stronger %ithout gaining %eight"
Olympic li!ters on*t go to !ailure an they are able to train e)ery ay because o! it" Aymnasts on*t go to
!ailure, yet they posses astonishing strength an increible physi1ues"
In his 1;2D book, Secrets o! Strength, @arle /ieerman escribe a li!ter %ho traine to !ailure in the
!ollo%ing %ay, Literally he has worked himself out, and this is eactly the thing the strength seeker
can not afford to do.!
Another thing the a!orementione ol time strongmen ha in common %as the use o! one0hane li!ts in
their training" .hey i a lot o! hea)y li!ting %ith one han )ia li!ts such as the bent press, sie press,
%inmill, snatch, clean Q 3erk, etc" .his prepare them !or their e&hibitions %hich o!ten in)ol)e li!ting hea)y
ob3ects o)erhea %ith one han"
S1uat racks an the bench press %ere not as common back then as they are toay" .he only upper0boy
pressing they i %as o)erhea using a )ariety o! ob3ects an in a )ariety o! %ays" .his lea to e&tremely
healthy, robust an strong shoulers in the strongmen?something that is lacking among toay*s bench-
press-e5cessive li!ters"
.he ol timers also belie)e in being %ell0roune athletesC although they %ere e&tremely strong, they i
not become that %ay at the e&pense o! other 1ualities" .hey %ere also agile an athletic, being able to
per!orm gymnastics an acrobatic !eats" O!ten times these i!!erent acti)ities carrie o)er into one another"
I! one %ere to sum up the principles that %oul be inclue in an old time strongman training program, they
%oul be the !ollo%ing6
.rain %ith a )ariety o! ob3ects 5barbells, umbbells, kettlebells, thick bars, etc"7
.rain using compoun mo)ements 5eali!t, s1uat, o)erhea press, 3erks, snatches, etc7"
Practice one0hane li!ts 5bent press, sie press, %inmill, snatch, etc7
A)oi training to !ailure
/i!t hea)y, but perioi'e the intensity
.rain progressi)ely an methoically
Practice 3umping, gymnastics, an calisthenics
Arip %ork
(o% you arrange these !actors into a training routine is up to you, an %ill epen on your ini)iual goals
an scheule" A simple search 1uery %ill pro)ie you %ith many e!!ecti)e strength training programsC an i!
you o conuct such a 1uery, you %ill notice that all success!ul training programs employ the principles
liste abo)e"
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Many o! the ol timers %ere pro!essional per!ormers %ho ha to per!orm on a regular basis, an as part o! a
circus, they tra)elle o!ten" -ecause o! this, these strongmen %ere not able to stick to a regular training
routine %ith a set list o! e&ercises, sets an reps" Instea, they stuck to a set o! training principles that
prepare them !or their e&hibitions %ithout burning themsel)es out" .heir training scheule epene on
%hen they %ere per!orming" Making a li)ing as circus strongmen also allo%e the ol timers to !ocus solely
on their cra!t"
(ope!ully, the in!ormation presente abo)e %ill ha)e gi)en you some ieas on %hat you can incorporate into
your o%n training in orer to buil muscle an strength" Combine %ith an appropriate iet, you too can
achie)e a legenary physi1ue %ith the strength the back it up<