How to execute a dead lift power shrug is as easy as combining a dead lift and a power shrug together.  OK right now you might be thinking..”really!”   But seriously, someone who is reading this right now might not know exactly how to dead lift or has done shrugs but is not familiar with the term “power shrug”.  So I think it would be good to give a quick review of each exercise and then talk about how and why we would combine the two.

Look at the picture to the right of Franco Columbu performing a conventional dead lift.  Mr. Columbu was known for bodybuilding but he also did some power lifting on the side.  Did I mention that he is one of my favorite strength athletes of all time!  Well if you didn’t know-you do now.

Here are some of my coaching ques I tell my athletes when they dead lift a bar bell:

• Start with your feet shoulder width apart with your toes forward or slightly turned out
• The bar should be right up close to the shins
• Squat down and position the arms just outside of your knees and grab the bar bell.  You can use a double over hand grip or  have one hand as an overhand grip and the other as an underhand grip.  In the picture Franco’s left hand is in the over hand grip position and his right is in the under grip positions.  This type of grip is usually used when maxing out or just learning how to dead lift as it is easier to keep the bar closer to your legs.  I will talk more about the double over hand grip later
• Grasp the bar tightly and position your back in a neutral position with your head up and shoulders directly over the bar.  You want to try to not round your back at all during the lift
• Keep your weight positioned in your heels of your feet as you start to stand up, take a breath and feel the weight in your hands before you stand up
• Tighten up your entire mid-section and begin extending your legs maintaining form throughout the motion as you stand up
• Do not hyper extend your back to try to lock it out at the top.  This can be very risky to your low back if you are not an experienced power lifter
• Return the weight back to the floor by squatting the weight down in reverse order
• Remember to always keep the weight close to your legs at all times during the dead lift

Atlas Stones are a fundamental test of strength in many strongman competitions, and they have also become a staple among strength training enthusiasts who are looking for the ultimate strength workout.

Stones literally tax everything from head to toe. In fact, try not contracting any major muscle group like your legs, glutes, back, chest or biceps during a stone lift, and letís see if the stone even comes off the ground – fat chance.

The world record atlas stone lifted by a strongwoman competitor is over 300lbs, and the men’s world record is 529lbs. However, you can get the very same benefits just by lifting lighter atlas stones.

Youíve just got to know how to do it right! So let’s get into that right now.

Strongman DVD Special

LEARNING THE STONES

It’s time to get your hands on some stones and get to work.

At first, it can be easy to get frustrated with atlas stones as they fight you the whole way up. Since they are round, they make your job of lifting them very difficult, and once they start to get loose on you, they often win the battle. Learning how to conquer the atlas stones takes time and requires understanding the proper technique. Once you master the technique you then can really start to work on using the stones to take you to a new level of fitness.
SAFETY FIRST

Stone lifting is generally done by pulling the stone from the ground and either placing it on top of a platform or barrel, or it is put over a bar of a designated height (usually 4 feet or higher). Whatever you choose to lift the stone onto or over, make sure that it is stable. Here are some examples of loading strategies we have used.

Normally, we lift the stone over an adjustable strongman yoke bar. We also at times use solid platforms to load several stones one after the other. To make the platforms, we fastened wood pallets on top of each other, and attached plywood to the front and around all sides. We sometimes use whisky barrels or oil drums, but if you use a barrel watch out for the lip, as it can be a finger pincher.

With all platforms, please use caution making sure the back side of the platform is braced; this will keep the platform stable so it will not tip if the stone hits it. Once youíre more experienced you can work on shouldering the lighter stones. Incidentally, the world record for a shouldered stone is held by Derek Poundstone. In 2009 he shouldered a massive stone in the range of 420 lbs.

If you practice stone shouldering, make sure you use plenty of rubber mats to drop the stones on. At our club we use four of the 5/8î thick stall mats with plywood under them so we can just drop the stones off of our shoulder or the top platforms without damaging the floor or the stones.

As for lifting the stones, there are some basic cautions to be concerned with for safety.

I have seen athletes twist at the top of a stone load. If you are going heavy or you are doing reps to failure for conditioning, once you get the stone to the tip of the platform, do not pause in that top position longer than a few seconds, and do not twist in order to try to get it onto the platform, as accidents have happened at this point before.

HEIGHT OF PLATFORM

If you use a platform for stone loading, for most stone training I think it is best to use a platform that is around sternum height or somewhere below. This is a good position, especially if you are training for a particular sport that requires hip drive and/or triple extension like a football player exploding off the line of scrimmage or a swimmer leaping off the diving block.

As a variation and progression from the normal platform, we also sometimes use a hanging target. It may be a jump stretch band or a large rope hanging from a rafter or a power rack. We dangle the band or rope from the rack as a goal upon which to touch the stone. When you touch the top of the stone to the bottom of the band, you have achieved your goal. You can also have a partner pull the band/rope up slightly after each successful rep, so you try to increase the height on each rep.
Strongman DVD Special

LEARNING THE TECHNIQUE

I will discuss the best way that I have found to lift an Atlas Stone, although we all may lift them slightly differently.

In training, strive to keep good form so you can strengthen your body using the safest way of lifting. As for myself, when it comes to lifting the stone, I first position the stone about 6″-8″ away from what I may be loading it onto. I then face the Atlas Stone and straddle my feet over it so that my calves are around 1″ from it on both sides. I make sure I stand almost directly over the stone so the balls of my feet are positioned at the center point of it.

Next, I squat down to near parallel, grabbing the stone with my arms straight down and hug the center of it with my forearms and hands trying to get my fingers as far under the stone as possible without smashing them. My finger nails will likely be touching the ground at this point.

I then squeeze hard with my fingers, hands, forearms and begin to pull with my legs and entire back. This is when I think of contracting with everything I have. My legs straighten slightly as the stone begins to come up, although the legs are never completely straight. As the stone starts to pass my knees, I then re-bend my knees back into a near parallel squat and I roll the stone onto my lap. If possible, I also may try to walk my feet in slightly. Since I’m resting the stone on my lap, bringing the feet together will position the stone higher on the abdomen when I start the second part of the lift.

From here, I will reposition my hands more towards the top of the stone maybe about 1/3rd of the way up but not all the way on top or the stone will drop down. Your palms will not be facing each other any longer. They are now angled more towards the ground. I squeeze the stone again and press it against my chest so my chin is as far over the stone as possible. Then I will dip forward and down slightly to get a stretch reflex and pull back explosively with my upper body, forcefully standing up and driving my hips forward.

If I am just lifting the stone to the high chest and then returning it to the floor, I try to keep the center of the stone directly over my feet and lean back slightly to keep my balance. If I am loading the stone to a platform or over a marker, then I will propel it upward and forward, as shown in the image above. If loading on the platform, I also quickly reposition my arms just in case I donít quite make it and I have to push it fully onto the platform.
Strongman DVD Special

BEGINNER WORKOUTS

You now have an idea on technique. Let’s look at how to train with the stones.

For a beginner workout, I suggest you work with a light stone and focus on reps so you get used to the proper technique as well as conditioning your muscles for something they are not used to doing.

Even if you are a very strong athlete, I suggest that you keep to a stone around 200lbs or under to start with. If you are in good condition and you are new to stone lifting, try not to exceed a stone that is anything above 70% of your bodyweight. In other words, if your bodyweight is 100lbs, use about a 70lb stone, or if you weigh around 180lbs you would use about a 130lb stone, plus or minus a few pounds.

Take this stone and load it for 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps and 2-3 times per week for the first three weeks so you work on technique and conditioning. You may be tempted to go heavier, but just remember the best is yet to come so take it slow. Just try to improve your technique with the lighter stone.

For a stone workout that is centered on hardcore conditioning, you might try the following variations. Pick out a lighter stone and break the stone lifting technique down into segments. You will do the following stone lifting segment work for 3 sets of 10 reps.

The first 10 reps will be the LAP, SQUAT, DROP drill. To begin, pick up the stone, LAP it to the SQUAT position and stand up driving hard with the hips, pushing the stone upward and forward as high as you can. Then, DROP the stone on rubber mats and repeat.

For the next 10 reps, try the LAP, SQUAT and RETURN drill. In this drill, you will LAP the stone, SQUAT it up, and then this time RETURN the stone under control to your lap. Do this for 10 reps but DO NOT drop the stone.

Rest again and for the last 10 reps, do the LAP AND DROP drill, lapping the stone and then dropping it back down between your legs. Repeat this for 10 reps.

If you still have some gas in the tank, you might also finish off with 10 reps of bent over rows with an even lighter stone.

Start light with this series of drills because this can leave you exhausted and sore for days.

REVIEW

As you can see, Atlas Stone lifting can be a very beneficial practice that can quickly have you building muscle, burning calories, and becoming more powerful. This is particularly helpful for power and combat athletes that need to drive with the lower body, and also certain professions such as Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers who have to be able to subdue perpetrators.

With all the benefits of stone training, there are some risks involved, but the benefits far outweight the risks. As you train, start out light and use caution. Also, condition yourself to the stresses of stone lifting. As you progress, you can add equipment into the mix such as loading platforms, hanging targets, and drop areas, and before you know it you will be performing drills for speed, explosiveness, and conditioning. In time, you will be extremely rugged.

For more information on Atlas Stone training and many other types of Strongman Training events, please check out my Strongman DVD, Introduction to Strongman Training. Loaded with technique and safety tips, I can show you how to correctly train like a Strongman or Strongwoman. And whether you ever enter a competition or not, you will definitely be a stronger version of yourself in no time.

Steve Slater

Click here for the Strongman DVD Special

I would like to thank Steve for providing us here at Variety Trainer this informative article on atlas stone training.  Mr. Slater is an accomplished professional strongman competitor and considered by many, an expert in training technique and form for these lifts.  If you have any interest at all in learning these lifts or how to incorporate them into your current training program; I highly recommend you taking a look and consider getting his Introduction To Strongman Training DVD.  He teamed up with Jedd Johnson, who is a strength and grip expert (currently holds the world record for the two hand pinch dead lift) to film this DVD.  Tons of experience and excellent information!  Thanks guys!

To your health,

Jerry

These guys are strong because they get dirty and use their hands, lift heavy objects, and carry them around.  If our goal is to get “strong”, maybe we should be looking into this a little more.  Hey, I am not telling you to quit your job to become a farmer or brick layer….unless you want to.  I am merely making a point.

Could incorporating some of these principles into a training program prove to be beneficial?  Yes, I believe they can be.  Does this mean we should neglect our weight room tools like barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, etc?  No!

I like adding odd object lifts and strongman movements into my training programs and let me tell you something; most athletes love it!  If they are into the workouts and dedicated, then they will love to be challenged with these type of lifts.

I am talking about:

• Picking up stones
• Throwing stones
• Tires
• logs
• kegs
• sandbags
• pretty much just about anything you might see laying around

You can really get creative with this but you also must be careful because there can a risk of injury if things are carelessly approached.  Technique is just not thrown out the window.  There are techniques for every one of the movements that are associated with the list above.   The best thing to do is learn from someone who has experience with many of these techniques.  Study the movements and think about body positioning and visualize in your head what you are going to do before you do it.  Most importantly, enjoy your training and the results you get from it!!

I think these types of training challenges are FUN and I think you will to if you give them a try.  Oh, did I mention the side effect will be getting strong quick!

Now go for a hike and find yourself a few rocks!!

To your health,

Jerry

PS-If you want to learn more about how to do strongman lifts properly and fit them into your training program.  My buddy Jedd Johnson and Steve Slater just released a on-line DVD presentation that covers anything and everything you would want to know about these techniques and how to avoid injuries and reap the rewards.  You can take a look at it by clicking on the DVD

Hope that helps!

Jedd Johnson from Diesel Crew came up with the events and ran the competition.  Unfortunately, not many stepped up to compete besides myself and two other brave men (Chance Smith & Paul Berry Jr.).  It was competitive and one heck of a great time!

There were three events:

The first event was the log press.  We had 1 minute to clean and press a 12 inch log bar as many times as possible to full lockout with your head through.  I think the bar weighted 110-120 pounds which is not extremely heavy but none of us have a log bar to train with normally, so the awkwardness of it was the difficult part.  You just do not clean a log bar like a regular barbell.

The second event was the mace swing; which proved to be even more awkward and as you seen or will see from the video, very challenging.  We also had one minute to swing the mace back and around our head to the point of attention (straight up in front of our body) as many times as possible.  I personally liked this event the most but was honestly glad when it was over.

The third event was the kettlebell sled drag.  The sled was loaded with 50 pounds and a 50-55 pound kettlebell was attached and used as a handle.  What you had to do was pinch the kettlebell between your hands and back peddle a certain distance.  Quickest time won.  This actually proved to be my worst event as I quickly found out that I need some work on my back peddling skills.  I guess I am just not as quick as I once was (getting older sucks!).

In the end; Paul, Chance, and I had a great time and had some good laughs afterwards; especially with my graceful stumble across the finish line.

I think it is great to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself with new and different types of training and strongman lifts will definitely do just that.  They can also be dangerous if not understood and done correctly.  Always make sure you understand the techniques involved in any of these types of exercises. Jedd Johnson is releasing a new DVD soon describing how to not only execute these movements correctly but also how to implement them into a training program.  I was able to review this DVD and it is totally awesome.  I will keep you posted when that will be available.

I would like to thank Jedd Johnson for organizing and running the event and Doug Smith for putting together what some say is the best strength & conditioning conference on the east coast!

I hope you enjoyed the video!  I was glad to share that with you all.

To your health,

Jerry

The first event was to power clean 5 kegs in a row as fast as you can.  You had to show lockout above your head for it to count.  The kegs started from lightest to heaviest.  This was my best event and I think I could have done it much faster if given a second try.

The second event was a farmer’s hold for time using two 75 lb sandbags.  I did not think this event was hard but as I was not trying to concentrate on holding the bags; the left bag slipped a little in the left hand and then I was in trouble trying to just keep a grip on it.  Funny thing was my hands were not even fatigued.  I was a little bummed because I know I could have held them a lot longer.

The third event was to bear hug the heaviest keg there and walk for total distance in two minutes.  The distance was 50 feet and you had to circle the sandbag for a lap to count.  This was the hardest event for me.  I started off strong but oxygen debt crept in and found me.  My goal was cover as much ground as quickly as I could and not drop the keg.  Well, I did not drop the keg but it was challenging.

Setting up strongman events like this is a great way to add in a little variety to your existing training program.  These will not only challenge you physically but mentally as well.  Doing something like this with some friends will get those competitive juices following which will ultimately result in you pushing yourself and your limitations.

Trust me, you will have a blast and get a great workout in the process.  Give some of these a try or get creative and make up your own little strongman competition.

To your health,

Jerry

Many strength coaches think the back squat is the “King” of all lifts.  I happen to agree with them.  There are so many great weighted exercises but you will always go right back to the basics with a traditional back squat.  This one exercise will train the entire body each and every rep; not to mention that it will build strength and power like no other.  Many believe squatting to be bad for the knees and it can be if done incorrectly.  Guess what, the bench press can be bad for the shoulders if done wrong also.  Heck just about any exercise can be bad for you in some way if done incorrectly.  This is why I think it is important to look at the basics of this very important lift.  You need to learn the basics before moving forward and advancing in anything you do.  This is exactly the reason I put together this video.  Ask anyone who has ever done any of my programs and you will find them telling you about squatting being a major foundation throughout the phases.

Always complete a great warm-up prior to starting any exercise routine and do no rush to try and squat tons of weight.  If anything, be more conservative and “really” learn the lift and you will accomplish much heavier weights in the long run without getting hurt along the way.

My set and rep schemes will be anything from eight sets of two reps, five sets of five reps, or even three sets of twenty reps.  That is the beauty of developing a training program based on producing a predetermined result.  Results come from hard work and you guessed it….Squatting!!

To your health,

Jerry