Strongman Exercises That Will Get You Jacked

Strongmen are huge, beastly looking humans that lift impossibly heavy weights and objects. They are, as the name would suggest, the epitome of an exceptionally strong human being.

However, these guys also look like they started a bulking cycle back in 2002. and never looked back. Because of this, people wrongly think they need to look like a giant ball to be strong.

That’s false, there’s a bunch of strongman exercises that you can implement into your training regimen to add size and strength. So now we will list some awesome looking strongman exercises that you can do at the gym or, with some creativity and free space, at home.

1. Log Lift

Good ol’ fashioned log lift is the ultimate strongman discipline. It’s what separates the men from the boys. Nothing screams “alpha male” like lifting a 400 lbs log above your head. It’s awesome for your shoulders and also works your back, core, and arms. Assuming you don’t have access to a log or an already cut down tree, these are the following solutions; a) multi-grip log bar b) regular barbell. Option “a” gives you a better simulation of what it’s like to lift a giant log since you have the same neutral grip and technique as when lifting a giant wooden log. Option “b” has you working the regular barbell, but you can simulate a log lift by cleaning the bar up to your chest and pressing it overhead for reps.

2. Atlas Stone Lifts

Stone lifts are another strongman classic and it’s a real man maker. It requires a good posterior chain and works your entire body. In order to lift a heavy ass stone your entire body needs to be synced up and strong. Getting a hold of an atlas stone could provide to be a tricky thing to do so I would suggest buying a giant sand or cement bag and practice lifting it off the ground to an elevated platform for time or reps. You will get huge arms and a killer back.

3.Heavy Pulls

Before we even get started let us get one thing out of the way, no you will be needing a plane. Pulling any kind of heavy object will work your forearms and grip. Which is something you already know, if you’ve ever seen a Strongman. Those guys have tree trunks for forearms. I would suggest getting a battle rope or any kind of other sturdy rope and tying it to a bunch of plates(static pull) or tying a rope around your car with the other end being attached to a durable harness which you should be wearing. Now, depending on your overall strength and the weight of your car you can either try and pulling your car with the aid of the other rope or you can try the same thing while pulling another rope which is attached to something stable.

4. Farmer’s Walk

Farmer’s walks have for a while been enjoying the reputation of being an awesome strongman style exercise that you should add to your routine. Simply grab two heavy ass dumbbells, one in each hand and start walking from point a to point b. Your traps and forearms will grow like crazy after you start implementing this killer finisher.

5. Hercules Holds

Now time for some pain! When performing the Hercules holds strongmen must hold two very heavy pillars(sometimes cars), one in each hand for as long as they can with the winner being the masochist who endures the most pain and lasts the longest. It’s pretty easy to replicate in the gym, stand between the cable flies, put the weight lever thingy to the very bottom, grab both handles and see what you’re made off. It will destroy your grip, forearms and entire arms but practicing this regularly will give you a vice grip and will give some size on your forearms and arms as well.

6. Kettlebell/ Keg Throws

Let’s work on your explosiveness for a bit. Keg toss is a great way of generating explosive strength. Lifting a heavy object requires strength, but throwing it overhead as high as you can require even more strength and explosiveness. Explosiveness can be carried over to your other exercises which require you to lift heavy things, like for instance, the deadlift. This isn’t something I would recommend doing in a commercial gym because of obvious reasons, but all you need an empty field and an empty keg. You can fill the keg with water and empty it when you are done with working out.