Gaining Weight for Strongman

[Andre Gregoire]

I have decided that I want to give Strongman training a try. I have always been interested in the sport but never gave it any serious consideration since I am short and not that strong.

The fact that there are now weight classes has me interested.

I found a group of local Strongmen that have most of the implements and they are willing to let me train with them.

I am 5'6" and 190lbs right now but I have been 213lbs in the past. The shows around here that have weight classes have a lightweight class that tops at 231lbs.

By the end of 2013's competitive season I would like to be competitive in the lightweight class, really I just don't want to finish last at every show.

I figure in the next 15 months, I need to get to 231lbs, get much stronger and get conditionned at my new weight.

Should I gain the weight slowly over 15 months or gain it really fast?

I figure if I gain it quickly my conditionning will be killed but it will immediatly help me lift heavier weights and then I can work on getting stronger and improving my conditionning.

If I gain it slowly I don't know that I will be able to do 600lbs Yokes, 250lbs Farmers and 240lbs Log Press at my light bodyweight.

What would you guys do?

[Andre Gregoire]

Bump

[RedSkull]

Is there no <90kg class there?

Here it's usually, 90kg, the 105 you mentioned, and heavyweight...

[Adam2433]

Why not try to gain the weight like any other lifter likes to...

Slowly with as much lean mass as possible. Take in a large amount of good foods and allow yourself to indulge when you want. If you aren't gaining, eat more.

If you gain weight just to say you're a certain body weight I see a much larger percentage of it being fat and a much greater chance that instead of increasing conditioning you will decrease it.

I don't really understand the question though. Why would your strategy to gain weight now be any different than previously in your lifting career?

[steel1970]

This is an odd question to me for this reason: you always seem to post about health and longevity. You know as well as anyone that gaining slowly over the long term will be less likely to have a negative impact on your health. You gain quickly and you're gonna gain too much fat, your blood pressure is very likely to increase, and with the added fat your insulin sensitivity could suffer as well.....IMO, which really means nothing, lol, I would do it as slowly as possible over the 15 months, trying to maximize LEAN gains....having an extra 20lbs of fat ain't gonna make you stronger.....

[Andre Gregoire]

Is there no <90kg class there?

Here it's usually, 90kg, the 105 you mentioned, and heavyweight...

Around here most comps still only have an open class, I found 2-3 that have a < 231lbs class and one show that had a < 220lbs class.

Why not try to gain the weight like any other lifter likes to...

Slowly with as much lean mass as possible. Take in a large amount of good foods and allow yourself to indulge when you want. If you aren't gaining, eat more.

This is an odd question to me for this reason: you always seem to post about health and longevity. You know as well as anyone that gaining slowly over the long term will be less likely to have a negative impact on your health. You gain quickly and you're gonna gain too much fat, your blood pressure is very likely to increase, and with the added fat your insulin sensitivity could suffer as well....

Adam and Steel thanks for the posts man! Now, re-reading my post I see how it's silly. I posted this before going out to train with the strongmen and since they are so much bigger I figured I NEED to get to 231lbs ASAP to be able to even lift those weights.

After a workout with them I realised that technique is half the battle, you are not strict pressing the log, the Yoke doesn't feel as heavy as Squatting that weight, the farmers don't feel as heavy as Deadlifting, etc...

I will gain weight slow and steady like I would recommend to anyone....lol

I had just figured that extra weight, even if it's fat, would help my leverage on many lifts. I think the ideal for me is probably gaining ~2lbs per month.

Thanks for helping me keep my head on straight.

[Superman55]

Eat more

[Andre Gregoire]

Eat more

Great advice if my question was how do I gain weight.

My question was "Should I gain the weight slowly over 15 months or gain it really fast?"

I decided to aim for approx. 0.5lbs of weight gain per week.

[luke22]

Thanks for sharing this information.

[monty]

To gain the weight for the strong man is necessary and his muscles would be much strong with doing the workout as much heavy as his muscles can bear he should have goat meat and other energetic diet to strengthen his muscles.

[Andre Gregoire]

So fast forward a year and I've gone from 186lbs in the morning to 211lbs so a 25lbs gain and surprisingly I'm not much fatter, sure there's some fat gain but it's not too bad.

I just decided to stop caring what I looked like and to slowly put on weight while lifting heavier than I've ever lifted.

I guess I was undereating before. Once you start eating your metabolism accelerates and things normalize.

I've now competed in 2 Amateur Strongman competitions. I can't say I'm a good strongman but I can say that I'm now a competitive strongman.

Here's some vids from my last one:

Frame Carry 500lbs for 150ft. I finished 8th out of 9 on this. Grip is my weakest point and it's what I will work the hardest to improve. I never gave up though.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...14729151915221


220lb Log Clean & Press every rep. There was a last minute change in the order of events so we had to do Log Press instead of Yoke. I had spongy shoes on and forgot to change into more stable shoes. As a result I had a lot of trouble stabilizing the weight. In training I have done more reps on this event several times

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...64850741202565


Yoke 660lbs for 150'. I finished 5th out of 9 guys which surprised me because I'm not really good at the Yoke but again, I never gave up.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...60928615271704

Atlas Stone 270lbs to 56" platform. This event I am proud of. I was the shortest, lightest and oldest athlete and I finished 4th out of 9 despite being vertically challenged

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...49361614679382

[nexa]

Nice job!

Atlas Stone 270lbs to 56" platform. This event I am proud of. I was the shortest, lightest and oldest athlete and I finished 4th out of 9 despite being vertically challenged

Paging TLo and Mentalflex

[Chamo]

To gain the weight for the strong man is necessary and his muscles would be much strong with doing the workout as much heavy as his muscles can bear he should have goat meat and other energetic diet to strengthen his muscles.