Brute's Strongman Write-Up

[bruteforce]

Brute's Strongman Meet Write-up

My first real meet, my first real write up. Last year I did a local meet, but this was my first with NAS. The difference in the level of difficulty is huge. It's also obvious I need more equipment to train for these things. A sled and a log are hopefully going to be acquired soon.

It was cold, windy, and with 40+ competitors, we had an hour or more between events. It was pretty much impossible to get warm for the event and stay warm, but there were only a few minor injuries, so we all counted that as a win. Now onto the events!

Event 1 - Semi Truck Pull
6 feet 10 inches

Ok, so it doesn't sound that impressive. I was honestly a little disappointed at first, but then everyone got stuck at the same place I did, between 6 and 7 feet. There's a tiny incline there and it killed the progress of most competitors. However, I moved a semi my first time in a harness. Win.

Event 2 - Log Press
180 pound log. 1 Rep

I won't lie, I thought the log was going to be easier. With a barbell, I'm good for at least 5 reps with 180 in a push press. Wasn't happening with this log. Cleaning that blasted thing was a whole new experience as well. The idea is elbows high, sit down with it, and roll it up your chest. Getting two different parts of my body to act in unison is not a strong point of mine, but after a few false starts I got it into pressing position. 180, no problem right? Wrong. The log is a log tougher to lock out. A few more attempts, a lock out, and I was done. There was no chance I was going to win this event and I was good for 2nd place with 1 rep as several others weren't about to clean or press it.

Event 3 - Sled Drag.
300 pound sled + Harley - 49.5 feet

Ok, dragging stuff. Not a big deal. Except when its heavy. This is where my poor conditioning really started to come into play. The course was originally supposed to be 50 feet, but was changed to 80. I made it 49.5 feet. I could have completed the course had it stayed at 50, but c'est la vie. At one point (obvious in the video) my calves cramped up and I lost the momentum I had built. That killed the rest of the drag, but I did manage to pull it further than a lot of people. There were also a few people that completed the course in under 30 seconds. Inhuman.

Event 4 - Tire Flip
500 pound tire 8 flips - 55 seconds

This one I was preppared for. I like flipping tires. The only downside was that since I was a novice, I got the 500 pound tire instead of the 600. Being 8 feet tall, I liked the 600 better as it was a lot higher and easier to get my chest into. While flipping, I felt like I was doing a better job of driving into the tire, but the video looks like I'm still deadlifting it too much. More work to be done. The result of that bad technique is some brutal DOMS in my biceps and I'm lucky I didn't tear one. At one point I had a lopsided shove and the tire bouced a lot, which hurt my time. Another thing to think about. Still, finally an event I won.

Event 5 - Car Deadlift
Car - 18" (supposedly) pick height, around 650 in the hands. 4 reps

Since I won the last event, I got to go last for this one. The best for reps in my class was 3, so I was happy to just hit 4 and call it a day. Damn thing was heavy. During the 3rd and 4th reps, it felt like my hamstrings were tearing. They're fine, but that was more encouragement to call it a day at 4. I will mention that there was a competitor in the 200 pound class that hit 21 reps. I'll also mention he was maybe 5'5" and the frame barely left the ground for him to lock out. One case where being enourmous didn't help.


Parting thoughts

This was my first real competition and it shows. Not so much in that I didn't kick everyone's hind ends, but in how foreign the events were to me. The only one I was ready for was the tire flip. The car deadlift was ridiculous. People with traditional deadlift maxes around 425-450 were hitting 7-9 reps with it. Technique and height. One I can work on, the other not as much. Going forward, I'll be focusing on 3 things.

1st, dropping some weight. I'm not looking to move down a weight class so much as just get down to a healthier weight for me. I want to compete in the heaviest class available because I don't believe in the pound for pound strength thing. Either you could move the semi or you couldn't. It was no respector of weight classes.

2nd, conditioning. There's no excuse for bad conditioning in strongman. Time to step it up.

3rd, brute strength. You might have thought I would focus on technique, but no. Technique is nice, but I want to be able to just pick the damn semi up and walk with it next time. Without the base level of strength necessary, all the tech in the world isn't going to do a damn thing. 500 squat, 650 deadlift, and 300 press are on my list.

Thanks to this community for the support, advice, and guidance I get. Escpecially, thank you to Steve for getting me started down a path that meant squatting instead of curling in the squat rack. My next competition I'll be stronger, wiser, and better dressed for the conditions. No promises of winning, but I'll blow my last performance out of the water.

[bruteforce]

Vids.

Truck Pull

2012 10 06 13 42 33 186 - YouTube

2012 10 06 13 42 33 186 - YouTube

Log

100612183311 - YouTube

100612183311 - YouTube

Sled

2012 10 06 15 22 27 294 - YouTube

2012 10 06 15 22 27 294 - YouTube

Tire

2012 10 06 16 52 10 77 - YouTube

2012 10 06 16 52 10 77 - YouTube

Car

2012 10 06 17 43 43 461 - YouTube

2012 10 06 17 43 43 461 - YouTube

[BendtheBar]

Enjoyed the write up. Was nice to see the fruit of your hard work.

There's a tiny incline there and it killed the progress of most competitors.

I saw you get it moving and then it seemed to die. Couldn't figure out why. Now it makes sense.

There was no chance I was going to win this event and I was good for 2nd place with 1 rep as several others weren't about to clean or press it.

Just being able to do 180 in your first year of hardcore training is a nice accomplishment. Speaks volumes for where you are heading.

Ok, dragging stuff. Not a big deal.

Herculean effort. You rowed that sucker like a champ.

I will mention that there was a competitor in the 200 pound class that hit 21 reps. I'll also mention he was maybe 5'5" and the frame barely left the ground for him to lock out. One case where being enourmous didn't help.

One inch pulls.

1st, dropping some weight. I'm not looking to move down a weight class so much as just get down to a healthier weight for me. I want to compete in the heaviest class available because I don't believe in the pound for pound strength thing. Either you could move the semi or you couldn't. It was no respector of weight classes.

2nd, conditioning. There's no excuse for bad conditioning in strongman. Time to step it up.

3rd, brute strength. You might have thought I would focus on technique, but no. Technique is nice, but I want to be able to just pick the damn semi up and walk with it next time. Without the base level of strength necessary, all the tech in the world isn't going to do a damn thing. 500 squat, 650 deadlift, and 300 press are on my list.

Excellent goals.

Perhaps less time on bench presses and more on OHPs and triceps.

[MC]

Impressive work all the way around, Brute. Vids are awesome. Way to power through deadlifting the car. OUCH!

[Jen]

Very, very impressive Brute

[Goat]

You have lit a fire under me, Brute! Looking into strongman in my area.

[5kgLifter]

Nice going Brute!

[austin.j.taylor]

Great job, Brute. I had originally planned on doing that contest, but I ended up working that day

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

One inch pulls.

I train with Casey on the regular and his rom for deadlifts is just silly. You gave him too much credit though, he is only 5'4", lol.

[big_swede]

Good writeup brute, and great job. Also I think its a good idea to get a log for training - its a humbling lift!

[bruteforce]

Originally Posted by *MC*

Impressive work all the way around, Brute. Vids are awesome. Way to power through deadlifting the car. OUCH!

Thanks MC! It was a great learning experience, not just for the technique and events, but for pushing myself when I would rather just call it a day.

Originally Posted by Jen

Very, very impressive Brute

Thanks Jen!

Originally Posted by Goat

You have lit a fire under me, Brute! Looking into strongman in my area.

Awesome! You really ought to. The camaraderie among contestants is amazing, everyone is supportive, so no need to worry about a bunch of pricks. Of course, each comp may be different, but who cares, get out and pull some heavy stuff!

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

Nice going Brute!

Thanks Babs!

Originally Posted by austin.j.taylor

Great job, Brute. I had originally planned on doing that contest, but I ended up working that day


I train with Casey on the regular and his rom for deadlifts is just silly. You gave him too much credit though, he is only 5'4", lol.

Thanks Austin! It would have been awesome if you'd been able to make it. Let me know when you are planning on competing next, if its near enough by, I might just jump in for the heck of it.

In other news, if we're thinking of the same guy, he had hello kitty pirate socks. Epic.

Originally Posted by big_swede

Good writeup brute, and great job. Also I think its a good idea to get a log for training - its a humbling lift!

thanks Swede!yeah, that log is crazy, feels nothing like a bar at all.

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Enjoyed the write up. Was nice to see the fruit of your hard work.



I saw you get it moving and then it seemed to die. Couldn't figure out why. Now it makes sense.



Just being able to do 180 in your first year of hardcore training is a nice accomplishment. Speaks volumes for where you are heading.



Herculean effort. You rowed that sucker like a champ.



One inch pulls.



Excellent goals.

Perhaps less time on bench presses and more on OHPs and triceps.

Thanks BtB! We'll get everything figured out for training, I'm just happy right now that I was able to go in and be comfortable with my performance. Next time I'm out for blood though.