the old school way to get ripped
Instead of grinding out set after set on the machines at the gym, use Modified Strongman Training to lose fat, build muscle, and boost your performance.
If you’ve never heard of it, Modified Strongman Training blends old-school (and brutally efficient) equipment like sleds, tires, and yoke carries with full-body circuit training. It’s the perfect mix of strength and metabolic training.
And strongman training is as functional as it gets. Picking heavy things off the ground, carrying awkward objects, and pushing heavy loads are all tasks you’ll experience during your day.
Plus, because most strongman movements are mostly concentric (meaning the “push” part of a lift), you’re able to limit the amount of muscle soreness you’ll experience. This means you can add 1-2 modified strongman workouts to your regular 3-4 strength workouts each week and still recover fully.
The problem is that most commercial gyms won’t have some (or all) of the equipment you need. The solution is to use modified strongman movements that replicate the demands of traditional strongman tools but give you the freedom to do a workout anywhere.
Here’s a sample workout. Do each exercise for 30 seconds, and then move on to the next one. When you complete all five, rest until your heart rate (and breathing) return to normal. Do 3-4 total sets depending on your conditioning.
Exercise 1: “Dead” Treadmill Sprint
Set the treadmill incline at 7 to 10 degrees and the speed to zero (or turn it off completely) so that you're powering it manually. Grab the front handles and run hard for 30 seconds.
Exercise 2: Bent Over Dumbbell Row + Good Morning
Grab two dumbbells and hold them at your side. Keeping your back straight, unlock your knees, and push your hips back until your arms are perpendicular to the floor. Row with both arms at the same time until the dumbbells are almost touching your chest with your elbows locked to your sides. Now, “push the floor away from you” and squeeze your glutes to stand up.
Exercise 3: Kettlebell/Dumbbell Rack Carry + Squat
“Rack” two dumbells or kettlebells (let them rest at your chest with your elbows locked to your sides) and walk for 15 seconds or around 20 yards. Then, do 5 squats before setting the weights down.
Exercise 4: Tall Kneeling Med Ball (or Dumbbell) Chops
Kneel on a pad with your body in a straight line from head to knees. Hold one medicine ball with both hands near your hip. Now, chop the medicine ball across the midline of your body to bring it up past the opposite shoulder.
Exercise 5: Spiderman pushup
As you lower your body into a pushup, swing your right leg forward towards your right elbow. Reverse the move as you push back up. On your next rep, switch sides: left knee towards left elbow.
