I needed to go to my nephew’s place in Madison to pick up the Jeep I’d stored there over two years ago. I was doubtful about starting it, but I need it and had to find out just what it would take. More importantly, I wanted to see his workout set-up he has put together to train for the World’s Strongest Man competition. I’ve seen some of these events on TV over the years and know that it’s more than just brute strength. Events vary from year to year, but include measurements of strength, power, endurance and coordination. He took me into his garage…more of a barn…to show me his stations.
“This is the tire for the tire flip. Weighs about 800 pounds,” he said. He has conserved words all his life and says very little. Actually…there are only so many uses of words in the universe each day and if I’m going to be using as many as I do, someone gets fewer. Anyway…the object is to pick up this tire from the ground to an upright position and then…push it over. This is done until the tire has moved about 40 yards down a field.
“Seriously? Jon…how in God’s name can ANYBODY do this?” I asked. He just shrugged. But seriously…how can they? He showed me the Atlas balls next. Solid concrete balls weighing between 225 and 380 pounds which are to be lifted onto platforms ranging in height from about three to five feet off the ground. I don’t think I could have rolled them, but the idea of picking up that kind of weight…with nothing to grip…and then lifting it up five feet?
He had a steel sled that could hold weight for dragging to train for the truck pull (though in years past it could be a plane, train, fire engine or other contraptions that could weigh between 20-40 tons) and a steel bar with two tires on each end with more space to add weight to practice the log lift. The tires were there not for weight, but so it could be dropped once lifted overhead. The log lift is done with a log weighing in around 250 pounds and has to be lifted, returned to the ground and then lifted again…as many times as possible in a set time, usually 75 seconds.
He had a couple of kegs filled with cement and handles attached to the tops and weighing about 350 pounds each for the Farmer’s Carry. In this event, the contestants have to carry one in each hand for a distance of 50 yards and in a time of 75 seconds…though like all of the events, they can change the weight carried, time and distance each year. In fact, no two competitions are ever alike and may or may not include events like the squat, keg toss over a wall, and the dead lift to go along with the events already mentioned and with varying weights, distances and other criteria. In all, it appears like a very difficult competition for which to prepare since you never know exactly what to expect…except that you will need super-human strength, power and muscular endurance. Needless to say, my nephew is quite literally ‘a beast’.
I was feeling about 70% throughout the day…still feeling the after effects of the previous day’s vertigo. I elected to take another ‘no exercise’ day and did the Christmas things that had to be done…like get a tree, drink egg nog and eat more cookies…things at which I excel. I managed to get the lights on the tree, though was unsatisfied with its placement in the stand. It was big and heavy…and leaning a little.
I wanted to make sure I at least tried a workout the next day, so I sent messages to Kim and Nathan to meet me in the park at 9 a.m. to give it a go. No doc told me I shouldn’t…and that was good enough for me.
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