The Strongman Squat Lift poses some unique challenges for the competitor that need to be addressed to ensure optimal results and the least amount of grief from the implement. The strongman squat lift as done currently at Iron Revolution Gym features an axle bar measuring 2 inches (50mm) in thickness with non rotating ends that must be lowered until the plates/wheels on the end of the bar make contact with platforms set up to stop the implement traveling down further once the lifter hits squat depth. As always here at the gym depth is measured when the top of the hip crease passes below the top of the knee, not “to parallel”.
Managing the Axle Bar
The increased diameter of the bar can be a blessing for some and curse for others. Usually those smaller lifters who hold the bar with their hands in closer will struggle more with the increased diameter bar and the broader lifters who take a wider grip are usually able to control it easier and stop the rotation from occurring. Once the bar starts to rotate it is very hard to recover from and will wreak havoc with your balance. If this happens around your sticking point it means bad news for you.
Key points to remember with bar placement;
- The position that allows you to keep your upper back the tightest is the best. Low bar or high bar it doesn’t matter, which one is best for you will largely be dictated on your natural leverages.
- A wider hand grip is usually better on the axle bar. Due to the non rotating ends of the bar and the masses of weight on each end you want to give yourself the best leverage possible over the bar to stop the it rotating and keep it still. The closer you hands are to the weights on the end the better the leverage will be. Just remember point 1, you need to be able to keep the back tight still so look for the sweet spot where you have the best balance of the two.
- A false grip (thumbless grip) is usually easier for bigger lifters to get there hands in a good position on the bar. Due to the thickness of the bar it makes squeezing it or locking the grip in much more difficult compared to a regular barbell.
Handling the Platforms
Once the bar is set the next major issue is hitting the platforms and the recoil it can create for you. Some set ups are “harsher” than others. For example having rubber tires on the ends of the bar provides a nice soft bounce from the bottom of the platform whereas having steel wheels or plates hitting a steel platform tends to send a recoil right through your spine if you hit it too hard. The trick is to find the right tempo that works for you and the implements. I recommend taking the first rep a little slower and cautiously so you can get a feel for it then adjust the speed accordingly If you nail the timing right it can actually be beneficial and help spring you back up. If the platforms have been set up correctly for you then you will need to break parallel each time to get a successful rep. Make sure you train for his and remember, Friends don’t let friends squat high!
Key points to remember about the platforms;
- Having the plates or bar ends bounce off platforms is very different to hitting the safeties is a power rack so practice on a setup that allows for it. Plyo boxes and bumper plates stack up for this if you don’t have an adjustable set up.
- Gauge the speed of your movement and try to time the bounce off the platforms to your advantage. Take the first one easy then set the pace for the following reps based on how it responds. Sometimes the first bounce can unsettle the bar on your back so make sure you don’t lose it.
- Always squat to depth. Don’t have the platforms set up high and wonder why you struggle on the day. Hip crease BELOW the top of the knee. Not “just on”, “parallel” or “Close Enough”. It was either below or it wasn’t there is no grey area here.
Once you break it down this is still a squat with a bar on your back so all the usual points to remember apply;
- Remember to brace hard! Keeping the spine stable and braced is one of the most important things to remember when squatting heavy. Push your abs out into your belt and create as much pressure as you can to keep the upper body tight, stable and locked in to lift a heavy weight.
- The quads are the prime mover in the squat not the glute medius, adductor magnus or your big toe. While for a big squat to pay off you need all the muscles in the lower extremities to do their job it’s the quads that need to be trained accordingly for this.
- Don’t sit too far back. Sitting too far back on this lift will make it the thick bar harder to control and can make hitting the platforms and getting depth harder too. Trying to good morning this event never works well so avoid putting yourself in that position all together.
- Knee sleeves help a lot, knee wraps help a lot more. If you haven’t squatted in knee wraps before then now probably isn’t the best time to learn if you already find the axle squat challenging. If not wrap away!
- A slightly wider than usual stance can help with this squat if you are someone who squats super low usually. The wider stance makes it harder to get so low and will feel a little bit more natural for you when the platforms stop you.
- Keep the lats engaged and elbows pull in towards the body, not forward under the bar. The elbows should be locked in towards the body in a similar position to when you do a lat pulldown or chin up. Chicken winging too far back and swung too far forward under the bar are both bad for keeping things tight and locked in.
Training the Squat Lift
This is the easiest event to train for in my opinion as you should already be doing enough to do well in it. At the upcoming Iron Revolution Strength Challenge 2 this is the main lower body event and therefore the main event we are training of the lower body at the gym right now. Due to there being no yoke event we can push the squat a bit harder a couple of times per week now. I like to have one day focussing on volume and one day focussing on a rep max. This program takes some elements from Chad Wesley Smith’s The Cowboy Squat method and adds in a sprinkle or IR strongmanology for good measure.
Here are the first 6 weeks;
Volume days based of sleeved squat max, rep days on wrap squat max or both in sleeves if you don’t wear knee wraps. If your target weight for the comp is more than your current max then use that as the target for the wraps squat day.
Week 1:
- Monday (Volume)- 10 x 5 reps at 60% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 8-10+ at 74% 1RM in wraps
Week 2:
- Monday (Volume)- 10 x 4 reps at 67.5% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 8-10 at 78% 1RM in wraps
Week 3:
- Monday (Volume)- 10 x 3 reps at 75% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 6-8+ at 82% 1RM in wraps
Week 4:
- Monday (Volume)- 8 x 5 reps at 65% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 6-8+ at 86% 1RM in wraps
Week 5:
- Monday (Volume)- 8 x 4 reps at 72.5% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 4-6 at 90% 1RM in wraps
Week 6:
- Monday (Volume)- 8 x 3 reps at 80% 1RM sleeves only
- Saturday (Rep Max) 1 x 4-6 at 94% 1RM in wraps
For an in depth breakdown of how to do the strongman events you can look into one of our strongman coaching packages or the Strongman Workshops we run quarterly.
Click on any of the links above or drop me a line on the contact form below to find out more.
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