Strongman in DC Metro Area plus training q's about unusual events

[GuinnessStrong]

NAS Gold Level in Arlington VA on March 10th

Viking Press (Reps)
Hussafell Carry (Max Distance)
Frame Carry (80' for time)
Mystery Deadlift (Reps)
Atlas Stone Series

Divisions: women's Novice, Men's novice, 200, 231, HW

Entry form: http://www.nastrongman.com/pdf/2011/barry.pdf

Anyone else on this forum doing this one? I'm in for LW <200. Trying to harden up and get out of novice for the first time.

[GuinnessStrong]

So I've been training for this one for a few weeks now...

Hussafel: I am doing mock carry with three 100lb plates I stuck on a short loading pin. I figure overweight training is the best way to go and just working on max distance / breathing. The pick is the hardest part but once I get it to the chest it just seems like a battle of will to breathe.

For the viking press: should I be training anything other than standard barbell pressing (pushes, jerks, strict)? Is moving the weight easier or harder due to the lever arm? Can you even split jerk this thing or should I cut that out of training for now?

[Kharvok]

a 400lb hussafel at an amateur competition wtf?

[GuinnessStrong]

a 400lb hussafel at an amateur competition wtf?

The worst part is I went to the 1st annual Cap Classic and he bumped everything but the overhead up by a lot. I'm expecting at least a 475 carry for us sub 2s and a 365+ axle for the mystery dead. I can't practice >300 with my pin for Hussafell so here's to hoping that isn't upped, too.

[TylerShelgren]

You're not usually allowed to double dip on Viking press.

[GuinnessStrong]

You're not usually allowed to double dip on Viking press.

I'm guessing that means essentially push press only?

[Kharvok]

I mean not trying to sound like a bitch but I just don't agree with lower level contests going that heavy on something like the hussafell if it's concrete. Thats something that can go very very wrong without some practice. That and the block presses.


I really don't know what to tell you about the viking press. That one doesn't come up much. I would just push press in prep for it. I don't know what to tell you about foot position in relation to the implement.

[CookAndrewB]

I have found that viking presses you typically want to stand a little behind the handles, as the press will be up and away, not just up. Push press, forget about split jerks as you will find that very messy because of bar path.

For the hussafel... 475 is a rough weight for little guys. I've done plenty of walks in the 300lb range and that is a challenge. 475 tends to be more of a HW weight, and even then I've seen very few people that can walk it very far. I'm not sure I understand why a competition would have weights that cause most competitors to fail straight away. Besides it being irritating for competitors (I won't even enter a comp if there are events I know I'll scratch on. I don't care about winning events, but I want to at least be able to participate!), it is boring to watch a bunch of guys get up there and fail to launch.

I think some promoters look at what top light weights can do, and forget that they represent about 5-10% of the total competitor pool. I've been in competitions where there are 25+ competitors in the 200-231 class. If 1-2 of these guys fail... so what, that's about average. If more than half of the field can't pick a weight, or take more than a step, that's too much weight IMO. I like a challenge, but I refuse to pay money to A) compete in events that are overtly dangerous or B) clearly out of my league. I'm ok with being a (healthy) so-so strongman

[mjenks71]

I think the HW hussafel is the old IFSA shield, I know Barry has that at his place.

[Deadmonton]

^yeah it's the IFSA shield, it says so on the second page of the entry. It also says that the <200 Husafell is 265 so I don't know where you're getting 475 from.

[GuinnessStrong]

I meant 475 for the BDS frame, sorry for the confusion. That's what we had for novice at his event last year and I don't know why it would be any lower for us now given only 3 or so guys failed the run (myself included). I guess it would make things more competitive speed wise. The H stone's 265 for us. Any tips on pressing, Mike? Is his new location similar to the old one?