Hey, docs! I’m currently running the Strongman template and really enjoying it. My gym is a commercial gym, however, so I don’t have access to a few of the implements and have had to make some substitutions. For instance, my gym doesn’t have Circus DB, so I’ve just been doing DB hang clean and jerk instead for the same sets and reps. The one thing I can’t really seem to approximate by way of a reasonable proxy exercise is the prescribed load to platform work. We don’t have any atlas stones or other implements I think would work for the sets and reps slotted within the template. I’m four weeks into the template and so far, I’ve been substituting it with tire flips. Do you think is a reasonable alternative? If so, could you recommend a good set/rep protocol for doing the tire flips going forward for the remainder of the program? I’m planning on running the next two blocks and I see the load to platform stuff is retained throughout. Another idea I had was possibly doing power cleans in place of the platform-loading slot. Just wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks, guys!
I think a continental clean and press with an axle could work, but I’m guessing you guys don’t have an axle. A tire flip would be fine in this case. I’d plan on doing it for the same volume as the stone work throughout in an effort to generate similar training stress.
Thanks for the reply, Jordan. The problem with that is our tires aren’t heavy enough to achieve that volume at that prescribed RPE. That’s why I was thinking a barbell power clean might make sense here as well, but I wanted to get your thoughts on that. It seems in the absence of being able to load things properly, some sort of barbell loaded oly-variant would be appropriate. Whether it’s a power clean, clean, clean and jerk, et cetera, I don’t know. Strongman programming is definitely new territory to me. But also keep in my mind, on that same “event day,” I’m doing a DB clean in jerk as in place of Circus DB. Not sure if that would influence your programming considerations or not. Thanks again, Jordan!
Yea a power clean or zercher deadlift would work in this situation, for sure.
Excellent. Thanks, Jordan. I think I’ll go the power clean route for the next upcoming Strongman block, and then possibly switch to Zercher deadlifts for the third. I didn’t even know Zercher deadlifts were a thing. That sounds really fun to mess around with. Final follow-up question: I noticed the load to platform work in the second block has back-off work in the 6-8 rep range. While this is certain an achievable rep range with power cleans, I’ve never seen them programmed at such high reps. Would it be your recommendation to match the prescribed reps and sets for the loading work within that block with the power clean?
Yep, no problem doing Olympic lifts in that rep range for a strength endurance type challenge.