NOTE FROM THROWFARTHER:  This article was written for ThrowFarther.com by strength and throwing coach Kevin DiGiorgio.  Kevin has a very impressive list of training and throwing credentials and we are excited to have him contribute to the site, check out his bio here.  Kevin recommends incorporating the below Strongman training into your regular training routine once a week or once every two weeks by performing 4 of these exercises per workout.  If you have questions about this program or training concepts please post your questions in the ThrowFarther discussion forum.  This article also contains links to demonstration videos of the exercises.  You can see the demo videos here.  Strongman training may present a risk of injury and should only be done under appropriate supervision.  ThrowFarther has provided this information for informational purposes only and all training performed based on this information is done at your own risk.

Strongman Training for Throwers

By: Kevin DiGiorgio - www.DigiorgioThrowing.com 

     No matter how many weights you lift or how many exercises you know it will never add up to the effects that can be gained from doing Strongman Circuit Training for explosiveness and something in my family we like to call, Power Cardio.

     An overview of the majority of the events done by strongmen show the total body being worked, especially the body's core to the EXTREME; Events such as, The Farmers Walk, Log Cleans and/or Presses, Sled Pulls, Sled Drags, Sandbag Carries, Tire Flips, Yoke Walks, Keg Tosses, to name a few...In this article I will discuss the major, safer strongman events that can be done by throwers at the high school/collegiate level and also at the elite level. I will try to place my focus on the muscle groups and tendons that are associated with these particular movements and their correlations to throwing.

THE FARMERS WALK

     First on the list, and my personal favorite, is the Farmers Walk. The athlete begins the exercise standing upright with one farmer handle on each side of the body. A good place to purchase cheap, durable handles online is at www.NewYorkBarbells.com. Add a desired amount of weight to the handles that the individual can do for a 100-160 foot walk. Wrist straps or support should be avoided here because we are looking to strengthen the fingers, wrists and forearms. As you bend down to lift the handles make sure your back is straight, like when you perform a Deadlift or Power Clean, bend the legs and hips, do not arch the back. Grip the handles, stand up and get ready for a nice stroll. Try to walk in a straight line and avoid setting up an obstacle course for lateral movement. It's hard enough trying to walk straight, you will run into problems trying to change directions with a good amount of weight in each hand. Also, trying to change direction may cause ankle injury because of the weight wanting to move one way while the athlete tries to change direction.

     The muscles/tendons being worked here from the bottom of the body upward are; Gastrocnemius, Soleus (Calf muscles) and Achilles tendons. Tibialis Anterior, Tibialis Posterior, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor Hallicus Longus, Peroneus Longus, Peronius Brevis (Foot Flexors) and Peroneus Longus tendons. Rectus Femoris, Vastus Intermedius, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis (Quadriceps muscles) and Patellar tendons. Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosis, Semimembranosus (Hamstring Muscles). Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Minimus, Gluteus Medius (Buttocks Muscles).  Coming up to the core of the body the Erector Spinae muscles  are being worked, these muscles, as it says in the name erect the spine, they are your spinal muscles. The abdominal muscles or Rectus Abdominis muscles are tight and tensed during the duration of the exercise for stability. The obliques get bypassed here because the two weights on either side of the body counter balance the individual.

     Moving up to the top we see the upper, middle and lower Trapezius muscles and Deltoids (shoulders) being worked, because they are supporting the hold. The muscles of the upper back; Rhomboids, Levetor Scapulae and the Upper Lattisimus Dorsi muscles are holding the dumbbells as well.  Down the arms toward the gripping part we have the muscles of the biceps, forearms and wrist flexors being worked. These muscles are; Biceps Brachii, Brachioradialis, Brachialis, also the Biceps tendons. The forearm flexors are; Flexor Carpi Radialis. Palmaris Longus and the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris.

     Lastly, down the kinetic chain are the finger flexors; Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundis and the Flexor Pollicis Longus.  Again, the major tendons that are worked here are as follows, from bottom to top; Achilles Tendons (ankle), Patellar Tendons (knee), Biceps Tendons (biceps). From here on in I will just list the muscle/tendon group and the according anatomical terminology that goes with it.

     Now, from one single-full body event, IN FORWARD MOTION, we have a tremendous amount of muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments being worked! The key here is that the athlete is in motion, not in one place performing a lift. We are athletes, not bodybuilders, power-lifters or Olympic lifters. We must perform movements that mimic our throwing motion, while working on athleticism at the same time. We are essentially getting the same benefits from strongman exercises as we do if we are to do a clean and jerk, a snatch, or other gym exercises, BUT we have continuous repetition, which is more efficient! Workouts can be done faster and with more athletes involved, compared to 15 kids in a weight room rotating in to do cleans, etc..Which takes forever.

     There is Flexion and Extension of every lower body muscle and tendon during something as simple as a good ol' Farmer Walk. When an athlete throws a javelin, discus or puts a shot there should be maximal extension going on at release, what better way to choose an exercise that does just that with EVERY STEP, not to mention working your finger, wrist, and forearm muscles to the EXTREME!

     I started out doing 225-235 lbs, with no wrist support,  in each hand for easy 90-100 foot walks. I am now up to a max of 330 lbs in each hand for an 80 foot walk, still with no wrist supports. Wrist and hand strength have gone up dramatically. When I pick a 16 lb shot up it feels like a small toy in my hand now. Physically you become strong, as well as mentally, and we all know the mental aspect is ¾  of the battle as a competitive athlete.

     This exercise is a must if you decide to try your hand at a strongman event.  See demo video here.

LOG CLEAN / LOG CLEAN & PRESS

     Next on the list we have the Log Clean and/or Log Clean and Press.  What the log is is a hollow bar, usually 4-5 feet in length and from 8-12 inches thick and the weight of this implement varies from 75-175 lbs. or more in some cases. The individual puts their hands into the hollow bar and there are 2 neutral (palms facing each other) grips located inside of it, at a little wider than shoulder width. This exercise is sort of like a clean/clean and jerk, but with a much greater deal of hip extension and hip pop.

     Start with the Log on the ground, set your body up as you would if you were performing a Power Clean, but straighten your legs a bit more and bend your back more toward it being parallel with the ground. This will lead to good technique and benefit you when you have to roll the bar up your body once it hits your hips/upper quadriceps region.

     Start the lift by rowing the weight up with your arms and straightening/extending the lower back. You can not really drop under this bar like you would if you were dropping under a Power Clean while using a regular bar. You must power row it to your hip area and this is where the tremendous hip rotation/extension occurs. Once the bar hits this area you will rotate it up by curling it, popping/driving the hips and pulling it up to your shoulders all at the same time.

     The stress from this exercise on your hips, gluteal muscles, hamstrings, erector spinae, and biceps is far more superior, in my professional opinion, than a Power clean with an Olympic bar. I believe this for the simple fact that the bar is in DIRECT contact with the body and the body/hips/legs need to physically move the bar for it to get up. You are not pulling it through mid-air like you would if you are pulling up on a power clean. This bar is in direct contact with the body which makes the hips and legs work even harder to complete the lift. Once the bar is up to the shoulders you can opt to Press it, Jerk it up, or just go back to the ground for another Clean. If you want your body to be worked to the max then clean and jerk it up. This will do wonders for you as a thrower because it has the legs/hips doing most of the work and overloading the deltoids with weight it can not handle by just standing pressing alone.  See demo video here.

Muscles worked in this lift are as follows, from the bottom to the top of the Kinetic Chain:

Feet/Ankle/Calf Muscles & Achilles & Peroneus Longus Tendons:   Tibialis Anterior, Posterior Tendons & Achilles Tendon.  Tibialis posterior, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor, Hallicus Longus, Peroneus Longus, Peroneus Longus Tendon, Peroneus Brevis, Gastrocnemius, Soleus.

Hamstrings:  Biceps Femoris, Semitendonosus, Semimembranosus

Quadriceps/Patellar Tendon: Vastus Lateralis, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Medialis & Vastus Intermedius                                      

Buttocks: Gluteus Maximus, Medius and Minimus

Spine Extensors/Flexors:  Erector Spinae

Abdominal Muscles:  Rectus Abdominis

Wrist/hand Flexors:  Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundus, Flexor Pollicis Longus

Biceps/Biceps Tendon:  Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

Shoulder/ Upper Back Muscles Region:  Anterior and Posterior Deltoids, Upper, Middle, Lower Trapezoids, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboids

Triceps/Triceps Tendons:  Triceps Brachii

THE SLED PULL

   Next on the agenda is the sled pull. Either using a pulling harness or a piece of wood across the chest, also known as a yoke, connected to ropes going to the sled. This exercise is a staple for throwers. This, unlike the 2 exercises, is solely for the lower body with a little insignificant arm movement wearing a harness and no arm movement if the athlete is using a wooden yoke across the chest.

     The sled pull is self explanatory, harness up and run !! The power that an individual can create from this in the lower extremity is second to none, especially wearing cleats on a dirt/grassy surface so you can dig in and drive. Do these for 60-120 feet runs or shorter and longer depending on your personal preference. When you decrease the distance add weight or vice-versa.

     This exercise directly correlates to the muscles we all use when we throw. This is the bread and butter of all outdoor leg exercises that will give you tremendous speed, strength and stability when you enter that circle ready to unleash a bomb onto the field. Sled Pulls essentially up your horsepower and torque, which will prepare your body for longer throws more often.

The muscles and tendons worked during this staple strongman exercise are, from bottom up:

Feet/Ankle/Calf Muscles & Achilles & Peroneus Longus Tendons:  Tibialis Anterior, Posterior Tendons & Achilles Tendon.  Tibialis posterior, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor, Hallicus Longus, Peroneus Longus, Peroneus Longus Tendon, Peroneus Brevis, Gastrocnemius, Soleus.

Hamstring Muscles:  Biceps Femoris, Popliteus, Semi-membranosus, Semi-tendonosus

Quadricep Muscles/Patellar Tendons:  Rectus Femoris, Vastus Intermedius, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis.

Buttocks Muscles:  Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus

Abdominal Muscles:  Rectus Abdominis