Whereas many energy sports activities have very important distinctions concerning strength and muscle demands, vitamin, and aggressive requirements, typically it could pay to be taught from others within the sphere. That’s a lesson four-time World’s Strongest Man competitor Rob Kearney, five-time Fittest Man on Earth® (2016-2020) Mat Fraser, and 2021 CrossFit Rookie of the Yr Mal O’Brien appeared to take to coronary heart not too long ago.
On July 4, 2022, Fraser shared a video on his YouTube channel the place he, O’Brien, and Kearney had a joint coaching session. The routine was centered round Kearney first instructing the log raise approach to Fraser and O’Brien. Then, he had the duo proceed to deal with their arms and shoulders with heavy dumbbell presses.
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Notably, Kearney was not too long ago employed by Fraser’s coaching firm, HWPO (Onerous Work Pays Off) because the chief of their new energy program “HWPO Robust.” In a devoted program all through the week, Kearney will use his wealth of strongman information to assist individuals construct their energy and conditioning on coaching days all through the week. This information would partly clarify Kearney’s involvement with Fraser and O’Brien.
As for the log raise, Kearney is aware of a factor or two about profitable approach. In 2019, throughout the annual World Log Raise Championships, Kearney captured the then-American File log lift of 213.6 kilograms (471 kilos). Equally, the strongman as soon as demonstrated he has the energy to correctly raise 215-pound dumbbells with one arm in a February 2020 coaching session with Brian Shaw.
If anybody’s certified to show a refresher on each the log raise and circus dumbbell press to 2 elite athletes like Fraser and O’Brien — whose CrossFit backgrounds veer in another way — it’s Kearney.
The trio’s session passed off within the since-retired Fraser’s house gymnasium. Fraser is presently coaching O’Brien for the 2022 CrossFit Video games on August 3-7, 2022, in Madison, WI. Whereas the CrossFit Video games don’t essentially function strongman occasions particularly, there could be lots of overhead actions in occasions that require correct coaching and approach. There weren’t many overhead actions within the 2021 Particular person CrossFit Video games apart from some dumbbell overhead squats and a one-rep max snatch.
Since that might all the time change for this yr’s version, this time with Kearney might assist O’Brien put together for that by sharpening up her overhead prowess. General, the trio’s coaching session appears to be a superb demonstration of what athletes from completely different disciplines can be taught from each other.
Log Raise
After Fraser asks Kearney to supply a walkthrough of the log raise approach, the strongman breaks it down into three segments — the choose, the clear, and the press.
The choose is when an athlete deadlifts the log to their hips for the “lap place,” or the place the athlete can relaxation their weight earlier than exploding it for a roll to a entrance rack place on their chest. That roll from the hips to the chest is the clear. Kearney says the right clear approach is to hold the elbows excessive whereas the back is absolutely engaged, permitting the log to remain tight to the physique.
Lastly, there’s the acquainted press. For a correct overhead lockout that includes the decrease physique, the athlete should barely dip their legs to press the log from that entrance rack place. Fraser first practiced the log raise with an empty log that weighed 90 kilos; Kearney critiqued his decrease elbow positioning that might throw him off stability with increased weight.
By way of numbers for the trio, Fraser ultimately accomplished a 104-kilogram (230-pound) log press for 2 separate reps. In the meantime, Kearney determined to rep out 158.7 kilograms (350 kilos), and O’Brien locked out a profitable 72.6-kilogram (160-pound) split-jerk with the log.
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Heavy Dumbbell Press
Just like the final train, Kearney breaks down the heavy dumbbell press approach into segments. First, there’s the clear, the place the athlete has to get the dumbbell to the rack place on their deltoids. Then, with the elbow excessive, lots of the jerk motion upward is extra about getting underneath the dumbbell somewhat than attempting to press it up. Just like the log raise, this requires the athlete to have a measure of leg power somewhat than solely counting on the shoulders.
Fraser stored his power on correct approach for the dumbbell press. It didn’t take lengthy for the CrossFit nice to know the rack place and begin ending clear reps. When O’Brien was up, she appeared unsure about methods to end the dumbbell press at first. As soon as she understood how the dip might assist generate drive from the other leg, she likewise started to finish some reps.
On the time of this writing, the CrossFit group has not revealed the exercises for the 2022 CrossFit Video games. If there are any strongman-like, overhead occasions in Madison, WI, O’Brien might need the sting over her friends because of Kearney’s steering.
Featured picture: HWPO Mat Fraser on YouTube
