Can't stand with stones!

[ClayEdgin]

It's becoming quite apparent to me that I'm having trouble on the stones because I can't stand up with them. I've lapped a 352lb stone a couple times but I couldn't stand up with it. Yesterday during training I got a 330 lapped and nearly loaded, but it always seems like I stall out halfway up and can't get it loaded.

The contest I'm doing on April 9th has stones that are from 240-380 loaded to a 48" platform and I'd like to get all five. I'm sure I can get them all lapped but standing is difficult. Can any of you stone guys help me out? What sorts of exercises in the gym could I do to help build that strength?

Thanks.

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

Ass to heels front squats. Also, lap a lighter stone and do squats with the stone held in front of you.

[Mike Westerling]

You have the exact opposite problem I do. It seems anything I can get into my lap I can stand up with no problem. My grip on them fails me off the floor though (I am getting better though thanks to the sand bag rows Steve Kirit recommended). I have no advice as I'm new to all this but I just thought I'd share-lol. Good luck in your upcoming contest.
-Mike

[james rude]

Dave Ostlund does an exercise with kegs where he laps them and then cleans them to a racked position. go from the lapped position to a racked position explosively for reps. i think that would help you because of the awkwardness of a big ass keg. he says he uses a really heavy keg, like 385 or something ridiculous. i use a sand/water filled 225 keg and it's enough for sets of 5 for me.

[DaneGarreau]

Clay, try doing the stones without a shirt on. The stone should "stick" much better to your skin. I know it won't be a pretty site but it will work. You may want to throw in some upper back work also.

[Jesse Marunde]

all of the above looks like good advise. I think I'm going to try Dave's keg lifts. I can lap way more than I can load off my lap.

Jesse

[AaRoNSnider]

When doing a heavy stone,once I have it lapped,I bring my hips up a little,while keeping my shoulders at the same height,then I drive my hips forward,while driving back with my upper back.Ive noticed that some people will try to lap it,and stand straight up with it.I think that makes it alot harder
Goodmornings off of pins,box squats,log cleans,curls with the log,db hammer curls,reverse curls,or cross body hammer curls all seen to help with the stones

[ClayEdgin]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys.

Dane, I tend to avoid activities where I have to shave my chest in order to be good at them, but I'll see what I can do! haha

[Mike W.]

I'm with ya brother - I have the same problem. I get it off of my lap and about 1/2 way up but can't get the extention to load it on a high platform.....

I worked on "Rock Squat's" and front squats - deep. My goal is to front sqaut for 5 what the heaviest stone is....I've got 380x3 - still working on it.

Mike

[Callie Marunde]

I like the zurcher dead/front squat.. dead lift the bar zurcher style then stand up with it, your just starting the zurcher from the bottom. best done with some type of towel or whimppy pad over bar

Callie

[Steve Mac]

All of those exercises could certainly help but it may also just be the way you "grab" the stone. I improved immediately when I started loading stones with an "over the top of the stone" type of grip. It feels like it won't work when you are doing it, but magically it does. With that type of grip you take the stress off the biceps and put the stress on the much more powerful upper back muscles. Good luck.

[Adam Keep]

Yup, yor're absolutely right! Make sure you chalk your shirt or the stone will just keep rotating in your lap.

[Clint Darden]

I wrote an article a while back that I'll try to link here about how I've trained the Atlas Stones.

One thing that I suggest...is loading your stones to tall platforms ONLY. My lowest platform here is 62". Of course, I plan to make some that are 54" or so but I feel that if you want to be good at loading the stones you have to practice with stones of all different shapes, sizes, and weights...to TALLER platforms.

Clint

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

The high platforms defintely help. I like to use the 62-63" platforms. When you go back to a low platform it feels like you're just standing up with the stone, not even popping it up to get the load.

[Grant Buhr]

Clint -- to save you a bit of effort, I'll post the html version of your article from my site, if you don't mind:

http://ontariostrongman.ca/Resources/stone/training-article/atlas-stone-training.html

[milan jovanovic]

I think that your back strength and leg power are are good.

Should be that you positioning your arm to low on stone and you trying to lift with strnght of your sholders and biceps.


But if your grip giong more up (beter with stacky) you will lock your biceps around stone and also your sholder will be lock with your chests and stone. Thus you will need only back strenght.

The point is to lift with back, not with biceps or shoulders.

Stay strong

[Clint Darden]

Clint -- to save you a bit of effort, I'll post the html version of your article from my site, if you don't mind:

http://ontariostrongman.ca/Resources/stone/training-article/atlas-stone-training.html

Thanks Grant!!!!

These were from Sunday:
265 to 65"
http://www.clintdarden.com/pics/Lifting%20Pics/March%202005/03-06-05/Stones%20265.jpg
285 to 62"
http://www.clintdarden.com/pics/Lifting%20Pics/March%202005/03-06-05/Stones%20285.jpg

Platform shifted (lol) but 310 to 62"
http://www.clintdarden.com/pics/Lifting%20Pics/March%202005/03-06-05/Stones%20310.jpg

Clint

[Jesse Marunde]

good stuff!!!

Jesse

[ClayEdgin]

Excellent advice everyone, thank you very much. I feel really good about the advice I've received on here because everyone here is strong as heck and has handled huge stones. I've been "bear hugging" the stone and have been told by just about everyone over the last few days that I should switch to that over the top grip. My biceps are pretty sore still.

I do practice zercher lifts and have taken 500 from knee height (yes, with the wimpy pad on the bar hehe).

[jeromy moore]

I witnesed Mike W struggle at that point where most get stuck and after a couple months of front squats this past weekend I saw him throw the 380 up better than ever.

[milan jovanovic]

I witnesed on World Strongman Cup competition Misha starov tore badly his right biceps on 2nd event. He finish competition on 2nd place and also lifted stones 240 to 320 lbs and after that had surgery.
I wont to say that he lifted stones without full biceps suport, he wos using back strength and he loked his arm up on stone.

[Jay O'Neill]

My problem is similar. I have the strength to get the stone up and it starts rotating in my lap as I try to stand up with it. I tried using more chalk on my shirt for some extra grip but it still rotates.
Some days I pop it up no problem, but my last couple of stone sessions have been a wash because of this "grip" problem. When You do the Over the top style, how do keep the stone from rotating as you stand up?
HELP!!!

[james rude]

i have the same problem, until i take my shirt off. the stones i use are really smooth and i don't use tacky on them yet, so they spin like crazy on a shirt, but when the shirt comes off they roll up really easily.

sucks in february in michigan though, outside loading stones with no shirt on :eek:

[Jay O'Neill]

I live in Washington state and it can get a bit nipply up here as well. I'll give it a go shirtless. I'll tell ya though, one week I'll pop em up no prob, the next week they spin.
My Girlfriend thinks it may be because I am not using the rubber arm gauntlets... she may be right.
I'll let ya know how it goes.
thanks

[james rude]

if it is spinning on your shirt and not in your arms then the problem isnt your arm grip.

[Jay O'Neill]

that's the problem.... it spins on my shirt.

[Mike Westerling]

I noticed if I'm nice and sweaty when I get to the stones and my shirt is soaked a little chalk makes them stick quite nicely. If I start with stones and my shirts dry they rotate and I can't use the over the top grip. So I just wet my shirt a little and then put on some chalk and I'm good to go. Lately I've been loading them with a bear hug style grip instead of over the top and I like it much better. I'm picking up a set up to 365 tonight so we'll see if that works with the heavier ones next week.

[Jay O'Neill]

Thanks Mike...
I'll give that a shot at my next session. Good luck to you with your Heavy set! It's been hit and miss lately and i haven't been able to get a very workout with them. I'll use spray bottle next session.
Again thanks!

[Jay O'Neill]

Hey Mike,
Just wanted to thank you for the advice. I got my shirt wet before my last session and the stones didn't spin. So props to you!
How did your last stone session go? Hope all is well and thanks again to everyone that commented.

[jeromy moore]

I use a tight sleeveless under armour shirt .......has not failed me yet especially with a little tacky biuld-up on it.

[Dave Ostlund]

I like using a shirt because I sweat so damn much that if I go shirtless its like the stone is spinning on a waterslide. Just dab tacky on your shirt at the upper ab level and designate that as your stone shirt.

The over the top grip works very well on the lower platforms, but it does limit how high you can get the stone. Use an appropriate grip given the stone weight and platform height.

[Jay O'Neill]

i don't like the shirtless thing either. I will do the tacky shirt idea and see how that works.
I was getting a little discouraged when I had all the strength I needed, but stones weren't cooperating. That is what makes this such a great forum!
Thanks Dave!

[Mike Westerling]

Hey Mike,
Just wanted to thank you for the advice. I got my shirt wet before my last session and the stones didn't spin. So props to you!
How did your last stone session go? Hope all is well and thanks again to everyone that commented.

I'm glad the wet shirt worked for you. As for my last stone session....IT SUCKED!!!!!! I was still fatigued as hell coming off 2 great workouts from the week before and after a crappy load with the 240 on the way up I decided to wait another week before trying my new 325 and 355lber's. My bicep tendons were still sore and I had no "oomph" so rather than risk an unproductive workout, or worse, an injury, I stopped cold. It's been tough to wait another week to play with my new toys and I'm getting a little antsy so I hope this week brings a good workout to make up for it. I just got a digital cam from a buddy of mine so I'll try and get some pics.
-Mike

[J. Alexander]

I'm gonna give the wet shirt/chalk idea a shot this week. I went shirtless last week, and I didn't have much more success than with a shirt normally.

Lots of good info on this thread.:)

[Jay O'Neill]

I hear ya.... I got my stones up... the 225 and 265, then did some tire flipping. I will probably do some rep work with the 225 this week.
Amazing how much strain the Biceps have to take when we do the stones. I would never have imagined.
You are right though.Better to quit healthy and hit it hard at the next workout, then to blow a bicep.

[Dan Harrison]

Or maybe Clay, you should just stop being a pussy and load the damn stones.

:)

See you Friday big man.