Update, Housekeeping, and Challenge:
Hey guys! I have SO much to blog about that I very nearly don’t know where to start, You can expect a lot of blog posts coming out of me in the next few weeks/months regarding some of what I learned at the 2015 Women’s Fitness Summit, my subsequent thoughts/opinions, and what’s coming up as a result. In short: it was amazing and I am very invigorated by my experience there.

For anyone who is interested – I am starting a challenge group Tuesday, September 8, 2015. Shoot me a message, drop a comment, or send me an email if you’re interested. This challenge is going to coincide to finish with the Tactical Strength Challenge October 31, 2015. For anyone who wants to learn some strategies for the holidays that will shortly follow….now is the time!

Actual Strongman Blog Post:
Let me start by saying I love Strongman and have since childhood. My best friend and I used to spend marathon sleepover week/ends in the summer watching hours of the World’s Strongest Man contest on tv. I moved away in the summer between 9th and 10th grade and stopped watching/following the sport but it held a special place in my heart that always reminds me of that time in my life.

Fast forward to 2014 when I walked into our gym and saw that a huge platform had appeared surrounded by: Strongman Stones!! This is when I learned that a Strongman gym was going to be training in our facility! The best way I can describe the lead up to my first contest yesterday is as a dating metaphor:

The first few weeks at the gym I saw guys come in and out. They’d keep to themselves, put a ridiculous amount of weight on a super thick bar and pound out deadlift reps that made my eyes nearly bug out of my head. Meanwhile, I was working on basic deadlift form and gaining strength to compete in the upcoming StrongFirst Tactical Strength Challenge (the next one is 10/31/2015 so if you’re interested let me know!). In between my sets, I would surreptitiously watch these guys make their pulls, try to do the plate math, and just be generally astonished at the overall strength of the group. While this went on, I was careful to generally avoid eye contact while ‘secretly’ watching, but remember to be friendly ‘looking’ and smile when we would initially come in or out each day.

Over time, we began with simple exchanges: “Hi”, “Sure is cold out today”, and finally, “I’m Shannon” (which took a lot given my general introverted nature). After a few weeks of this very basic icebreaking, we began casual flirting. I would ask what a particular implement was and whoever I was talking to would excitedly tell me about the log, axle, sandbags, tires, stones, Hussafell, fire hydrants, and farmers handles. We developed a casual friendship and went on an occasional date:
My first date was with Kyle who provided us some deadlift pointers. My second date: log instruction from the wonderful, Barry VonPerkins (founder of the Edge 2.0 Strongman gym). My third date was with Bob and Matt who were judges during my Tactical Strength Challenge. My 4th involved some basic tire flipping and farmers carry instruction followed by an unforgettable ‘ride’ on the yoke by Kyle. That is when I knew I needed to ‘take it to the next level’ with Strongman and turn the causal friendship into an actual courtship.

I found out an all women’s Strongman contest was going to be held at our facility in September hosted by Ladies Lift Here. I knew it was the perfect first contest for me and I made up my mind to do it. My training was somewhat limited: I was already mid program for an introduction to PowerLifting (overprogramming is an important topic I’ll address separately in another blog) so I kept my ambitions limited for this one. I met even more of the Strongman family to include some of the other ‘first timers’ who would be competing along with me, learned a lot, and also struggled some.

My main goals going into the contest were 1) to develop a basic familiarity with the implements and events of my contest, 2) to not ‘zero’ any events, and to 3) have fun and not get hurt. Here’s how it shook out:

Check In, Warm Up, and Rules Meeting
Check in went pretty smoothly. I live just 2 miles from the facility which gave me some comfort (a local show def gives you fewer things to worry about in preparation if you’re considering a first competition of any sort). I got there in plenty of time and checked in and went to purchase my NAS membership. That’s when I realized I did not remember to bring cash. SO, I left and went to the ATM and got some along with some coffee since I didn’t bring any with me originally. I came back, got all signed in, went and claimed my space, and checked out my awesome swag bag with goodies from Boulder Bands, Moxy socks, Primo Chalk, 5 hour energy, and more. I got my clothes/gear ready, drank my coffee, and used the restroom about 35 times (nerves – every damn time). We gathered up for the rules meeting and that was where I got my first lessons:
-Ask all the questions you have: don’t leave the rules meeting unsure of anything. No matter how ’silly’ you think your question is, there’s a strong likelihood someone else has the same question AND the chances of you making an incorrect assumption and looking WAY sillier during the comp itself is much riskier.
-Be flexible: at the rules meeting there were a few changes to the events order/format that we were not expecting. This is not the time to hung up about it, angry, or upset. Allowing something outside your realm of control to affect your mindset before a max effort contest is foolish. Ask the resulting questions, adapt your plan, and make the best of it.
-Make sure that you’re paying attention to the time leading up to the rules meeting and the events themselves to ensure you are warming up in the best manner for you. Some people need a longer deadlift warm up while some can walk in ‘cold’ and rep them out. Know yourself, have a plan, ID the equipment and space you need to execute your plan to give yourself the best chance of succeeding during the actual event. Don’t be afraid to ask for something (an extra bar, extra weights or bands, etc – everyone is there to see you be successful and if they CAN help they will).
-Be respectful. Of other competitors, of the volunteers, and especially of the event coordinators/judges. They’re busy juggling a LOT so if there’s something you can take care of on your own by asking someone familiar with the competition/facility who is NOT busy – ask them instead.
I then finished warming up and then it was time.

Event #1: Axle/Log Clean and Press Medley
My weight for this event was 110 lbs. Time limit was 60 seconds for maximum reps alternating between an axle and a log for a clean and overhead press.

This was the event I was most nervous about. My press is one of my weaker events (working on that) and I did not get a lot of time to train to build my base strength OR on the implements themselves. During training, I successfully cleaned and pressed the axle at contest weight one time. I never did with the log so I had a fair amount of jitters. That coupled with it being the first event and I was definitely a little unsettled. There were 2 lanes of competitors running at a time but when it was time for me to go, the other lane did not have a competitor ready…so I got to go alone. In front of everyone. For my worst event. At the beginning of the contest. Cue the urge to vomit.

I started on the axle and managed to get a solid, pretty easy rep in. That meant I was on the board. I spent the rest of my time unsuccessfully trying to get the log overhead. I was able to clean it without a problem but allowed my nervousness to affect my form and failed to stay tight or to use my legs effectively for additional drive. In hindsight, I probably could have gotten at least a few reps in, but I’m not altogether unhappy with my performance. I met my goal of not ‘zero’ing’ and got the first event down without injury. I ended up tying for next to last place on this event and scored 3.5 points.
Event #2: Heavy Sled Drag
Drag a sled backwards for 75’ with a maximum time limit of 60 seconds. I’m unsure of the exact weight on the sled but it was several hundred pounds.

I hadn’t spent a lot of time prepping for this event. I honestly didn’t ‘get it’. “You mean I just hold onto the handles and go backwards until I cross the line? Ok”. I suppose this is an event that comes a bit more naturally to me. I say that now because although I thought I had gone rather slowly, apparently I finished 2nd in this event and feel pretty good about it.
Event #3: Axle Deadlift
The maximum number of deadlifts performed within 60 seconds. My division had to pull 275lbs.

In the initial weeks of my prep, I wasn’t sure about the weight. I love deadlifting but up until this point, had only pulled this weight one time in my life. This concern was compounded by using the axle bar versus a regular deadlift bar (much thicker which requires a stronger grip – grip is not my strength). Fortunately, this was one of the last events I trained leading up to the contest and was able to pull 275 for 3 sets of 2 (untimed). I set my goal for this event at 4 reps.

I actually managed to complete 7 reps and could have had 8-10 easily by changing my mindset a bit. I’m not beating myself up about it since this was my first contest however; now I know what kind of mental talk will be beneficial for myself for this event. I took 3rd in this event.
Event #4: Farmers Walk
Pick up a handle in each hand and carry them 50’ as fast as you can (with a max time of 60 seconds). My division’s weight was 150 lbs each hand.

It wasn’t until this event was getting ready to start that I realized I hadn’t trained it in nearly 7-8 weeks. My heart sank a little. I quickly got a bit of advise from Barry VonPerkins (don’t rush the pick of the handles – get them up solidly, start to move, and then accelerate). I initially followed the advise: solid pick which I didn’t rush. I started moving and then tried to accelerate. That’s where I realized I had NOT trained this event enough. I wasn’t able to move any faster. The silver lining was that I didn’t drop the handles, stumble, or hurt myself. I finished 4th in this event and was .05 seconds away from 3rd place. This is probably the event that I could have made up the most number of points by training it a bit more.

Event #5: ATLAS Stones
Pick up and load increasingly heavier stones from the ground to a platform of decreasing height. Max time: 75 seconds. My division’s stones weighed: 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 lbs

This is the event I was most looking forward to for the contest. It had come relatively naturally to me in training (with some major room for improvement). I was in 3rd place going into this event. 6 competitors went before me and the heaviest stone loaded was the 3rd stone so I felt pretty confident going in. I started loading and it went pretty well. A little bit of awkwardness here and there. but I loaded the first 4 with minimal difficulty. I took my time and added additional tacky to prep for the last stone. I took a deep breath and started to pull it, but it slipped out of my hands. I re-gripped and hugged it closed was able to lap it (pull it into my lap). I walked it closer to the platform, took a deep breath, and exploded up. Not far enough. I didn’t clear the platform….but I was close and didn’t drop it. The whole crowd started cheering and I hugged it in tight, adjusted my hands further under, and drove up one last time and loaded it to the platform.

The whole crowd cheered and I felt ah-mazing. It was an awesome capstone to the contest.

Unfortunately, I did not load the last stone until 80 seconds which meant it did not count. The competitor who went next loaded them all within the allotted time and took the win for that event which left me taking 2nd. I am still pretty pleased with how it went.
Overall Impressions and Final Standings
I met my goal of not zero’ing any events and I walked away injury free. I also ended up taking 3rd place in my division which came as an awesome, unexpected win for me. I had a great time, learned a lot (about the sport and myself), and am looking forward to the differences I can make for my next one!