This will be the final instalment of a 5-part series that I have been doing in an effort to help prepare athletes that are competing in the Swamp Monster Shootout April 13
th in Lafayette, LA. If you want to catch up on the other parts you can find the
axel clean and press here,
the Husafell carry here,
the Jefferson deadlift here and the
Yoke walk here. If you aren’t here for that and just wish to improve your stone work, then that’s cool too. I hope you get something out of it.
The set up.
The Atlas Stone is a very awkward object. Spherical in shape and heavy as hell this has been a staple in strongman for a very long time. They are typically made of concrete but in the past few years stones made of steel and plate loaded have begun to make their way onto the scene.
Just like when picking anything up you’re going to want to get the stone as close to your center of gravity as possible. To do this I want you to divide the stone mentally into two hemispheres, one that faces you and one that faces either the platform or the bar that you will be loading the stone over. Line up the first knuckle of your big toe to the imaginary dividing line with your feet facing slightly out. Next, I want you to spread your fingers as far apart as they will stretch, think Spock hands. This will help you to get deeper under the stone. With straight arms reach down and line your forearms up with the imaginary center line that we crated earlier and get your hands as far under the stone as possible. Hug the ever-living hell out of it. There will be some curve to your back. There really isn’t any way to get around this but whatever you do make sure that you stay braced and lock your back into that position.
The Pick
The pick is in my opinion the most difficult part of this lift. It’s also the easiest to explain, however. You’ll simply deadlift the stone above your knees, take one step in and then place the stone in your lap.
Let’s talk about hand position.
A common mistake that we see new people make is that instinctively cradle their hands underneath the stone. This is a very bad idea. Not only are you putting yourself and an increased risk of a bicep tear, but you also won’t be able to get the stone high enough to make it over the bar or onto the platform. Instead throw your arms over the top of the stone (about 10 and 2 o’clock) and squeeze the hell out of it. When you bring the stone up this will give you the ability to roll the stone up your body.
The load.
Don’t treat this lift like a front squat. Although this is a very common method it won’t be the most efficient. Instead what I want you to do is think of it more like a clean. Load the hips and then throw them forward as violently as you can while simultaneously rolling the stone up towards your face. From here you can load the stone onto the platform or over the bar. If you are loading over a bar, then it’s best to work with a partner that can help guide the drop for safety.
Do not be lackadaisical about where gravity takes the stone!! These are heavy objects that when left uncontrolled can seriously injure yourself or someone else. This means when your roll a stone off the platform don’t just stick your foot out to stop it. Your foot will not win. Control the bounce with your hands and be mindful of your face. If the stone decides to do something you don’t want it to do, then it’s best to just get out of its way.
If you want to find out more about the Swamp Monster Shootout don’t forget to check out the other articles that I have written. You can also find the
Facebook event page here and the post on the
Strongman Corporations website here. Don’t forget to follow us on
Facebook here and on
Instagram here and as always if you have any questions for me please feel free to email me at cameron@atlasstregnthshop.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APAZRMgfJAg
Release your Inner Titan,
Cameron Ray
