-Matthew Cavalier
With the end of the year quickly approaching, it’s time for me to start thinking about the competitions that I want to sign up for in 2023. After a quick peek on Iron Podium, I decided that I’m going to compete in the Southeastern Strongman Classic in Montgomery, Alabama in March. This will be the second event of its name, and I am very much looking forward to competing. I have always loved the opportunity to travel and compete, and I look forward to meeting all of the athletes there. Strongman competitions are always fun for me, and I don’t think this one is going to be an exception. The events look challenging and I’m excited to begin my preparation.
The Events
I do not know the actual order we will be completing these events, so I’ll just go through them as they are listed on Iron Podium. The first event is the Alabama Deadlift Championships. Athletes will be performing standard deadlifts with a standard deadlift bar. Nothing fancy. We’re just going to see who can pull the most. Deadlifts are not my strong suit in competition, but I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do. In my last competition, the Battle on the Bayou, I was able to pull 502 pounds. I’m hoping to break well past that, but we will see. The second is a carry medley with the Husafell stone and sandbag. Athletes will start by carrying the Husafell fifty feet, run back and carry the sandbag fifty feet again and finish by loading the sandbag over a yoke bar. I think I have done well with carries in the past, so I’m looking forward to this event. The third event is the max yoke lift. From a normal yoke run height, athletes will lift the yoke. The winner will be the person who is able to lift the heaviest yoke. I did a similar event at Alabama’s Strongest Man last year, except the starting position was from the bottom of the squat position at parallel. While the yoke lift for this event is “easier” in terms of movement, I have little doubt that the weights will have to be significantly higher in order to win. The fourth event is an overhead medley. Overhead events are my favorite. I tend to do quite well with anything overhead, and I think I’ve gotten better since last time. In my last event, I was able to press a 225 pound axle for seven reps, and finished just a couple of reps shy of the winner of that event. In this competition, athletes will have to clean and press a circus barbell, an axle and a log. This will be the first time I do an overhead medley with different implements. I’m probably most excited about this event. The fifth and final event listed is the farmer carry for max distance. Athletes will have sixty to complete as many runs as possible at a distance of fifty feet each. Sixty seconds is a long time to carry something so heavy. Hopefully I don’t tear off my calluses. I’m looking forward to these events, and I’ve already figured out how I’m going to prepare for them.
The Preparation
soon, so to speak. I haven’t decided exactly how I’m going to do everything, but the base of the program is already in place.
I’ve also really come a long way in regards to my nutrition, and I have been feeling significantly better over the last few weeks. I’m hoping the next three months will be fruitful in terms of my abilities as a competitor and in terms of my own well being. I’ve come to really enjoy this process, and I’m hoping to keep this momentum going.
Don’t forget that we, the Atlas Strength Shop, will also be hosting our own strongman competition, the second annual Louisiana Strongest Man/Woman on April 1, 2023. If you want to compete, please register through ironpodium.com. I’m looking forward to see as many of you as possible!
If you are within driving distance of Baton Rouge and need a place to train for your next strongman competition, powerlifting meet or weightlifting meet, check out the Atlas Strength shop for all of your training needs. Send an email to cameron@atlasstrengthshop.com for your next visit. You can also check out our apparel line and programming options on our website. Be sure to like our Facebook page, here, and follow us on Instagram, here. Do you need a high quality energy supplement that won’t leave you with that crashing feeling? Check out veteran owned strikeforceenergy.com and use promo code ATLASSTRENGTH at checkout to get 20% off of your order. If you’re like me, and you like to bite down while lifting, you need to protect your teeth. Check out Impact Mouthguards and their custom molded mouth guards. Use promo code ATLASSTRENGTHSHOP at checkout to get 10% off of your order. But wait? What if you have a glorious Beard? Check out FerociousBeard.com and use Promo Code “ATLASSTRENGTH” to save 15% on all o your beard care!!
“The only easy day was yesterday.” -US Navy SEALS