If you’ve ever had the pleasure of shaking hands with a farmer, construction worker, or an old school dad, you’re likely to notice a difference between them and the common brand of man. A moment of reflection as their mitt crushes your velvety man hands; hand strength being merely the tip of the iceberg of the strength that lurks beneath.
Today many contemporary occupations demand less of the body, transitioning more to positions of static seated, hunched, & finger tappings on key board. We have and are losing the monster man strength that was once a characteristic trait of the hard generations who have built civilization.
It is in common parlance now to simulate manual labor in the gym because our lifestyles no longer challenge the body. Now in any “globo” gym or cross fit “box” you can likely find trendy tire flips, people hitting things with hammers, and pulling and pushing heavy wheeled sleds like dock & iron workers of the blue collar mafia. Certainly this is evidence of a primal remembrance of heavy & sustained work; a bedrock ancient man was carved from and craves. We seek out the work.
The below protocol will utilize a ultra heavy medicine ball =>90lbs; with each exercise consisting of multi-jointed movements that are further challenged by the unbalanced and awkward sand moving filling of a good medicine ball. Here each training evolution will focus on challenging all muscles groups while stimulating the highest amounts of systemic adaptation. This is Farm Strength.
Farm Strength: Ultra Heavy Medicine Ball
Purpose: Develop Farmer Strength; Inordinate Full Body Labor Strength & Endurance
Rep_Rest_Set: 8 Reps_3-5 Min Rest_4 sets
Timed Work: 1 Min Work 3 Min Rest_4 sets
Tempo: Moderate – 1:1:2 (Concentric:Bottom:Eccentric) Intensity: 80% 1 Rep Max
Periodization: Mix In Programming For High End Sustained Strength Endurance
Tool: Heavy Med Ball (>=90lbs)