Crazy Stone Workouts

[Dave Lemanczyk]

222 Stone X 71 repetitions (30:00)

All loads/deloads performed from floor to chest height. Tacky used on fingertips only. Tacky meaningless at 20 minute marker when the sweat started dropping like buckets. I don't recommend anyone do this unless you're conditioned and slightly crazy. Next time I do something like this, there is a good chance I will videotape it. I weighed in at 244.7 prior to the workout.

[Roger Davis]

Dave,

Have just come across your post, and wanted to say that "you are not alone" in your crazyness.

I regularly complete bodyweight high rep stonelifting as part of my conditioning training.

Not only does it work the back and grip, it gives a real foundation for "real life" lifting.

Your 71 reps in 30 mins is really going some, nice lifting

A few years back I managed to lift a bodyweight stone (85kg) 301 times onto a barell for charity ... it took me 3 hrs, not sure that I want to do that again, but certainly 1/2 hr and 1hr lifting is back on my agenda

regards

Roger

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Roger, thanx for the shout out! That's some ridiculously awesome work man, wow! 301 is truly insane. Did you have to deload them all? You must've ate the chicken and the bones after that showing. Very impressive and exactly the type of response I was hoping for. Keep up the great work. You are right on with stone lifting providing a real life strength application. There really is few things that can compare to just dominating a stone whether its one time or three hundred and one times! That's one solid pic too! Keep up the great work. I appreciate it for exactly what it is.

[Travis Willingham]

You're both crazy I say. HAHA. I have a bodyweight stone and there's no way I will lift it as many as you two.

[Roger Davis]

Travis,

Not crazy ... just different !

Dave,

Not sure what I ate that night, but I remember sleeping really well.

My finger prints grew back after about a week also, I didn't use tacky or chalk, and the stone was slightly "sharp" , it has smoothed out a bit over time now.

Good question about the "return" , I discovered pretty early that this is actually harder than the lift, especially if trying to return it under control.

I got myself a "draymans mat" , that they drop beer barells onto from the lorry, it pretty much takes the bounce out of anything, and I just roll the stone off the barell and then am reset for the next rep.

Here is the set up in my old house.

regards, and keep up the crazyness

Roger

[Dave Lemanczyk]

@ Roger- That set up is awesome man. Looks to me like you might actually have a little rubber padding on top of that whiskey barrel too. Is that what I see? What a great idea. I have used 50 feet of rope wrapped in a coil to protect my full keg. The draymans mat is also a very smart call. You are also 100% right about the deload taking more out of the body than the load itself. That is primarily why I enjoy lifting without a platform when I do. Things that are harder yet sensible are generally the things I tend to gravitate more towards.

Getting back to what you're doing over there, great honest work that will provide benefits lasting years. You said that was the set up in your old place. Does your current spot still have the same elements of stone, barrel and mat? Certainly someone with the work capacity and mental toughness you have displayed has a gift of toughness. Keep kickin' a**!

@ Travis - Thanx man, I appreciate it.

[Steve Friedrich]

You guys ARE nuts! Dave, I hope you don't have your clients do that and I certainly hope you don't ( gasp) take any money from them! That just wouldn't be right! They could figure it out on their own, don't you know.

[Dave Lemanczyk]

You guys ARE nuts! Dave, I hope you don't have your clients do that and I certainly hope you don't ( gasp) take any money from them! That just wouldn't be right! They could figure it out on their own, don't you know.

Thanx man!

lol Steve, you're a funny dude for real! I almost ruined my PC screen when I spit my coffee over it reading your post.

In all seriousness, only one of my clients lift stones over here. He's an older guy, about my age and into strongman. For all the other guys I train and especially the athletes, I keep them away from stones. I teach them how to manipulate sandbags and kegs instead. Stone training is too hard for most developing athletes and the risks outweigh the benefits for many reasons.

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Today's fun

222 Pound Atlas Stone X 123 in 60 minutes

All repetitions were one motion loads from ground to chest height & back down to ground (silent setdown style). Tacky used on fingertips. Awesome sweat, blood here and there, and lots of effort. PR on many levels.

I know Roger will certainly appreciate this one. There's one more guy I know digs this type of work and we spoke about it on the horn today. Been eating for two hours now. In case you are wondering, the way I personally look at physical training is; Last workout is last workout. Yesterday is yesterday. Today is today and that means I need to work harder than last time every time. I only have today.

[Roger Davis]

Dave,

Great workout , keeping that rate of work going for an hour is most impressive.

I tend to do them in sets of 10 and then about a minute rest between, are you similar or do you just keep going machine like?

I liked the previous point, train for today.

Stonelifting is a bit of a paradox.

It is simplicity itself, and then as advanced as it gets.

Q - What do you do to train?
A - Pick up heavy stones
Q- Is that it?
A - Go try it sometime!

I don't think people realise that stonelifting is a complete body workout that will show up any weak link (for most people the grip and wrist strength).

A good heavy multiple rep stone lifting workout will work the following areas

Grip, wrist, bisceps, calfs, hamstrings, quads, lower back, upper back and traps .... oh and the heart and lungs get a good working, not to forget the mental challenge.

How many exercises in a gym does an "advanced fitness proffessional" have to take their client through individualy on a machine to work all those areas.

Simple - yet complex

keep up the great work Dave, don't know if you have ever managed to get over to Scotland to lift some of the manhood stones over there, but if you do that adds a "spiritual" element into the lifting also.

Will have a go at the 1hr time in a few weeks, and let you know how I got on, have just got to get a little task out of the way first

Roger

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Right on Roger. You're on target with the full body demand in stone lifting and that's why the worlds strongest people lift them. Weakness is definitely exposed and yet another reason why most people don't lift them. To answer your question in regards to my execution yesterday, I go machine style. One after another, after another, after another until the buzzer sounds then I am done. I learned a long time ago to work as hard as possible until the bell or the buzzer.

Gotta' love those conversations with other folks in regards to stone lifting. One of my current favorites is, "what does that do"? I usually say, "pick it up and let me know". I know you know all about that. I plan to make a trip back across the pond someday on a stone hunt of sorts. Personally, I would like to train for 7 more years before I do it which gives me a lot of time to get stronger. Not sure where I will end up but wherever it is, I will be looking to lift and carry the biggest stones I can find. The 345 natural stone I have in my gym is getting a little boring but it'll have to do for now.

[Travis Willingham]

I agree with the stones being a total workout. I recently picked them up and even though I lift 4 days a week with iron, my saturday mornings with stones is my most enjoyable. The other day I mentioned to a buddy of mine how my legs were starting to get sore from stones and his response was "why, you squat a lot more weight than those stones..." I told him he needs to come over to play with stones some saturday. Some days I will just lift till the legs get wobbly and then relax the rest of the day with football and whisky.

[George Phipps]

I think I have done 6 or 7 reps shouldering my 250 stone and it wasn't easy. You too ARE REAL NUTS! But, I must say- very impressive boys.

George

[Dave Lemanczyk]

I think I have done 6 or 7 reps shouldering my 250 stone and it wasn't easy. You too ARE REAL NUTS! But, I must say- very impressive boys.

George

I appreciate that George. You would have loved to see the type of work done over here in the last five days. Had some really strong guys over here diong WORK! Lots of heavy natural stone work.

Personally, I am getting pretty proficient in carrying heavy rocks in the bear hug position. My chest compression strength is improving. It's definitely a result of all the heavy rock and barrel work I have been doing for what seems as forever. With my heaviest stone which weighs 345 pounds I have been busy with loading, deloading, static bear hug holds, carries, and bear hug squats with great results. No pain, no gain.

[George Phipps]

That is awesome. I compete in powerlifting, but I love strongman stuff. Keep posting the crazy stuff, because it inspires and challenges me to keep pushing my limits.

In 2006 I got to go to the Arnold with Jesse Kellum and I was able to see some of the strongman competition, which the big Z won, and it was awe inspiring. Seeing these huge men move these giant weights and stones was incredible.

I hope to have my 300 lbs. stone poured after Christmas.

Stay strong and keep posting,

George

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Thanx George, I appreciate the sentiment man. Glad to hear your kickin' a** over there! Just so you know, there aren't too many guys that can lift a 300 pound stone without tacky. Have fun with it and listen to your body. Stones can be brutal.

[George Phipps]

Thanks Dave,

I'll let you know how it goes when I get it poured.

George

[Travis Willingham]

Thanks Dave,

I'll let you know how it goes when I get it poured.

George

What size mold are you using?

[George Phipps]

I have a Slater's 18" mold. Slater's says that a 18" stone weighs 240, but mine is 250. We weighed it. I also have the 45 lbs. lead insert. So, I'm pretty sure my new stone will be very close to 300 lbs. The Slater molds are great for anyone wanting Atlas stones for a good price.

George

[Travis Willingham]

I have an 18" slaters mold that I've made a few stones with. The 45 pounds of lead will not give you 45 pounds of carry over due to the amount of concrete that will be displaced by the insert. Just off the top of my head I'm thinking it'll add about 40 pounds if it's lead. I think it's around 90% for lead and 75% for steel.

I'm wanting to make a new 300 stone and I'm debating on doing it in an 18" or a 20." The 300# at a gym where I used to lift was a 20" but I want one to keep at home that goes 300-310 but I only own an 18" mold. So I'm interested on how yours comes out. Keep us updated.