We are deeplyindebtedto the following for making this undertakingpossibleby providing

their invaluablefeedback,editing, organizationand knowledge:Pat Gill and NelsonAyotte;

model athletesJulie McDermott, RussHubby,Brad Cardozaand John Sullivan;reviewersKeith
Alpert, Liane Blyn, RebeccaMander and David Harris.

O 2010 for Materials,Logo and CertificationTitle. No reproductionof any part ofthis

material is allowedwithout the expresswritten permissionof the authors.
Art McDermottand CharlesPoliquin

@2010

Charles Poliquin is a world-renownedstrengthcoachand authorityon weight

training. His training methologiesand programshavebeencreditedwith countless
gold medals,team wins and personalbests.A native of Ottawa,Canada,Coach
Poliquin hasa master'sdegreein exercisephysiologyand the equivalentofa PhD
in practicalexperienceas a trainer ofchampions. His intemationalcoachingr6sum6
boastsover 500 Olympians(including nine medalwinners at the Lillehammer
Olympics),60 professionalhockey players,and world championshipprofessional
teamssuchas the ChicagoBulls and the DenverBroncos.

Art McDermott attendedBostonUniversity,completinghis BS in educationbefore

continuingon for graduatework in exercisephysiology.During this period,he
becamea four-timeAll-American in track and field. He haspublishednumerous
articlesin strength-related
magazineson a wide variety oftopics. At last count,he has
participatedin 23 nationalchampionshipsin threedifferent sports,and hasattended
the Indoor World Championshipsin both track and field (1990) and ScottishHighland
Games(1999).

Art McDermotland Charles Poliquin

02010

P EL I QUIN
Heolfhy.Leon.Sfrongl"

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin

@2010

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Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin

@2010

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin

@2010

P E L IQU IN

As strongmantraining becomesincreasinglypopular as a modality for athleticpreparation,it

is vital to understandwhy it works.
This chaptermight havebeenmore appropriatelytitled "True FunctionalTraining for Sport,"
br;f the termfunctional traininghas beenso widely misinterpretedthat an incorrectassociation
would havebeenunavoidable.As such,clarificationis in order.
Many coacheshavemistakenlyconsideredthe expressioncore lroining to be synonymous
withJhnctional training. They believethat ifyou are haining the musculatureofthe torso (such
as the rectusabdominus,transverseabdominus,and intemal and extemal obliques),you are
creatinga better-functioningathleteand thereforeare doing functionaltraining. This is not the
case.
Core training strictly strengthensthe abdominals.While strengtheningthesemusclesis
important,it is only one aspectofthe largerpicture.The fact is that core training shouldnot
dominatethe programdesign,as often occursin many facilities,both private and institutional.
Direct abdominaltraining needonly be addressedperiodically throughoutthe yearly cycle.With
correctprogramdesign,coupledwith propertechnique,abdominalmusculatureis adequately
recruitedby executionofthe major strengthmovements- in addition through sport participation
during the remainingyearly cycle.
Functionaltraining shouldbe definedas the executionof movementsdirectly relatedto the
patternsrequiredfor a given sport,with the obviousintent of improving athleticperformance.
The ineffectivenessof somepopularapproachesin the functionalpreparationofathletes is due to
severalcauses,including the following:
1) Most approachesto functionaltraining are inadequatebecausethe resistance
usedis insufficient.Studieshaveshownthat resistancebelow 60 percent,unless
accompaniedby accommodatingmethodssuchas healy-duty bandsand chains,does
not sufficiently stimulatemuscletissueto promotestrengthgains.
2) The patternscommonly employedin functional-trainingprogramsdo not resemble
"on field" conditions.Exercisesperformedon unstableapparatussuchasphysio balls,

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

wobble boardsand thick paddingarebest left to rehabwork becausein competitive

activitiesthereare very few surfacesthat move in sucha manner.
3) The use ofphysio balls, balanceboards,light "thera" bandsand other such
apparatuscan generatesomeabdominalstimulationbut doesnot producea sportspecifictraining effect.Thesetools do havea useful place in the direct training ofthe
abdominalsand, again,aspart of a rehabprogram,but they have limited usebeyond
this in any athleticpreparationprogram.They are incapableofdeveloping any usable
strength.
As a consequence
ofpoorly designedfunctional-trainingprogramsusing the aboveconcepts,
we are seeinga wave of athleteswho have sufficientabdominalstrengthbut who are remarkably
weak. "Abs and Rehab"would be an appropriatesloganto reflecta more appropriateoutlook
concerningthe properusefor the ubiquitousphysio ball and its dedvatives.Claims for any use
beyondthat serveonly to sustainan entireindustry built upon the saleofineffective gadgetsand
gizmos.
Unfortunately,the beliefthat suchitems arenecessarytools for strengthand speed
developmenthasbeensuccessfullyinstilled in the minds ofcoachesand parentsever].where.
But the truth is that a strongerathlete,given the presenceof well-developedsporttechnique,is a
superiorathlete.This is particularlytrue for contactsports.
It is our beliefthat modified strongmantraining is a far more effectiveapproachfor attaining
usablestrength.As such,this courseworkwill addressthe useof the Farmer'sWalk, Super
Yoke, Log Press,Tire Flip and SledPulling, as well as their variouscombinations,as an athletic
preparationmodality.Their properuseis basedupon the following concepts:
1) True functionaltraining can only be achievedwhile using significantand
adjustableresistancewhile executingsport-specificmovements.
2) The outcomeofthe properapplicationof modified strongmantraining is usable
strength,which will prove particularly valuablein contactsportssuchas hockey,
football, rugby, martial arts,wrestling,basketballand others.
3) The useofthese methodscanbe seenin two generalforms: a) sport-specific,as
mentioned,and b) aspart ofa generalpreparationprocessfor most sports.
4) All ofthe exercisesdescribedhere shouldbe treatedjust like any major
weightroommovementsuchas the squator power cleanwith regardto progression,
techniquedevelopment,safetyconcerns,periodizationand recovery.
Although limited researchexistsinvolving thesetechniques,the steadyincreaseoftheir
usein major collegiateprogramsand professionalsettingsis testamentto their usefulness.
Coachesat this level cannotafford to wastevaluablepreparationtime with inferior methods.The
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

superior techniques of modified strongmantraining can be seenin the preparation of teams at the
University oflowa; University ofNevada, Las Vegas;and Arizona StateUniversity,as well as
professional players in the NFL, NHL, MLB and a variety of Ol1'rnpic sports.
Prior to implementing any ofthe routines or techniques describedherein, it is important
to understandthat that these movements are neither more nor less dangerousthan any other
demanding strength movement.As such they require sufficient knowledge of technique as well as
extensiveawarenessof safetyissues.The bottom line: Train hard,but train smart!

Arl McDermoti and Charles Poliquln @2010

PoLr eut N
Heolthy.Leon.Sfrongl"

Art McDermottand Charlos Poliquin @2010

. Understandthe equipment

. Identify the musclegroupsworked

. Identify specificsports the event will benefit

. Learn specificexerciseoptions

The inspirationfor the use of sledwork for sportscan be loosely tracedto the Scandinavian
forestryindustry.Once a tree was felled, loggerswould drag it from the woodedareasnot
accessibleby vehicles.Louie Simmons,powerlifting coachextraordinaire,brought sled dragging
to the forefront by drawing this informationfrom the Finnish powerlifterswhen queryingthem
regardingtheir deadliftingptowess.They claimedthat their backgroundin draggingtreesfrom
logging employmentprovidedthem with a solid baseof posteriorchain development,which rs
key to excelling in the deadlift.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

Ifyou were dumpedon a desertedisland and were allowed only one pieceofexercise
equipment,it shouldbe the sled becausevirtually every musclecan be trainedusing this
apparatus.And the more resistancethe athletehasto overcomein his or her sport,the more
useful the sled,which is why it is a strengthtool ofchoice for rugby and football players.Sled
work is also useful in other team soortssuchas basketball"ice hockev.soccerand vollevball.

Ix.luny R-ouanrl-rrATroN.
Sledwork providesone ofthe best forms of strengtheningthe vastus
progressive
medialismusclein a
but non-impactmanner.In contrastto squatting,sled work
canbe done early in the rehabprocess.Forward and BackwardsSledWalking are also more
inherentlynaturalmovementsthan squatting,and thereforethey canbe done shortly after
orthopedicsurgeryoncemedicalclearancefor any resistedmovementsis given.
Muscur,l.n BAl-aNcnDrAcr,rosrs.
Severalof the exercisesdescribedin this courseprovide
importantfeedbackwith regardto the structuralbalancestatusofan athlete.For example,if an
athleteis executinga PetersenDrag and consistentlydragsor pulls the sled offa straightline
towardsone side or the other,this fault may indicatea piriformis that either is too tight or is too
strongrelativeto the oppositeside.Similar diagnosescanbe performedfor musclegroupssuch
asthe hamstringsby using the One-Arm Drag. This diagnostictool underscoresthe conceptof
true functionaltraining, which is executingreal-worldmovementsagainstadequateresistance.
Fuxcrtonlr, Hl*rsrnnc Wonx. Even though leg curls and variousforms of deadlifts,pulls and
good momings will developan excellentbaseof hamstringshength,sled work will permit the
athleteto transformthat baseinto usablestrengthon the sportssurface.
LlrnRAr- Sprno Iupnovrnnnr. Sledwork is the fastestway to developlateralspeed.The
strengthcoachmust realizethat lateralspeedis almost alwaysexpressedin a situationwhere
inertia hasto be overcome;hencethe needfor load. No amountofspeed laddertraining can
matchthe resultsof sled work.
The sled is the only practicaltool that can overloadhip adductionand abductionpattemsin
a positive functionalway. The more commonly usedbandsplacedaroundthe anklesor legs are
inadequatebecausethereis no quantifiableway to measue or increaseresistancein controlled
increments.
Sxr.rtr,lcPowr:n Korean short-trackspeedskatersusethe draggingoftires to improve skating
power.Using a sledpermits athletesto havea more gradualand quantifiableincreasein
resistance.We useit extensivelywith NHL playersand Olympic speedskatingmedalists,with
very appreciableresults.
Many of our pro athletesuse sledwork as their primary form of
Ennncy Sysrnn Th,c.rNn{c.
energysystemwork for sport-specificpreparation.The following four energysystemscanbe
trainedusing the sled: 1) anaerobicalacticpower,2) anaerobicalacticcapacity,3) anaerobic
lactic oower and 4) anaerobiclactic caoacitv.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010

The preferredsurfacewill minimize friction so the load can be more closely controlledby
plate loadingversusestimatesof surfacefriction. For example,an asphaltor concretesurface
works ideally.It hasbeenour experiencethat sledswith a "dual runner" designdo not adaptwell
to varioussurfaces.The steel,flat-bottomeddesignofthe sled shownabovewill easilymeet the
needsofpersonal trainers,strengthcoachesand professionalstength athletes.
Regardingfootwear,for BackwardsSledDragging,hiking boots arethe footwearofchoice
becauseof the loadsinvolved. For lateralwork, bestresultsare achievedwith plain sneakersor
tennisshoes,as they force the athleteto stabilizethe ankles.
The sledprovidesinnumerableoptionsto increasethe variety ofexercisesthat can be
oerformed.suchas the followine:
. Forward Facing

. BackwardsFacing

. Hands Together,V-grip

. HandsSeparate,
RopeGrip

. Waist Belt Point of Contact

. Ankle Point of Contact

Becauseofthe specificnatureofeach exerciseand the versatility ofthe sled,thereareno

universaltechnicalpoints that apply to all sled work. Even the grip usedto hold the strapsis
not universal,althoughas a guiding rule the grip shouldbe specificto the sportbeing trained.If
a given sporthas a stronggrip component,suchashockey or wrestling,then emphasisshould
be placedon requiring a more active grip on the strapas opposedto a passiveloop attachment
aroundthe wrist.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010

This is the sledvariationofthe Petersen

Step-upuscdin rehabilitating
the vastusmedialis,
a teardrop-shaped
musclethatcrossesthe kneejoint. It is alsoa greatexercisefbr athleteswho
ncedto rebalance
their kneetrackingbecauscofovcrwork ofthe vastuslateralis,includingalpine
skiers,speed/figureskatersand hockeyplayers.Someprefer to call this exercisethe Moonwalk
Drag.
DoscntprroN
Standfacingthc sledholdingonehandleper hand.Nylon strapswith sewn-inloop
handleswill work bestherc.
Placcthe ball ofthe right footjust behindthe left heelso thereis a slightbendin the
right leg at the knce.The heelshouldbe lifted to as steepan angleaspossible.
The foot mustbe tumedout at a slightangle,roughly l5 degrees.
Apply downwardandforwardpressurewith the ball ofthc right foot to breakinertia
of the sled.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin 02010

Emphasisshouldbe placedupon driving the heel to the groundas rapidly as possible,

coupledwith an equally rapid extensionofthe rear kneeand foot.
The left foot comesoff the groundpassively.
Once the right foot is completelyflat on the ground,place the ball of the left footjust
behindthe right heel.
Apply downwardand forward pressurewith the ball ofthe left foot to break inertia of
the sled.
Continue alternating between the right foot and the left foot until the prescribed
distanceis covered.
This exercisecanbe donewith the handlesheld in the handsor with a waist attachmentas
seenabove.Therewill be superiorquadrecruitmentwith the waist attachment,however.
The trunk ofthe body must remainupright at all times. If the trunk leansback, the resistance
is too high and musclesotherthan the vastusmedialis arebeing recruited.
Always wait for the sled to be immobile beforeinitiating the action of the subsequentstep.
Thereis no needto executethis movementin a rapid fashion.Properlyresetafter every
repetition.
This movementis generallylimited to an accumulation(strengthbuilding) phase.
This exerciseshouldalwaysbe performedwith the passivegrip aroundthe wrist to promote
focus on the vastusmedialiswithout lossofneural drive to the forearms.

Art McDermottand CharlesPoliauin@2010

In our experience,thereare very few exercisescapableof generatinghigh lactic acid levels

this exercise
and muscularfatigue as rapidly as BackwardsSledDragging.As a consequence,
shouldalwaysbe placedat the end ofthe workout, ifpossible. Refer to the end ofthis chapterfor
appropriatesets,repsand distances.
DBscmprrox
Standfacing the sledwith one handlein eachhand.Nylon straps,a waist attachment
or V-grip handlesmay be usedhere.
Lean the torso back slightly.
Drive back forcefully with one loot and then the other in an alternatingpattem.
Avoid tumout ofthe toesofeither foot, which usually indicatesexcessivelytight
lateralhamstrings.
focus),but
With lighter loads,it is possibleto stay on the toes(quadriceps/gastro
heavierloadswill requirea toe-to-heelpattem for the feet (posteriorchain focus)
It is importantto keepthe upperbody "quiet" ratherthan usean exaggeratedswing of
the shouldersto sain momentum.

10

Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquin@2010

Mo\,e thc f'cctas rapidly as possibleover thc prcscribcdclist:rnce.

lfa ri'aist attachnrcntis nsccl.thc i4rpcr bocl-vmasscan no longcr counter the sled
rrcrghtand hcncethc cntirc loaclis fircuscclupon the cluadriceps;
this significantly
incrcascsthc difficr.rltyof thc cxcrcisc.
Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO20'10

11

Drscmprlon
This is performedin the samemanneras the standardBackwardsDrag but with the
headtilted back, looking straightupwards.
Attention shouldbe paid to driving through a firmly plantedheel.
Emphasisis almost entirely on the vastuslateralisand the posteriorchain.

Drscnrprron
Use the samebody positioningas in the regularBackwardsDrags,but only one hand
shouldbe in contactwith a handle.
This hand may haveboth strapsin it or be gripping only one side ofa V-grip handle.
The free hand shouldbe on the hip; it shouldnot be usedto gain momentumthrough
unnecessarymovementor as a counterbalance(this would defeatthe purposeofa
unilateralmovement).
Move the feet as rapidly as possibleover the prescribeddistance;this technique
forcesasymmetricalcompensationof the torso muscles,which mimics many of the
12

Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO2010

unilateralsituationsseenundercompetitionconditionssuchas throwing a ball or

virtually any striking or hitting sport.
Athleteswill note superiortorso/hipstabilizerrecruitmenton the side of the body
oppositethe one holding the handle,most notably the contralateraloblique, quadratus
lumborum and sluteusmedius.

Both of the hamstringmovementsdescribedbelow can be combinedvery effectively in a

superset or altematingfashionwith leg curls to assurecompletehamstringrecruitment.
This greatexerciseis a Louis Simmonsoriginal without a doubt, this is one of the best
hamstringbuildersout there,hencemaking it an excellentposteriorchain strengtheningexercise.
Drscrupttoll
Standfacing away from the sled,holding one handlestrapand with the arms running
along either side of the body.
Bend forward at the waist until the trunk is parallel to the ground,keepinga slight
arch in the lower back.
Walk forward for the prescribeddistance.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

t3

Every attemptshouldbe madeto preventthe kneefrom bendingin this exercise,

althougha slight kneebend is usuallyunavoidableduring the push-offand recovery
point ofthe stride.
The leg is broughtforward by using the hip flexors in what is describedas a
"Frankensteinwalk."
Effort must be madenot to swing the legs out to the side when pulling either leg
forward into the next stride.
The athleteshouldbe cuedto attemptto walk a straightline in a rapid heel-to-toe
fashion.
The coachmust make certainthat no excessiveshouldermovementoccursdurins the
exercise.

14

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

This exerciseis quite possiblythe best unilateralisolationmovementfor the hamstrings.

It is performedwith the sametorso position as the standardHamstringDrag, but only
one arm holds the sled strapattachment.
The free hand must remainfixed on the hip or with the thumb loopedin the waistband
or evenin the same-sidepocket.Unlike the Single-ArmBackwardsDrag, this
movementfocusesthe load on the ipsilateral,or same-side,leg.
The most commonly seenerror with this movementis extemalrotation of the
opposingleg in an attemptto recruit the glutesfor addedassistance.
The coachmust
make certainthe oppositeside foot and leg remain facing forward.
It is easyto exceedthe sufficientload on this movement.Ifa straightand forward
alignmentof shoulders,hips and legs cannotbe maintained,the load must be reduced.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010

15

It is importantnot to lift the lead leg up into the air and "press" the leg forward, as
this techniqueusesan entirely different set of muscles.This is the most commonly
seenexecutionenor. An effectiveauditory coachingcue is to instructthe athleteto
"hover" the feet only inchesfrom the surfaceofthe ground.
The toe of the lead leg must be turned inward in a pigeon-toedmanner.This will
activatethe abductorsdirectly.
Stayinglow in the shuffie or in an athletic"ready" position,move the feet as rapidly
aspossibleover the prescribeddistance.
Most athletesand coacheswill have seenthis exerciseat somepoint in the past,
usually done with a rubberband.The sled is preferredheredue to its adjustable
nalure.

This is a variation ofthe previousexercise,the only differencebeing that the athleteis bent
forward at the waist until the trunk ofthe body is nearly parallel to the ground.This position
increasesthe isolationofthe adductorsand hencethe diffrculty ofthe exercise.

Art McDermottandCharlesPoliquin@2010

17

Dnscnrprrox
Using the samefoot pattem as above,the athleteholds the strapsin the handsas
opposedto having them fixed at the ankles.
Resistancemust now be translatedthroughthe torso.
While it is lessintensiveon the hip abductors,it doeswork the importanttorso
musclesresponsiblefor lateralchangesof direction.
The "lead" arm shouldhavethe strapin hand and remainbent at the elbow at a 90
degreeangle,in a positionflat againstthe torso.
The trailing arm shouldbe fully extendedtowardsthe directionofthe sled.

18

Art McDermottand GharlesPoliquin@2010

This old football favorite goesby different names:Crazy Legs or Grapevines,to namea few.
Dnscnrprron
Use only a very light load here,as the tempo is quite fast, ideally with only one leg in
contactwith the groundat any given moment.
Ifthe speedofthe movementdropsto a plodding motion, ceasethe exercise
immediatelyand reducethe load beforecontinuing.
Move as rapidly aspossibleover the prescribeddistance.
This movementshouldonly be usedduring an accumulationphase.

This exerciseis anotherLouie Simmonsmovement.It is an outstandingexercisefor

developingexplosivestartsby focusingon the hips and lower back from a deadstop.
DsscnlptloN
Standfacing away from the sled,holding one handleper hand.
Straddlethe straps.
Bend forward at the waist until the trunk is at leastparallelto the ground,keepinga
slight arch in the lower back.
When the nylon strapis pulled tight, the elbowsshouldbe at a position evenwith the
insideof the knees.
From this position, forcefully standupright by firing the hips throughto full
extension.Do not use the bicepsand/ordeltoidsas primary movershere.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

't9

The handsshouldremain in very closecontactto the front ofthe body at the end ofthe
concentricmovement.The most commonerror seenhereis to usethe armsto pull the load
forward. The coachshouldcue the athleteto usethe armsonly as an attachmentto the sled.

This is a variation ofthe abovemeantto developexplosivestarts.Becauseofthe rounded

back position,the erectorspinaetend to take a greaterpercentageofthe load.
Doscnrprrox
Standfacing away from the sled,holding one handleper hand.
Straddlethe strapand bend forward at the waist while roundingthe back.
Bring the feet as far forward aspossibleso that the athleteis bent over at the waist as
far asflexibility allows.
The fufiher the handscan reachback betweenthe legs,the betterthe rangeof motion.
The elbowsshouldbe adjacentto the kneesat the very least.
From this position,come upright as rapidly as possible,moving the handsforward.
It is importantnot to usethe bicepsand deltoidsas primary movershere.
The handsshouldremainas closeas possibleto the body at all times.
NorE: Make suresomeoneis standingbetweenthe athleteand the sled to decelerateit as it
comesnearthe ankles,particularlyduring warm-ups.Once the training weight hasbeenselected
correctly,this shouldnot be a problem,as the sled should stop short ofthe anklesat the end of
the Pull-Throush.

20

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

This variation requiresa bit more coordinationthan most oithe other exercisesdescribed
here,and aims at working the hip extensorchain.It can also be donewith a waist attachment.
Drscmprror
Facethe sled,with the anklesset in eachlooped stirmp.
Extendthe right leg back, while the right arm is extendedin front.
At this point the strapsshouldbe taut.
Begin the exerciseby moving the left leg back.As you do this, simultaneouslyextend
the left arm forward in a punching-typemovementwhile pulling the right wrist back
towardsthe waist.
This movementwould be difficult to reolicatewith anv other form ofresistance.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin O2010

2'l

This outstandingglute/hamstringexercisecan be thoughtofas an exaggeratedform ofLunge

Walking.
Descnrprror,l
a. Faceaway from the sled,a handlein eachhand and the handsdown at the side.
b. While bendingthe right knee,lift this leg up so that the thigh is aboveparallel to
the ground.
c. Then extendthe kneeand reachforward as far aspossiblewith the leg.
d. Oncethe leg contactsthe groundin a long lunge position,useonly the hamstrings/
glutesofthe forward leg to pull the body forward and retum to an upright position
with the feet together.
Repeatwith the left leg. Be certainto cometo a completestop betweenrepetitions.
Art McDermott and Charles Poliquin @2010

Drscmprro:l
Sameas previousbut with a simple reachforward with the forward leg, without the
exaggeratedkneeraiseand reach.

This movementis uscdmainlyby grappling-sporls

participants.
Descnrptlor.Standfacingthc sled,holdinga handlein eachhand.
Startwith the feet offset.
Stepbackwardsusingthe right leg while pullingexplosivelyon the strapsin a rowing
motion towardsthe face.
Repeatthe pattemby alternatingwith the left leg.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

This exerciseshouldonly be doneby "non-skill" football position athletesand by throwers,

powerlifters, Olympic lifters, and martial artists. It is for athletes in sports requiring refined
sprintingskills, suchas track and field sprinters.Runningbacks,cornerbacksand receivers
shouldstay away from this exercise,as it will disrupt their running mechanics.
Sledrunning shouldbe a definiteno-no for anybodywho needsto run at high velocities,
Someconditioningcoachespromotewhat is referredto as the "10 percentrule," sayingthat l0
percent of bodl'weight should be the maximal load when running with the sled. We strongly
argue that sprinting with any resistanceonly sewes to compromise running mechanicsand to
introduce improper motor patterns.
Dnscruprron
Aftach a weighted sled to the athlete at the waist.
The athletethen assumesa three-or four-point stance.
On the signal,the athletespdntsforward as explosivelyaspossiblefor a distanceof
5-10yards.
This movementcan be usedquite effectively in "cluster" form, wheremaximal blastsare
donewith rest periodsofonly 15 secondsand setsnot exceeding5 repetitions.
21

Art McDermottand CharlssPoliquin@2010

As an exampleof how to usethis exercise,with football linemena long seriesof downs

would be duplicatedin the followingmanner:
Execute12 consecutivel0-yard Blast Startswith 30 secondsofrest
betweenrepetitions.
Repeatthis sequencemultiple times with 5 minutesof restbetweensets.

This is the sameexerciseas abovebut with a standingstart.This startwill increasethe

difficulty of the exercisebecausethe line of force is fartheraway from the horizontaldirection
ofpull. This is the preferredoption for throwersand martial artists,who must displayrapid
accelerationin a more upright positionthan linemen.

Art McDermoft and Charles Poliquin @2010

25

This exerciseis an excellentvariationofthe standardLow CableRow.It forcesthe athleteto

stabilizcagainstthe groundforcesactingin the opposingdirectionofthe pull.
DgscnrprroN
The athletegrabsthe nylon straps(strapsarepreferredbecausethey allow a more
naturalline of pull versusthe close-griphandle).
The kneesare bent, and the back is kept flat.
The athletethen forcct'ullypulls back on the straps,focusingon squeezingthe
shoulderbladestogetherandpullingthe armsto cithersideof the rib cage.
At the sametime, the hips must extendin order to createthe necessarylean to
maintainbalanceasainstthe inertiaofthe sled.

26

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

Thesefigurescompletelydependon groundsurfaceand type ofsled; thereforewe cannot

recommendnormativedataon strengthratings.This is the only eventfor which we cannot
recommendspecificstandardsdue to equipmentand environmentalvariations.As a rough
guideline,however,hereare somerangesfor training on a hard surfacesuchas asphaltwith a
"standard"flat sled suchasthe Elite Fitness(Louie Simmons)model. Theserangesapply only
to BackwardsDrags,HamstringDragsand Pull-Throughs.The weights prescribedrefer to the
total weight ofthe sled and its contents.All other exercisesand lowlevel recoverywork will use
lighter loads.
One fact that shouldbe notedright away is that thesenumbersimply that the athleteshould
be able to useroughly the sameload for HamstringDragsand Pull-Throughs.The athlete
shouldthen be within 15-20percentofthe appropriateweight usedfor the BackwardsDrag. The
inability to do so may be an indicatorof a muscularimbalance.
Approximateweights for BackwardsSledDrags. Surfacefriction and sled variety will affect
thesefiguressignificantly.
SMALLER FEMALES

150-200
r.ss

Htcu

Cor,Lncr,qrrN.r.c.Lrs

200-350Lss
350-500r"ss

Pno lrnrnrns

500 r-sseNn anovo

scnool

MALES AND FEMALE sTRENGTHATHLETES

AND MALE STRENGTHATHLETES

Sl*rpr,aA
This routine was prescribedby CharlesPoliquin to Dallas Drake of the St. Louis Blues in a
phasewhere Drake neededextra leg work in the eveningto regain hypertrophyfollowing knee

surgery.
l. Warm-up
2. Set 1: PetersenSled dragging6 x 50 yards
Pressureis put on the ball ofthe foot
Rest 5 minutesbetweensets
3. Rest 10 minuteswith PNF stretching
4. Set2: BackwardsPulling,4x100yards
Lean back 45 degrees;apply pressurewith heel of foot
Rest4 minutesbetweensets
5. Warm-down+ staticstretchins
Art McDermottand CharlesPoliquin@2010

Sanrln B
This routinewas given to Jim McKenzie, StanleyCup winner, enforcer(sorry,role player) of
theNew JerseyDevils.
1. Warm-up
2. Set l: SideDragging,6setsx 60 yardsx 2 sides
pull 60 yards leadingwith left
pull 60 yards leadingwith right
Rest 5 minutesbetweensets
3. Rest l0 minuteswith PNF stretching
4. Set2: StepBacksandFacePulls,4 x 80 yards
Rest4 minutesbetweensets
5. Warm-down+ staticstretching
Sarrpr,pC
This routine combinesthe Farmer'sWalk (asdiscussedin Chapter3) and sled work. It was
usedby Jerry Ostrowski,offensivelinemanof the Buffalo Bills
1. Warm-up
2. Set 1: Farmer'sWalk,evencarrying,6 x 100yards
Minimum weight: 150 lbs per hand
Rest 5 minutesbetweensets
3. Rest l0 minuteswith PNF stretching
4. Set2: Nose-to-SkyPulling,5 x 100yards
Lean back 45 degrees,apply pressurewith heel of foot
Rest4 minutesbetweensets
5. Warm-down+ staticstretching

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Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

. Understandthe equipment

. Identify the muscle groups worked

. Identify specificsports the event will benefit

. Learn specificexerciseoptions

. Learn the world recordsand current record holdersofthe event

The Farmer'sWalk (FW) hasthe longesthistory of all the strongmaneventscoveredin this

course.Its origins go back hundredsofyears to agriculturalScotland,at a time when it was
commonto havenumeroustestsof skengthat local festivalsand fairs. The namealoneindicates
theseroots,althoughit hasbeensaid that most farmerswould likely havehad more sensethan to
perform this eventwith any regularityunlessabsolutelynecessary.
The currentworld record in the Farmer'sWalk is held by Hugo Girard of Canada.He canied
two 175-kiloimplementsover a 25-metercoursein just over21 seconds!
This wasmadeeven
more difncult becausehe was competingon a grasssurface,which requiressignificantlymore
effort. Although inconsistenciesin courselength,apparatusdesignand the amountof weighl
usedmake direct comparisonsdifncult, Girard's resultsare presentlythe agreed-uponcriteria for
recordpurposes.

As a rule, Farmer'sWalk implementsconsistof two handlesattachedto two larger,cylindershapedmain sections.The main sectioncan be either a fixed-weightobject,suchas an oxygen
tank, or, more practically,plate-loadedposts.Thesepostsare carriedparallelto the groundand
must be long enoughso as not to interferewith the strideof the user.
SunrAcssA.NnFoorwnan
The Farmer'sWalk can be performedon multiple surfacesdependingupon the goal of the
training.As mentioned,a grasssurfacewill increasethe difficulty and instability ofthe stride.
This may be desiredfor rehabsituationsor with athlcteswho havedemonstratedweakenedankle
Art Mcoermott and Charles Poliquin O2010

29

joints in needoftraining. For example,alpine skiersand figure skatersoften report very weak
anklesirom wearing equipmentthat limits ankle mobility for their long competitiveseasons.
The sameappliesto ice hockeyplayers.We recommendthat ice hockey playersspendseveral
weekseachyear doing "remedial" loadsin the FW in bare feet on a surfacesuchas grassor
artificial turf. This will force the firing of lower-leg stabilizers,suchas the flexor hallicus longus,
which may becomeconsiderablyweakenedthroughoutthe competitiveseason.Under "standard
conditions"with healthyathletes,hiking or work bootsare preferred,ashigher loadscanbe used
without dangerofrolling an ankle.
A changein training surfaceis recommendedfor all athletesusing this tool regularly.
That being said,it is necessaryto considerthe type of apparatususedwhen training on hard
surfaces,as unexpecteddropsare inevitableand damageto the training surfacewill occur unless
precautionsare taken.Bumper platesas loading implementsarethe preferredoption in this case.

Rt-rsra.sr,rsuN{rNroF LEGsrnucrunal BlLA.Ncr.The Farmer'swalk can be helpful to athletes

in virtually all sports,particularlythoseinvolving the lower body and torso.This, ofcourse,
coversmost sports.It is especiallyuseful for contactsports.Becauseit is a unilateralexercise,
the Farmer'sWalk is an outstandingtool for addressingmuscularimbalances,particularly any
weak links in the posteriorchain.Becausemany sportsrequireone side ofthe athlete'sbody to
be dominantover the other,it is crucial that precautionsbe takento preventunevendevelopment,
which could lead to injury. Progressin this exercisewill be limited to the weakerside of the body
or to the weakerleg, forcing the weakerside to catchup to its more highly developedcounterpart
on the oppositeside.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O2010

Vasrus Meurar,rsSrnnrcrHexrNc. The Farmer'sWalk is particularlyuseful in strengtheningthe

vastusmedialisoblique (VMO), a teardrop-shaped
musclethat crossesthe kneejoint and thus
is extremelyimportantin maintainingknee stability and preventingACL injuries.The VMO is
probablyone of the most undertrainedmusclesamongAmerican athletes,and in our practicewe
rarely seeAmerican athleteswith sufficientstrengthin this musclegroup.
Inpnoveo RuxNrxc Sprsls. The VMO plays a critical role during the stancephasein running,
which is the time spenton the groundwith eachstride.The strongerthe VMO, the shorler
the stancephase,asthe switch betweenthe eccentricand concentricphasesof contractionis
shortened.This translatesinto fasterrunning speeds.
ANxre SrnsNcrurrrnc. The Farmer'sWalk is one of the very few movementsavailablethat
can help effectively strengthenthe ankles.It is our contentionthat the Farmer'sWalk is superior
to methodscommonly usedfor this purpose,suchas wobble boards,which do not duplicatethe
normal motor unit firing patternfound during movementwith or againstload on a field, court or
other competitivesurface.Most ofour athletesreport high levelsofdelayed-onsetsorenessin the
musculatureof the lower leg the very first time they usethe Farmer'sWalk.
SprNeRrnA.rlxcrxc. The load usedmay also be manipulatedto recruit fibers from one side of
the body over the other; for example,loading more weight on the left apparatusthan on the right.
This is useful in caseswherethe oblique or erectorspinaemusclesdemonstratean imbalance,
suchas often occurswith shot-putters.A righfhanded shot-putterwill often have an imbalance
throughoutthe torso in the obliques,erectorsand quadratuslumborum due to the unilateralfiring
pattemsand load of this event.If left unchecked,this type of imbalancecould becomea limiting
factor in performing squatsor othermajor lifts, possiblyresultingin an injury.
One notoriouslyweak musclegroup,the rhomboids,is very effectively targetedduring
standardFarmer'sWalk exercises.Strengtheningthis musclegroup can be a quick steptowards
improvedresultsin exercisesrequiring a fixed back position, suchas deadliftsand squats.

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31

Srnorcrn Rqrn{cs
weights recordedare generallyrefened to as the starlingweight usedin one-handevents
only, and intensityis basedupon 100percentofthe maximal load moved for 100 feet, without
droppingthe implements.Coachesand athletesshould strive for loadsequalingtheir 5-repetition
maximum (RM) in the full back squatfor the total weight of handlesas a work weight goal
for StraightForward walks. Superiorathleteswill usegreaterthan this percentage.It is not
uncommonto see115-120percentof bodyweightper handfor testingpurposes.
The startingweight shouldbe roughly 100poundsper hand for healthy,inexperiencedmale
athletes.For femaleathletes75 poundsshouldbe sufficient.use up to only bodyweighttotal for
unbalancedwork for the purposeofincreasing unilateralfiring pattems,suchas 125poundson
the right side and 75 poundson the left side left side for a 200-poundathlete.Unbalancedwork
with loadsexceedingbodyweightshouldbe performedonly with very experiencedathletesand
with much caution,with the upperlimit at 50 percentmax intensity for unstablework.

Art McDermott
and CharlesPoliquinO2010

JJ

This exerciseis often usedas a waffn-up,and it is a safervariation ofa one-armdeadlift for

oblique and lower back work. It is quite similar to a simple dumbbell side bend,but a greater
load is toleratedwith the FW apparatus.
The exerciseis performedwith the athleteholding only one FW handleat a time.
Art McDermott
andCharlesPoliquin@2010

DBscruptrox
The athleteshouldonly graspthe implementon the oppositeside ofthe body to be trained,
holding the implementsuitcase-styleto the outsideof the leg.
Unlock the kneeadjacentto the implementfor increasedrangeof motion.
The weight is then loweredtowardsthe floor from a standingposition as far as the
athlete'srangeof motion will allow, moving only througha frontal plane.
The athletethen retumsto a standingposition.
Art McDermott
andCharles
Poliquin
02010

35

Using two FW handles,the athleteinitiatesa walk and then stopssudder.rly

and is forced to
deceleratethe weight ofthc apparatus.Before completecontrol is regained,the athleterapidly
accelerates
again,oncemoreforcingstabilizingcoffections.

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Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

Sameas above,but performedwhile moving backwards.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

37

Dnscnrprrox,This exerciseis the strongmanversionof the PetersenStep-up

Standwith equally weightedFarmer'sWalk implementsin eachhand.
Placethe ball ofthe right footjust behindthe left heelso thatthereis a slightbendin
the right leg at the knee.The heel shouldbe lifted to as steepan angleaspossible.
The foot must be tumed out at a slight angle,roughly 15 degrees.
Apply downwardand forward pressurewith the ball of the right foot to breakinertia.
Art McDermott and Charles Poliouin 02010

Emphasisshouldbe placedupondriving the heelto the groundasrapidlyas possiblc

coupledwith an equally rapid extensionofthc rcar knce and foot.
The left foot comesoff the groundpassively.
Onccthe right foot is completelyflat on the ground,placethe ball ofthe lefl footjust
behindthe right heel.
Apply downwardand lorward pressurewith the ball ofthe left foot to break inertia.
Continuealtematingbetweenthe right foot and the left foot until the prescribed
distanceis covered.
Art McDermottand Charles Poliouin @2010

This exerciseis also referredto as the Finnish Method, as it is routinely usedby strongman
competitorsin Finland,where lengthy outdoorwalks arenot alwaysan option due to inclement
weatherconditions.Theseareperformedwith the athletesimply standingin place,picking up the
handlesand holding them as long as possible.This exerciseis mentally challengingand is easily
quanti{iable,and thus createsan instantcompetitivesituationfor increasedtraining intensity
within a training group.

Theseexercisesareusedprimarily to correctmuscularimbalances,or in rehabilitationof

trunk musculaturetearsat lighter loads,or to preparean athletefor futurc training that requires
increasedtorso demandsfor athletessuchas throwers,grapplersand weightlifters.
This can be performedwith either one or two implements
In the single-implementversion,only one hand holds an implementas the other hand is held
out to the side as a minimal counterweight.
ln the two-handversion,the athleteloadsone implementwith slightly more weight than the
other,and the athleteexecutesthc walk with the exactsametechniqueas the standardwalk.
The focusis on the firing ofthe torsomusculature
on the oppositesideofthe body from
either the single implementor oppositethe more heavily weightedimplementin the twoimolementversion.

Thesehighly quantifiabletestsare performedwith a straightforward carry for a set distance

for time or for a maximal distancewith a setweight. This is the safestversionof the Farmer's
Walk and is the one that shouldbe usedfor testingpurposes.This exercisecan also be performed
with a more naturaloffset-footstart,which allows for a quick transitionto a normal gait after
liftoff.

This exerciseis an cxcellentoff-seasonexercisefor sportssuchas hockey and figure skating

in which the foot is held in a fixed position inside a boot or skate.It can be considered"pre-hab"
in nature.
The sametechniqueis appliedas seenin tbe StraightForward Walk, and attentionis focused
upon a completeextensionat the ankle with a rapid tumover ofstrides.

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Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin @2010

Hill Rttttsor C'limbsu'ith the FW implcmentsu ill shifi the emphasisfion.rthe quadriccps
to
the glutcsvcry cftectively.Asccndinghills lr ith tlris firrnrof implcnrcntis ntuchsa1'cr
thansoute
othet'options
suchasbarbclls.ri'hichcancomprornise
athletcsafctycluringexecution.Thescarc
generallyperfonredfor a sct distance(rheheightof thehill or stairs)fbr the fastcsttimc.

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin O20'l0

41

Definition: 30 to 65 percentof maximum intensity.The minimal distancefor FW work is

usually 100 feet, unlessunusualcircumstancesdictateotherwise.For higher-volumework,
distancesofup to 250 feet are used.The time undertensionshouldbe 30-40 secondsand above.

Use 66 to 100percentof maximal intensity.The longestdistanceusedshouldbe up to 100125 feet.The time undertensionshouldbe lessthan 30 seconds.
Timed Holds shouldusethe one-minutemark as a maximal mark. Loadsresultingin times
abovethis mark shouldbe increasedfor improvedresults.Loadshereare generallyin the 100125 percentof maximal-intensityrange.

Pnrensnl Walx
5 x 120 feet @ 30 percentof maximal intensity
Rest 2-3 minutes
Sr-lNnlno WAr-x
5 x 250 feet @ 50 percentof maximal intensity
Rest90-120seconds

Srlnnlnn Walr
3-4 x 100feet @ 90-100percentof maximalintensity
Rest4-5 minutesbetweensets
Orrssr-Foor Sranr
3-4 x 100 feet @ 80-85percentof maximal intensity
Rest 3-4 minutesbetweensets
Truro Holo
2 x max time @ 120percentof maximalintensity
Rest2 minutesbetweensets

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Art McDermottand Charles PoliquinO2010

(only after medicalclearancefor weight training hasbeengiven!)

WAr,x
UNs,A.r,,A.Ncno
2 x 200 feet with 65% of bodyweighton one side and 35% ofbodyrveight on the other
Rest2-3 minutes
2 x 200 feet with weightsreversed
Rest 10 minutes,including PNF stretchingfor torso
2 x 200 feet Forward Startsand Stops
Rest2-3 minutes
2 x 200 feet BackwardStartsand Stops

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and CharlesPoliquin@2010

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44

Art McDermottand Charles Poliquin@2010