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robert da strongman
05-12-2009, 04:17 PM
Ervin Katona Update/How to Avoid Blown Biceps in Strongman by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2009 IronMind


Strongman Champions League (SCL) cofounder Marcel Mostert, freshly back from the SCL competition in Serbia, filed this report on Ervin Katona’s torn biceps, and how strongman competitors should modify their training to avoid becoming the next casualty.


Ervin Katona, shown competing in Serbia last weekend, was the latest strongman to tear his biceps. SCL cofounder Marcel Mostert discusses the injury and how strongmen might avoid it. Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.



Ervin Katona Update: Another Torn Biceps in Strongman
by Marcel Mostert
Strongman Champions League


Ervin Katona gets operated on today in Hungary, as his left biceps was totally torn off during the Atlas Stones of the SCL competition in Serbia. The event, a 210-kg Atlas Stone for reps, was too much for his biceps and it was torn after the second rep. In his country, Serbia, he could not find a good specialist, so he went to Hungary [for the operation]. There, they assured him it will be 100% again, but it needs the normal recovery time of six months.

The season has just started and I have seen already three big biceps injuries these last few weeks. In the Holland Nationals Qualifications 2009, two weeks ago, an athlete’s biceps went off with the wheel flip. At the FIBO SCL Qualification, Tobias Ide, the German champion, tore his biceps, which will take him out for 5 to 6 weeks. And last weekend it went wrong with the biceps of Ervin Katona.

The strongman sport is definitely a dangerous sport for biceps. But, also I see a lot of strongman competitors make the same mistakes. You should protect your biceps.

First of all, if you feel problems, little pain in your biceps for longer than two months, it’s a sign that a fatal rupture might come. So, take a break!

Second, a real killer for strongman biceps is . . . biceps training! This is what some strongmen do too much. Strongmen are not bodybuilders, so please to all strongmen: stop training your biceps! It kills them!

Or, if you can’t live without biceps training, then one time a week light biceps training, with also a full stretch - it’s more than enough!

Because with all the events strongman competitors do, the biceps has a hard time anyway. So, please stick to that, and you can be free for any biceps problems. It’s just a very good tip to remember . . . and you all out there are NOT bodybuilders!

SUMO
05-12-2009, 04:20 PM
I only recently started training my biceps again. Guess I should rethink that.
Waiting for tjoe's opinion.

robert da strongman
05-12-2009, 04:23 PM
i train mine too...briefly during cardio

the point is to do a few sets and not a complete bicep workout. also learning the to do the events properly helps. never curl the tire!!!

SUMO
05-12-2009, 04:35 PM
i train mine too...briefly during cardio

the point is to do a few sets and not a complete bicep workout. also learning the to do the events properly helps. never curl the tire!!!
I'm so guilty of that it isn't even funny.

robert da strongman
05-12-2009, 05:57 PM
biceps also get in the way of pressing overhead

musclegoddess65
05-12-2009, 06:05 PM
ok coming from a totally different side of this than strongman... although you know I am itching to try this sport at some point....

why would bicep strength not be an asset to a strongman... I can see the tire flip, I've watched you do it.. its a lot of leg/back strength.. I get you would not want to 'curl' the tire over... but in trying to understand wonder how biceps would get in the way in this sport...

sorry Rob I'm a question gal :)

robert da strongman
05-12-2009, 06:17 PM
the bicep tendon is weak. overstressing it would cause too much strain and eventually a tear. hell holding my phone to my ear for too long my bicep cramps

biceps interfering on the press....just do the movement. they can prevent a high clean.

BrotherIron
05-12-2009, 06:38 PM
I only hit bi's by doing some Barbell Curls. I find also that if I work my bi's too much I am more apt to get injured. I have been injury free doing this also since I partially tore my bicep a couple years ago.

Having large biceps def does interfere with doing cleans & jerks. This is why Oly Athletes stay clear of any bicep training.

musclegoddess65
05-12-2009, 06:49 PM
Interesting, thanks guys!!! not quite ready to give up my bicep training yet, but maybe someday...

tjoe
05-12-2009, 07:17 PM
my computer is slow as a snail right now...
I'll post the same response I did over at Marunde (it was brought up just before it was over here) (and then I had errands to run :))

tjoe
05-12-2009, 07:21 PM
I only recently started training my biceps again. Guess I should rethink that.
Waiting for tjoe's opinion.My post: I am no expert but I have to agree with Derek. It's pretty rare that you get better at something by NOT doing it. I can't imagine some 60-100lbs. DB curls would be a bad idea when you plan on flipping 500-1000+ lbs. tires!

Perhaps some good old common sense should be applied. Training bceps very hard on Friday and then doing events like stones or tire flips on Saturday may not be such a great idea. Staying well hydrated would be a good move to.

Dereks Post: Here we go, another Strongman tears his bicept and everyone runs for ths hills!

First off I wish Ervin the best and I hope for a speedy recovery, he's a great athlete and all around really nice guy! Now for the nitty gritty, there is no one factor that leads to a bicept tear. It takes a tone of force to tear a bicept tendon off the bone and I feel its usually a freak accident. Look at the guys in the past that have torn their bicepts, they've varied from SM who have huge powerfull arms that train bis often to guys that never train their arms. If this is the excuse anyone wants to not train their arms, so be it. My knees hurt also, should I not squat anymore as well? In the sport of Strongman, there are a few givens, one of them is that significan injury is likely, not just possible, just like crashes are a part of Nascar! Now here's my take on it; we are strongmna and are goal is to be the strongest. I specifically train every muscle group in my body to be the strongest it can be. This pays huge dividens when I compete. Take for example the dumbell press from the Arnold Classic. Because I train my bi's to be stong, I can effectively curl the weight up and let go with my support hand while the dumbell is onkly 3/4's the way up and finish curling the weight up with one arm. The reason for this, strong bi's. Now the common arguemant is either you bi's can get to strong for your connective tissue or you bis dont get enough rest if you train events and SM. I disagree! I train bicepts light and heavy and everywhere in between. My light workouts consist of curls in the 100 reps range and my heavy workouts consist of curls well over 200 lbs! The reason bis get torn so much is more the natural mechanical disadvantage of your bicpet in relation to your forearm, this mixed with SM lifts such as tire flips, stone lifting or the worst lift on the bis, deadlifting is just an accident waiting to happen! Do what you feel comfortable with but in the end, not training a muscle wont prevent injury, I feel it will only encourage it. Now of course I'm speaking about the professinal level where the weights are just getting insane. One wrong step or misque in form can be disasterous with over 400 lbs overhead or while deadlifting 900 lbs!! A measly 45 lb dumbbell curl IMO does not lead to or encourage a bicept tear when your talking about the weights used in SM!

BrotherIron
05-13-2009, 12:01 AM
My post: I am no expert but I have to agree with Derek. It's pretty rare that you get better at something by NOT doing it. I can't imagine some 60-100lbs. DB curls would be a bad idea when you plan on flipping 500-1000+ lbs. tires!

Perhaps some good old common sense should be applied. Training bceps very hard on Friday and then doing events like stones or tire flips on Saturday may not be such a great idea. Staying well hydrated would be a good move to........................

That is interesting that you mention deadlifting. The injured bicep I speak of was the underhand gripped bi which was used in the dead. I don't want to hijack this thread or derail it but is there a better way to dead than using the over/underhand grip??? I tried the hook grip and hated it. I can't get nearly as strong a grip when putting both hands overhand.

Now that I think about it, my bicep injury was most likely due to me dieting down while trying to maintain my lifts.

tjoe
05-13-2009, 07:59 AM
That is interesting that you mention deadlifting. The injured bicep I speak of was the underhand gripped bi which was used in the dead. I don't want to hijack this thread or derail it but is there a better way to dead than using the over/underhand grip??? I tried the hook grip and hated it. I can't get nearly as strong a grip when putting both hands overhand.

Now that I think about it, my bicep injury was most likely due to me dieting down while trying to maintain my lifts.Exactly! dbl over with straps... but that's no good for a PL comp... but it is OK in strongman.
it's just one of those things you have to deal with in whichever sport we chose. Derek made a great comparison with Nascar... "how do you go 200+ without crashing? It's just part of the game..." How do we excel at a strength sport without injury? Same thing.

Ryan Bracewell
05-13-2009, 01:10 PM
haha, just saw this. I started the same thread on Marunde. After looking at several pro's & amateur opinions on the marunde thread and other articles, I dont really think the isolated bi training has anything to do with it. Of course if your doing 20 sets of curls twice a week, and doing strongman then your asking for trouble. However, for most people I thnk the main reason for bicep(or any muscle tear) is due to inflexibility, excessive strength gain from steroids, and just freak accident.

musclegoddess65
05-13-2009, 01:16 PM
all the more reason to stretch properly no matter what your sport is...

course I am just as guilty of not doing it...

robert da strongman
05-13-2009, 03:57 PM
haha, just saw this. I started the same thread on Marunde. After looking at several pro's & amateur opinions on the marunde thread and other articles, I dont really think the isolated bi training has anything to do with it. Of course if your doing 20 sets of curls twice a week, and doing strongman then your asking for trouble. However, for most people I thnk the main reason for bicep(or any muscle tear) is due to inflexibility, excessive strength gain from steroids, and just freak accident.


exactly. too much can really hurt. i added biceps only to help with elbow pain. used to get tendonitis bad from all the pressing.

BK
05-15-2009, 01:29 AM
General conditioning work (6-8 sets per week) is great for the biceps but trying to develop them is ludicrous when you factor in all of the grip work, stone work etc that stongman training provides.

realmccoy
06-21-2009, 12:56 PM
So guys what do you recommend for bicep training ? Do a few sets with moderate with 1-2 short of failure a week and several days before tire work as "BK", had said?

BK
06-21-2009, 02:10 PM
So guys what do you recommend for bicep training ? Do a few sets with moderate with 1-2 short of failure a week and several days before tire work as "BK", had said?
Your biceps will develop from the strongman training alone so going in and performing endless sets of biceps work is overkill. Definitely dont want to perform any biceps work on event day.