Q&A with ASC Pro Strongman Derek Poundstone

[STRENGTH-TRAINING]

i remember you tore your pec last year, but still competed in nearly every contest last year, how did you help it recover or work around it, people usually take months off training and competition in all sports with an injury like that, like mark felix, kevin nee and mariusz tearing their biceps.
thanks

[tjoe]

guys, just got a text from Derek... he will be on here soon to catch up. His schedule is Beyond busy lately. Check out his other thread (which I update with his training vids) to see where he's at currently with his training.


Derek - those vids are sik! (deads and truck pulls) makes me wonder why I started cycling?

[tjoe]

oh... I did have a question...
I noticed the rock climbing shoes in the truck pull video... what kind are they, how much, and do you think they help (haven't seen you use them before). Thanks.

[Drowland]

Derek, my name is Daniel Rowland. I live in Texas and Im trying to het into my first novice strongman comp. I wa a former powerlifter but I layer off the weights for a few Yeats to do some boxin and now I'm back! I'm about 6'1 235. I have a a pretty good back ground and understanding to strength and power traing but I was wondering if it was possible to train 6 days a week for the strong man including one event day without overtraining. I get really bored on a 4 hour break I have between school and work so I igure I could workout but I don't want to jepordize my progress. Just wondering if you could give me some advice on that?

[syssstem]

Hey Derek, I have been into bodybuilding for about 3 years and have just been focusing on getting as strong as possible at the squat bench deadlift military press and barbell row. I am finding my self getting more and more interested in strongman and am wondering what you think would be the best plan if im looking to compete in an amature comp in 1 years time.

Should I continue making the best gains I can to my squat bench deadlift bb row and military press and implement events maybe 6-8 weeks out from the comp? or should I take re structure my program completely for the next year in order to implement events?

im currently doing bill star 5x5 making progress of about 5lbs a week on every main lift. i was going to take out wednesdays workout and add in events day.

what do you think?

[American_Strongman]

Derek one more question, i have often thought that my short height would have a negative effect on pro strongman. right now i am 5 foot 8, and i hear you stop getting taller at 25 so maby i have a chance at being 5 9. so my question is how bad do you think this will effect me? i am sure i will be able to gain enough weight as i have a large frame...im just not tall.
Good luck with the worlds strongest man Derek, i know youll win. i was at the 09 arnold classic and saw you compete. nobody has a chance at WSM

[GameofInches]

Derek,

Do you deload the week prior to a contest?

[MsGuns]

I just saw you on HLN (Headline News on CNN) pulling a firetruck....amazing.

[tjoe]

how would u think marius pudgianowski go in bodybuilding if he ever decided to go this route?

have u ever wanted to do bodybulding?

hi Derek
do you use creatine year round, i have 5g twice a day, and use creatine monohydrate, how much do you have, it helps me a lot.
thanks brother

Derek,

I would imagine there is a good rivalry between you and Travis, Misha or Big Z, but is there one guy in particular that you really enjoy competing against? Someone that drives you to do better than you have done every time you go against them.

2 questions for you derek

whats your favorite strongman event

who is your favorite strongman or who inspired you to become one

hi Derek
i know protein is very important, but what do you say is more important out of fats and carbs for strength gains.
thanks

Derek, I was wondering what type of cardio training you do?

Derek saw your video where you squat holding the holes in the plates because you can't get your hands up to the bar. Ever tried squating with a cambered bar?

Derek,

I was wondering what kind of gym lifts would help with the atlas stone.
I plan on buying one in the future but i cant spend that much on a stone right now.

thank you - WIll

i remember you tore your pec last year, but still competed in nearly every contest last year, how did you help it recover or work around it, people usually take months off training and competition in all sports with an injury like that, like mark felix, kevin nee and mariusz tearing their biceps.
thanks

oh... I did have a question...
I noticed the rock climbing shoes in the truck pull video... what kind are they, how much, and do you think they help (haven't seen you use them before). Thanks.

Derek, my name is Daniel Rowland. I live in Texas and Im trying to het into my first novice strongman comp. I wa a former powerlifter but I layer off the weights for a few Yeats to do some boxin and now I'm back! I'm about 6'1 235. I have a a pretty good back ground and understanding to strength and power traing but I was wondering if it was possible to train 6 days a week for the strong man including one event day without overtraining. I get really bored on a 4 hour break I have between school and work so I igure I could workout but I don't want to jepordize my progress. Just wondering if you could give me some advice on that?

Hey Derek, I have been into bodybuilding for about 3 years and have just been focusing on getting as strong as possible at the squat bench deadlift military press and barbell row. I am finding my self getting more and more interested in strongman and am wondering what you think would be the best plan if im looking to compete in an amature comp in 1 years time.

Should I continue making the best gains I can to my squat bench deadlift bb row and military press and implement events maybe 6-8 weeks out from the comp? or should I take re structure my program completely for the next year in order to implement events?

im currently doing bill star 5x5 making progress of about 5lbs a week on every main lift. i was going to take out wednesdays workout and add in events day.

what do you think?

Derek one more question, i have often thought that my short height would have a negative effect on pro strongman. right now i am 5 foot 8, and i hear you stop getting taller at 25 so maby i have a chance at being 5 9. so my question is how bad do you think this will effect me? i am sure i will be able to gain enough weight as i have a large frame...im just not tall.
Good luck with the worlds strongest man Derek, i know youll win. i was at the 09 arnold classic and saw you compete. nobody has a chance at WSM

Derek,

Do you deload the week prior to a contest?

and a couple more more:
any comments on the WSM (2009)?
and what are the future plans right now? still holding 320+?
just saw the changes to the Arnold (no yoke) and a lot heavier... any comments?

[ivanpower]

derek....
what assistance exercises do you do for legs or do you only do squats...?

and whats your thoughts on knee wraps . do you use them?

[Ryan Bracewell]

By Tjoe:
I saw this post in another thread and would like Dereks comments so copied it here:



I'm hearing a rumor that there might not be a WSM in 2010. With the loss of MetRx as a sponsor and the gain in popularity of things like poker and bowling, WSM is getting less play on TV which means less money. And in the end, WSM is a TV show not a true contest. I hope that this doesn't happen but it would not surprise me.

[Derek Poundstone]

Originally Posted by redline777
how would u think marius pudgianowski go in bodybuilding if he ever decided to go this route?

have u ever wanted to do bodybulding?

Bodybuilding and Strongman and vastly different sports. I know Mariusz and I say lean but the heavy loads we put on our bodies causes us to have large joints, waits and hips. I think Mariusz would be decent but by all meast the guys at he top of the pro ranks hold huge amounts of muscle and work very hard on having tight waist and nice proportions. Its one thing to be lean, its another thing to be in contest shape! As far as me, I was a big fan of bofybuilding while growing up and still enjoy the sport. Its not my desire to be bodybuilder thought, Im just facinated by the sport.

Quote:
Originally Posted by STRENGTH-TRAINING
hi Derek
do you use creatine year round, i have 5g twice a day, and use creatine monohydrate, how much do you have, it helps me a lot.
thanks brother

Creatine is in the Dark Matter which I take in workout days in addition to Trac which I also take for a few months a year. I dont hink its nessisary to come off creatine as long as you note taking huge amounts. I used to cycle creatine on and off for sevreal months at a time but it seems like there is so many product on the market with creatine, I dont bother cycling off. rely on the dark matter for my creating and I will cycle in the TRAC for a few months leading into a comp.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Bracewell
Derek,

I would imagine there is a good rivalry between you and Travis, Misha or Big Z, but is there one guy in particular that you really enjoy competing against? Someone that drives you to do better than you have done every time you go against them.

Ryan, tough question as every guy drives me because I dont like to lose! I will have to say that the guy who I've competed against the most since 2003 and has pushed me the most would be Travis. We're such bitter rivals "on the field" but I've delevloped a good friendship with Travis. Hell, I gotta see the guy at every competiton I go to, might as well get along..... jk!! It seems like in the sport we've both grown at about the same time and had our fair share of ups and downs. 2010 will be Travis and my 7th year as a pro, I took some time off from April 04 - December of 05 and had some work to do when I came back to the sport and at that time Travis was one of the top guys in the sport in the US if not "the" top guy. He and Jesse were bitter rivals and woud take turns beatting the hell outts each other at comps. I worked my way up and didn't start to dominate untill 2007. To some it may seem like it happened so quick but man has it been a rough rouad with some tough ass competitions along the way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dublin-lifter
2 questions for you derek

whats your favorite strongman event

who is your favorite strongman or who inspired you to become one

I'd say I love OHPing and brutal medleys the most! As far as favorite Strongman, I'd have to say when I was growing up I didn't get to watch the sport too much as I spent the first 10 years of my life in Europe. I didn't start watching the sport until about 1999 and became big fans of Svend, Magnus Samuelson, Joko and Mariusz. Over the years I've met some of my idols and in that time I've become a huge fan of Kaz. As I've grown in the sport I've had the the chance to speak with Kaz on severla occasions. The guy is a class act and I love the reruns of his WSM performances in addition to some of the one off stuff they did in the early 80's!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by STRENGTH-TRAINING
hi Derek
i know protein is very important, but what do you say is more important out of fats and carbs for strength gains.
thanks

Both are nessisary but one is not more important then the other. Kind of an odd question really?? Fat is a nessisary part of human metabolism and cards are the best sorce of energy for the body.

Quote:
Originally Posted by HITstrongman
Derek, I was wondering what type of cardio training you do?

I use a elliptical or stair stepper as its easier on my joints. Running when your over 300 lbs is not such a good idea!
Quote:
Originally Posted by toddbz
Derek saw your video where you squat holding the holes in the plates because you can't get your hands up to the bar. Ever tried squating with a cambered bar?

Cambered bar squats are different then using a regualar bar. Using a cambered bar forces you to stay more upright in the squat so I could use a cmabered bar but it cant replace using a straight bar. I have squated with a cambered bar but I;ll compare it to deadlifting with a trap bar. Its still a squat but its hits the legs differently. The cure for me is to purchase a longer bar!
Quote:
Originally Posted by American_Strongman
Derek,

I was wondering what kind of gym lifts would help with the atlas stone.
I plan on buying one in the future but i cant spend that much on a stone right now.

thank you - WIll

Molds are pretty affordable through Slater Stones and Hardware in Ohio. You can pick up a single mold and make a bunch of stones. As far as gym lifts, I'd say front squats and deadlifts are a good strat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by STRENGTH-TRAINING
i remember you tore your pec last year, but still competed in nearly every contest last year, how did you help it recover or work around it, people usually take months off training and competition in all sports with an injury like that, like mark felix, kevin nee and mariusz tearing their biceps.
thanks

The guys you mentioned all had detatched or nearly detached bicepts (their bicept was no longer connected to the radius/ulna). I suffered a muscle rear in my pec close to the point of insertion on the shoulder. I was in a fair bit of pain but after the 2008 Arnold I stayed away from benching for a few months. THe pec healed on its own and you can hardly tell it was ever torn. Again, my pec wasn't detached from my shoulder, it was a tear within the muscle. I just suffered a similar such tear in my tricept a few days back. This one was releativly minor but it brused up like hell. This sort of thing will happen when you train with heavy weights.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjoe
oh... I did have a question...
I noticed the rock climbing shoes in the truck pull video... what kind are they, how much, and do you think they help (haven't seen you use them before). Thanks.

Joe, I've had the shoes since 2006, they are Sportive Mythos and are around $175 I believe and rock climbing shoes make a huge difference on a truck pull!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drowland
Derek, my name is Daniel Rowland. I live in Texas and Im trying to het into my first novice strongman comp. I wa a former powerlifter but I layer off the weights for a few Yeats to do some boxin and now I'm back! I'm about 6'1 235. I have a a pretty good back ground and understanding to strength and power traing but I was wondering if it was possible to train 6 days a week for the strong man including one event day without overtraining. I get really bored on a 4 hour break I have between school and work so I igure I could workout but I don't want to jepordize my progress. Just wondering if you could give me some advice on that?

I would advise against training 6 days a week. I think 5 days is pushing it really as I know there s a ton of Pro's that train 3 or 4 days a week. Training with the impliments strongman do casues more then just muscle damage. Among other things, it puts a huge strain on your CNS. You grow and get stronger when you rest, not when your in the gym.
Quote:
Originally Posted by syssstem
Hey Derek, I have been into bodybuilding for about 3 years and have just been focusing on getting as strong as possible at the squat bench deadlift military press and barbell row. I am finding my self getting more and more interested in strongman and am wondering what you think would be the best plan if im looking to compete in an amature comp in 1 years time.

Should I continue making the best gains I can to my squat bench deadlift bb row and military press and implement events maybe 6-8 weeks out from the comp? or should I take re structure my program completely for the next year in order to implement events?

im currently doing bill star 5x5 making progress of about 5lbs a week on every main lift. i was going to take out wednesdays workout and add in events day.

what do you think?

If interested in competing, I'd say you need to incoperate a program that is sport specific. The lifts you speaking of are a staple of SM but you need to train the log and or axle on your shouder day, various forms of Deadlifting and squating on your leg day etc... Trying to prepare just a few months out makes no sence when you have a year. Its not all about strength, al lot of what we do is based upon techniqe that you can only learn by training the impliments.
Quote:
Originally Posted by American_Strongman
Derek one more question, i have often thought that my short height would have a negative effect on pro strongman. right now i am 5 foot 8, and i hear you stop getting taller at 25 so maby i have a chance at being 5 9. so my question is how bad do you think this will effect me? i am sure i will be able to gain enough weight as i have a large frame...im just not tall.
Good luck with the worlds strongest man Derek, i know youll win. i was at the 09 arnold classic and saw you compete. nobody has a chance at WSM

I can't answer this question for you. This is something you need to answer. Do you want to be a pro? If so, who cares what the mold is, go out there compete and earn your card. If I told you "no", would you just give up because I said so? If thats the case, then yo dont want it bad enough. Sorry if I'm comming across as harsh but you need to figure out how you want to over come being a shorter guy. You should excell on the press, squat and deadlift events. The stones and loading events will be your biggest obsticle but I train with a guy name Joe who's 5'3, 170 lbs abd demolishes stone's. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwiNoN1-AG8"]YouTube- Joe from Ct strength Atlas Stone Run[/ame]
Quote:
Originally Posted by GameofInches
Derek,

Do you deload the week prior to a contest?

I have a system that I adhear to but I guess the best way to describe it is Deload.

and a couple more more:
any comments on the WSM (2009)?
and what are the future plans right now? still holding 320+?
just saw the changes to the Arnold (no yoke) and a lot heavier... any comments?

Comments on 2009 WSM - It was a tough group of guys. I was the strongest I've ever been (untill now!!). Not my best group of events and on a few of them it came down to tenths of a second seperating several palcings. The biggest heart breaker was the bann on my deadlift hitch which came about the day before qualifying. I wasn't ahppy about the decision but what can you do. WSM feels its not safe!!
Future Plans - Win the Arnold again. I'm currently holding 340 lbs, not 320 and as far as the events changes, I like them. Since they are making the frame so heavy, I can see why they are dropping the Yoke. Yoke was a great event for me but so are all the other events!!

[Colossal]

Thanks for remembering RX Derek!

I met you at the Paxton Strongman show back in December. It was great for morale and for the sport to have you at a small local show.

[Derek Poundstone]

derek....
what assistance exercises do you do for legs or do you only do squats...?

and whats your thoughts on knee wraps . do you use them?

Only Squats? Is there any other leg excersise (insert sarcasm here)?? Yup I just squat, there's tons of squats and I do them all! I dont use knee wraps, just dont like them.

By Tjoe:
I saw this post in another thread and would like Dereks comments so copied it here:



I'm hearing a rumor that there might not be a WSM in 2010. With the loss of MetRx as a sponsor and the gain in popularity of things like poker and bowling, WSM is getting less play on TV which means less money. And in the end, WSM is a TV show not a true contest. I hope that this doesn't happen but it would not surprise me.

THe first topic, I do believe there will be a WSM 2010! I happen to have met a few companies that have showed interest in sponsoring WSM and put Barry Frank and them in touch so we'll see. I will say with the lack of airing the 2009 WSM, I can see how this can be rumored. I would imagine this more has to do with PartyPoker.net sponsoring the event. The FCC has issues with gambaling websites advertising (sponsoring an event with adds in the background counts as an add) on TV. PartyPoker.com got around this by using their sister website, partypoker.net which doesnt promote gambling but just alows you to download their sorftawe to play for "fun". Now check out partypoker.com, notice something, its the same site but now you can play for money!!

As far as WSM not being a true contest, you're crazy. Cant speak for the prior years as I wasnt there but in 08 and 09 its been a hell of a contest! I will admit its a little differnt then others but there is not favortism or unfairness as some have said. Its a great comp and now it seems everyone is going to have a crack at it from now on!!

[Ryan Bracewell]

Derek, I was not saying that WSM is not a "real" contest like wrestling or something like that, but basically stating that in the end WSM is a TV show unlike say the Arnold or Fortissimus. Was not saying something it was a joke or fake, shit, I hope to compete in WSM one day but I have to stop getting 2nd at all the damn pro qualifiers.