pinpointing atlas stone weaknesses

[Cuthbert]

Ok... so a couple of buddies and I made our own atlas stone, came out weighing 205 lbs of ROUGH concrete.

Spent a lot of time working on it, since it's one of the main areas I need to improve upon.

The results weren't too encouraging. Despite that the stone only weighs 205, I had a LOT of trouble consistently loading it. Granted, this was done with no tacky... but when I loaded the stone, it was pretty easy.

My trouble was with breaking the stone off the ground. We took video, played it back, and I changed my address a lot, and I think it's now pretty good.

I think the way I'm gripping the stone is what gives me the trouble. I'm more than strong enough to rip the stone off the ground, but if the grip on the stone isn't there, then neither is the lift.

So... all you strongmen out there... how do YOU grip the stone? What do you recommend?

 

[PolishHammer1977]

strengthen your hands.

 

[Exodus]

hands dont really bother me when doing the stones. in otherwords my grip never really fails. if you watch a lot of people pick up the stones from the side, you will see them reach straight down to the sides of the stone. me i actually bend my arms at about a 15 degree angle, where my hands are further in front of me than my elbows......... so its kinda like doing a cradle to get the stone up........ it works real well for me.

X

 

[brian747478`]

roll the stone onto one hand, then the next and get "tight" before u rip it off the ground

 

[Cuthbert]

Thakns guys, this is very frustrating. Feels like my form is either completely on or completely off, which dictates whether I get the lift.

The most frustrating part is when 2 of my smaller, weaker friends punk the stone every time, even their first time touching it, lol

I'll figure it out.

 

[kingc_79]

i need to figure out my form also...but i think i need to strengthen my upper back also bc im still havin touble at the top on the 51" platform. good luck man...hopefully you get it pinpointed.

 

[NWinters]

i also had trouble gripping the stone........

 

[Cuthbert]

if you watch a lot of people pick up the stones from the side, you will see them reach straight down to the sides of the stone. X

I think that's how Ryan does it... but he's strong as crap, so it doesn't cause him much trouble. On my first few attempts, my arms were like that, but i gradually started bending them more and putting my hands more forward.

LOL I kept making my buddy load the stone again and again so I could take video and look at what he was doing and I wasn't. It helped to a point... there's just a few things in that initial step that I'm just not doing... and it's VERY frustrating. Just gotta keep trying... RIDE ON BABY

 

[Cuthbert]

Actually... now that I think about it, I had my best load when my friend politely gave me some advice:

'jay, you just need to remove the tampon from your pussy and LOAD THE FUCKING STONE!'

LOL it worked, I smoked it that rep.

 

[b fold the truth]

Well...two methods that I've tried when the stones are slick...

I will slide the stone over a little and put my left hand on the flat spot and then roll the stone back ontop of my hand just a little. Does that make sense at all?

Also...I will make an L with my hands and thumbs and put the space in my hand down, fingers back towards my feet, and thumbs fwd. Sometimes this will help me a lot too.

Between that, just plain getting stronger, the fact that the people who are good at stones and the Conan's wheel just have some strange strength at those events, and that you could try adn stretch your hands by hooking them to the front end of a semi truck and your wrists to another...I'm all out of ideas man...

Any way you can get me the video???

B True

 

[Cuthbert]

Clint,

I might be able to get you the video tonight. Depending on how I feel, I might give the thing another go... but my forearms are TORN UP right now, that thing is nasty.

Thanks for the help

I WILL BEAT THIS THING

 

[OfWolfandMan]

I dont know if this actually helps or not(probably will be very confusing )....We have a box that is about 2' wide,and maybe 5" thick.The other day I tryed 1. pushing against it from each side,as if Im trying to crush it,with open hands(think of a cable crossover type movement,or like you are squeezing someones head )2.I do the same sort of thing,but instead of pushing the bottom of my palm against it,I use my only my fingers....it looks like Im pinch gripping it sort of,but with no thumbs.
Its basically just picking up a box by squeezing it,and I add weight,until I cant lift the box at all(before that I hold it for as long as I can,with the given weight,which is usually 6-30 seconds).I feel the same stress on my fingers and wrists,along with pecs and bis,as when I try to lift an atlas stone with no tacky,so I figure it cant hurt to do when I have some extra time.