StrongMan Hood Stones

Cómo hacer el StrongMan Hood Stones

1. 1Stand with your feet roughly hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward, with the stone resting between your feet on the hood platform.
2. 2Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to descend, wrapping both arms around the stone and interlacing or overlapping your fingers beneath it.
3. 3Pull the stone into your body, drawing it against your thighs and lower abdomen to keep the load close to your centre of gravity.
4. 4Drive through your heels and extend your hips to deadlift the stone off the platform, keeping your chest up and your lower back braced throughout.
5. 5As the stone rises to lap height, re-position your arms beneath it so it rests on your thighs and stomach — this is the lap position.
6. 6Dip your hips slightly, then explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles to pop the stone upward while simultaneously redirecting your arms to roll it up your torso.
7. 7Lean back and guide the stone onto the target platform, keeping your core rigid and your lower back in a neutral position at the point of release.
8. 8Step back and lower your arms in a controlled manner once the stone is secured on the platform.
9. 9Reset your stance and breathing before attempting the next stone or the next height.

Consejos de técnica

• Chalk your arms and torso heavily before each attempt — friction between your skin and the stone is essential for maintaining control during the lap and load phases.
• Brace your core as hard as possible before breaking the stone off the ground and hold that brace until the stone is fully placed; a momentary lapse can cause the lower back to round under load.
• Keep the stone as close to your body as possible at every point in the lift — the further the stone drifts away, the greater the shear force on your spine.
• Never attempt maximal-effort stone loads without a qualified spotter or coach nearby, and always inspect the stone surface and landing platform for stability before lifting.
• Build up to competition-weight stones gradually; use lighter training stones or sandbags to groove the hip-hinge and wrap technique before handling heavy implements.

Errores comunes

• Rounding the lower back at the start of the pull — this places dangerous shear forces on the lumbar vertebrae when loading a heavy stone; maintain a neutral spine and brace before initiating the lift.
• Allowing the stone to drift away from the body during the ascent — a stone held at arm's length multiplies the effective load on the back; hug it in tight at all times.
• Skipping the lap position and trying to press the stone directly from the floor to the platform — lapping the stone gives you a momentary rest and the mechanical advantage needed to complete the load safely.
• Using a jerky, rushed motion through the load phase — explosive power is needed, but losing control at the top risks dropping the stone awkwardly and injuring the lower back, wrists, or feet.
• Neglecting core bracing when leaning back to place the stone — the lean increases lumbar extension load and requires maximum abdominal and spinal-erector co-contraction to stay safe.

Preguntas frecuentes