StrongMan Apollons Axle
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Body part
- Forearms, Hips, Thighs
- Type
- Strength
The Apollon's Axle is a classic strongman lift performed with a thick-handled barbell roughly two inches in diameter, which places far greater demand on the forearms and grip than a standard bar. The movement combines a continental clean from the floor with an overhead press, driving through the hips and thighs to generate momentum. It is used to develop total-body strength with an emphasis on grip, hip power, and lower-body drive.
How to do the StrongMan Apollons Axle
- 1Stand with the axle on the floor in front of you, feet hip-width apart and toes pointed slightly out.
- 2Hinge at the hips, bend your knees, and grip the bar just outside your legs using a double-overhand grip — your hands will be wider than on a standard clean due to the thick diameter.
- 3Begin the continental clean by pulling the bar up your body in stages, resting it briefly across your belt line or lower abdomen to reset your grip if needed.
- 4Drive your elbows under the bar quickly, rotating them forward to rack the bar across the front of your shoulders and upper chest.
- 5Stand fully upright with the bar in the front rack position, feet shoulder-width apart.
- 6Take a breath, brace your core, then dip slightly at the hips and knees to load your legs.
- 7Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles to drive the bar upward, then press it to full lockout overhead.
- 8Hold the bar overhead with arms fully extended and your body stable.
- 9Lower the bar under control back to the floor, resetting your position before the next repetition.
Form tips
- Keep the bar close to your body throughout the clean — any gap between the bar and your torso bleeds momentum and makes the thick grip harder to manage.
- Focus on hip and thigh drive during the press: the push-press technique is standard in this event and lets you move substantially more weight than a strict press.
- Squeeze the bar as hard as possible throughout the lift — the thick diameter means your fingers will not fully wrap around it, so total hand tension is the only substitute.
- During the continental clean, accept that the bar will travel in stages rather than one fluid pull; pause at the hip crease to reposition your grip before finishing the clean.
- Chalk your hands thoroughly before each attempt to reduce slippage on the smooth, thick axle surface.
Common mistakes
- Letting the bar drift away from the body during the clean, which increases the load on your forearms and makes the catch unstable.
- Pressing the bar with a strict overhead press instead of using leg drive, which wastes the hip and thigh power this lift is designed to develop and limits the weight you can move.
- Neglecting to lock the elbows out at the top, which is a no-lift in competition and also reduces shoulder stability under a heavy load.
- Rushing through the continental clean without pausing to re-grip at the hip, causing a failed or uncontrolled catch at the shoulder.
- Starting with excessively heavy weight before the continental clean technique is solid — a failed clean makes the press impossible and puts the lower back at risk.
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Apollon's Axle different from a standard barbell clean and press?
The axle bar is approximately two inches in diameter compared to one inch for a standard barbell, which means your fingers cannot fully close around it. This dramatically increases forearm and grip demand and makes every phase of the lift harder, even at the same absolute weight.
What muscles does the Apollon's Axle work?
The lift primarily taxes the forearms (grip), hips, and thighs through the clean and the push-press drive. The shoulders and upper back work hard to stabilize and lock out the bar overhead, but the limiting factor for most lifters is the grip.
What is a continental clean?
A continental clean pulls the bar up the body in stages, using the belt or abdomen as a temporary resting point to reset hand position, rather than catching it in one continuous pull. It is the standard technique for axle events because the thick bar makes a traditional full clean impractical at heavy loads.
Should I use chalk, straps, or lifting gloves for the Apollon's Axle?
Chalk is the standard choice and is permitted in most strongman competitions — it improves friction without altering grip mechanics. Straps and gloves change the hand position and are typically not allowed in competition, so avoid them in training if you are preparing for events.
How heavy should I start with the Apollon's Axle?
Begin well below your standard clean and press maximum — most lifters find an axle at the same weight feels 15–25% harder due to grip demands. Master the continental clean at lighter loads before adding weight.
