StrongMan Atlas Stones exercise animation (Male)

StrongMan Atlas Stones

Target muscle
—
Equipment
Weighted
Body part
Back, Thighs
Type
Strength

StrongMan Atlas Stones is a classic strongman strength event in which a competitor lifts a heavy spherical stone from the ground, loads it onto a platform or barrel, and repeats for speed or max height. The lift demands powerful contributions from the lower back and erector spinae, hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, lats, and biceps, making it one of the most complete posterior-chain exercises in existence. It is a staple of strongman competition and an effective tool for developing total-body explosive strength and stone-specific grip endurance.

How to do the StrongMan Atlas Stones

  1. 1Stand with your feet roughly hip-width apart, toes pointed out slightly, with the atlas stone resting on the ground between your legs.
  2. 2Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to lower yourself until you can wrap both arms around the stone, getting your forearms underneath it as low as possible.
  3. 3Pull the stone tight into your lap by driving your elbows under it — your torso should be nearly vertical at this point, with the stone resting against your thighs.
  4. 4Take a deep breath, brace your core hard, and keep your chest tall and back as straight as possible throughout the lift.
  5. 5Drive through your legs by extending your hips and knees to raise the stone up your body, using your thighs as a shelf to re-grip as needed.
  6. 6Continue extending your hips and leaning slightly back to load the stone onto the top of your thighs at roughly hip height.
  7. 7From the hip position, explosively extend your hips forward and shrug upward, driving the stone up your torso toward chest height.
  8. 8As the stone reaches chest height, use your arms and chest to guide it up and over the lip of the platform or barrel, extending fully to deposit it on top.
  9. 9Step back under control once the stone is secured on the platform, reset your stance, and repeat for the required number of lifts.

Form tips

  • Apply tacky (a sticky resin) to your forearms and the stone before lifting — improved grip dramatically reduces the risk of the stone slipping and lowers biceps strain.
  • Keep your lower back as neutral as possible throughout — a slight natural arch is acceptable, but avoid rounding the lumbar spine under load, especially during the initial pick off the ground.
  • Use your thighs as an active shelf: let the stone rest on them between phases rather than trying to muscle it up in one continuous motion.
  • Drive the hips forward explosively at the top of the lift rather than pressing with the arms alone — hip extension is the primary power source for getting the stone over the platform.
  • Wear shin-high socks or knee sleeves to protect your shins and knees from abrasion as the stone drags up your legs.

Common mistakes

  • Rounding the lower back excessively during the initial pick, which places extreme shear force on the lumbar spine and greatly increases the risk of disc injury — brace hard and keep the chest up before breaking the stone off the ground.
  • Trying to deadlift the stone straight up rather than rolling it into the lap first, which bypasses the mechanical advantage of the lap position and makes the load nearly impossible to control.
  • Gripping too high on the stone at the start, preventing the forearms from getting underneath it — this causes the stone to roll out of the arms rather than being secured against the body.
  • Rushing the re-grip on the thighs and losing control of the stone mid-lift — take a brief pause with the stone on the lap to resecure your grip and brace before the final extension.
  • Neglecting to use hip drive at the top of the movement and relying solely on arm strength to load the stone onto the platform, which overloads the biceps and slows the lift.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles do atlas stones work?

Atlas stones work the entire posterior chain and more. The primary muscles are the erector spinae and lower back, hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps during the initial pick and hip extension. The lats and biceps work hard to keep the stone against the body, and the forearms and grip are heavily taxed throughout. It is effectively a total-body strength movement.

Are atlas stones safe for beginners?

Atlas stones carry a higher injury risk than most barbell lifts and are generally not recommended for beginners. You should have a solid foundation in deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and good morning variations before approaching stone work, so your lower back and posterior chain can handle the load. Starting with lighter stones (50–80 lb) and learning the lap position under coaching supervision is essential.

What is tacky and do I need it for atlas stones?

Tacky is a pine-resin-based sticky compound applied to the forearms and sometimes the stone to dramatically improve grip during the lift. It is not strictly required for very light training stones, but it is standard in competition and strongly recommended once the weight increases. Without tacky, the stone is prone to rolling out of the arms, which raises injury risk and reduces loading efficiency.

What height should the atlas stone platform be?

Competition platform heights typically range from 48 to 60 inches (approximately 120–150 cm) depending on the event, with taller competitors often facing slightly lower platforms relative to their body. For training, starting with a platform at hip to low-chest height allows you to learn the loading technique before progressing to higher targets.

How do I program atlas stones into my training?

Atlas stones are best placed at the end of a lower-body or full-body session after primary barbell work, since the lower back fatigue they generate can compromise other lifts if done first. For strength, 3–5 singles or doubles at a challenging weight work well. For conditioning, timed sets of 3–6 loads onto a platform at moderate weight build work capacity and technique simultaneously.

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