Beginner Atlas Stone Lifting Information

Atlas Stone lifting is something many get excited about and for good reason. The thought of lifting an object that is not meant to be lifted, absent the advantages of holes, handles, crevices, or edges would excite even the strongest individuals in the world. Propelling a perfectly round heavy Atlas Stone either to your shoulder or on to a barrel can be extremely rewarding, especially if it is a personal record.

Pre-Requisites to Stone Lifting

What I’m going to share are beginning techniques related to strongman Atlas Stone lifting. Notice, I emphasize the word “strongman” not “weakman” because this is about max effort. If you’re not familiar with max effort training with iron then you really aren’t ready for attempting max effort stone lifting. Atlas Stones are not designed to be lifted, barbells and dumbbells are.

This being said, you, the novice, should progress at lifting weights first. This way when you do start stone lifting you will go in ready with the needed foundation both physically and mentally.

At times lifters come to visit me at our Slater Strength Club and want me to instruct them on lifting Atlas Stones. I never assume that because a man is not massively developed that he has not spent time weight training. I always ask “How long have you been training?” If the answer isn’t definitive, or doesn’t directly address the question, and the answer is along the lines of, “Ahh a few months or something like that.”

I then tell them that they’re not ready for such a challenge so “Let’s do some deadlifts.” I take this route as not to spoil what will be a good thing by lifting stones too early.

I always suggest that beginners weight train until they develop a good base then attempt the challenge of stone lifting. My first rule of thumb is this: if your deadlift is not yet 160 kg or 350 lbs then continue to weight train progressively and build up your basic strength.

The New Stone Lifter’s First Stone

BEGINNERS: Click the image above to check out the Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD

Once your basic strength is there, I suggest picking a 16″ atlas stone for starters. This stone should weigh around 170-180 lbs and is an optimal size for developing motor skills and technique. If you choose a lighter one it should only be for warm ups if you’re doing traditional Atlas Stone lifting.

Warm-up for Stones

For warm ups I prefer band exercises for the biceps and back. I also include roller work massage such as Self Myo-Fascial Release (SMR) that targets the back, biceps, glutes and hamstrings. After that I will move into light stones. This will get me warmed up and ready to lift safely.

Further Preparation: Tape and Tacky – Yes or No?

I like to tape my forearms, using athletic tape though some use duct tape. If you want, shave your forearms to keep the tape from slipping. The tape will grip your skin much better if the hair is removed and the addition of a pre-spray on your forearms will provide for good adhesion.

I like Rugby Spray Wax by Trimona as a pre-spray, available on StrongmanStuff.com. I flex my forearm and then tape it, starting just below the elbow and working my way to my wrist. Once it is taped I relax my forearm and then pat down and smooth the tape to my skin. Flexing the forearm prior to taping will prevent the tape from being too tight and If done correctly, the tape will stick well.

I learned from Team Boss Strongman’s Rick Freitag to tape the forearms not so much to help the grip but to cut off the signal of pain. If you are in pain them the mind is fighting the pain and not focusing on the lift.

Apply tacky or handball wax (pine resin) to get a better grip. Personally I like PR Champions Blend Tacky because it is made in Ohio and I’m from Ohio. It is a very good general weather tacky but most other tacky works well too. I apply some on my hands, fingers and forearms and at times onto my chest, especially during competitions. This helps to keep the stone from spinning off of the chest.

When you first start stone lifting apply a slight amount just to get a feel for it as you will learn quickly how much you like to use. I do believe the use of tacky can reduce the strain on soft tissue.

Safety Points for Beginner Stone Lifters

As for lifting the stones, there are some basic precautions to be concerned with for the safety of the lifter and those in the vicinity of the stones.

It goes without saying that new lifters should always consult a health care provider prior to starting any exercise program. Especially since stone lifting differs so greatly from other forms of resistance training, it just makes sense to make sure your doctor okay’s that you give it a try.

You may choose to lift it over a large diameter bar that is fixed so it will not spin. For example, we lift the stone over an adjustable strongman yoke bar. We also use solid platforms made out of wood. You can fasten wood pallets on top of each other, and then fasten plywood to the front or around all sides. There is a great wood platform on StrongmanStuff.com. We sometimes use whiskey barrels or oil drums, but if you do use a barrel be sure to avoid pinching your fingers on the lip!

Whatever you choose to lift the stone onto or over, either a large non rotating bar or a platform, make sure that it is stable. With all platforms please use caution making sure the back side of the platform is braced. This will insure platform stablility so it should not tip if the stone hits it. Once you’re more experienced and stronger you can work on shouldering the stones.

At Slater Strength Club all novice lifters are forbidden to twist with the stone during the lift. The risk of injury far outweighs any benefits.

Once you get the stone to the tip of the platform you may begin to struggle to place it on the top. During the struggle to get past the “tip point”, avoid pausing in that vulnerable position for more than a few seconds and no matter how difficult the struggle to complete the lift, do not twist in order to get the stone to the top of the platform.

You may be tempted to do this but this potentially dangerous maneuver should be avoided. Additional strength and experience will get you past this critical point in the lift. Atlas Stone lifting with a grouped series of stones is less about struggling at the top but rather an example of utilizing one’s strength with precision.

Don’t practice struggling at the top, practice a precise finish. A precise and fast finish wins competitions. As with any lift there are some risks, but the benefits of safe stone lifting far outweigh the risks.

Time to Lift Some Stones

I hope that this information helps you make the move into Atlas Stone lifting so you can continue to make great strength gains and appreciate this awesome raw form of training.

Stone lifting makes you seriously strong, ruggedly strong, and for lack of a better expression, “animal strong.” Simply stated, if a good stone lifter puts his hands on a man of above average size, even one flailing and squirming to resist, he could place him on his shoulders, run with him and squeeze the crap out of him in seconds! He could probably even press him over his head and toss him high or far. That is stone lifter strength and as stone lifter Bill Crawford says “stone lifting makes you strong in ways that only stones can.”

Steve Slater
Slater’s Hardware
StrongmanStuff.com

Further Atlas Stone and Strongman Training Information

For more information on Stone Lifting, check out Stone Lifting Fundamentals.

To learn about even more about Strongman Training, check out Introduction to Strongman Training.

Similar Posts:

• How to Begin Training with the Atlas Stones
• 13 Things You NEED for Your First Strongman Contest (Part III)
• 7 Reasons to Start Lifting Stones
• Grip Strength Challenge – 25lb Hub Lift
• More Medley Training for Serious Athletes

My name is Steve Slater. I developed the Slater’s Stone Mold and I have made many world record atlas stones for the best competitors and the best strongman competitions in the world.

Making stones for this level of competition involves a painstaking process in order to control many variables.

In reality, if you are going to make stones, you might as well make them to the best of your ability. After all, you want your homemade atlas stones to be something you can be proud of, train with for years, and show off to visitors who come to your facility.

With all of that in mind, I’d like to share with you some of the steps I have found to work the best in making high quality stones. I am convinced that if you too follow these steps, you will also be able to make stones worthy of being used in competitions on some of the biggest stages, so here we go…

Strength and Resiliency of the Stone

When you make a world record stone, it has to be strong, have a clean surface and be well balanced or attempting to lift it can be disastrous.

Some of the world record stones have as much as 300 pounds of lead added into the center of the stone, so you need to make sure the stone is strong enough to hold this large amount of lead to avoid any cracking or breaking.

In addition, the surface of the stone must be smooth and solid in order for tacky to work properly.

The Story of the Disintegrating Stone

In the way of stone making, I have made my share of mistakes and that’s one of the reasons why I’m writing this article so you don’t. I can remember when I made the record breaking stone for the world’s strongest woman, Jill Mills. I did not finish the surface properly and used a standard grade concrete, which resulted in the tacky pulling off of the surface of the stone while Jill was lifting it during the world record attempt.

I will never forget when, in front of thousands of spectators, after Jill attempted to lift the stone and failed, Jill said, “Steve the stone is falling apart!”

Jill Mills

She was able to lift the stone on the second attempt, and when she finished she had small chunks of concrete and dust all over her arms and hands that the tacky had pulled off the stone. The weak stone surface made the lift more difficult because the tacky wasn’t able to work properly.

Since this incident, I have come up with a solution to this problem. In this article I will explain the techniques to making a stronger, more efficient stone.

How to Make Atlas Stones

After determining the stone size you want to make, the first step is to purchase the appropriate Slater’s Stone Mold. Keep in mind, Slater’s offers inserts to alter the weight of your stone.

For now, we’ll focus on making a stone without any inserts.

Step One: Lubricating the Mold

Lube the inside of the mold. We suggest silicone or Triflow Teflon, both of which you can purchase from Slater’s.

Spray it on, and use a paper towel or rag to spread it evenly inside the mold. I then put the mold together, and tape it using 2-3” Gorilla Tape.

While doing this, I check inside the mold several times to make sure that no gap has occurred at the parting line which is the seam where the mold comes together. If a gap has been created, I press down on the mold while I apply more tape to that area. When in doubt of how much tape to apply, use more.

Step Two: Shrink Wrapping the Mold

The next step is shrink-wrapping the mold. We offer a 5” shrink wrap, which allows for easy wrapping. Wrapping the mold is not only to support the mold, but to keep the concrete from sticking to the surface of it, by creating a barrier that you can remove.

After the mold is wrapped, place it in two old car tires, so that it is supported when you pour the concrete into the mold. Using two tires instead of one will make sure that the bottom of the mold will not touch the ground and result in a flat spot on the bottom of the stone.

Step Three – Mixing the Concrete

The next step is to mix the concrete. I have a special complicated concrete formula that I use for my Slater’s Stones. However, I will explain a more basic formula for you to make your own quality stones.

Quikrete 5000 works well or any type of Sakrete concrete mix. You may also add Portland cement to the mix to add extra strength. This is also a good product to use to make the mixture thicker if it turns out to be very wet.

To mix the concrete, I prefer a concrete mixer, but a hoe and wheelbarrow will also work. As another efficient and inexpensive option, we also offer a reusable concrete mixing bag.

How Much Concrete?

Make sure to buy the same weight in concrete that you want your stone to weigh, so that you have extra in case you spill some or make any other mistakes along the way. You will have some extra because the water you add to the mix will account for some weight too.

How Much Water?

For example, if you are making a 150 pound stone, buy 150 pounds of concrete. For a solid mixture, add about 1 gallon of water per 80 pounds of concrete mix. Combine these two parts completely so it is a smooth mix, not soupy and not clumpy. If it is soupy add some Portland cement or more dry concrete mix.

Pouring the Concrete into the Mold

Once you have everything prepared, add the mixed concrete into the mold, using a funnel. You want to add the mix in small batches. I prefer to add the concrete in about 90 pound increments because it is standard for concrete mix to come in 80 pound bags and the water accounts for about 10 lbs.

Once I add 90 lbs in I will shake the mold and slightly bounce it to get the mix to settle. I then mix up more concrete and once I add the next batch I will probe a broom handle up and down and stir some to blend the two mixes together. Then I will shake the mold and slightly bounce it again.

I do this until the mold is filled. Once it is completely filled I will add some more mix to slightly over fill the mold. I will then let it sit for 10 minuets or so and then go back to the mold and press some slightly dry mix into the mold if water has settled to the top. This will help to force some water out.

There are times when I will press a brick into the full mold thus pushing some of the mix tighter to the side of the mold walls helping to make a smoother top surface. If I do the brick technique I will also top it off as I described above. I will then tap the mold with a rubber mallet around 50 to 100 times driving more water out. You will probably need to add some more dry mix to the top after the tapping to keep the water from settling to the top. Too much water on the top can cause weakness on that part of the stone or an excessive flat spot (or both).

I usually keep the mold together for 2-3 days if it the temperature outside is above 60 degrees or so. If it is colder out, or if the ambient temperature of your building or room is less than 50 degrees, then I will leave the stone packaged to sit for 5 days.

Once the two to five days have passed, it is time to remove the mold. The first step is to remove the tape and use the provided tap stick to separate the mold. I also have a mold release I use that is available on Slatershardware.com to make the separation process easier, called High-Performance Mold Release (12oz).

What if There Are Holes in the Stone?

Occasionally, after removing the mold, the atlas stone will have some holes. If you do have some holes in the stone you can patch them with concrete resurfacer. I make sure I wet the stone prior to adding the resurfacer and I only add it to the holes. I then take an old damp t-shirt or cloth and pull it across the filled holes. This will help to push the mix into the holes and wipe it off the solid surface of the stone. You really don’t want the patch on the solid surface of the stone as it will most likely come off on your tacky while you lift the stone. Be accurate and conservative when applying the patch. Fill the holes but don’t get it all over the place.

Training with Your New Atlas Stone

I always suggest waiting at least 5 days before training with new stones. Stones need time to dry, and 5 days is usually a pretty safe bet, especially if you will be dropping them from shoulder height or off platforms. After all, you do not want to damage the stone you just worked so hard at building.

I hope this article proves to be helpful for you in making your atlas stones. Stone lifting is an extremely beneficial activity if you are interested in developing serious real world strength that is applicable to other forms of training and other sports.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.

Stay Strong.

Steve Slater

Get Your Atlas Stone Molds: Slater Stone Molds

Need to Learn Stone Lifting Technique? Pick up the Fundamentals of Stone Lifting DVD.

Want to go even further with implementing Strongman Training in your program? Check out the Introduction to Strongman Training DVD – click the banner below.

• How to Begin Training with the Atlas Stones
• 13 Things You NEED for Your First Strongman Contest (Part III)
• More Medley Training for Serious Athletes
• 7 Reasons to Start Lifting Stones
• Get Your Mind Right

Medley Training is great for all athletes because Medleys force you to be able to execute strength for extended period times and in many different ways. The result is improved conditioning where you are able to make bigger hits and continue to fight for longer periods of time whether on the field or the mat.

In the following video, we perform Medleys involving many different implements that require full body strength. You’ll see:

• Atlas Stone Loading
• Keg Press
• Keg Carry
• Tire Flipping
• Kettlebell Snatching

You’ll also see some other movements done outside of the Medley format:

• Leaping atop Barrels
• Kettlebell Flipping
• Some Intense Water Jug Work

Because these lifts and feats require full body strength from your toes to your finger tips, Medley training like this has the potential for excellent carryover into sports such as Mixed Martial Arts, Football, Rugby, Wrestling, Basketball, Baseball, etc.

Here is just a quick list of the benefits of medley training using Odd Objects and Strongman Equipment:

• Involve using odd objects which increase the core component of the lift (keg, stone, tire, kb)
• Heavily dependent on Posterior Chain Strength (keg, stone, tire)
• Train Triple Extension: Successive firing of the ankle, knee and hip joint (tire, stone, keg)
• Size of implements hinder breathing, simulating near hypoxic training (keg carry)
• Movement Under Tension, moving while carrying a load (keg carry)
• Overhead Work: Ground based full body power (keg press and kettlebell snatch)

One thing to take note of is that Medley training with movements such as these also involve some risk and injury can occur when doing them, especially is you do not know the correct techniques.

If you need more information on how to do these types of training, we have several resources here on the site, on YouTube, and other locations:

Odd Object Training

• Training Center: How to Do Odd Object Training

Tire Flipping

• Video: How to Flip Tires Safely

Keg Lifting

• Article & Video: How to Get Started Lifting Kegs

Stone Lifting

• Blog Post: 7 Reasons to Lift Stones
• DVD: Stone Lifting Fundamentals

Kettlebell Training

• Blog Post: How to Flip Kettlebells
• Guest Post: How to Juggle Kettlebells

For more exercise demonstrations, check out my YouTube Channel = > Jedd’s Strength Training Channel

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Ultimate Forearm Training for Baseball | How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for Athletes | The Road to the Record DVDSimilar Posts:

• 7 Reasons to Start Lifting Stones
• The Grip Strength Challenge – Medley
• Diesel Odd Object Training: Keg Lifting Basics
• Diesel Interview with Dan Cenidoza of Be-More Training
• How to Begin Training with the Atlas Stones

If you don’t know what you are doing, you can get your ass handed to you and end up with serious injuries.

It was for this reason that Smitty and I set out to put together a resource that new strongman competitors could use to learn the proper techniques for lifting atlas stones.

The idea was to produce something that would give new competitors the information they needed to keep them safe and injury free in the beginning and then go on to dominate as time went on.

A while back, we received this testimonial / review about our Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD from Rob Russell in Yorkshire. Check out what he had to say, below.

CHECK OUT THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP

“My name is Rob Russell and I have been training for 20 years. I’m 34 and live in Yorkshire in the UK. I have represented Great Britain at under 20 and under 23 level in Shot Putt and Discus until I had a car crash in 1997. Since then I scaled down the Track and Field somewhat and now train at home in my ‘Hardcore Dungeon of Strength’ lifting fat bars, kettlebells, using iron woody bands, grippers, stones, sandbags and any other sh*t I can lay my hands on that’s heavy and nasty. I still compete in amateur athletics and over the last 3years I have competed in several Highland Games and have lifted the Dinnie Stones (unassisted) and Inver Stone and won The Atlas Stone comp hosted by Geoff Capes (first time ever on the stones, heaviest stone was 160kg) this year. My URL is http://kettlebell-training-for-sport.blogspot.com. Any way, enough harping on about that…

Here’s my testimonial…

I thought I knew all I needed to know about Stone Training until I watched Stone Lifting Fundamentals. WOW! This DVD has added some serious ‘Kick Ass’ moves into my already large ‘arsenal’ of ‘must do’ exercises that are gonna transform my posterior chain from a ‘Stronghold’ into one hell of a ‘Fortress’.

So thanks Jedd I couldn’t have dreamt up some of the movements in Stone Lifting Fundamentals if I tried.

Yours in strength,
Rob Russell
______________________________________________________________________

Rob, thanks for the kind words on our DVD. It’s good to hear that our Stone Lifting DVD has been so helpful.

Here’s a little background info on our Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD that not a lot of people know…

• It wasn’t just Smitty and I that worked on this DVD, we got a ton of help from one of our good friends – Rick Walker.
• We shot the entire DVD in one day (5+ hours between breakfast and lunch) and we covered just about every single detail we could think of.
• Smitty and I brain-stormed the flow of the DVD for hours on end and then Rick threw in many other points. Between the three of us, we had several years of experience training on atlas stones and about 10 total contests under our belts. So we knew what worked for us and what didn’t.
• We designed the DVD to be useful for strength coaches as well, so they could use the cues we cover with their athletes. The DVD also has a host of stone lifting variations for excellent carryover to sporting movements.
• It took me several weeks to compile all the footage and edit it down, all the while learning new software, so to receive this great review was something that really makes me feel good after we put so much hard work in it.

If you are interested in learning the basics of atlas stone training but have no coaches and no experienced athletes in your area, this is the DVD for you.

You can pick it up here = = > Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD.

Thanks again for coming to our site, and all the best in your atlas stone training.

Your buddy,

JeddSimilar Posts:

• 7 Reasons to Start Lifting Stones
• More Medley Training for Serious Athletes
• Grip Considerations for Lifting the Husafell Stone
• Grip Strength Challenge – 25lb Hub Lift
• How to Begin Training with the Atlas Stones

Shortly after that contest, we got our own stones and we have loved stone lifting ever since. They have been an exciting form of training to go back to every so often for that spark that breaks up the training program and brings about challenges amongst one another in our crew. In fact this past weekend, I went back to stone lifting, going after my 405-lb stone. You can see the video here ==> Diesel Stone Lifting, Kettlebells, and Phone Book Tearing.

Many people at the gym are stuck in a boring routine they have done for years. It’s all they know. They are dying for something new to come into their workout lives. I firmly believe that they would enjoy the feeling and challenge of stone training as much as we do here at Diesel Crew. While there’s dozens of reasons to include stone lifting in your training, here are the top seven reasons to start doing it today.

Please send your friends who are suffering from the most boring workout ever this way and we here at Diesel will show them what they are missing. Until then…

Here are the top 7 reasons to lift stones

1. Manly Fun

What do you think of when you see a giant freakin’ rock? You think about how massive the sucker is. You wonder how the hell it even got there. You think, man, I want to try to lift that thing.

Stone lifting is just plain fun. Picking them up and throwing them around makes you feel good and makes you look forward to the next stone workout.

2. Super Strong Back

Most personal trainers will tell you to keep your back straight when lifting weights. While this is a good idea to a degree, the fact is real life situations don’t always involve setting your back in perfect posture.

Breaking a tackle, pushing your car out of the mud, loading the keg into the kegerator, flipping your friend’s Honda, fighting a bear – sometimes, your back is going to be rounded. Atlas stone lifting puts you in the round back position and prepares you for real life force production.

3. Killer Instinct

You have to be somewhat of a psycho in order to lift stones. Your mind has to be just mixed up enough to put yourself through the tasty torture of stone lifting.

There is pain involved as the stone scrapes off your forearm skin. But the pain also brings power, and when you start improving and begin lifting heavier and heavier stones, it’s the biggest rush you can have. Nothing matches the feeling of lifting a new PR stone – bungee jumping, asking out a chick, robbing a bank – nothing else comes close.

4. Monster Core Strength

You might not get a rock hard six pack from lifting stones, but you can bet the rest of your core that actually matters is going to be solid. There won’t be any worries about strength in your lower back, lats, hammies, and glutes after a few months of stone training.

5. Big Meaty Arms and Shoulders

Stone lifting involves a great deal of pulling and stabilizing throughout the full range of the lift. This time under tension pumps your arms up and inflates the shoulders. Your shoulders will be so wide after stone lifting that you’ll be blocking out the sun and they’ll be showing drive-in movies off your back.

6. Get the Reputation of a Bad Ass

There’s no need to grow a stove pipe mullet to show you are an intimidating S.O.B. Lifting stones for fun will set you apart from everybody else!

The whole neighborhood is going to refer to you as that crazy guy that lifts stones. If people can’t find your house, just tell them to ask one of the neighbors who the strongman is. At least that’s what I do. Prepare to be the talk of the town.

7. Athleticism

The force needed to shoulder stones and load them onto platforms simulates the very important athletic movement pattern of triple extension – the near simultaneous straightening of the ankles, knees, and hips, which is responsible for many powerful movements in sports.

Triple extension is responsible for movements like sprinting, leaping, bounding and other sports power movements. Start lifting stones and you’ll be playing above the rim, leaping over linemen and speeding around the base path.

Specific Training for Strongman Contests

I know you want to try out a strongman contest – everyone does. The sport is so awesome, you can’t resist it. But you’re pretty much guaranteed that the atlas stones are going to be an event, so you might as well start training them today. While we used sand-filled kegs for a degree of success at our first strongman contest, the best thing is to get your hands on the real thing and either buy or make your own atlas stones.

Injury prevention is important, and make no mistake about it, Stone Lifting involves a bit of risk, especially if you have no idea how to lift stones with proper form.

For that reason, it is important to train with a coach or a partner that already knows what they are doing.

If you don’t have either of those, then we have the perfect stone lifting resource for you.

Check out our Diesel Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD. This DVD will tell you everything you need to know about how to get started in stone lifting, how to do it without getting injured, and how to excel to the next level.

What is your number one reason for lifting stones? Post it below in the comment section!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-Similar Posts:

• How to Begin Training with the Atlas Stones
• More Medley Training for Serious Athletes
• 13 Things You NEED for Your First Strongman Contest (Part III)
• Strongest Strength Coach at Juniata
  Demonstrating the Lifts for the Competition
• Diesel / Slater Strongman DVD Now Available