A grasp of his craft, Hooper determined to cross alongside some strongman knowledge.
Amongst present elite strongman opponents, Mitchell Hooper could be the following massive factor. After storming onto the scene in 2022 — notching a podium end in six of seven contests and successful two of his final three, together with the 2022 Arnold Strongman Traditional UK — many understandably anticipate much more from Hooper in 2023. Nevertheless, earlier than he tries to construct on a terrific debut 12 months that noticed him captivate the game, the Canadian athlete is first allotting some worthwhile coaching suggestions.
On Jan. 11, 2023, Hooper posted a video to his YouTube channel the place he gave a gaggle of athletes a walkthrough on the best way to raise Atlas stones correctly. The session isn’t essentially new for Hooper, who sometimes shares comparable method coaching movies in between moments of refining his personal power.
Hooper wastes no time diving into his de facto lecture on Atlas stones.
Set Your Stance Mid-Stone
He first diagrams how one begins from a top quality lifting stance, noting that the balls of an athlete’s ft needs to be even with the middle of the stone when establishing. One other crucial issue is guaranteeing that the ft have large sufficient positioning.
“You need to be in a spot the place you may see your ft [on either side of the stone]. See your ft on the perimeters of the stone.”
If an individual’s ft are too near the Atlas stone, Hooper maintains that it might negatively change the palms’ positioning as they grip the stone. As well as, with the stone in hand, the knees may rub up towards an athlete’s elbows, making for a non-ideal setup whereas lifting.
Cup the Stone with Palms and Forearms
With reference to particular notes about an athlete’s palms whereas making an attempt to raise an Atlas Stone, Hooper clarifies that the palms ought to by no means be instantly underneath as a result of that may drive the comparatively weaker biceps muscular tissues to help the load.
“The secret is creating friction by creating as a lot floor contact as potential. You need your hand and as a lot of your forearm to be on the stone as potential.”
As a substitute, the intention needs to be about having as a lot of 1’s arms touching the stone as potential, nearly “cupping” the big trademark strongman implement by inserting your palms barely ahead of the load’s middle.
“Straight arm, palms ahead, arms locked in. That means, we’re utilizing our chest and our lat to squeeze the stone. We’re not utilizing our biceps to choose up the stone.”
Deadlift Excessive and Lap the Stone
Hooper maintains that after an athlete is in a correct place, their aim needs to be to raise the stone to their lap by placing it as far above their knees as potential. Then, as soon as prepared, the hips can sink again, and the stone can naturally be rolled into the lap.
“What it’s best to intention to do is deadlift the stone as excessive as potential. You don’t need to simply get to your knee and instantly sit it in.” Hooper mentioned. ” … Take into consideration how muscular tissues oppose drive and the place that drive goes.”
A standard method precept for strongmen and strongwomen, lapping the stone helps the athlete seamlessly re-grip for improved leverage earlier than standing.
“The primary aim is to get the stone from the bottom to your lap … As soon as the stone passes your knee, you may sit and roll. You change your palms, and you’ll carry it up [to a standing position].”
Get Hips Beneath the Stone to Stand Up
Per Hooper, as soon as somebody is ready to alter their grip for the hip motion, the stone ought to “sit on the sternum” with the physique as tight as potential to the stone. The stone ought to then transfer straight up because the athlete stands up.
Hooper clarifies that some make the error of really making an attempt to raise the stone larger when it’s towards their sternum. To fight this overcorrection, the strongman advises making a stringent effort to maintain the stone tight to the chest and easily extending the hips beneath for improved leverage and full extension.
“With regards to extending [into a standing position], you shouldn’t take into consideration bringing the stone up … Your thought needs to be to shoot your hips underneath the stone, after which it is going to roll up.”
Particular Approach for Excessive Platforms
If a strongman or strongwoman competitor has the duty of lifting the stone onto a taller podium, Hooper mentioned they need to try to guarantee their palms aren’t instantly across the middle of the stone when repositioning grip. This form of “hugging” leaves restricted flexibility for power maneuverability with the stone at the next place and has the next likelihood of a failed raise.
As a substitute, when an athlete is working for his or her re-grip, the arms needs to be positioned at a 45-degree angle excessive of the stone, leaving extra room to work the stone onto the next platform.
In the end, Hooper supplied a reminder that the balls of the ft point out the place the middle of the stone is. As such, the arms ought to nonetheless be in lockstep with the balls of the ft on preliminary positioning. Whereas reviewing a number of video contributors’ pattern performances, Hooper supplied one ultimate correction to a typical mistake being made within the early part of the raise.
“The movement off the bottom just isn’t a squat, it’s a stiff-legged deadlift. Hips actually excessive.”
Already a longtime celebrity, Hooper, the instructor, will quickly seamlessly shift to Hooper, the strongman. The athlete is about to compete on the 2023 Australia’s Strongest Worldwide (ASI) on Jan. 21, 2023, in Yapeen, Australia. If his exploits there go wherever near his success from 2022, Hooper simply may begin the brand new aggressive 12 months with a bang.
Featured picture: Mitchell Hooper on YouTube
