John Haack is pound-for-pound arguably the best powerlifter in the world, with a record-breaking squat, bench and deadlift total of 2,000.7 pounds. Which is one way of saying, he goes hard in his training. But how does his lifting compare to that of a champion strongman?
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Martins Licis, whose titles include wins at the World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic, invited Haack to join him for a training session as he prepares for the 2022 Rogue Invitational. The Invitational encompasses events in the arenas of both CrossFit and strongman, and when Licis arrives to compete later this month, he will be defending his 2021 title.
Licis and Haack perform a series of strength events throughout their workout, including the shoulder press, the log press, yoke carry, sled pulls, and plate carry. The next day, Licis works through some of his “technical issues” in the dumbbell shoulder press and the deadlift as the Invitational draws nearer.Focusing on stability and mobility as a means of injury prevention has become a bigger priority.
Training for stability and mobility as well as sheer strength has become a bigger priority for Licis, as he had to undergo extensive injury rehab in 2020 as a result of training through pain. This means that now, when he identifies stiffness, he doesn’t ignore it.
“My hip is not feeling great, kind of expected that this week, got to pull back on the deadlifts,” he says. “Grip is holding up strong, so I’m really excited to put all that together on competition day.”
This article was first published on Men’s Health US.