How to Do Hypertrophy Training as a Strongman

Written By Joseph Lucero

By Joseph Lucero | Harvesting Strength

Strongman is a sport of raw grit, power, and unconventional strength. It’s about hoisting atlas stones, running with massive weights, and pressing awkward objects overhead. But underneath all that intensity is a simple truth: muscle moves weight. If you want to become a better strongman, you need more muscle mass. That’s where hypertrophy training comes in.

Hypertrophy, aka building muscle, isn’t just for bodybuilders. For strongmen and strongwomen, it lays the structural foundation for future strength. In this blog, we’ll break down exactly how to approach hypertrophy training as a strength athlete, how it fits into your annual cycle, and how to tailor it to your unique needs as a strongman competitor.

PS - This information was built for the general population of strength athletes. If you feel you’re looking for more one-on-one focus with programming, click here to learn more about Harvesting Strength!

What Is Hypertrophy Training?

Hypertrophy training is the method of building skeletal muscle through targeted resistance training and volume-based work. The goal isn’t just strength, it’s size. Bigger muscles can become stronger muscles. More muscle mass around joints like the hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows creates resilience and performance in strongman events.

Hypertrophy is achieved primarily through:

  • Moderate to high reps (ie: 6–15 reps)

  • Moderate loads (ie: 60–80% 1RM)

  • Higher training volume (multiple sets per muscle group)

  • Controlled tempo and good form

  • Shorter rest periods (60–90 seconds for accessories)

For strongman, hypertrophy work is most often done in the off-season or base phase, but some hypertrophy elements can be carried throughout the training year to maintain balance and prevent breakdown.

Why Strongman Athletes Need Hypertrophy Work

Strongman events require total-body strength. But that strength is only possible with adequate muscle mass. Here’s why hypertrophy training matters:

1. Injury Prevention

Larger muscles support and cushion joints. For example, strong glutes and hamstrings protect the knees during heavy carries. A well-developed upper back helps stabilize the spine during yoke walks and axle deadlifts.

2. Improved Work Capacity

Hypertrophy training increases muscular endurance. That translates directly into strongman events that require time-under-tension: sandbag loads, medleys, stone runs, etc.

3. Better Leverages

More muscle in the right places changes how you move. Bigger traps and delts give you better stability overhead. Stronger lats help pull implements off the floor faster.

4. Build the Base for Strength Peaks

Before you can peak strength, you have to build it. Hypertrophy phases allow you to accumulate training volume and prepare your body for the higher loads in later training blocks.

How to Structure a Hypertrophy Phase for Strongman

A well-structured hypertrophy phase usually lasts 4–6 weeks, depending on your competition schedule and training level. It should precede your strength and peaking phases.

General Hypertrophy Phase Layout:

  • Length: 4–6 weeks

  • Frequency: 4–5 training sessions per week

  • Split: Upper/Lower or Push/Pull/Legs (with event variations)

  • Volume: High (3–5 sets per movement)

  • Intensity: 60–80% 1RM

  • Reps: 6–15 reps (depending on lift)

  • Rest: 60–90 seconds for accessories; 2–3 minutes for compounds

Here’s how to approach it.

Focus 1: Compound Lifts First

Even in a hypertrophy phase, strongman athletes need to prioritize compound movements. These build the most muscle and have the best carryover to events.

Include variations of:

  • Squat: High bar squats, front squats, safety bar squats

  • Deadlift: Deficit deadlifts, RDLs, trap bar pulls

  • Overhead Press: Push press, strict press, incline press

  • Rows & Pulls: Barbell rows, T-bar rows, pull-ups

Keep reps in the 6–10 range here, and load up weight starting at 65% of 1RM. You can go slightly heavier (up to 80%) for top sets, followed by back-off volume but that’s another conversation to have another day.

Focus 2: Target Weak Points with Accessories

After your compounds, use accessories to target lagging areas. These lifts should be more isolated and volume-based.

Key Strongman Areas to Develop:

  • Upper Back/Traps

    • Dumbbell shrugs

    • Face pulls (done a specific way)

    • Horizontal Rows

  • Shoulders (Medial/Rear Delts)

    • Lateral raises

    • Reverse pec deck

    • Dumbbell upright rows

  • Hamstrings & Glutes

    • Glute bridges

    • Seated or lying leg curls

    • Hip thrusts

  • Core & Bracing

    • Planks

    • Weighted carries

    • Ab rollouts

  • Grip Work

    • NOT USING STRAPS! (Yeah, YOU!)

    • Farmer walks


Choose 3–4 accessory movements per session and train them in the 10–15 rep range with short rest periods.

Focus 3: Event-Inspired Hypertrophy

You don’t need to completely avoid event work in a hypertrophy phase—you just need to approach it differently.

For example:

  • Farmer Carries: Light to moderate weight for distance (e.g., 60–70% of comp weight for 100+ feet)

  • Sandbag Loads: High reps to a low platform

  • Yoke Walks: Light yoke for longer distances, such as discussed above in “farmer carries”

These should be done with control and clean technique to develop muscle, not test max output.

PS - This information was built for the general population of strength athletes. If you feel you’re looking for more one-on-one focus with programming, click here to learn more about Harvesting Strength!

Sample Weekly Split

Day 1: Lower Body (Squat Focus)

  • Front Squat: 2x8

  • RDL: 4x10

  • Meadow Rows: 5x12 each arm

  • Glute Ham Raise: 3x12

  • Farmer Walks 3x120 feet

Day 2: Upper Body (Push Focus)

  • Incline Barbell Press: 2x8

  • Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: 5x12

  • Lateral Raise: 3x15

  • Band Pull Aparts: 3x20

  • Core Plank Hold: 3x45 sec

Day 3: Off or Active Recovery

Day 4: Lower Body (Deadlift Focus)

  • Deficit Deadlift: 2x8

  • Barbell Hip Thrust: 4x10

  • Bulgarian Split Squat: 3x12/leg

  • Leg Curl: 3x15

  • Sandbag Walk to FAILURE 3 sets

Day 5: Upper Body (Push Focus)

  • Push Press 2x8

  • Close Grip Bench Press 5x12

  • Eccentric Pull Ups: 3x10

  • Face Pulls: 3x15

  • Core Plank Hold: 3x45 sec

Day 6: Optional Event Conditioning or Recovery Work

  • Sled drags, light carries, prowler pushes

Day 7: Rest

Nutrition for Strongman Hypertrophy

You can’t build mass without adequate fuel. During hypertrophy blocks, your calorie intake should reflect your volume.

Basic Guidelines:

  • Eat in a slight surplus: 250–500 calories above maintenance

  • Protein: 1.0–1.2 grams per pound of body weight

  • Carbs: Crucial for recovery and energy (3–5g/lb)

  • Fats: Moderate (~20–30% of daily calories)

Hydration, sleep, and post-workout nutrition (carbs + protein) will make a big difference in your ability to recover between sessions.

Common Mistakes in Hypertrophy Training for Strongman

1. Going Too Heavy Too Soon

Hypertrophy isn’t about ego lifting. If you’re maxing out, you’re missing the point. Focus on controlled reps, quality contractions, and full ranges of motion.

2. Neglecting Recovery

With high volume comes high fatigue. Prioritize sleep, mobility, and even rest days. Don’t program five max-rep sets of deadlifts and then yoke walks the next day.

3. Not Addressing Imbalances

A hypertrophy phase is your chance to fix muscle asymmetries and joint instability. Use unilateral lifts, core work, and rehab-style exercises to round out your body.

4. Skipping Grip Work

Grip is king in strongman. Use hypertrophy blocks to build bigger forearms and crushing strength. Don’t wait until the event phase to worry about holding onto a 300 lb farmer handle.

When to Use Hypertrophy Training?

Hypertrophy blocks are best used:

  • In the off-season

  • After a competition (to deload heavy CNS demand)

  • Before a strength peak (as a base builder)

  • When recovering from injury (lower intensity, high volume work)

Many strongmen will include short hypertrophy-focused blocks multiple times a year to prevent overtraining and stay structurally balanced.

Final Thoughts: Build the Muscle to Move the Weight

Strongman training is brutal and demanding. But the strongest athletes are often the ones with the most muscle mass in the right places. Don’t skip the foundational work. Hypertrophy is your investment into future strength, resilience, and success in this sport.

Use your off-season wisely. Push volume, chase the pump, clean up your nutrition, and build the body that can handle the demands of competition prep.

If you’re ready to start your next hypertrophy block but want help building the perfect strongman-specific plan, reach out. Book a free consultation, or download my free training templates for hypertrophy, strength, and event prep.

Train hard, train smart—build that engine.

Joseph Lucero
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