Strongman physiques aren’t built on pressing power alone. A strong back, powerful posterior chain and vice-like grip are all essential for shifting seriously heavy loads, and that’s exactly what this session targets.

The second workout in our Men’s Health modified strongman plan puts pulling strength front and centre, combining deadlifts, rows and loaded carries before finishing with a 60 second max effort challenge.

A. Deadlift from Blocks x 3 sets of 8 reps

C. Dumbbell Front Rack Carry x 4 sets of 30m

D. Deadlift x 3 sets of 60 secs max effort

Rest for three mins between sets for your first move, two minutes on your second and just a minute between your carries.

Take as much rest as you feel you need to ensure maximum-quality reps. And be mindful of your form on your final deadlifts, too.

A. Deadlift from Blocks

• Set a loaded barbell on blocks so it sits higher than it would for a conventional deadlift.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hinge at the hips to grip the bar.
• Brace your core, pull your shoulders back and drive through your feet to stand tall, keeping the bar close to your body.
• Reverse the movement under control until the bar returns to rest on the blocks.

• Stand behind a barbell with your feet around hip-width apart.
• Hinge at the hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• Explosively row the bar towards your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Lower the bar all the way back to the floor before beginning your next rep.

C. Dumbbell Front Rack Carry

• Clean a pair of heavy dumbbells onto your shoulders and hold them in the front-rack position. Keep your elbows up, chest proud and core braced.
• Walk forwards with controlled steps for 30m, keeping your torso upright and resisting the urge to lean backwards as you fatigue.

• Stand with your feet underneath a loaded barbell.
• Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to grip the bar just outside your legs.
• Brace your core, keep your back flat and drive the floor away to stand tall, extending your hips and knees together.
• Lower the bar under control and repeat, keeping your form tight as fatigue builds.

If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.

Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.