In December 2024, former WWE star and Wisconsin State High School wrestling champ Eric Bugenhagen joined fellow Wisconsinite and powerlifting icon John Haack for a deadlift session at Madtown Fitness in Madison, WI.
While he recently broke the 90KG all-time raw squat world record at 365.5 kilograms, Haack’s been training and competing in competitive strongman, debuting at the 2024 Official Strongman Games U90KG division, ranking sixth overall. Meanwhile, Bugenhagen is trying a high-volume program inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, performing 50 sets per session. “It’s f’ed me up big time,” he admitted.
They loaded 800 pounds on a 10-foot-long, 60-plus-pound Mammoth deadlift bar. Haack offered key pulling tips before they trained grip strength and calves.
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800-Pound Mammoth Bar Deadlift
The Mammoth or Elephant bar used by Haack and Bugenhagen is a few feet longer than a standard deadlift bar. This allows more bend or whip in the bar and a more upright posture before the bar lifts, starting the pull higher.
Haack demonstrated a mixed deadlift grip, prompting Bugenhagen, a decent puller, to ask how it was possible with 900 pounds. “I don’t know,” Haack responded, not denying the risks of a biceps tear. “Don’t yank [the weight] off the ground,” Haack coached. “Pull, then use [bar tension] to pull your hips down [first].”
Bugenhagen started on his knees and hopped into the starting position. At six feet two inches tall and with admittedly weak mobility, this may help him generate momentum to pull.
Bugenhagen breezed through his initial sets. The test was 804 pounds, a routine feat for Haack. The former lifted the bar, though failed to pull it higher. Down but not out, Bugenhagen dropped to 782 pounds and smashed a new personal best. “It was really hard to lock out,” the wrestler confessed.
Pro Secrets for a Bigger Deadlift
“[Romanian deadlifts using a rack] improve my deadlift more than anything,” Bugenhagen claimed, adding, “My deadlift directly goes up.” Haack prefers deadlifting with an axle bar — a larger, thicker bar — since he started strongman training. “I was doing high-rep [Axle deadlifts]. I switched back to powerlifting, and my deadlift blew up,” Haack revealed.
Pendlays for Power & Max Load Calf Raises
The 2024 Strongest Man on Earth, Mitchell Hooper, who recently trained Haack, ranks Pendlay rows as the top strength-building back exercise. Resetting the bar between lifts “Mitigates muscle damage and promotes neuromuscular connection,” Hooper explained, two factors that maximize strength performance. (1)
Haack and Bugenhagen strapped their lifting belts, hinged forward, and pulled the bar to their abs before dropping it on the floor. Haack picks a difficult weight he can progress with, though he doesn’t track accessory movements.
They finished by maxing out the standing calf raise machine with plates while the other sat atop the machine for more resistance. Both Haack and Bugenhagen attributed calf training to better mobility during squats. Haack also credits yoke walks and farmer’s carries for growing his calves.
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Reference
- Hughes DC, Ellefsen S, Baar K. Adaptations to Endurance and Strength Training. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2018 Jun 1;8(6):a029769. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a029769. PMID: 28490537; PMCID: PMC5983157.
Featured image: @bilbo_swaggins181 on Instagram
