Even the most elite strongman athletes still train in the gym to improve their form. 2019 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Martins Licis and 2022 Arnold Strongman UK champion Mitchell Hooper agree that there is constant space to improve lifting technique.
On Jan. 20, 2023, the strongman duo headed to Squat University to study squat form under the tutelage of Dr. Aaron Horschig. Their class was published on Licis’ YouTube channel so Licis’ 205,000 subscribers could learn some tips for themselves. Check it out below:
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The video opened with a brief shot of Hooper squatting with a barbell and Licis spotting him while squatting Horschig. The head of Squat University was training with two of the strongest athletes on the planet. The training session occurred at Ghost Gym in Miami, FL, near the 2023 Wodapalooza festival that featured the elite CrossFit competition at Bay Front Park.
Horschig’s first adaptation to Licis’ training was to place a resistance band around his ankles rather than the knees to help him focus on the external rotation rooting from the feet. This rotation helps further engage the glute medius, stabilizing the hips better. This was a test Horschig aimed primarily at Licis as the 2019 WSM champ was dealing with some niggling injuries in his right hip.
While Licis was working on his external rotation and hip alignment through the eccentric portion of the squat, Hooper appeared to be training toward his max lifts. The barbell bent over his traps as he knocked out squat triples while wearing his weight belt and knee sleeves.
[Related: Strongman Rob Kearney Teaches Sandbag-to-Shoulder Technique]
Featured image: @martinslicis on Instagram
