USA’s John Haack is arguably the greatest pound-for-pound powerlifter in recent history, boasting raw powerlifting world records in the 90KG and 100KG categories. Haack made his Strongman debut at the 2023 Kaos Classic in Lytham St. Annes, England, to a third-place finish.
Haack is preparing for the 2024 Official Strongman Games (OSG) in Madison, WI, from Dec. 5-8. He enlisted the 2024 Strongest Man on Earth (SMoE) and 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Mitchell Hooper to help him harness his potential.
“This is one of the coolest powerlifting transitions to Strongman in history,” Hooper shared.
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Yoke Walk Essentials
A pillar event of many strongman contests, the yoke walk involves carrying and balancing a weighted implement on the traps. The setup resembles a high bar squat; Hooper taught Haack to bend his head forward while positioning the yoke.
Hooper fixed how Haack used his arms. “You don’t want to pull in [on the sidebars]; you want to push [them] forward,” Hooper instructed. Moreover, while it’s tempting to look ahead, “Your goal shouldn’t be to look at the finish line; your goal should be to look about two to three meters in front of you,” Hooper added.
Form and Footwork
Walking with straight legs is the key to speed and efficiency in the yoke. “Slam your foot into the ground and almost walk through your hip rather than your knees,” Hooper guided. “You’ll use your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back more powerfully.” It didn’t take Haack long to get the movement down.
How (Not to) to Breathe & Yoke Height
Breathing is fundamental in stationary lifts. For the yoke walk, “Do your best for [breathing] not to be a thing,” Hooper cautioned. “Once you breathe out, that brace is gone,” alluding to core strength and stability.
On adjusting yoke height, “The slower and heavier you expect it to be, the higher you want it,” Hooper explained.
Sandbag Toss Tips & Tricks
Haack’s next challenge was a 60-pound sandbag toss. While an admitted weak point, the powerlifter made big jumps in his performance with Hooper’s direction.
“It’s more about rhythm than anything,” Hooper shared. “The biggest cue for me is patience,” teaching the technique in phases. First and foremost, Hooper grabbed the sandbag deep in his palms and curled his wrists under. For the execution:
- Reach through the legs
- Swing halfway up at half-speed
- Accelerate the arms overhead
- Jump and release
“If you go too fast, it will throw out in front,” Hooper directed.
Timing the Release
“If it goes too far back, you accelerated too late with your hands; if it goes too far forward, you accelerated it [too early],” Hooper coached. “Shortening the moment arm helps tremendously.”
After releasing the bag, Hooper warned not to bend forward. “If you can lean your body back, it’s a massive advantage.”
Jump & Achieving Maximum Height
In the sandbag toss, jumping is critical to achieving maximum height and clearing the structure. Haack was instinctual, struggling to leave the ground with several attempts, “I think I’m trying to use more of a deadlift,” he admitted. However, with repetition, he nailed it.
“This is a major one. If you can’t finish the sandbag, five or six guys will,” Hooper asserted.
Rolling Stones
Who places the stones atop first often wins the show. Hooper broke down the Atlas Stones technique for Haack in four steps without using tacky, a sticky resin that helps with gripping.
“Way better to learn to do stones without tacky,” Hooper assured. “The difference between what you can lift with and without tacky…that’s how much you’re relying on the tacky.”
Deadlift, Squeeze, Thrust, and Roll
Though picking up the stones begins with a conventional deadlift, the isometric Romanian deadlift (RDL) is an essential next step.
“Keep your hips high; knees get soft,” Hooper cued, setting Haack for the thrust and roll. Think RDLs, not [conventional]. ” Then, “Bring your hands over the top of the stone, thrust [the hips forward]…and roll it up your body,” Hooper demonstrated.
“Try to roll it up to the platform…don’t extend it forward,” Hooper added, emphasizing technique over impulse.
“I feel much more confident after today,” said Haack following the session. “The events we worked on were events I was a little iffy on.” Hopefully, these tips and tricks can lead Haack to a favorable outcome at the 2024 OSG.
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Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
