Mariusz Pudzianowski is a man to be reckoned with, and there are very few like him out there that have managed to build up so much muscle mass.
Unlike many other competitors in the World's Strongest Man competitions, he has a truly ripped body with six-pack abs and immaculate muscle definition.
And because of his background in bodybuilding, MMA, and strongman competitions, we were interested in finding out a bit more about his strongman routine and diet.
His Stats
- Born: February 7, 1977
- Height: 6’1”
- Weight: 310 lbs
Mariusz won his first strongman competition in 2002 and has followed that up with another five wins and two second-place finishes.
View this post on Instagram
His personal record for bench presses is 275 kg (over 600 lbs), and he has branched out into MMA as well.
Imagine facing a man of that size in a ring with no escape!
Mariusz Pudzianowski Workout Plan
Drawing from my experience in designing workout plans, I've found that unique training sessions like Mariusz's, which differ from traditional bodybuilding, can be highly effective for strongman competitions.
It involves training three days a week, but you would need to hit the gym twice a day.
Here’s what’s involved.
Monday:
There’s a heavy focus on the upper body for both the morning and afternoon sessions. And when he’s preparing for strongman events, he would extend the afternoon session to a few more typical event-type workouts.
Morning Routine
- Bench press (2 warm-up sets and 3 sets of 6 reps)
- Weighted chin-ups (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Barbell extensions (5 sets of 6 reps up to 80kg)
- Standing french press (5 sets of 6 reps)
Afternoon Training With Strongman Equipment
- Sandbag carry (3 sets of 150 meters)
- Tire flips (5 sets of 10 flips)
- Conan’s wheel (3 sets of 2.5 revolutions)
- Parallel stairs aka power stairs (3 sets of 15 steps)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday:
This day is dedicated to legs and back muscles, but squats are also a great way to engage the core as well.
Morning Routine
- Mariusz front squats (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Calf raises (5 sets of 20 reps)
- Deadlifts (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Good mornings (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Standing military press (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Barbell rows (5 sets of 6 reps)
Afternoon Event Training
- Parallel crucifix (5 sets of 30 seconds)
- Bushman’s walk (5 sets of 15 meters)
- Bench press(5 sets of 6 reps)
Thursday: Rest
Friday:
The final day is predominantly about the lower body, and you just need to look at Mariusz’s legs to understand how effective these can be.
Morning Routine
- Leg extension for quads (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski leg curl for hamstrings (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Olympic style squats (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Behind the neck pulldowns (5 sets of 6 reps)
- Back squats (5 sets of 6 reps)
Afternoon Training
- Sandbag carry (3 sets of 150 meters
- Tire flip (5 sets of 10 flips)
- Conan’s wheel (3 sets of 2.5 revolutions)
- Parallel stairs aka power stairs (3 sets of 15 steps)
He also includes hanging leg raises for some core work.
Saturday/Sunday: Rest
His Training Principles
For a typical workout routine, Mariusz trains in a morning gym session and an afternoon one as well.
And there’s a very careful plan in how he structures those exercises.
In the morning, he focuses on free weights by loading up dumbbells and barbells to the maximum. You’ll notice that he rarely does more than six reps, and that’s how he believes he’s achieved his muscle thickness.
On the downside, those weights can take a toll on joints, and you’ll often see Mariusz wear knee wraps, especially for the afternoon strength sports exercises.
He chooses specific strongman events for the afternoon routine, and those give him some excellent compound exercises.
It forces his muscles into not just reacting to a gym weight, but the more awkward shaped weights in a strongman competition.
Other workout routines:
Mariusz Pudzianowski Diet Plan
- Meal 1: 10 scrambled eggs, 2 lbs of bacon
- Meal 2: Large protein shake, several chocolate bars
- Meal 3: 4 pork chops, a large portion of sauerkraut and potatoes
- Meal 4: Large protein shake, several chocolate bars
- Meal 5: Steak, bacon, or pork, a large portion of sauerkraut, and potatoes
- Meal 6: Several chocolate bars
Diet Principles
I discovered through using high-calorie diets, much like Mariusz’s approach, that consuming a large number of calories is crucial for athletes in strength sports to maintain their energy and muscle mass.
And he doesn't care where they come from.
He’s never stuck with a strict diet plan, and I guess when you work so hard at the weights, then some crappy foods might be processed easier.
He certainly needs tons of energy, which he tends to get from chocolate. And apparently, he even eats some during the night.
“At 3 or 4 AM, I wake up and have more chocolate, then go back to sleep until morning.”
- Mariusz Pudzianowski
But I would also say that there is plenty of meat in his protein-rich main meals.
What Supplements Does He Take?
Mariusz is a big fan of supplements and focuses a lot of attention on getting the right mix of amino acids.
Here are the ones he’s mentioned as important.
1. Whey Protein
He’s obviously not vegan, given his typical meal plan, and whey protein will give him the best balance of amino acids for supporting his muscle recovery.
According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), whey protein supplementation has been shown to enhance muscle recovery and performance in resistance training for both men and women [1].
2. Creatine
According to insights from the Healthline, this amino acid is a good one for high-performance athletes. Not only may it help with faster muscle recovery and less soreness, but creatine may also help boost exercise performance [2].
3. Minerals
Based on a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), magnesium is the most important mineral for muscle recovery [3], but a good dose of zinc to support testosterone production is also a good idea.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537849/
- www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-creatine
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723322/
About The Author
You May Also Like