Mike Mastell

Mike Mastell earned both his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and master’s degree in molecular biochemistry from Sacred Heart University. He is a lightweight professional strongman and became the youngest overall national champion in 2011 at age 21. Mastell holds various overhead press records, including the national log press record. He has competed in a number of world championships and traveled abroad for competition. He studied strength and conditioning under professional strongman Elliot Hulse and World’s Strongest Man competitor Derek Poundstone. Mastell has handled the strength programming and nutrition for several national and international-level strength athletes. He is currently the head strength and conditioning coach at Punch Gym in Norwalk, CT.

 
12-Week Strong(wo)man Program for the Off-Season
12-Week Strong(wo)man Program for the Off-Season
This month’s featured program is great for those who’ve recently finished training for a contest and are getting into the nitty-gritty of off-season training. It’ll keep your gains coming in at a steady pace, improve your base strength, and help you peak while training for your next contest.
The Important Aspects of Training to Always Keep in Focus
The Important Aspects of Training to Always Keep in Focus
Don’t get sidetracked by paying attention to insignificant details and meaningless methods. Learn to distinguish between what matters and what doesn’t.
Comeback Programming — Returning to the Gym After An Extended Break
Comeback Programming — Returning to the Gym After An Extended Break
You’ve been away from the gym, but now you’re back. With some intelligent programming you can resume training in such a way that you’ll be blowing through your old numbers without ever getting stuck.
Group Training: Use Your Constraints for Program Construction
Group Training: Use Your Constraints for Program Construction
The first thing that you need to do is decide on what your limiting factors are: time, equipment, physical abilities, skill, and audience.
How to Run A Great Strongman Contest
How to Run A Great Strongman Contest
These eight rules of contest promotion are vital to your event’s success and your athletes’ satisfaction. Do it right and they’ll be back next time.
WATCH: The One-Motion Log Pressing Technique — Why and When to Use It
WATCH: The One-Motion Log Pressing Technique — Why and When to Use It
This step-by-step guide (with video) demonstrates how a strongman competitor can use this unique technique to increase efficiency and performance in the log clean and press.
Strongman Strategy: Events for Time
Strongman Strategy: Events for Time
There are few things you can control at a strongman competition. Pace is one of them.
Who's Your Iron Mike?
Who's Your Iron Mike?
That extra push each competitor needs doesn’t always come from the place you’d most expect it. Sometimes it comes from Iron Mike.
Best Program Alterations To Make When Your Training Hits a Roadblock
Best Program Alterations To Make When Your Training Hits a Roadblock
You inevitably need to change up what you’re doing after stalled progress. What do you change? How do you go about deciding what to keep and what to remove?
Cutting Weight for Strongman: Is It Helping or Hurting You?
Cutting Weight for Strongman: Is It Helping or Hurting You?
Unlike other strength sports, your weight class dictates the implements you’ll use to compete in Strongman. Here’s how to know if and when to cut weight.
WATCH: Mike Mastell Discusses His Experiences with Strongman and Biochemistry
WATCH: Mike Mastell Discusses His Experiences with Strongman and Biochem...
An elite level competitor shares the major factors that have influenced his training.
9-Week Program to Transition from Strongman to Powerlifting
9-Week Program to Transition from Strongman to Powerlifting
Follow these principles of program design to build the muscular abilities that were untrained for your previous strength sport.
9 Log Press Mistakes and How to Fix Them
9 Log Press Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Clean up your press and push heavier weight.
The Do's and Don'ts of Injury Prevention and Recovery
The Do's and Don'ts of Injury Prevention and Recovery
Beware of these injury warning signs and adjust your training program to adhere to your body’s needs.
Off-Season Program Design for Strongman
Off-Season Program Design for Strongman
Looking to get the most out of your time between competitions? This program provides guidance on how to lay out your strongman training.
How To Master the Circus DB
How To Master the Circus DB
Tricks to master a ‘bell that will qualify you to join any carnival.
Technical Breakdown of the Yoke Walk
Technical Breakdown of the Yoke Walk
Turn a jerkity stagger into a confident cakewalk. I ain't yokin'.
Strongman Routines to Win You A Pro Card
Strongman Routines to Win You A Pro Card
Which of these three progress-sapping categories do you fall in?
A Modern Approach to Contest-Day Eating for Strongman
A Modern Approach to Contest-Day Eating for Strongman
That stack of bottomless pancakes you had for breakfast won't taste so good coming up after the medley.
Training for Novice Strongman
Training for Novice Strongman
The newest elitefts columnist breaks down how to get started in strongman.

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