In 1962 in a small town in Norway a boy of 12 made weights out of birch. He kept the wooden weights wet to make them heavy, and he used them often. He wanted to be an Indian or Tarzan, a man with his shirt off. In 1999 that same boy, now a 6'4", almost 300-pound power lifter from Hawaii, became the strongest man in America by winning the AFSA U.S. Strongman Championship. His achievements are a testament to the use of functional strength.

January 2000 marks the new millennium as well as the birthday of the big Hawaiian Odd Haugen. To celebrate, he's planning to grab some powerlifting records, more strongman victories and who can say what else in the year 2000. With his training techniques, the best powerlifting apparel and a scientific diet and supplement program he's more injury-free, he says, and he's increasing his strength each year. He doesn't see any peaking of his performance.

Haugen has an interesting approach to his training, which he calls functional strength training. In his view, athletes should combine their training so they'll be functionally strong and fast. With that foundation they'll bring super speed and super strength to any sport.

In his early years Odd delivered newspapers and used all his money to buy American bodybuilding and strength magazines, and he grew up reading, learning, and developing new ways to be strong. At 16 he competed in ski jumping, and although weight training for sports like that wasn't yet fully accepted, Odd's Norwegian coach believed in it. As a result the Norwegian ski jumpers were winning big on the international scene. Later the coach moved to speed skating, and although his advanced weight training went unnoticed, the Norwegian speed skaters starting winning international competitions as well. What Odd learned from that coach eventually became part of his bodybuilding training for functional strength.

Soon Odd was demonstrating the success of his ideas. He was a top wrestler in school. He competed in the high jump, clearing 6'4". He competed in the Norwegian National Championships in a variety of sports in which he could demonstrate his strength and speed, including the shot put, discus and 100-meter dash, and he often medaled. Trying his hand at powerlifting, he placed third at the Junior Nationals. Then, using his powerlifting strength to compete in weightlifting, he placed first in the Junior Nationals in that sport. Bodybuilding was his first love, however, and the reason for his early devotion to weight training. His many bodybuilding titles include Mr. Junior Scandinavia and Mr. Norway.

Odd came to the USA to better his English and learn more about training. He had no money for membership in a health club, so he got a job cleaning out the bathrooms and showers at a club for the privilege of working out with good equipment. He entered the IFBB Mr. World and received a medal from Joe Weider. He tried his hand at wrestling and wrestled for NCAA titles. Since he was big and strong, he was asked to try American football, but he felt lost on the field because he didn't know the game and didn't have a clue about what to do. At first his assignments were simple and he relied on his speed and strength. Suddenly, he was all-state and then all-conference. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted him. Later he found himself at the Washington Redskins tryout camp with 500 men. George Allen personally selected Odd Haugen. Odd says he loved playing American football in the NFL. Eventually, he would up playing for the 49ers.

As great as his NFL experience was, however, Odd didn't like the football lifestyle, and he went back to testing different types of competitions. He opened a Gold's Gym, and over the course of a few years his business expanded to a total of 11 Gold's gyms. In 1995 he sold them to 24 Hour Fitness . . .

With all his accomplishments, Odd still kept up his training. In 1995 he started working out with powerlifting's Gus Rethwich, a big deadlifter and great meet promoter. Gus recognized the super strength of his Viking workout partner and brought him back to powerlifting. In 1997, Odd placed third at the IPF Master's World Championships in Hungary. Then he won first place in the WABDL Bench Press and Deadlift World Championships.

During that time Odd was also training Curtis Lefler for the World's Strongest Man competitions and got the idea to start competing in the strongman events himself. The transition from powerlifter to strongman seemed natural for him, and you'll be seeing this big, strong Hawaiian Viking on ESPN for some time to come.

Work Out With Odd

His training is designed for maximum speed and power output. For example, he does key movements at 50 to 60 percent of one-rep max for two to three reps at maximum speed/effort. He also does abs and lower back every day.

Monday, upper-body dynamic workout day. To warm up, he starts all workouts with 15 to 20 minutes of intense exercise. He does bench presses with 55 to 60 percent of one-rep max. On his work sets he often uses chains or rubber bands to optimize the power output. He does only three reps for eight to 10 sets, with each set, including the rest, performed in one minute or less.

A typical session would be 185x10x3, 185x8x3, 225x5x3 and 275x3, followed by eight to 10 sets of 275 to 300 done with chains and rubber bands. After the bench presses he does clean and presses with moderate weight for 5x5, with 10 seconds rest between sets. He uses a two-inch-thick bar. He follows that with a PHA circuit using four to six exercises for shoulders, upper back, abs and lower back.

Tuesday, lower-body. Absolute strength is the primary focus. Odd will perform a one-rep max on the chosen movement after a lengthy warmup. The chosen movement may be squats or deadlifts or a variation thereof, such as partial squats or deadlifts in the rack. Zercher squats or lifts, bearhug deadlifts, or good mornings. Hell use the same movement for two to three weeks, trying to better himself each week. After that he does either deadlifts off blocks, barbell lunches or stiff-legged deadlifts for 5x5 with moderate weights and only 10 seconds rest between sets.

Wednesday, a day of rest from powerlifting. If he's training for a strongman competition, he practices specific events on this day.

Thursday, upper body. Absolute strength is the primary focus. As in all workouts the lifts vary. He may do bench presses or variations thereof in the rack, floor presses or military presses from various positions in the rack for a single max. sometimes benching with boards on his chest. Next is two or three sets of five to eight reps of close-grip bench presses or weighted dips, followed by a PHA circuit of four to six exercises for triceps, biceps, chest, forearms, lower back and abs.

Friday, lower-body dynamic workout day. He starts the session with box squats done with chains using 50 to 60 percent of max, doing two reps for eight to 12 sets. Again, the workout is designed for maximum power output, and he completes all sets with rests of less than one minute. After the box squats come good mornings, stiff-legged deadlifts or high-rep leg presses and a PHA circuit of four to six exercises for his lower body, always including the abs and lower back.

Saturday and Sunday, event days. If he's training for a strongman contest, hell use these days for practice in the contested events; for example, pulling, throwing or carrying objects.

By Peter Thorne

c. 2000 Ironman Magazine, Used by permission.