Mariusz Pudzianowski ripped through his mother's stomach to spit on the puny humans populating the Earth in 1977. Since then, he has cured cancer, kicked the fuck out a vast array of Polish badasses, and dominated the World's Strongest Man competition, winning it a record five times.

Pudz began lifting at age thirteen, apparently uncontent with merely being the baddest motherfucker in Poland, and set his sights on being the baddest motherfucker in the universe. After trying his hand at Kyokushin Karate (the founder of which, Mas Oyama will be the subject of a future BME post) and getting a green belt, Pudz turned to pro boxing and then strongman.

Pudz credits his physique to a couple of lbs of chocolate and bacon a day, which is obviously total horseshit, and has cited malted milk as a major secret behind his success as another. Clearly, he doesn't want his competition horning in on his action, what with him being the strongest and leanest motherfucker on Earth. He definitely eats a shitload of meat, by all accounts, and clocks around 7-8000 calories a day.

Why eat that much? Because he fucking trains 3-6 hours a day in lifting, swimming, and karate. His lifting routines mostly focus on the core lifts, deads, squats, military presses, and the strongman events, and he loves running around while carrying a 200 lb sandbag. Overtraining is his punk bitch. This motherfucker trains until his eyes bleed, which leads to super leanness and 5 WSM golds.

According to Steve Kirit:

He informed me that he lifts everyday in his off-season before he starts serious training. He squats one day, deadlifts the next, front squats the next day, then back to squatting again. He trains his shoulders by doing behind the neck jerks where he works on speed and explosiveness, three times a week. On Wednesday he started with push jerks, working up to 405 for a very easy and fast two reps. He then squatted, high bar, Olympic style up to two easy, quick sets of 585 for three reps. Mariusz stresses proper form and technique at all times. He never sacrifices technique for more weight, ever, he says. He then did seated dumbell presses with us; 120 pounds, for ten repetitions, for five sets. I must inform you that this workout was all being done at a very fast pace. Next was curls, five sets of ten reps done on a straight bar with 135, then twenty minutes straight of abdominal work. Steve Macdonald and I were huffing and puffing trying to keep up with the weights used and the vigorous pace being set by the champ.

The workout Thursday did not prove to be any more restful for Macdonald and I. Try to read this remembering this was all done in a 90 minute session (Mariusz had a plane to catch).

10 sets 7-10 pull-ups, and chin-ups, 5 sets of 10 lat pull-downs, 5 sets of 10 lat rows, 5 sets of 6-10 good mornings, 5 sets of ten standing triceps skull-crushers (with 155), 5 sets of ten triceps push-downs, 5 sets of deadlifting (he worked up to 655 for a few). During this whole workout, Mariusz never took a break, and never got winded. If we started talking or carrying on he would throw up his arms and say..."train! train!"

The next day, he would be in Atlanta, where he said he would do another workout that included front squats. Macdonald and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. This is not a regimen many could follow; yet it is merely how Mariusz works out to stay in shape while he is on the road.

According to another source, here's a sample routine:

Mariusz Pudzianowski's Sample Training Cycle

Mariusz trains twice a day, five days a week. Below you'll find a sample workout routine as well as the loads used for various exercises.

Python's Training
Monday
Morning Gym Session (9.00)

Back Squat
Warm-up: 8 sets, pyramiding from 60 to 160kg
Work sets: pyramiding from 160 to 280kg, reps going from 6 down to 2
Mariusz performs his squats olympic-style, he uses knee wraps and a belt.

Leg Curl (for hamstrings)
6 sets of 20 reps

Leg Extension (for quads)
6 sets of 20 reps

Pull Up
6 sets of 15 reps

Chin Up
6 sets of 10 reps

Behind-the-neck Pulldowns
4 sets of 15 reps

Barbell Rows
4 sets of 15 reps

Abs: 6 sets of 30 reps
exercises used (haging leg raise, bends, various)

Afternoon Event Training (19.00) with Strongman Equipment

Sandbag Carry (130kg on back)
3 times 170 meters

Conan's Wheel - 290kg
3 times 2.5 revolutions

Tire Flip
3 sets of 10 flips

Tuesday
Morning Gym Session (9.00)

Front Squats
work up to 250

Calf Work
6 sets of 15 reps

Standing Military Press
Warm-up sets - 7 sets of 60 to 100kg
Work sets - 6 sets pyramiding up from 110, 120, 130, 140kg for 5-4 reps

Deadlifts
Warm-up sets - 6 with 200kg
Work sets - work up to 300kg

Good Mornings
8 sets with 100kg

Afternoon Session (19.00)
Bushman's Walk
300 kg 3 x 15 meters

Presses with Machine Used in Competition
3 sets of 10 reps with 120kg

Parallel Crucifix
Hold 40kg weights for 30 seconds

Wednesday
Morning Gym Session (9.00)

Bench Press
Warm-up sets - work up to 180kg in 8 sets
Work sets - work up from 150kg to 220kg, going from 8 down to 2 reps

Barbell Extensions: work up to 80kg

Standing French Press

Afternoon (19.00)
Same as Monday plus powerstairs and so called parallel stairs

These are just excerpts of Mariusz's training program. Each of his training sessions is precluded by 15-min of skipping rope (of course, he used to be a boxer). He finishes every workout with abdominal work. On top of all this, there is twice-a-week karate practice and recovery work which includes swimming. (...). You can also find Mariusz doing his medium-distance runs.

So, there you have it. To be a bad motherfucker, you have to train like one. Pudz is 6'1" and weighs between 290 and 315, lean as shit, and smokes the fuck out of everyone on the Strongman circuit. He trains like a beast, so he IS a fucking beast.

By the way, since Mariusz is unhappy with his level of TOTAL dominance in the strength world, he has signed with the UFC and will be fighting later this year in that organization.

Now, go be a fucking BEAST.

Cites:

Training with Mariusz Pudzianowski by: 2x American Champion Steve Kirit