Strong Man Mas Wrestling

Strong Man Mas Wrestling Exercise Description

MAS Wrestling is a partner-resisted pull using a wooden stick (the “mas”) while both athletes sit facing each other with feet braced against a center board. The task is to control the stick or pull the opponent past the divider, demanding total‑body tension and efficient leverage. Primary contributors are the hip extensors (glutes, hamstrings) for leg drive, the lats and upper back for powerful pulling, the elbow flexors and forearm flexors for grip, and the trunk musculature for anti‑flexion and anti‑rotation stability. The movement pattern blends a seated hip hinge with a coordinated upper‑body pull while maintaining a neutral spine and packed shoulders. Executed well, it builds strong, transferable pulling mechanics and disciplined posture under load.

Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips, Lats
Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus, Latissimus Dorsi
Assisting Muscles: Biceps Brachii - Short Head, Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Brachialis, Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Rhomboid Major, Semitendinosus, Teres Major, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
Body Area: Lower Body, Upper Body
Body Parts: Back, Hips, Legs, Mid Back, Upper Legs
Body Surface: Back
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Bodyweight
Exercise Patterns: Pull
Exercise Type: Strength
Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors, Shoulder Extensors
Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
Muscle Location: Glutes, Lats
Movement Direction: Horizontal
Muscle Position: Posterior
Gender: Male

How To Do The Strong Man Mas Wrestling Exercise

‘- Sit facing your opponent with soles firmly against the board; feet hip‑ to shoulder‑width, knees slightly bent.
– Hold the stick with two hands at a comfortable width; wrists straight, thumbs wrapped, elbows close to your sides.
– Lengthen tall through the spine; stack ribcage over pelvis; keep the neck neutral with eyes forward.
– Set your shoulders: lightly retract and depress the scapulae; engage the lats.
– Create pre‑tension: press feet into the board and brace the abdomen before pulling.
– Drive first with the legs, then hinge back from the hips as one unit (torso and pelvis together) while keeping the spine neutral.
– Pull the stick toward your torso without shrugging; keep it centered on your midline.
– Maintain square hips and level shoulders; avoid rounding the low back or twisting through the trunk.
– Apply smooth, continuous force; time stronger surges without jerking.
– Breathe with control (brief braced exhales) while keeping abdominal pressure and posture.
– On control or at the whistle, return to neutral by reversing the hip hinge and easing tension under control.

Strong Man Mas Wrestling Tips

‘- Plant your soles firmly on the board with feet hip‑ to shoulder‑width and knees slightly bent.
– Grip the stick with straight wrists, thumbs wrapped around, and elbows kept close to your sides.
– Grow tall through your spine, stacking your ribcage over your pelvis with a neutral neck and eyes forward.
– Lightly retract and depress your shoulder blades to set the shoulders and engage the lats.
– Create pre‑tension by pressing your feet into the board and bracing your abdomen before you start pulling.
– Initiate the effort with leg drive, then hinge back from the hips as one unit while keeping a neutral spine.
– Pull the stick toward your torso without shrugging and keep it centered on your midline.
– Keep hips square and shoulders level, avoiding low‑back rounding or trunk twisting.
– Apply smooth, continuous force and add stronger surges without jerking the stick.
– Use controlled breathing with brief braced exhales while maintaining abdominal pressure and posture.
– When the effort stops, reverse the hip hinge and ease off tension under control to return to neutral.

Strong Man Mas Wrestling Beginner Introduction

MAS Wrestling brings two athletes head‑to‑head in a powerful test of pulling strength and leverage. Seated on the floor with a board between them, both competitors drive through their legs while gripping a short wooden bar called a mas. The goal is either to take control of the bar or move the opponent across the divider, which calls for high tension through the entire body rather than relying on just the arms or back.

This dynamic tug‑of‑war style movement blends a strong bend at the hips with a coordinated upper‑body pull. The glutes and hamstrings supply leg drive, while the lats and upper back create a forceful row. The arms and forearms work hard to hang onto the bar, and the core stays tight to resist collapsing forward or twisting. Because the back remains tall and the shoulders set firmly, the pattern reinforces solid posture under heavy effort. For beginners, MAS Wrestling offers a clear, engaging way to experience full‑body tension, controlled breathing, and efficient pulling mechanics in a partner setting.