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Mike Monarch

@monarchymadness

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🥇 1st Strongman Nationals 2025 (50+ 105kg)
🥇 1st CT’s Strongest 2025 (50+ Open)
📍 Owner @massmvmnt
Helping real people get fit and healthy!

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So a cool thing happened a few weeks ago. I won @americasstrongestmaster, aka Master's Nationals (50+, 105kg division). I couldn't be happier. Apparently I did enough of the right things both inside and outside the gym over the past several months. Thanks are in order to a lot of people, including my amazing wife @emonarchy and daughters for their endless love and support. @anthony.pickering3 for being such a great coach. @afzali.david for being an awesome training partner. @strippcam for the incredible programming that got me ready. The amazing community at @massmvmnt. I can honestly say that every time I stepped out on to the comp floor I thought of the MM squad. And many thanks to Strongman Corp for putting on an amazing event once again!

With 4 wins and one tie for first, I couldn't be happier.

Event 1: Max overhead press from blocks - (285#) I was hoping to do well in this event, but I didn't expect to win it with my opener. After waiting an hour and forty minutes after warming up, the one cold rep was the start and end of that event for me.

Event 2: Deadlift medley - (495, 555, 750#) Deadlifts hadn't been going well for me in training for several weeks leading up to the event and had gotten into my head. But I somehow managed a 60# PR on the axle at the event. So psyched, but lots more work needed in this area!

Event 3: Hoist - (425#) I was looking forward to this one. Happy to have taken first place.

Event 4: Circus DB - Took first in this event. The ceiling lights were very disorienting. I almost lost the first press as a result. Lesson learned, don't look at the lights!

Event 5: Frame Carry - (530#) Had a sharp pain rip through my head on the first length. It was all I had to get it over the line without dropping it. I did the rest of the event without bracing as hard and that helped. Managed to win this with a quick sprint at the end.

Event 6: Keg over yoke - (275#) This is another one I was looking forward to. Tied for first in it. I typically train with a yoke height of 50+ inches. Comp height was 48". Turns out that's right at my solar plexus. Got the wind unexpectedly knocked out of me twice. by @monarchymadness

I was a 40 year old endurance athlete on the left. On the right, a 52 year old Strongman athlete. 12 years and 50+ pounds heavier, and I feel great! What changed? The stimulus applied to the body (my training regimen), and the amount of food consumed. This isn't a brag post. Instead it's a post about how well our body responds to our lifestyle and training, even after your forties! Far too often I hear guys talking about how it's impossible to gain muscle after forty. Or how at their age they should probably just do cardio. This belief couldn't be farther from the truth. Your body will respond to what you do consistently. Set a goal, develop a plan, and act on it consistently. If I can do this while raising a family and starting a business, you can too!

@massmvmnt #strength #fitness @nobull by @monarchymadness

225 Viper for a 20# PR! This was the best feeling rep I think I've ever done. It's been a challenge getting the timing right with these, but it all came together on this rep. Yay!

#strongmantraining #strength #massmvmnt by @monarchymadness

Training day recap. Week 3, day 1. Ever had one of those days where everything felt light, and you had unlimited energy? This was one of those days. I'm not sure why, but I'm not complaining!

4x2 Deads from 17" @ 540#
4x4 Pendlay rows @ 350#
3x8 Landmine Kroc rows @ 150#+bar

Then accessory work.

#strongmantraining #deadlift #strength #thisis50plus by @monarchymadness

Week 1, day four of this new block... dynamic day.

6x3 Vipers: first 3 sets at 185, last three sets at 195 (shown). First time really doing vipers. Very happy with how they felt. Time to build now!

4x2 Power cleans at 185 (not shown). - kept it light and snappy.

Then a few sets of sandbag shouldering at 220#. I haven't shouldered sandbags all that often, def not at this weight. They felt great tho.

Something is working!

#strongmantraining #trainwithpurpose #50plus by @monarchymadness

Log strict press
3x3 @ 185
1x5 @ 185

Log is feeling pretty good these days.

#strongmantraining #logpress #strength by @monarchymadness

@americasstrongestmaster recap. In short, I took second overall at America's Strongest Master (AKA Master's Nationals) last week. This is better than I expected considering the last few weeks leading up to it. This qualifies me for World's at the Arnold Classic in March. As always, the competition was top tier and the camaraderie amongst the group was incredible. They kept me on my toes all day, but were also very supportive and great to hangout with. This is unlike any other sport I've competed in.

Thank you to my training team @strippcam @anthony.pickering3 and @afzali.david for getting me ready and keeping me honest. Thank you to the entire @massmvmnt community. You won't find a better crew anywhere. Try, I'll wait! Thank you to my one and only @emonarchy, and to @celiaamonarch and @oliviamonarch this would all be meaningless without you guys ❤️

Event 1: 1st place: 195/215/235/260# in 31:26
Event 2: 1st place: 27 reps in 1 min at 525#
Event 3: 2nd place: 225/250/685# in 31:43
Event 4: 4th place: 660# in 44:35
Event 5: 1st place: 200/225/250/275# in 18:81

This is a true testament to showing up even when you don't think you're ready, even when you don't think you should. I tell myself two different things in these situations. One is "my daughters are watching". As a dad, I want to lead by example. I also tell myself "if you quit now, you'll quit somewhere else in life." If you practice quitting you get really good at being a quitter. I don't want to be a quitter. Be very selective about what you practice.

#strongman #strengthsports #dadstrength #doepicshit by @monarchymadness

When Kevin began losing his eyesight, he tried to hide it.

Eventually, he chose to embrace it and prove that he could still live a productive, independent life.

Today, Kevin is a husband, father of two and business owner. He does all of it without letting his eyesight define what he’s capable of.

When Laura first called, I was honest. I had never coached someone who was visually impaired. But I got into this business to help people, and I wanted us to figure out how to make it work.

They came in with exactly the right mindset. They weren’t expecting perfection. They were open to figuring it out with us, one step at a time. They’ve stayed positive, motivated and able to laugh through the process.

A few months later, Kevin and Laura are training consistently, getting stronger and thriving with Coach Anna.

Strength isn’t only about what you can lift. It’s about your mindset. It’s about adapting, making progress and refusing to let your circumstances define you.

Strength is for everyone.

#strengthisforeveryone #strongertogether #massmvmnt #hingham by @monarchymadness

280 axle clean and jerk PR. Have a few things to clean up (like not smashing my chin on the jerk) but felt good overall. by @monarchymadness

600 for a top cluster set today. 3-3-3 w/ 15 sec rest between mini clusters. 17" pick height has been awkward, but it's starting to feel pretty good. Less than four weeks til Nats!

@massmvmnt by @monarchymadness

This two week strength endurance block hits hard. High volume, moderate loads, low rest, longer time domains. Some movements are like 10x5 with 45 second rests. Others are a single set performed for two minutes straight. Day two in the books and my legs are cooked.

#strongmantraining #thisis50plus #weakthingsbreak #massmvmnt by @monarchymadness

Masters Worlds at the @arnoldclassic.official

I never really posted about this event after it happened, but getting these pictures from @owens.media brought me right back to it.

Competing at the Arnold is something special. Big stage. Big energy. Some of the strongest Masters athletes in the world. And to be in that mix, at this point in my life, is something I don’t take lightly.

I was proud of how I showed up. I won the overhead medley, battled hard through every event, and proved to myself again that I belong on that stage.

But what stood out just as much was the group of guys I competed against. Everyone wanted to win, no question. But there was also a ton of respect, support, and encouragement between us. That’s one of the coolest parts of this sport. You can be trying to beat the guy next to you and still be fired up watching him succeed.

Grateful for the experience. Grateful for the competition. Grateful I still get to do this.

More work ahead. 💪💪

#strongman #dohardthings #massmvmnt by @monarchymadness