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saul peterson

@saulasaraptor

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Owner: @dungeonstrength_rx
Nutrition/strength and conditioning coach
MW Strongman

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The meaning of life. by @saulasaraptor

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8 days ago

Stories

@strongmannationals 23 is wrapped up. I had the pleasure to coach and prepare 5 athletes for this year's event.

I always despised calling athletes that I coach "mine" or "my athletes", even though it the easiest way to use it in language it always makes me feel as if I am taking ownership of their success. All preps are hard, especially one of this caliber and it takes a special kind of person to commit to and finish one, along with the hurdles and challenges life throws at you in these 8-15 week periods it can really create some amazing and unique success stories, including success beyond the sport. Here are some of the stories I had the honor to be a part of.

@cook2lt battled adversity professionally, physically, emotionally, and mentally not just in training but around every corner in life the last 55 weeks. Even though she was down to her last card, she has begun to rebuild her body and make it to Nationals and show she can hang with this group. She also was able to keep the company she worked for afloat while they were going through some tumultuous times and was awarded with a giant promotion. Her PRs are ones not visible on the scoresheet but some of the biggest ones she will ever have

@nicole.e.schuetz another female antagonistic that suffers from impostor syndrome showcased her ability to move just as good as those in the top of her class. Her mantra was running her own race and she ran it better than she ever has and is hungry to do it faster. During her journey she learns that she is capable of much more than she thought and has learned how to achieve it...... time. Just as she has put into her career and earned many leadership opportunity

@nslifts a male protagonist who can easily be mistaken as the valet for the convention center due to his kind and...... nerdy appearance, shocked the field with his ability to explode, load, and move. His strength was knowing what game to play and how to play it. Our smart engineer is excited to continue improving his game and mastering the craft of strength just as he had many technical skills that make him a valuable asset to his company.

Continued in comments by @saulasaraptor

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3 years ago

Ripples in the water:

The phenomena when you drop an item into a body of water creating centrifugal waves ones it breaks the surface and sinks to the depths of the aforementioned body of water. An incredible simple way to explain that for every action their is a reaction and/or cause and effect.

This event creates a beautiful and simple metaphor for our social action in life. Every conversation, interaxtion or signal we put out nonverbally creates ripples around us and inevitably come to meet other people's ripples.

Unknowingly we are affecting each others lives every second we are around other people. Some of us are unlucky and run into ripples that cause ours to become tainted, the inverse is true we can have such a positive interaction that it flips us into a better state. Most of us are impartially affected by one another most of the time. On the other extreme end, you can be in an environment where the ripples can come together and create giant waves either positive or negative.

The picture you see above you is one of those waves of positivity. I am very fortunate to be around and working with people that motivate and inspire me.

As a coach you are often looked at as a leader. The opportunity is one not to be taken lightly when it is requested because they are trusting you with their goals. A very heavy burden to bare if you wear it right. As the burden increases so does the satisfaction and inspiration. Thank you all this weekend who have trusted me and allowed me to partner with you for this prep. It was a blast.

@tara.gets.lifty @ironlobster425 @jeremyechols @laura.d.explorer @liftytubbs @catcollector88 @thedapperdc @nicole.e.schuetz @nslifts @stan.the.man_55 @hashbrowns71 @mariabbb99
@dyl.an.las.ich taken in Dungeon Strength RX by @saulasaraptor

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3 years ago

Dungeon Strength Rx’s early 2026 nationals qualifier is here…Mo Powa Babeh!

DSRX's signature @strongmancorporation strongman show designed specifically for novice athletes that are looking to experience strongman competition for the first time and for amateurs looking to secure their early spot to @strongmancorporation 2026 nationals.

Show Details, Events, Weight Matrix (Coming Soon), and Registration are now live on Dungeon Strength RX's website! Check out our linktree to learn more.

See you September 27th!

#dsrx #dungeonstrengthrx #prescribedstrength #strength #gym #strongman #powerlifting #bodybuilding #weightlifting #affordablefitness #gymfam #gymfamily taken in Dungeon Strength RX by @saulasaraptor

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a year ago

💥 Dungeon Strength Presents: Armlifting Super Series - Stage 2 💥

📅 Date: Saturday, August 23rd
⏰ Time:
-Weigh-ins: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
-Competition: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

📍 Location: Dungeon Strength RX

Events:
1️⃣ Two Hand 2" Country Crush Deadlift
2️⃣ 3x4" Saxon Bar Deadlift
3️⃣ One Hand Rogue Grand Father Clock Deadlift

💸 Entry Fee: $50
📲 Register via Dungeon Strength’s website

________________________________

Think you’ve got grip?
Here’s your chance to prove it and qualify for the Armlifting World Championship at the Olympia in Las Vegas, October 9–12! 💪

Whether you're a seasoned lifter or just grip-curious, Stage 2 of this 2-part series is a great way to get involved. To earn an invite to Worlds, you’ll need to compete in both stages — but all levels are welcome to come test their grip and have some fun.

📩 Questions? DM @dyl.an.las.ich taken in Dungeon Strength RX by @saulasaraptor

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a year ago

"Born Average"

The title is a charitable choice to describe my starting place in life. I entered the world choking on my own feces and with candy cane shaped tibias.

The resolution of my season recapped this familiar place in Fridley, Minnesota this weekend.

Training went great, the water cut went great, and I even performed about exactly as I expected. This was good enough to find tbe middle of the bell curve with a very forgettable 5th place finish. It is a strange feeling to perform the way you wanted and still be dissapointed. 4 men were better than my best.

Was neither strong, fast, or brave enough to shine.

Winton Churchill has a quote that I refer to in failure

"Sometimes it is not enough to do our best. We must do what is required."

I love it because it allows one to believe their best is not a fixed attribute, it can become better if you are willing. To me that is beautiful.

My best was good, but not enough. Hesitancy and fear of error muted my ability to do what was required. I was good at everything, great at nothing. Funny my 10th grade basketball coach gave me the same evaluation at the end of the season..... I quit after that thinking the message was I did not have talent.....

20 years later I am giving myself the same evaluation. However the river I stand in is not the same and neither am I. My best can get better, as long as I am willing to do what is required.

Log max: 5 way tie for 3rd at 275, gave 295 a shot and just did not have everything lined up to land it.

Yoke hus medley: 4th or 5th here 650 yoke and 350 hus. Transition were to slow needed to find a way to get 4 seconds off of this. Too hesitant on the transition

Farmer sled drag: 270/hand and 240 on sled 4th here was fast just not fast enough. Again transition with hands off to pick cost my 2 seconds that would have made a big difference

Stone series: a very dissapointing 7th, rolled my ankle transition to the second stone then fumbled it. Was tied for 3rd going into this one but decided to be average instead. The only real error of the show besides slow transitions and it was costly.

What's next... not sure exactly. What I do know is that I will not die average by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

Vikingfest 2024 part 5:

"Mission Accomplished, Failure Achieved"

There are no shortage of lame motivational family members and friends that will proudly tell you about how it doesn't matter if you fail, as long as you did your best.

These well natured midwits are close, but are more or less likely...... average. Failure simply means trying something and being unsuccessful. At its very core, it is a terrible thing, it means you either put insufficient effort, time, or consistency into your plan.

Under the right conditions, failure can be something that changes you for the better. A failed marriage can mean a succesful exit from a tormented life, failing to get a loan can mean you successfully avoided debt, and above all else failure is successfully finding a new starting point. Failure is the stimulus and signal for new adaptation.

Failure should not be accepted as the end outcome, it can signal the end of an era or the genesis of something bette, but never last stop.

All of my failures have brought me where I am today. I am merely the adaptation of a string of catastrophic failures. They have all brought me here to fail and adapt again.

The quote, "buy the ticket, take the ride" is one that I recall with familiarity and reverance to another great failure.

Life is a ride. Whether you fly like a Phoenix, sail on the tide, or if your ride if choice is your own two feet. The Phoenix will burn, the tide will rip and pull you underwater, and your feet will get tired. They will all fail. But you already bought the ticket, now enjoy the ride. by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

Vikingfest 2024 Part 4: "My Rising Tide"

The deadlift event was a beast. I had crushed 635, felt the thrill of victory, and then foolishly attempted 675. That bar was glued to the floor like a goddamn gorilla had stapled it there. Not a chance in hell.

Next up: a 90-second yoke carry for distance. Unlimited drops with what most would call a moderate weight, but to me, it was like pressing your hand on a hot stove and savoring the burn. My kind of fun.

I was itching to let loose, especially since it was head-to-head. Nothing excites me more than a battle of endurance, a test of who can suffer the longest and hardest.

As we lined up, I envisioned a brutal showdown—neck and neck, inches apart at the finish line, the winner being the one with the iron will to push through. The whistle blew, and I set off at a slower pace, biding my time to see how my competition would handle the pressure. I don’t mind hanging back at the start; I thrive on the chase, staying just a step behind, letting the stress of pursuit drive my opponent to mistakes while I plot my attack.

I finished my first lap at a leisurely pace, and turned to see the other guy hadn't even made it halfway. The thrill evaporated. I coasted through another two laps just to avoid standing there like an idiot.

Disappointment gnawed at me. I hadn’t kept my engine revving, hadn’t killed myself in the pursuit. They say rising tides lift all ships. My life has been blessed with strong tides—parents, teachers, coaches, training partners, friends, business partners, mentors, siblings, and my wife. Reflecting on it now, I realize how crucial those tides are. Without them i would be a far lesser man, my natural disposition is to just coast through life enough to not look like an idiot. I am glad that I know this about myself. It makes me realize how important it is to sail the seas where the tide is the strongest.

If you're reading this, you're probably at least a drop in the tide that has lifted me. Thank you for pushing me higher. I couldn't be who I am without you. by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

Vikingfest part 3:

"Consistency+effort/time=success"

Consistency: "the quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way, or of always happening in a similar way"

Effort: "an expenditure of energy to accomplish some objective"

Time: "the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues"

Success: "favorable or desired outcome"

Now that we got all that nerd shit outta the way, lemme explain what it all means. If you do an action really hard, for a long time, you will become good at it fucking period!

Now that we got that bro shit out of the way let me give you an example of it out of the way. I was 23 years old when I deadlifted 500lbs for the first time, yes I put the 2.5s on. The future version of that person at 36 years old in the video is lifting 635, and quite a bit better than that 500 12 years ago. Let's charitably say there was a 150lbs increase over 12 years. This equals 12.5lbs of progress per year, 1lbs a month, a measley 0.25lbs per week. Now whether you regard that as good progress or not, what cannot be denied is that it is certainly progress. I did everything wrong except quit, and eventually figured out how to do some of it right along the way.... it's kind of like a piggy bank, now excuse me while I deposit a quarter.

Now that we got that weird shit out of the way. Here's a 635 deadlift. Might of not needed to hitch it, but I did. by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

Vikingfest part 2: Pillage Medley

"Measure Twice Finish Faster"

The original design of the event embodies all of the things that separate strongman from powerlifters. It takes 900% longer to finish, it was impossible to train specifically, it was annoying to setup-do-breakdown, nothing was calibrated, there were no rules, and it ended up being entirely different than what you trained for. Also powerlifters are weird and ugly.

The irony of all of this is that had a been more like my lesser powerlifing counterparts and was more attentive to the equipment I would not have had to make @ironlobster425 feel better about the same thing happen to her the previous day on the same event because she did not double check her equipment.

But alas though I am not a delusional Olympic lifter am still fallable. But rather than being like a crossfire and crying about it I just lumbered over picked jt up and put it back in the sled.

Even if i did not make this error I am not sure I would have finished. The sled became way too heavy at the end, holding nearly 900lbs. by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

Vikingfest 2024: part 1 Buy The Ticket Take The Ride

It began in 2016 as a small unsanctioned show at the Poulsbo marina. I remember the phone call with my sister the evening before the first show. I had never done strongman before, but she knew this would be wrote up my alley. I signed up that night never having done any of the events formally. Since then this event and Marina has been a place where things happen for me. It is where I met my wife @ironlobster425 , beat America's Strongest Man @lucas.hatton, presented my father the first place trophy after he survived a stroke, where I proposed to Rachael, and a constant fixture of progress for me and many others.

Why wouldn't I do it?

I bought the ticket

The Ride

Prep was good for a duct tape together middle aged man. I only hurt everyday but not that bad. I missed one lift throughout the whole 8 weeks and it was a heavy deadlift that got glued to the ground by the Rainier Classic.

Show day began with max log, training went really well for this. I knew I was capable for about 300 no matter what, so I did about that. The approach and film of the lift really embody the philosophy behind how I trained for this show. I did clusters between 75-90% twice a week leading up to the show and it just made me super consistent. Every weight felt the same, just heavier if that makes sense. After 290, 310 was the next jump. It's going to be a long day..... I'm good by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago

@taylorlee7304 @saulasaraptor @higherpowerstrengthfitness and the whole crowd at the 2024 @rainierclassic cheering on Dante deadlifting...

They did a great job...!

Lets all show them some love and support!!!

#adaptiveathlete #strongman
#strength #motivational #competition #tacoma #dsxr #deadlifting taken in Greater Tacoma Convention Center by @saulasaraptor

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2 years ago