Steinholding is a sport with elements of both strength and endurance, so any successful long-term training regimen needs to approach it accordingly. Like just about any other physical activity, doing it over and over and over again is the best way to get better at it. But there are also ways to to improve your time quickly by focusing on your form and following some of our simple guidelines.

As anyone who has held a stein for more than a couple minutes can tell you, steinholding is also a mental battle – not really against the other competitors but against yourself. The first time you raise that stein up, you’ll probably start out thinking: “This isn’t so bad. I can totally do this. For a good while.” Pretty quickly though, you’ll realize that your body simply does not want you to be a part of this activity.

Your shoulder will be the first thing that you start to lose control of and it will be a fight to keep your elbow locked and your arm straight out. If you last a little longer your upper back and then lower back will start to tense up. Your hand and arm will start to shake even as you put 100% of your body and mind into keeping them steady.

If it was just weakness you were fighting, none of this would be so bad. But after a couple of minutes, you are going to be fighting miserable discomfort and then eventually straight up pain for the remainder of the hold until you give up or your body fails you. Don’t worry though, because all of the other competitors are going to be feeling the same thing. The key is to just be better prepared than they are.

U.S. Steinholding Association Judging Guidelines:

Within the first 60 seconds of a competition, judges may provide corrections to competitors (hold higher, straighten back, straighten elbow, etc.) without assigning an official strike. However, if a competitor does not immediately make the correction, a strike should be issued. The allowance for corrections does not apply to spillage, which results in immediate disqualification even during the first 60 seconds.