October 28, 2024
Swamper Edition
On Starting Strength
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Rip’s Worst Advice, Passing Out, and Nicotine –
Rip answers questions from Starting Strength Network subscribers and fans. -
Programming a Smooth NLP by Scott Acosta –
As simple as the Novice Linear Progression (NLP) is, there is an awful lot of opportunity to mess it up. Mistakes usually come at points when a slight program adjustment is needed… -
Master Your Press: Practice Lowering for Control –
Rip on how maintaining the bar close to your face and shoulders, both during the press and the lowering phase, maximizes efficiency and provides practice for better control. -
Back Extension in the Squat –
Starting Strength Coach Grant Broggi explains some common errors with back position during the squat and how to fix them with new lifters. -
How to Talk About Lifting to Adult Novice Women by Fran Mason –
Despite the increased athleticism and sports participation of women today, there are still many women who have had no exposure to barbells and strength training concepts… - Weekend Archives:
Herculean Hypertrophy and Milo’s Mass by Max Blochowiak –
In any field of science, particularly applied sciences, The Literature™ does not come out until long after the science has been hypothesized, practiced, and preached… - Weekend Archives:
Strength and its Derivatives by Mark Rippetoe –
The production of force against an external resistance is the way all living creatures interact with their physical environment. Even plants do this, albeit very slowly. This ability…
In the Trenches
Logan deadlifts 405lb for 5 reps at Starting Strength Boston achieving his fourth and final PR goal. His other PRs include press 135×5, bench 225×5, and squat 315×5. [photo courtesy of Michael Shammas]
A few sessions into her strength journey, Ramya smoothly squats 36 lb for sets of five at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
Adam Martin, SSC, smiles from ear to ear as Jessica Sorensen becomes the first woman at Starting Strength Atlanta to achieve the 135 pound plate milestone on her bench press. Now Jessica has some other ladies at the gym inspired to match her. [photo courtesy of Laura Martin]
Meet Report
The annual Testify Fall Classic took place this past Saturday at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE, and you can view a recording of the meet online. For the women, the Best Lifter Award (Morgard the Manatee) went to Sharon Foster, and for the men, the Best Lifter Award went to her son, Ryan Foster. In the master’s division, the Best Lifter Award for the women again went to Sharon, and the Best Lifter Award for the men again went to Ryan. That’s a strong mother-son duo! View full results
Brad locks out 200 kg for his 3rd attempt deadlift at the annual Fall Classic at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE, this past weekend. Brad went 7-for-9 and set PRs in the squat, press, and deadlift. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
In his first strengthlifting meet, Alex squats 175 kg on his 3rd attempt at the Testify Fall Classic. Alex went 9-for-9 on the day and set PRs in all three lifts. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
At the Testify Fall Classic, Sharon pulls 131 kg for her second attempt. Sharon went 9-for-9 and set PRs in the squat, press, and deadlift. Additionally, Sharon and her son, Ryan, swept the Best Lifter awards as they each won both the All Ages and Masters awards. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
Get Involved
Best of the Week
Spondylolisthesis and Press 2.0
KnuteMeyer
I was recently diagnosed with a Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis that was caused from disc degeneration, not the Pars defect (a stress fracture). In Starting Strength Radio #177 (Tusla, Spondylolisthesis, and Elk Meat) you recommended to the gentlemen with a spondy to stop doing power cleans. Would you also recommend against doing the Press 2.0 for similar reasons? Thanks.
Mark Rippetoe
Where is the defect?
KnuteMeyer
My L5 is slipping backwards (posterior displacement) on the S1, which is actually a form of Spondylolisthesis called Retrolisthesis. I am currently front squatting as opposed to low bar per the recommendations of my physical therapist. He’s read your books apparently and also lifts so he’s credible in my mind for those reasons… although he originally wanted me to box squat to control my depth, which my back did not like for obvious reasons. The goal is to work back to a low bar. Deadlifting feels fine, but flexion bothers my low back much more than extension. I have had a history of over extending my low back during my squats so I am bracing harder to fix that. I believe the buttwink of squatting flares it up, so I am trying to not squat too low, but obviously want to hit depth. I feel fine during my training sessions. It’s only after training I notice my lower back is tightening up so it has been hard to diagnose what exactly bothers it while executing the movement patterns. I am a 29 year old male, 6 foot, 193 pounds and am in the military (so need to be kind of skinny). I am worried I won’t be able to train my squat and deadlift hard without low back pain and making my condition worse. Before I knew about my condition, I would get large amounts of low back pain in the low to mid 300s on my squats and low to mid 400s on my deadlifts. Bench and overhead press feel fine. I stopped power cleaning.
Mark Rippetoe
What belt are you wearing?
KnuteMeyer
Double ply starting strength belt from dominion.
Mark Rippetoe
If you’re happy with your Physical Therapist, just follow his instructions.
Best of the Forum
70yo Mom finally wants to work out
sg10033
My 70 yo Mom is overweight but not remarkably so. She looks like a typical grandma.
As long as I’ve been alive, I have never seen my mother do a single act of exercise. Not a jog, a bike, a lift, nothing. I haven’t pushed anything on her since I thought it would go on deaf ears and just make me look like an ass. I have, though, been talking about my excitement and success with Starting Strength.
Out of nowhere she told me she’s joined a gym and has a personal trainer. My mix of excitement for her and fear because of the PT, was difficult to hide. I think she’d be willing to follow SS but there aren’t coaches or gyms within an hour’s drive.
Because of my her advanced age and complete inexperience with exercise, would an online coach be advisable or worth it? Without a trained and experienced coach in front of her accessing her ability to do the basic movements and coach her through her fear of the basic movements, I don’t know if she’ll be able to get past her telling herself she can’t bend that far.
What is your success rate on someone like my mom? If an online coach is the answer, what tips can I use to gently guide her in that direction?
Bare Steel
It’s true that if the lifts seem too far out of reach for her, she may want to scrap the whole thing altogether. You can gain compliance by making some concessions and accepting less-than-ideal parameters, including exercise selection. For example sit-to-stands are still an OK starting point if she won’t try squatting with a bar right now.
You mentioned online coaching which makes me suspect that you’ve searched the directory and are too far to drive to an SSC in person. If that’s not the case, see if she’s willing to have a visit (or a few) with someone who can drastically reduce her learning curve. Even if you have a successful time with this, like all lifters, she would still need form checks, because it’s easy to let things get sloppy if unmonitored.
Training family members can be tough. Remember that a lot of this is highly individual as well.
