March 25, 2024

Sharp-shinned Edition 
On Starting Strength



The “Special Populations” Myth –
Rip talks about special populations and why the term is generally useless since strengthening movement patterns and applying stress is individualized to each lifter.


Using the 15kg Barbell Correctly by Mark Rippetoe –
When the Women’s Division was added to Olympic weightlifting, an equipment problem had to be solved. The standard 28.5mm bar was too fat for most female hands, especially in the lighter weight classes…


Stop Wasting Energy: Fix Your Press Setup –
Starting Strength Coach Andrew Lewis explains the importance of ensuring your press setup is correct before unracking the bar. This not only maximizes efficiency but also minimizes energy waste, stabilizes the press, and optimizes force transfer.


Barbell Basics –
Mark Rippetoe gives us a rundown on barbells – different kinds, what to look for when purchasing one, and basic maintenance.


Novice Lifters: Learn from My Mistakes by John Petrizzo –
The first time I ever touched a weight was the summer of 1997. My best friend Kevin had gotten a Weider adjustable bench and a standard 110-pound barbell set…
Weekend Archives:

Why You SHOULD Use Your Back as a Crane by Mia Inman –
In the 1980s, the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) began a campaign to prevent lower back injuries in the general population. A central tenet…
Weekend Archives:

Intermediate and Advanced Training: A Few Ideas by Mark Rippetoe, stef bradford, and Andy Baker –
Starting Strength is on a roll. The method is growing in popularity, and as it does, more people flow through the Novice pipeline and end up as Intermediate and even Advanced lifters than ever before…

In the Trenches

Jacquie sets a new deadlift PR of 135 lb for 5 reps. She started training at Starting Strength Boston in March and her novice linear progression is going strong. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]

Coach Walden ensures that Giuliana sets up correctly for her pull. She was rewarded with lots of puppy kisses. Work on your pulling power in our upcoming NY camp. [photo courtesy of Inna Koppel]

Get Involved

Best of the Week

Old guy-tonnage question

Lost And Found
I watched a couple of Rip’s video shorts about old guys and tonnage. I want to make sure my understanding is correct.I’m 71 yo. I usually do sets of triples for heavy work sets for squats except on a light day. Assuming the warm-up sets and reps are the same would Workout B provide equal or adequate stress with less tonnage than Workout A? Is that a sufficient reduction in tonnage or too much? ThanksWorkout A 300x3x3 (tonnage 2700)Workout B 290×3, 300×2, 310×2 (tonnage 2090)

Mark Rippetoe
I think you need to explore the concept of Minimum Effective Dosage. At your age, and long-term, it will be a more useful approach to your training.

Best of the Forum

Questions on using sleds – lawn and winter

OldNoob
I’m in my early 50s, working through the Novice phases per Barbell Prescription and Starting Strength, will be adding conditioning in the upcoming months. I have a Concept2 rower/erg, and am considering getting a sled so I can do some of my training outdoors. Indoor use is not an option, and our road is gravel and barely maintained in the winter, so unless I want to use the sled on an uneven icey surface I’m limited to a mowed area for a good portion of the year.Any type (ones with feet vs rails) better for use on grass? “Better” meaning both doesn’t completely destroy the lawn, and it’s possible to use the thing when the ground is soft. Can they be used in the snow, or is this not even an option?. I’m in Wisconsin, so this is an issue.Thanks for any suggestions.

Mark Rippetoe
They can’t be used on a lawn without destroying the turf, they can’t be used on snow or any other surface that yields to the pressure unless you don’t use any weight. They are designed for dry level pavement or AstroTurf over concrete.

Rip demonstrates how to make biltong, an African method of preserving meat by curing it with salt and allowing it to dry.

Meat

by Jim Steel | March 26, 2024

“My history teacher told me today that lifting weights and eating
as much meat and protein as I do is bad for me. He said that it will
ruin my kidneys and that I am going to cripple myself,” 15-year-old
Bobby said to his Uncle Randy as they drank a post-workout shake
outside of their hometown gym, “Mongo’s Strength and Fighting.”
“Is he the one that
doesn’t eat meat and that paints his nails and says he likes heavy
metal music but doesn’t know who Pantera is?” Randy asked.
“That’s the one,”
Bobby answered.
“You mean the same
guy that says that white people have never contributed anything to
society and that the world would be better off without straight white
men on the earth, even though he’s a straight white man?”
“Yessir,” Bobby
answered.
Randy laughed. “You
told me about him before. What’s he weigh and how big is he?”
“Oh, he’s about 6’0″,
155 pounds,” Bobby said.
“Massive. Was he ever
an athlete, and has he ever lifted any weights before?”
“I doubt it. He says
that the football players in his high school used to pick on him
because he was so skinny and wasn’t an athlete,” Bobby said.
“How’s he treating
you, the football player?” Randy asked.
“Like crap. He’s
always making smart remarks to me, insinuating that me and the other
football players in class are dumb, and talking like football and
sports in general is useless. He saw the pound and a half of ground
beef that I had for lunch one day and he said that people that eat
meat are contributing to murder. I don’t say anything back to him.”
Randy smiled, “First
off, I’m proud of you for not talking back to him. That takes a lot
of restraint on your part. And between you and me, I’m proud of you
for not kicking his little ass for being like that. How come you’ve
been so cool about it?”
“No offense, Uncle
Randy, but I can’t believe that you don’t know,” Bobby
answered.
“Know what?”
“Consider the
source,” Bobby said, “that’s what you always told me to do.”
“Damned if I didn’t,”
Randy said, “Now I’m even more proud of you. You are turning into
quite a young man. Okay,” Randy continued, “we know he’s an
idiot, but let me tell you why he’s an idiot.”
“First off, let’s
look at his statements regarding meat and protein simply, with common
sense. What did our ancestors eat
for at least 2,000,000 years? Meat, that’s what they ate.
Fat and protein. They never would have survived without it. Have you
ever seen how a vegan looks? A Saber Toothed Tiger would have a vegan
for lunch every day. The no-muscle-and-strength thing probably didn’t
bode well for the survivability of a vegan caveman. I guarantee that
they didn’t have any qualms about the morality of eating meat back
then. They treasured it, just like the few Hunter Gatherer tribes do
today. Meat is still a cause for celebration. Eating anything other
than meat was when they couldn’t find meat, or as a side dish, like
tubers and fruits.”
“It would be tough to
play football and lift weights eating lettuce and carrots, “
Bobby said.
“It sure would,”
Randy said. “Meat gave us bigger brains, enabling high-level
decision making, and simply made us smarter. And there hasn’t been
any research studies that I am aware of that show that protein is bad
for you in any way, shape, or form.”
“I figured that,”
Bobby said. “Then what is the history teacher talking about?”
“Well, it seems like
a moral issue from what he said to you. Maybe he watched too many
Disney movies where animals were talking and smiling and acting
human. Or maybe he doesn’t know about the fact that a whole mess of
animals are killed in farming the fields. Maybe he associates meat
with getting his ass kicked when he was younger. Who knows? He’s
wrong and that’s all there is to it.”
“What about the
crippling effects of weight training?” Bobby asked.
“On the contrary,”
Randy answered. “Bone density and grip strength are strong
predictors of longevity. Both you acquire from weight training. And
like I have always asked people, ‘When in life is it better to be
weak than strong?’ Of course you can cripple yourself using shitty
form, but not with proper technique and programming. I’ll tell you
another thing; weight training gives you independence. You don’t need
to ask anybody to help you do anything that’s physical. When you
are 80 you can still carry your groceries to the car with no help.
That may seem silly, but not to an 80-year-old, with 80-year-old
friends. Weight training really is the fountain of youth.”
Randy continued, “And
how about this, just from what you know from reading all of your
dad’s old muscle magazines and watching the biggest and strongest
people in the world on YouTube, what did they do to get that way?
“They ate meat and
lifted weights?”
“Right, said Randy.
“Remember that video I showed you the other day of Arnold and his
buddies back in 1975, and what they were eating when they went out to
lunch?”
“I sure do,” Bobby
answered. “It was a bunch of rare ground beef, steak and eggs.”
Randy said, “They
knew that to survive those twice a day, six days a week training days
that they were doing, they needed plenty of protein to recover. Even if you aren’t competing in Mr. Olympia, your body needs and
thrives on meat.”
“And weight
training,” Bobby said.
“Right,” Randy
said, “And lifting with barbells is the best for you. I’m not
saying you can never use machines or dumbbells or even kettlebells.
But the quickest way to get as strong as you can get and do it the
safest is with a barbell; heavy as you can with good form. Do that
and you can stay strong for a long time.”
“So should I say
anything to my History teacher?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah, tell him that
when the shit really hits the fan, that he will run to the meat
eaters and weight lifters for protection,” Randy said.
“Really?” Bobby
asked. “You want me to say that to him?”
“No, I don’t. But
it would be fun to see the look on his face when you said it to him,”
Randy said, smiling. “Just let it go. You know what’s right.
Maybe one day, he’ll come to his senses, but I doubt it.”
“Especially if he
doesn’t know who Pantera is,” Bobby said.

Discuss in Forums

It’s not just a kickass Jackie Chan movie. Who am I? There are 5 types of trainees (credit to Andy Baker here, who brought this idea to my attention). Lifters, closet bodybuilders, pros/athletes, “Don’t weaken,” and special pops. However, there’s a little more than meets the eye here: it’s not about simply putting everyone neatly into a box. In that spirit, I wanted to add more detail to these five lifting personality types. It’s important that you understand and embrace yours. The sooner you know, the better. 
1. Lifters: Individuals who seldom miss workouts and display dedication akin to serious competitive lifters, whether or not they actually compete in events like Powerlifting or Olympic lifting. 
2. Closet bodybuilders: People who lift primarily for aesthetic reasons – a motivation many of us share, although some are more honest about it than others. 
3. Pros/Athletes: Those already involved in competitive sports, using strength training to enhance their performance in their respective fields. 
4. “Don’t weaken”: Accounting for the majority of gym-goers (in the general population) over 40, these individuals are seeking improved resilience and quality of life through strength training. 
5. Special pops: Individuals with specific conditions like type 1 diabetes or cerebral palsy, who benefit from training that directly enhances their well-being. 
In his discussion of these types, Baker mentions that most people fall into categories #2 and #4. The closet bodybuilder and the “Don’t weaken.” I agree. But now we come to the tricky part.

In my head there’s a
scoring system. It goes from 1 (poor) to 5 (good), and we also need
to factor that into these personality types, because it contributes
to overall success. I score three traits that separate the groupies
from the rock stars, meaning that a top score would be 15/15 (i.e. a
5 for each trait).
Attitude: How
seriously (or otherwise) you take your training, regardless of
personality type. 
Actions: Your habits and the consistency
of your approach to training, even behind closed doors. 
Ability: Your natural aptitude or mastery of the lifts. This can be
acquired through training, or sometimes from genetics or a sports
background. 
For example: I’ve had a special pops lifter
with attitude 4, actions 4 but ability 2, which equals a total of
10/15. This person attacks his training with unwavering
consistency. That is why he gets good results. Conversely I’ve had a strong, talented, competitive lifter with attitude 2, actions 2 and
ability 4, giving 8/15. This person had disappointing results and
eventually quit training altogether. I’ve had closet bodybuilders
with attitude 3, actions 3 and ability 3: 9/15. They slowly chip away
but don’t get anywhere fast, and often complain about progress. I
would class myself as attitude 4, actions 4 and ability 4: 12/15. You
need at least a 10/15 to be taken seriously as a lifter in my book.
This expanded version
of the original concept takes into account that your training
personality doesn’t simply consist of your initial reasons for
getting into training; rather, it’s a direct reflection of your daily
habits and devotion to the process, around the clock, even when
you’re not actually at the gym. 
Sometimes, your “lifting
personality” varies from lift to lift. One option while training is
to specialize and focus on two lifts, keeping the others on the back
burner. So you may be a “lifter” for the squat and press, while
taking more of a “don’t weaken” approach to your bench and
deadlift. It’s not that you skip or avoid these lifts, you simply
prioritize your squat and press. This is also a great way to master
the long game of strength, by setting periods in which you focus on
just two lifts instead of all 4-5, all the time, indefinitely. 
At
the end of the day, the goal needs to match the lifter, just as the
dog breed needs to match the owner. Don’t buy a game dog if all you
do is sit around and watch Netflix all day (hence why I would choose
a lazy dog that farts and is happy doing bugger all, like
myself). 
Another consideration is that life events can
temporarily change your personality. If you get injured or severely
ill and experience a big setback, you may naturally fall into the “don’t weaken” crowd. If you’ve signed up for a meet, perhaps
it’s time to focus on strength gains rather than abs, like a
dedicated lifter would.
If you’re into BJJ,
you probably already spend enough time rolling, so don’t turn the
weight room into a dojo – the barbell isn’t an opponent to be
wrapped into a triangle or arm-bar; instead, focus on getting
stronger, as that will provide the best return on investment in the
weight room. If you have a beautiful tropical holiday approaching,
you might want to focus on pumping up the guns and cleaning up your
diet for beach season. 
My story is not dissimilar. I also
took a path that could be described as “confused about who I am.” When you’re a trainer, you learn quickly that your physique is your
billboard. So the mindset was: being slim and lean is ideal. Now,
decades later, people pay me for the knowledge and experience I can
offer them, which is a huge paradigm shift.
At first, my path
originated from the fear of losing work. Cast by default as a closet
bodybuilder, after a while my habits and choices naturally
transformed me into a different personality type. I wanted more
physical clout. As I became a strength coach, I wanted to be what I
was preaching. Strong. So a 300/400/500/600 seemed like the logical
step, and because I wanted to pursue that goal, I became a “lifter.” 
Rip is another great example of someone
whose personality has evolved over time. The new goal is to “stave off death.” His days of being a competitive powerlifter and
squatting 600×3 are over. And that’s okay. Rip has paid his dues –
you ain’t. Time is undefeated. Rip now trains for the most basic
human of all rights: independence. Do you want to end up in a nursing
home? No thanks. Neither does Rip. 
Your choice needs to be
consonant with your general personality, lifestyle and aspirations.
That is the key to consistency, which in turn is the key to progress
in the weight room. So much of getting strong is showing up: that’s
half the battle won. And despite all these divisions and
sub-divisions, I have found that regardless of personality type, we
all have the heart of a lifter. We all want progress, we all want
mastery of the barbell. Finding your lifting personality type will
simply help you to better harness that drive. So ask yourself: Who am
I?

Discuss in Forums

World’s Okayest Starting Strength Coach Pete Troupos goes over a common error with bar placement and how to address it.

Rip answers questions from Starting Strength Network subscribers and fans.
02:39 Comments from the Haters!09:49 We can’t say “homosexual”14:36 Riley Gaines on Rogan34:59 BJJ knee dislocation39:11 The importance of the press42:43 Gaining strength without gaining weight50:10 The crew talks “motorbikes”59:22 It gets harder1:02:16 My calf hurts and you should do Rogan1:05:28 Strength training for soldiers1:08:02 Rollerball1:09:49 Why is my gut sticking out?1:14:32 Retiring from powerlifting