Charles Staley

[stef]

Strength coach Charles Staley discusses training, "sport", "athlete" and more with Rip.

Four part interview (http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/video/sss_cs1/)

[bomb1977]

Good stuff Rip, I really enjoyed this one. 2 of the guys that I respect the most in one video.

I wish you still Came to Canada Rip, I already have my seminar booked for Charles visit to Hamilton next March. I'm looking forward to learning the Clean & Jerk an the Snatch!

Great interview, 2 great coaches...

[Kyle Aaron]

A very interesting discussion.

I can confirm for the two guys that commercial gyms are as they imagine. Most of the people there don't have a planned workout. Nor do they attempt to progressively increase weight, reps or sets - it would in any case be difficult to do when they're doing different exercises every session. They lack direction and instruction.

I think Staley is quite correct that for many people it's self-punishment, like medieval monks flogging themselves. We see endless posts on forums and worried discussions in gyms when people can't get some particular bodypart to hurt. I've had one or two clients actually complain that they had no pain the next day, saying it must have been a useless workout; actually it was because they had a stretch and cooldown after their workout, I made sure they drank plenty and so on.

The comments about the internet being both good and bad were very interesting and insightful, too.

As with Wendler, it's great to see not a simple interview, but an actual discussion. Really the studio should have a bar for Rip and his friends to lean on with a nice dark ale in hand.

[tallison]

Lots of great stuff, here. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the definition of "athlete" -- I was quite surprised that you were actually able to make some progress on that in such a forum. Being able to watch you both struggle to articulate it was worth a lot more than just reading the end result.

Also this was my first exposure to Mr. Staley (aside from reading his posts on this board) and I was impressed with his centered, intelligent, humble style. I will definitely check him out further based on this interview.

I know Rip's interview style has been discussed/criticized before and I think he said something to the effect of his intention being a certain amount of "learning by doing" -- I'm quite torn: on the one hand I've learned a lot by watching this series of videos -- and it's hard to judge how much of that is due to Mark's style... On the other hand, I somehow found myself growling several times when Charles (can't decide if the Internet puts me on a first name basis with you guys, or not ;)) would be just beginning to expand on a point and Mark would interrupt with his own interpretation. Is there somebody off-camera trying to follow the flow of the conversation and signaling whether Mark should shut up and listen or circle back to a topic or move on or not forget to mention something in particular? I wish I was speaking from a position of experience with these sorts of productions -- I'm not -- but there's something in there that seems like it could be improved. And, hell, it's the Internet, so you get to hear from everybody who can type...

Thanks for doing these interviews and giving us access!

- Tom

[Hawkpeter]

I too was interested in the discussion about the psychology of people working out vs those training.

Its a masochistic mindset. People punishing themselves because they ate that cream bun yesterday or want to feel the pain of what they think is a good workout. Its not healthy, the competitive mindset has a much greater long term success and nothing quantifies your training like competition.

[Charles Staley]

Thanks for your nice comments Tom.

I think Rip and I both think a lot faster than we talk, and are sometimes both guilty of feeling the need to express a thought before it gets lost forever. I had recently been taken to task for this exact thing, and was trying very hard to avoid dominating the discussion, which I am more than capable of doing ;-)

Anyway, glad you enjoyed...


Lots of great stuff, here. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the definition of "athlete" -- I was quite surprised that you were actually able to make some progress on that in such a forum. Being able to watch you both struggle to articulate it was worth a lot more than just reading the end result.

Also this was my first exposure to Mr. Staley (aside from reading his posts on this board) and I was impressed with his centered, intelligent, humble style. I will definitely check him out further based on this interview.

I know Rip's interview style has been discussed/criticized before and I think he said something to the effect of his intention being a certain amount of "learning by doing" -- I'm quite torn: on the one hand I've learned a lot by watching this series of videos -- and it's hard to judge how much of that is due to Mark's style... On the other hand, I somehow found myself growling several times when Charles (can't decide if the Internet puts me on a first name basis with you guys, or not ;)) would be just beginning to expand on a point and Mark would interrupt with his own interpretation. Is there somebody off-camera trying to follow the flow of the conversation and signaling whether Mark should shut up and listen or circle back to a topic or move on or not forget to mention something in particular? I wish I was speaking from a position of experience with these sorts of productions -- I'm not -- but there's something in there that seems like it could be improved. And, hell, it's the Internet, so you get to hear from everybody who can type...

Thanks for doing these interviews and giving us access!

- Tom

[tallison]

Here's an idea: re-label these things as "Conversations" or "Conversations with Mark" (instead of "Interviews") -- it would make their value clear and set the expectations more accurately (and that way, folks like me wouldn't be whinging about "interview style").

Regardless, they've been great -- and will be a terrific archive of the personality and thinking of 20th/21st century strength training practitioners.

- Tom

[burnsco]

it's far more interesting to hear these conversations rather then just a simple interview. I love it!

it's especially funny hearing about rip's trip to a commercial gym. "where's their logs?"

[todd]

This is a great interview. Thanks.

At the beginning of the fourth part, it says part 3, by the way.

[bomb1977]

I really can't say enough good things about Rippetoe an Staley.

Mr.Staley takes the time to converse with me on Facebook and is always there for advice and all I have spent with him is the money it cost me to buy 2 t-shirts and ship them to Canada. I need powerlifting shoes and he sells them, guess who I will be ordering them from?

He is a good person that cares about people reaching their goals and is very good at helping them get there, what more can you ask for?

He is coming to my hometown in March of 2011, I already have myself booked in and am beginning to recruit the people I know to make sure it is full. I might even bring my unathletic, unco-ordinated wife just to throw him the ultimate curveball :p

Now that Mr.Rippetoe is doing the no frills 1 day seminars, Pennsylvania is only a 3-4 hour drive. I hope to catch him in the next year also. I wish Rip and Canada Customs got along better....

[Charles Staley]

Thanks for those nice words and DEFINITELY catch Rip's seminar!


I really can't say enough good things about Rippetoe an Staley.

Mr.Staley takes the time to converse with me on Facebook and is always there for advice and all I have spent with him is the money it cost me to buy 2 t-shirts and ship them to Canada. I need powerlifting shoes and he sells them, guess who I will be ordering them from?

He is a good person that cares about people reaching their goals and is very good at helping them get there, what more can you ask for?

He is coming to my hometown in March of 2011, I already have myself booked in and am beginning to recruit the people I know to make sure it is full. I might even bring my unathletic, unco-ordinated wife just to throw him the ultimate curveball :p

Now that Mr.Rippetoe is doing the no frills 1 day seminars, Pennsylvania is only a 3-4 hour drive. I hope to catch him in the next year also. I wish Rip and Canada Customs got along better....

[homerj742]

Another amazing interview. Thank you again to all those involved in making these happen.

[LondonTiger]

Cool interview, watching it now,

I think the interview style is perfect, it's just like a discussion I would have with a strenth coach.

Can't imagine how this would look in a formal interview.. Thing a bit odd?

Good stuff, any chance of this in Low-def? it's hard to play on my portable laptop, have to fire up my desktop at home for this.

[Johnny Pain]

Now that Mr.Rippetoe is doing the no frills 1 day seminars, Pennsylvania is only a 3-4 hour drive. I hope to catch him in the next year also. I wish Rip and Canada Customs got along better....

It's actually me that's doing the PA seminars at my place. It is a possibility that Rip will be at one here and there, but I am the one teaching them. Don't you worry though, I am extremely awesome, don't let Rip not being there stop you from coming out, we'd love to have you.

And for the record Canadian Customs are evil evil people. My experience with them was less than pleasant. After the stool sample was provided they did ease up a bit, but they were convinced I was there to do harm to the Canadian public in some way. My charm and dimples had no effect on them whatsoever.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes, the 30ish females, only recently graduated from cunt school, that man the Canadian Border are the only thing standing between the helpless Canadian economy and the ravages to be wrought by the hamstrung version of American Capitalism that assail the southern border every day. They are the Bulwark against economic and cultural destruction, and our absence in Canada is but a tiny price to pay for the continued health of the nation.

But you are all welcome here.

[Charles Staley]

Rip I cannot believe that you are up this early


Yes, the 30ish females, only recently graduated from cunt school, that man the Canadian Border are the only thing standing between the helpless Canadian economy and the ravages to be wrought by the hamstrung version of American Capitalism that assail the southern border every day. They are the Bulwark against economic and cultural destruction, and our absence in Canada is but a tiny price to pay for the continued health of the nation.

But you are all welcome here.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Roger that.

[pu239]

Once again, thanks for spending the time, effort, and money to do these. This one was probably my favorite yet.

[Dash]

Great interview and I am with both of you on some form of objective competition making an enormous difference. I enjoyed Rips story about his first meet in 78 and how filling out that form changed things from then on.

Everything else aside, that is one of the things I love about my Crossfit gym. Every workout is a competition. Against my old time, against the guy next to me who I am roughly equal with. Against the guy on the other side who is lifting more than me but maybe can keep up with him. Or the girl who is running just ahead of me.

I am certainly guilty of glorifying any pain as a positive. What you were saying about that Charles is very interesting to me. I'm used to hearing "get uncomfortable" and swapping stories of how trashed we feel afterwards and trying to one up each other.

[Glen]

Such an interesting discussion.

I woke up this morning and at breakfast. That afternoon, I entered a hamburger eating competition and performed as well as I was able. When I was eating breakfast, I was just a man....but when I was eating hamburgers, I was an athlete! lol.

Its my personal belief that just because you are in a 'competition' with others over a defined set of rules and standards does not make one an athlete. My reasoning is that I was only mastering my own skills while eating the hamburger. Mine were the only set of skills I had to contend with. It was sporting, I was playing a game, but not an athletic event.

But, if it was a full contact hamburger eating contest where I not only had to master my own skills/limits but also directly challenge the mastery of somone elses at the same time...THEN I would be an athlete or at least be 'competing' in an athletic event.

You must not only master your own set of physical skills but MUST also contend with somone elses direct challenge to that mastery at the same time. Not side by side, but directly.

Full contact hamburger eating. Have fun with that one.

Glen

[Mark Rippetoe]

So gymnastics is not a sport? Weightlifting? Help me understand your definition better.

[Glen]

Sporting, yes, sportsmen involved in an athletic event or consider them athletes? no.

Athletes not only master their own skill, but do so when that mastery is directly challenged by somone else:
Soldiers
Fighters
Football/Soccer
Rugby
Polo
etc

Sportsmen are only masters of their own skill. No direct intervention with anyone. Success or failure can(sometimes) be dictated by a third party(judges):
Gymnastics
Weightlifting
Bodybuilding
Most track/field events
Skeet shooting
etc.

Now, before I start getting flamed for not considering a 1000lb lift, or a perfect 10 in gymnastics athletic, I certainly feel that that level of personal mastery is extremely impressive.

There is also a minimum level of physicality in my definition as well. 'world series of poker', while being on espn, is only a game. Chess or 'go fish' is only a game.

But, again, the 'competitor' (-all ability levels being equal-), that not only has to deal with his/her own mastery but somone elses at the same time must surely be held in higher regard. I reserve that highest regard to be the 'athlete' or 'athletic event'. Second would be sportsmen.

Also, remember to keep ability levels similar with trying to wade thru what I posted. Comparing an olympic gymnast and some kids in the back yard playing 'tag' would be silly. But a 1000lift and a main event in the UFC, which event would you chose to be the athletes. Not all of them by any stretch of the imagination.