Nick,
Already in the mail (should be arriving today, actually). I plan on reading it, thoroughly, before going home for Christmas. Once there, it will go straight into my parents' hands. I will be purchasing the ebook from Amazon for my own use. I re-read the material a lot, and I find the ability to search quickly a huge benefit. It's also pretty handy for reading during a head call.
I also live a couple of states away... I feel your pain. My mother is a bit histrionic when it comes to her ailments. Not that she doesn't have them, but she's very quick to lean on the fact that she DOES. I have put up with her excuses of "I have neuropathy in my feet causing numbness. My mental acuity is degraded ("fibro fog" as it's been called, recently). My pain levels are too high to move correctly, but there's nothing to be done for it." All centered around her having fibromyalgia. After doing my own lookin' around on the internet, I was unable to find conclusive proof that fibromyalgia is a real condition/disease caused by some unidentified mechanism. I do not doubt that people have pain, and I do believe that said pain grows stronger over time. The only sites that seemed ready to come up with justifications were those sponsored or run by pharmaceutical companies hoping to sell you their next pill as the treatment/cure. After my own experience with pain, and after receiving the direct (if temporary) benefits of chiropractic/massage therapy work followed by the lasting benefits of strength training I decided to try a test when visiting back home.
I asked her where her pain was, and I then palpated the muscles and their "trigger points." Low and behold, every single muscle group involved was a knotted mess, and when I poked a few trigger points that massage therapists use to release muscle tension she exclaimed, "OUCH! Those are my fibromyalgia points!" She relented and saw a massage therapist after I gently worked on her as best I could. The massage therapist confirmed what I suspected- she was a hot mess. After 5-6 appointments, though, she now reports that her typical pain has dropped from a 7-8/10 to a 2-3/10.
The fibro fog issue she fixed. Turns out, her reduced mental acuity was because she had been taking Ambien every night for 3 years. Nearly two weeks after she stopped taking it (was having problems sleeping from the pain) her issues cleared up. "Fibro fog" fixed.
The last step is to bring her around and into the strength training fold. The new book is a Godsend, and I've also been hounding her to subscribe to the Greysteel Youtube channel, as well.
Oh, she was also a registered nurse who spent the vast majority of her career working ER/ICU/NICU. That typically proves to be far more of a hindrance than a help.
Outstanding thread reference above.
There are some hard and sobering truths in this thread.
Mark Rippetoe and Jonathan Sullivan and many others make fine and compelling arguments for Starting Strength. None of them succeeds with everyone they meet. Get over yourself, cut yourself some slack.
Set a good example. Do the program yourself. Don't be shy about sharing it. Especially don't be shy about what it has done for YOU.
My observation on my wins (people who give this a try) and losses (the maybe later or not for me's) is often in my approach. This is like fishing. It requires patients. When I lead with "my results" that apply to a problem THAT THEY RECOGNIZE. (usually because they are complaining). It has more immediate impact, than me lecturing them on what they "should do". Nobody likes being "should on".
Yet, even under the best of conditions, rejection of these ideas happens. People very actively want to believe there is an easy way without effort... maybe a pill or surgery.
Ironically the people who avoid "effort under the bar" will be making that same level of effort trying to get out of a chair and off the toilet. Effort is not the variable... results are.
The effort will be either at a time of your choosing or not. It is far less embarrassing to miss on a new PR than to take 2 attempts to get off of a sofa. If we could connect those dots... we'd have better success.
While everybody needs this, many don't want it. We are all in some level of denial about aging and death. Pushing against this denial triggers strong reactions.
Let not your "special snowflake" feelings be hurt by this. Notice how Rip never seems to take it personal, there's a very good reason for this. One win is worth a thousand losses. Give people the opportunity to learn more and you have done a very good thing.
I have a relative in their 70's who has had both open heart surgery and a mini-stroke despite (or possibly due to) being a competitive marathoner for over a decade of their life in their 30's and 40's.
They can still move independently, but had to give up activities like gardening due to back injury. The doctor is giving standard advice like "walking is the best exercise for seniors".
Have you or any of the other coaches worked with a candidate that has had serious health problems like that and were able to make improvements? I'm worried it's too late.
That is absolutely incredible. I'm going to try everything I can to get my parents into barbells. They do go to the gym and have routines, but it is the same type of stuff the general pubic does, not much help I know.
One thing that you mentioned in an article, that I took to heart, is the importance of appreciating being young and being able to recover efficiently (or something along those lines).
Thanks for the response.
I ain't no doc...
Just speaking for me here.
I had a "widow maker" heart attack 3 years ago with essentially 100% blockage of both the LAD and Left Diagonal. That 100% blockage wasn't a typo.
Rip helped me through the numbing fear of getting back under the bar. It wasn't easy--I started over with an empty bar. It was depressing. It sucked. I had setbacks--but I lifted anyway.
I still tremble and wonder if the plumbing will blow EVERY TIME I'M UNDER THE BAR. Yesterday I squatted 335, pulled 400, and pressed 190.
Proceed with extreme caution.
It can be done.