Ask Rip: Various Things

[Mark Rippetoe]

Ask Rip #51 | Starting Strength Channel

[Scaldrew]

The YT comments responding to your answer about vegan lifters are pretty great at first, but get boring quickly. Lots of people saying "I'm not a vegan, BUT" which is funny the first 5 times you read it.

[Igor]

Obviously being vegan puts a lifter in a disadvantaged position and makes their LP (or any other strength program for that matter) suboptimal but they can still benefit from barbell training as described in your books. Instead of bashing them and marking their dietery choice as "eating disorder" wouldn't it be better to make it clear that their diet won't support strength and muscle growth as effectively as omnivorous diet with majority of protein coming from animal sources? If sticking to veganism is more important than optimizing strength gainzz well it's their choice.

No vegan will be conviced to eat meat, drink milk etc because they were labelled as having eating disorders (especially since you've admitted yourself numerous times that you're not a nutrition guy). Especially those who are vegans for ethical reasons. It might be a bit different with those who believe that vegan diet is optimal health-wise (dunno if most coaches have patience to debate with them on it). Or maybe you just don't want to deal with them and "scare them away" with this kind of statements. They don't compromise a significant portion of population after all...

Also, how serious you were with statement about jailing HS coaches who want their athletes to cut weight?

PS. IIRC there are a few vegans and vegetarians on the board that are quite active.

[tww1313]

I extremely enjoy hunting and fishing and I basically train so I can do those better. "sport" fishing can be quite taxing physically, esp from a kayak. Do you have any experience in either one? Starting strength has made hiking mountains so much easier too!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Instead of bashing them and marking their dietery choice as "eating disorder" wouldn't it be better to make it clear that their diet won't support strength and muscle growth as effectively as omnivorous diet with majority of protein coming from animal sources?

I never thought of that! Just explain to them. Okay.

Also, how serious you were with statement about jailing HS coaches who want their athletes to cut weight?

I'm pretty serious.

[Tony Vino]

out of curiosity, would you consider paleo dieters and other kind of restrictive diets as eating disorders? To me, being 100% against something is pretty stupid whether it's animal product (and by-products in the case of veganism) or wheat for paleo diets.

[Chris Lippke]

No vegan will be conviced to eat meat, drink milk etc because they were labelled as having eating disorders (especially since you've admitted yourself numerous times that you're not a nutrition guy). Especially those who are vegans for ethical reasons. It might be a bit different with those who believe that vegan diet is optimal health-wise (dunno if most coaches have patience to debate with them on it).

I'm not sure vegans are meant to be convinced via this avenue, nor that they wouldn't double down on their stance even if presented in the alternative, informative fashion you put forth (see Jordan's struggles). Rip's message is going to have a bigger impact on the casual observers/gawkers/lurkers and maybe those toying with the idea of becoming vegan. Ridicule can work quite well as a persuasion technique.

I never thought of that! Just explain to them. Okay.

Stick to ridicule, for that is your gift.

[Ozbar]

Especially those who are vegans for ethical reasons.

I am a carnivore for ethical reasons. The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability: Lierre Keith: 9781604860801: Amazon.com: Books

[Pluripotent]

Obviously being vegan puts a lifter in a disadvantaged position and makes their LP (or any other strength program for that matter) suboptimal but they can still benefit from barbell training as described in your books. Instead of bashing them and marking their dietery choice as "eating disorder" wouldn't it be better to make it clear that their diet won't support strength and muscle growth as effectively as omnivorous diet with majority of protein coming from animal sources? If sticking to veganism is more important than optimizing strength gainzz well it's their choice.

No vegan will be conviced to eat meat, drink milk etc because they were labelled as having eating disorders (especially since you've admitted yourself numerous times that you're not a nutrition guy). Especially those who are vegans for ethical reasons. It might be a bit different with those who believe that vegan diet is optimal health-wise (dunno if most coaches have patience to debate with them on it). Or maybe you just don't want to deal with them and "scare them away" with this kind of statements. They don't compromise a significant portion of population after all...

Sometimes you can reach down and offer a lift up and other times you just have to cut the rope.

[Mark Rippetoe]

out of curiosity, would you consider paleo dieters and other kind of restrictive diets as eating disorders? To me, being 100% against something is pretty stupid whether it's animal product (and by-products in the case of veganism) or wheat for paleo diets.

I have known people who have managed to turn Paleo into an eating disorder. Like not drinking their coffee when they wanted coffee with cream if the only cream available was half & half, and other odd behavior. I'm sure we have better stories than this.

They can be lined up against a wall and shot. No "coach", teacher or doctor has any business telling an impressionable and already self conscious kid to stunt both their physical and emotional development and go from being thin to being skinnier.

Ballet teachers can be much worse than wrestling coaches. I say, kill them all. Nobody should be dancing anyway.