Sprung Edition

April 21, 2025

On Starting Strength

The Foundations of the Program – Rip discusses the foundations that Starting Strength model is built on to develop strength - movement patterns, stress, incremental loading.
Rows vs. Power Cleans: The Difference by Carl Raghavan – The difference between these two lifts is like the difference between snowboarding and skiing – stick with me here. I’ve spent years training both, and this comparison reminds me of something you’ll often hear...
Critical Elbow and Forearm Positions in the Bench Press – Rip explains the importance of using a touch point on chest below the shoulder, as well as a grip width selected to give a vertical forearm in this position. These positions prevent shoulder impingement and allow the bench press to be trained to develop upper body strength.
The Iron Shack by Jim Steel – For thirty years, Frank Collquit has owned the Iron Shack gym. Nestled in a strip mall, twenty minutes south of Charlotte, North Carolina, “The Shack,” as the few hundred members call it, catered to the serious weight lifter...
Calorie Needs for Barbell Training by Robert Santana – Nutrition is a very important factor in training of all types. Whether you are under the barbell, running a marathon, or simply riding a bicycle to work daily, fueling the human body is an essential activity...
Weekend Archives: Swogger's Revenge by Matthew Swogger – On 11 June 2004, around midnight, I fell 40 feet off a building and broke my back. Since that time, I have been through an interesting rehabilitation. The story is lengthy, but barbell training figured into my recovery...
Weekend Archives: Coaching by Mark Rippetoe – Why is it a good thing to get coaching from different people when it is available? I’m not suggesting that a strength trainee find a bodybuilding coach, or an Olympic weightlifting coach, or a suit-and-wraps...

In the Trenches

Husband and wife team Mike and Audrey work together on Mike’s bench volume day. Both have places at the top of the Starting Strength Austin leaderboard. [photo courtesy of Andrea Mates]

adam martin cues elbow position in the press

Between sets at Starting Strength Atlanta, Adam Martin, SSC, instructs Suzanne Warshaw on the importance of her elbow position during the press. Our upper extremities are just one example of the human body’s remarkable interdependent system of levers and joints, and the muscles that flex and extend them. [photo courtesy of Laura Martin]

ryan at the bottom of a squat as he is coached by dan buege

Ryan drops in for a session to work on his squat and deadlift with Dan Buege at Starting Strength Oklahoma City. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

evgeny locks out a deadlift at a starting strength training camp

From Greece to Cincinnati...that's how far Evgeny traveled to attend the recent Squat and Deadlift Camp at Starting Strength Cincinnati. Here he is showing a firm lockout at the top of his deadlift. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

members eat at a potluck event in indianapolis

Starting Strength Indianapolis members enjoy a potluck on a fine spring Saturday. Cuisine is a cultural binder and everyone brought something to show off their cooking skills and share with teammates and friends. [photo courtesy of Andrew Lewis]

Get Involved

Submit a question to Starting Strength Radio.
Got something to say about training? Submit an article or video for publication.
Submit your image to be featured In the Trenches.
Submit a question to Starting Strength Radio

Best of the Week

Genetics and the strength athlete

strength10588

What are the factors which account for individuals who are able to exhibit very high levels of strength at low body weight? A buddy of mine is 6'4" 200 and can do 2/3/4 plates with good form. From PP I gather it is primarily neuromuscular efficiency, fast twitch percentage, and anthropometry, that is, genetic factors exclusively?

kelticslob

Sorry, this is your example of someone with GOOD genetics? 2/3/4 @ 200lbs?

Steven Kalin

Wouldn’t his height play into it? 200 pounds at 6’4” is a skinny, skinny dude.

Jason Donaldson

It seems to me that conversation about the OP's example is pulling the thread away from the initial point, namely the parts in bold above.

Whether we agree that strength10588's buddy is one of them or not, we all know that there are some people who exhibit unusual degrees of strength at lower body weight than usual.

The factors listed are certainly part of it. Origin and insertion of muscles, shape of muscle bellies, etc. could also be included as genetic factors with those. Or think of a motor moron and a physical genius walking into the gym for the first time together.

Are there ONLY genetic factors, though? I don't think so. Circumstances of growing up affect phenotypic expression, for example. Think of someone who grows up well fed vs. someone who does not. Also, consider mindset. A timid person may exhibit less strength than a bold person. Degree of familiarity with movement and moving heavy things will likely make a difference, as well. Someone who grows up sedentary will move less weight than a farm kid or a kid who plays a lot of sports, for example, even if they're the same body weight.

Mark Rippetoe

Ed Coan set his best total at 242, and 5'6". Maybe height/bodyweight is a factor.

kelticslob

OP specifically states “at a low body weight”

Mark Rippetoe

Right. That doesn't happen, depending on what you mean by "very high levels of strength."