Top of the Summer Edition

Starting Strength Weekly Report

August 08, 2022

On Starting Strength

Preparing for the Oral Board – Rip talks about the Starting Strength Coach certification process and why there's an oral board test now.
Squat Progression Before Using a Barbell – Matt Gemmill and JD Shipley from Starting Strength Katy demonstrate how to progress the squat for a lifter who may be deconditioned or older.
An Interview with Ray Gillenwater – Inna Koppel interviews Ray Gillenwater on his podcast about Starting Strength Gyms and what went into him creating the franchise company and team.
Yet Another Squat Grip Article by Pete Troupos – This is the article that no one asked for, to go along with the seven YouTube videos on the subject, another explanation of a specific aspect of the grip for the squat. But...
The Price of Control, The Cost of Discipline by Emily Socolinsky – If I was happy, my eating problems were not a priority and neither was my body. If I was unhappy, my eating problems would surface, and I would fall to pieces...
Weekend Archives: Intermediate Programming for the Upper Body Lifts by Nick Delgadillo – If you’re going to take a proper approach to programming, you’ll start with the Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression, absorb the fact that stress has to increase over time...
Weekend Archives: The First Three Questions – By now, lots of people have done “the program,” and lots of people have gotten stuck – their progress has stalled at some point, having done what they thought was “the program”...

From the Coaches

There are 3 different types of jerk, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Phil and Becky Meggers from Testify Strength & Conditioning explain and demonstrate the power jerk, squat jerk, and split jerk.
Are your awful knees ruining your squat? In this video - the second in Testify's series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the squat - Phil Meggers quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem.

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In the Trenches

luke schroeder of starting strength cincinnati squats in austin while visiting

Luke Schroeder, owner of Starting Strength Cincinnati, trains at Starting Strength Austin during a weekend visit to Texas. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

SSC Aaron Frederick deadlifts during a staff training session at Starting Strength Austin. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

coaches teach the deadlift at a starting strength boston open house

Starting Strength Boston Apprentice Kelsey (far left) helps Coach Austin teach deadlift basics at our recent Open House. Register online for our next Open House session. [photo courtesy of Arthur Frontczak]

cathy finishes her workout with barbell rows at wfac

Cathy finishes up her workout with barbell rows at WFAC. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

tiffany prepares to squat at starting strength cincinnati while her son watches

Starting Strength Cincinnati member Tiffany prepares to squat while her son Rory looks on. [photo courtesy of Lucas Schroeder]

kyam pulls a set of five deadlifts at 260 in his linear progression at testify strength and conditioning

Kyam pulls 260 lb for a smooth set of five as he continues his linear progression at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]

rusty hands of the bar to jake for his set of bench presses

Rusty handing the bar to Jake so he can do his set of bench presses at WFAC. [photo courtesy of Bre Hillen]

Best of the Week

dear RIP, I’m Korean starting strength trainer

kimkihoon

Hello, Coach Rip. I am a 24-year-old male who is training hard in Korea. I squatted 150 through beginner training. I also gained about 15-20kg in weight. As it is written in the blue book, I am eating about 4000 calories a day, excluding carbohydrates. I'm trying to change the program to TM, but I'm asking if I should keep the calorie intake or eat more, but I can't find it no matter how much I search.

Mark Rippetoe

Age/height/weight/lifts?

kimkihoon

24/165cm/65kg-->82kg/squat 150kg, dead 135kg, press 60. I'm sorry, it's 150kg, not 150lbs. I'm not familiar with the concept of pounds in Korea.

And in the gray book, it says that carb-restricted trainees can drink half Gatorade before training. Are you talking about a half bottle of 1.5 liters?

Mark Rippetoe

At 5'5'' and 143 pounds bodyweight, you are quite underweight for strength expression. Ed Coan weighed 242 (110kg) at 165 cm, and your light body weight is limiting your strength, not the program. I very much doubt you are eating 4000 calories in the absence of carbs, and why you would want to elude my understanding.

kimkihoon

Right now I'm 180 pounds, not 143 pounds. I gained about 18 kg.

Mark Rippetoe

Looks like you're doing well then. Carry on.

Best of the Forum

How much should I weigh?

Jay77

44 year old male here. Finally tired of fucking around trying not to be fat. I am 6'3" 260 beginning TRT and NLP and want to know what weight I should be looking at to be the most useful father, husband and human.

Mark Rippetoe

You're still thinking about this the wrong way. Think about your lifts, eat for recovery, and quit worrying about your bodyweight.

A Clarification: YNDTP

FatButWeak

Rip is correct. Also, the numbers you gave us are meaningless, since we don't know how strong you are. If you squat 600, bench 400 and deadlift 700, then your bodyweight is probably correct, since we deduce/intuit/presume/assume you're carrying a good proportion of skeletal muscle as part of that weight.

Conversely, if you squat 200, bench 150 and deadlift 225 you're a fat, weak piece of shit who both needs to read the "A Clarification" article and keep training, while eating enough dead animals to drive your strength numbers way up.

I say all of this as a 51 year old at 6'4" 270 pounds who does not bench 400, squat 600 or deadlift 700 pounds, so dont think I'm being mean to you.

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