Mincemeat Edition

Starting Strength Weekly Report

December 12, 2022

On Starting Strength

Hormone Optimization for Women – Keith and Angie Nichols, owners of Tier 1 Health and Wellness, join Rip to discuss hormone optimization for women.
Bending Over Too Much In The Squat? – A quick tip from Starting Strength Boise coach John Dowdy about the correct way to bend over in the squat.
Fulfillment at Work Through Caring for Others – Ray Gillenwater talks with Michael Jones about his time in Alabama, why he came to Starting Strength Plano, and why this stuff is so important.
Sugar by Robert Santana – Over the last twenty years, no nutrient has been villainized more than “sugar.” This largely started with the booming popularity of the Atkins Diet in the late 90s/early 00s, and morphed...
Cómo Hacer Pesos Muertos – En este vídeo instructivo, aprenderás desde cero las posiciones y movimientos correctos del peso muerto, tal y como se enseña en el libro Starting Strength: Entrenamiento básico con halteras.
Weekend Archives: Understanding the Texas Method Intensity Day by Andy Baker – Despite its popularity and widespread use there exists some persistent confusion as how to best navigate through all the possible twists and turns of the Texas Method...
Weekend Archives: Strength and its Derivatives by Mark Rippetoe – The production of force against an external resistance is the way all living creatures interact with their physical environment. Even plants do this, albeit very slowly...

From the Coaches

Liver King, The Limits of Research, and What Actually Works – Trent Jones and Robert Santana discuss the recent "controversy" around the Liver King's steroid use, why nearly everything you see on the internet is fake, and what we actually know works when it comes to getting strong and building muscle.
Try out this simple cue the next time you're going for a heavy single at the gym or in competition. It just might help you nail that PR you've been chasing. Phil Meggers explains in two minutes.
It's easy to set the back incorrectly by confusing shoulder retraction with back extension. Phil and Becky Meggers help you fix this issue in less than two minutes in Testify's weekly Saturday Short video.
In the press, are you reaching forward with your hips or throwing your shoulders back? One is correct, the other is ridiculous, and there's an easy way to figure out if you're doing it right or not. Phil Meggers explains in Testify's weekly article.
Is your butt popping up when you bench press? It shouldn’t! Rori Alter discusses a variation this error, a cue to fix it, and a not so common reason why it may be happening

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In the Trenches

tony coaches eric through the power clean at starting strength cincinnati

Apprentice Tony Maldonado coaches Erica through the power clean at Starting Strength Cincinnati. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

yaz sets up to deadlift at starting strength cincinnati

Starting Strength Cincinnati member Yaz sets up for her deadlift while Head Coach Adam Martin looks on. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

maddie squats sets of 5 at 55 kg at testify strength and conditioning in omaha

Maddie squats 55 kg smoothly for sets of five at Starting Strength Affiliate Gym Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE, as she prepares for both the Leprechaun Lift-off weightlifting meet (March 11) and the Strengthlifting Challenge (April 1), both of which will be held at Testify. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]

alex sets up to block bench at starting strength boston

Alex prepares to block bench press at Starting Strength Boston. [photo courtesy of Michael Shammas]

jen demonstrates the power clean as she is coached by mark rippetoe

Jen Pfohl demonstrates during the power clean practical session with Rip on Sunday morning of the Starting Strength Seminar held at WFAC this past weekend. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

james from the uk going through the squat teaching method at the seminar in texas

James traveled from the United Kingdom to attend the seminar in Texas. [photo courtesy of Bre Hillen]

xavier squatting at the starting strength seminar in december 2022

Xavier, in from Starting Strength Orlando, finishes his squats at the Starting Strength Seminar. [photo courtesy of Rebecca Skinner]

tomaz works on his bench press technique at the starting strength seminar

Tomaz working on his bench press technique at the Starting Strength Seminar. [photo courtesy of Rebecca Skinner]

jordan locks out a press at the starting strength seminar december 2022

Jordan locks out his press during December's Starting Strength Seminar. [photo courtesy of Rebecca Skinner]

Best of the Week

Motorcycles

Strongmonkey

Your previous podcasts with Fred Ashmore made it clear you have owned and driven plenty of cars over the years, developing an appreciation for them as more than just a method of transport.

Do you also hold this appreciation for motorcycles as well? You have mentioned previously that up until fairly recently you had ridden motorcycles for most of your life.

If so, what were some of the bikes you have owned in the past?

You mentioned again in the podcast that you have owned several Japanese and European cars, has this also been the case with bikes?

Finally, do you have any recommendations for good roads/trips to do on a motorcycle in one's lifetime?

Mark Rippetoe

I have owned 3 motorcycles, a 1979 Sportster, a shop built custom 80" shovelhead, and a Valkyrie. All were ridden on long roard trips in the western United States.

My advice for the best way to do a 2-week road trip is to decide approximately where you want to end up, pack your shit on the bike, and head that direction. Make all other decisions about how to get there, where to eat, what to see, and where to stay while you're on the road. And take paper maps with you. They work a lot better.

Best of the Forum

Altering SS to recover from surgery?

aschaul10

About 10 months ago I fractured my right humerus, and ended up a rod and screws in my right arm. I went to PT for a while, and got it "good enough" for day to day. I took about 9 months off of lifting, and still haven't recovered all of my tricep/bicep/overall muscle strength in my right arm.

I recently started the SS program, and was wondering if it would be OK to add a few accessory lifts in for the benefit of speeding up my injured shoulder recovery. For example, my PT recommended adding in things like close-grip press, dips, and isolated hammer curls to help build that strength back.

Would adding in these lifts at the end of the standard SS program hinder my overall progress?

My gut tells me if I just stick to the basics, the strength will come back from doing to program via press/bench, etc. However, I've never recovered from a serious surgery like this and want to make sure I get the most out of these next several months.

Mark Rippetoe

Is Physical Therapy Fraud?

Andrew Lewis

It's been 10 months and you got it set with rods and screws. You're good to go, man. Just do the program, start light, and add weight in reasonable increments. Keep everything symmetrical. Get a coach if you're really worried.

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