Meet Results

Testify Strength & Conditioning's IronFest is a team competition with male/male, male/female, and female/female divisions in both open (at least one lifter under 40 years old) and masters (both lifters 40 years old or older) categories. July 10th's meet had 14 teams, and first place awards went to Charlie Sattler and Amy Haymaker in the Open Female/Female division, Sharon Foster and Julie Snyder in the Masters Female/Female division, Tom Oehler and Michael Oehler in the Open Male/Male division, and Nathaniel Oehler and Jaymie Oehler in the wildly popular Open Male/Female division. Full meet results

Mmll

I have 4 questions:

1. Do iron plates usually have a shorter diameter than bumper plates?
2. There are some bumper plates I'm interested in buying. Their diameter is 450mm with a 51mm ring diameter. Is this a conventional size for deadlifting? Eg the deadlifts people do at Starting Strength Gyms, etc.
3. If I deadlift with these bumpers, will I be making it too easy on myself? I'm just wondering if they are too big, meaning that I'd be lifting from a higher than ideal position off the ground?
4. The bumper plates have a steel internal ring. Is this normal for bumpers?

Mark Rippetoe

1. Standard plate diameter is 45 cm, iron or bumper.
2. By "ring diameter" I assume you mean the inside diameter (ID) of the hole in the middle. Approximately 2.00 inches is also standard.
3. These are the same plates everybody uses. We make it harder by putting more weight on the bar.
4. Bumper plates have a steel or iron core, around which the rubber is formed. You are seeing that part of the plate.

Mmll

I was also hoping to make a platform with the dimensions you've previously suggested but I haven't got the space for an 8 foot by 8 foot square platform. So, if I use b grade plywood or better, and have 3 layers of just 1 sheet of 8 foot by 4 foot...with two 13kg 1 square metre gym mats on top, would this protect a garage floor to a similar level as the 8 foot by 8 foot design? If not, do you think it would still be enough for protecting the floor? I currently deadlift 175kg for a set of 5 and am improving. The thickness of each of the sheets I was planning on buying are 0.75 inches.

Mark Rippetoe

The plans for the platform are in the book.

Roobo

Just wondered if you have any thoughts on Bryson DeChambeu's alleged strength training and weight gain (up to 220 from 190) over lockdown and the impact it's had on his game and golf in general? I wonder how many college golf programs will be adding strength training to their regimen.

Personally I think he looks a little heavy but in a sport that only requires occasional explosive movements and very little cardiovascular involvement maybe it's the right way to go. However, this might be the tipping point for professionals being required to use weighted balls as it's tough to defend against this amount of power.

Mark Rippetoe

Amazingly enough, I think that golfers should train for strength.

Strength Training for Golf

Case Study: Two Golfers, One Bar

Strength and Golf with Jay Livsey | Starting Strength Radio #17

Why Starting Strength is Right About Everything | Starting Strength Radio #31

Oso Rojo

I think Tiger resolved that a long time ago. He was the first one that I remember talking about strength in the gym related to strokes on the course. If you look at the long drive competitors they are all seriously jacked guys.

Mark Le Comte

Gary Player was on the strength/fitness wagon long before Tiger. He did add some distance, though was a relatively small guy. For the long drivers look back at Jason Zuback.

The common perception is that adding strength causes players to lose their touch for short game shots. Personally, I agree that it could cause them to play some shots too hard until they adjust i.e. strength and practice are two different things.

I just wish Bryson had done this without a whole bunch of isolation muscle activation hooha. I still think there is a lot for golfers to learn from discus throwers.

Gbraddock

Yep! Tiger is IMO the most influential golfer of our lifetimes re-shaping the direction of golf. I VIVIDLY remember fatasses like Fuzzy Zueller claiming golf was more about technique than strength. Tiger comes along and soon the golf courses are having to lengthen courses thanks primarily to Tiger and his influence on golfers getting stronger. They had to adapt or become extinct. Sound familiar?

Roobo

I feel like this is another step on from Gary Player and Tiger Woods, they both added general fitness and mobility which obviously included strength but I feel Brandon's approach is something that could be more easily replicated with training. The modern swing is about keeping the arms quiet, holding the club face and rotating with the body which has plenty of cross over to the barbell exercises.

Thanks for the links to previous articles Rip.