Theta Wave Edition - Starting Strength Weekly Report March 6, 2023

Starting Strength Weekly Report

March 06, 2023

On Starting Strength

Waffle House, Deloads, and Supplements – Rip answers questions from Starting Strength Network subscribers and fans.
Quick Tips for Your Squat Setup – Starting Strength Coach Byron Johnston goes over common errors when unracking the squat, walking the bar out, and with the starting position and how to fix these problems.
Meet Luke, the new President – Ray Gillenwater talks to the new President of Starting Strength Gyms, Luke Schroeder, about business operations, growth, and Luke's vision for the company.
How to Use Kettlebells for Strength Training by James Rodgers – The kettlebell is a common piece of gym equipment. For most of you, your ongoing experience with kettlebells is tripping over them...
Personalized Coaching For Strength Training Beginners – Starting Strength Boston trainee Holly Intravia talks about how she loves the personalized training in a small group setting that Starting Strength provides.
Weekend Archives: Yinyang: Technique and Strength in the Martial Arts by Dave Longley – You do not have to be strong to do Martial Arts. There. It has been written. Without a shadow of a doubt, my opening sentence is true, and true in all cases...
Weekend Archives: The Standing Overhead Press by Mark Rippetoe – Pressing a barbell overhead is one of the oldest exercises in the gym. It might well have been the first exercise invented...

From the Coaches

If you ain't logging, you ain't training. In the sixth video in Testify's "Lifting Gear" series, Phil Meggers discusses why the training log is your most important piece of equipment and also covers how to use one effectively.
What is a snatch? How is it different from a power snatch or hang snatch? What is a squat snatch? What is a full snatch? Phil Meggers covers it all here in about a minute.
Phil Meggers discusses the problem of an incorrect grip when pressing as well as how to fix it. This is the fifth article in Testify's series on improving the press.

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In the Trenches

john finishes his press with an active shrug at lockout

John showing a nice active shrug at the top of the press at a recent training camp held in Toronto. [photo courtesy of Michelle Doucet]

carl raghavan coaches joshua in the squat

Carl Raghavan makes sure Joshua doesn’t dive bomb on his squat at a training camp held in Canada last weekend. [photo courtesy of Elvis Castelino]

emma setting up for a pr deadlift triple at 215

Emma sets a new deadlift PR pulling 215 lb for 3 reps at Starting Strength Boston. She's been getting compliments from friends and family on her newly developed strength. [photo courtesy of Michael Shammas]

liam locking out a press at 170 lb in beaverton

One of our first clients to join Starting Strength Beaverton, Liam locks out his press at 170x4x4 in his signature gray sweatpants. Despite a stressful new job, wintertime illnesses, and a move across town, Liam keeps showing up to get strong. [photo courtesy of Grant McCaulley]

anjali at the bottom of a squat during her backoff set of 185

After squatting 202.5 lb for two triples - and demolishing her old 1-rep PR of 200 lb in the process - Anjali moves on to a few back-off triples at 185 lb at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]

14 year old max at the bottom of his squat pr at 135 lb

Max (age 14) hits a huge milestone tonight of squatting 135 lbs for three sets of five at Starting Strength Memphis! Welcome to the plate club, Max! [photo courtesy of Bre Hillen]

mia inman coaches a squat at a starting strength training camp

Justin sets up for his last set of squats under the watchful eye of Mia Inman during last weekend's sold-out Squat and Deadlift camp at Starting Strength Cincinnati. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

adam martin coaches mike in the deadlift at a starting strength training camp

Mike wraps up the last of his deadlifts with Adam Martin at the Starting Strength Squat and Deadlift camp held in Cincinnati. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

Although there's snow outside in Boston, Greg's goal is to get ready for the beach this Summer. Here he is pressing a plate on each side for a PR of 135 lb for a double. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]

group picture of starting strength chicago members at a celebration of the gym anniversary

The members and coaches from Starting Strength Chicago gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the gym’s one year anniversary. Here’s to many more years of PRs! [photo courtesy of Patricia Ptacek]

baloo the dog gives a paw of encouragement to a lifter learning to snatch

Baloo cheers on a new lifter learning the power snatch at Starting Strength Austin. [photo courtesy of Brandon Sherwood]

group photo of starting strength columbus lifters and coaches at the buckeye state championship meet

Starting Strength Columbus members George and Graham posing with coaches Bruce and Jarret prior to the Buckeye State Championship meet. The lifters combined to post twelve state and personal records during the meet. [photo courtesy of Pete Yeh]

carl raghavan and inna koppel and pizza in nyc

Carl Raghavan meets up with fellow Starting Strength coach Inna Koppel in New York City during his travels. But, of course, no trip to NY is complete without a proper pizza meal. [photo courtesy of Raina Butler]

Best of the Week

Long forearms/shins general considerations

Fedster

Hi, I have long forearms and long shins (there, I said it). Aside from the power clean, which I cannot do (my hand goes completely past the delts, and would place the bar in the middle of my neck if I could use the correct racking form, which I obviously cannot), I am perfectly happy. I can low bar squat, bench, press, etc, no problem.

Nevertheless I am curious about what I can expect in terms of benefits and limitations given my unusual arm and leg segments proportions (the actual arm and leg length seems normal compared to other people). I tried to figure out the effects of this non standard moment angle, but I am too dumb to make sense of it.

Mark Rippetoe

Good sprinters have long shins. How old are you?

Fedster

I'm 46, almost 47. Unless there is a senior category, I am well past any sporting glory, no matter how small. I also hate running in any case, whereas I am good at following a strength training program. I am looking at my strength to improve my Jiu Jiutsu if that helps.

Mark Rippetoe

No sprinting then. Enjoy your training.

Best of the Forum

Hit 5 reps last squat, added 5lb, got pinned to the safety bars on FIRST REP.

Physics

Am curious as to why this may have happened.

Age 36, male, 5’ 10”, 186lb. 13 weeks into SS. 4,200+ calories a day. 3x a week workouts. Have made some volume adjustments (1x5 on squat 2x5 backoffs at 90%) and added a light day (3x5 at 80%) out of necessity along the way.

Starting BW: 143lb
Current BW: 187lb
Squat: 132lb > 300lb

Last successful squat was 1x5 @ 300lb. Got all 5 reps, last was a bit of a grinder. Light day mid week went fine. Next heavy session I added 5 pounds. Warmups felt heavy and on the very first rep of my work set I got pinned to the safety bars. I wasn't even CLOSE to getting the rep, either. The bar didn't even stop on the way down. Just got nailed to the pins. It's like my body said "not fucking happening".

I'm eating and sleeping plenty, no stress, no changes to anything, form was fine.

I'll try 305 again next session but I'm just curious as to what may be the cause (accumulated fatigue? bad day?). I will post an update in a few days regardless.

Mark Rippetoe

It's not always possible to pinpoint the reason for a bad day. Sometimes they just happen. Try it again and it may go. If not, time for a reset.

Physics

Update: The following workout I attempted 305 lb AGAIN for 5 but without realizing it, I got higher and higher with each rep and missed depth on the last few.

Today I tried 305 lb for the third time focusing on depth and got stapled to the safety pins on rep 3.

Time for a reset.

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