Better Living Edition

Starting Strength Weekly Report

May 01, 2023

On Starting Strength

A New Definition for Strength Training – Rip discusses what is and is not strength training along with a new and novel way to look at the process of getting stronger.
Paralyzed From the Chest Down, Starting Strength Has Greg Running Again – A freak accident left Greg paralyzed from the chest down. After Starting Strength, Greg's doing things he hasn't been able to do in 40 years.
Ray's First Fitness Industry Interview – Carl Case invited Ray to join him for a discussion on the Local Business Hacks podcast where Carl interview fitness industry leaders to discuss their keys to success.
The DEA and Telemedicine by Trevor Rachko – Let us dispel this fiction about the impending telemedicine apocalypse. Many patients and providers alike are rightfully concerned, but...
The Trifecta of Squat Cues by Phil Meggers – The descent of your squat is important. It should put you in a strong bottom position so that you can effectively drive your hips...
Weekend Archives: Learning to “Grind” by Nick Delgadillo – There are a few distinct phases that lifters go through in the first three to six months of barbell training in terms of their primary focus...
Weekend Archives: The Problem with “Exercise Science” by Mark Rippetoe – I talk to lots of kids who are interested in becoming strength coaches. I get e-mail about this every week, and we talk about it with people who attend our seminars...

In the Trenches

wade locks out a press at the belgium camp

Wade locks out his press at the recent training camp in Belgium led by Steve Ross. [photo courtesy of Gabriela Dimitrova]

Harshil deadlifts his heavy set of 5 at Brussels Barbell. [photo courtesy of Gabriela Dimitrova]

vincent learns how to squat at the training camp held in brussels

Vincent learns how to squat at the Brussels Barbell training camp. [photo courtesy of Gabriela Dimitrova]

mario traveled from germany to attend the starting strength camp in belgium

Mario traveled from Germany for the squat, press and deadlift camp last weekend in Belgium. [photo courtesy of Gabriela Dimitrova]

camisha coaches the power clean at starting strength cincinnati

Camisha coaches Starting Strength Cincinnati member Ziwei through the power clean. [photo courtesy of Luke Schroeder]

iain prepares to squat in glasgow as byron johnston coaches him

Professional mountaineer Iain sets up for the squat at a recent coaching day in Glasgow Scotland with UK SSC Byron Johnston. [photo courtesy of Byron Johnston]

mike squats 365 at testify strength and conditioning

Mike squats 365 lb at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE. Mike is also pursuing his Starting Strength Coach credential and is in the final stages of the Starting Strength Coach prep course. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]

david warms up his presses while wearing a syracuse shirt

Starting Strength Boston is a special place where all members from New York get along. Here’s David (from Buffalo) doing warm up presses wearing the Syracuse shirt that Ateev (from Syracuse) gave him. [photo courtesy of Michael Shammas]

deb rack pulls a pr 200 triple at starting strength bostonn

Deb and her husband Ray joined Starting Strength Boston when it opened in 2021. Here she is setting a rack pull PR of 200 lbs x3. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]

otis the dog in the rack and ready to pull

Otis ready to get his rack pulls in at Starting Strength Katy. [photo courtesy of Shelley Hancock]

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Best of the Week

Hamstring Tendonitis vs Tendinopathy

TommyWittig

About 6 months ago while incorporating Stiff Legged Deadlifts my left hamstring started to hurt deep in the gluteal area where it connects. (And yes, I have ditched SLDL's since then.)

The pain has become more of an irritant now but there is a coming and going tingling that runs down my left leg into the left side of my foot. Somedays are better than others but it is persistent. Again, it's more irritating than painful.

Do you have any advice on how to clear this up or is it something I just need to live with? I've kept my training going through it all but if the answer is to take some time away from the barbell, then I will, only if you suggest it.

Mark Rippetoe

This sounds like sciatica, not a hamstring issue. A decent massage therapist can work on your piriformis and fix this quickly. Ask them first if they know how to do it.

Best of the Forum

Training In Season - Football

dakotajones

I play d2 College football (Running back). I've been "lifting" for years but never made much progress until I stumbled upon your work last year. My numbers are as follows:

Age - 20
Height - 5' 9"
Weight - 215
Vertical - 31"

Squat - 480
Deadlift - 535
Press - 225
Bench Press - 345
Power Clean - 275x2x7

My goal is to perform really well this season, transfer to D1 next year, and then make the NFL. I'm less athletic than the average NFL running back but I feel like I can get a lot stronger and that can be my x factor. There's not a whole lot of time, so I'm wondering if there is any way I can increase my squat and deadlift in season, and what programming for that would look like. I believe your current suggestion is just to squat and deadlift once a week (or is it alternating weeks?) But I feel like I could probably squat 2x/week (Monday Volume Squat + Powercleans, Thursday Intensity Squat) and continue my linear progression like that and maybe just don't deadlift at all.

Thoughts?

Mark Rippetoe

You can train 2x/week in-season -- if you'll eat. At 5'9" you need to weigh 240-245. You'll be very hard to handle at that bodyweight with a 550 squat and a 600 deadlift.

From the Coaches

In this video, Phil Meggers covers why lifting weights is pretty stupid and - more importantly - why it isn't. This is why we do what we do.
Are you making this mistake when squatting? Well . . . don't. It's unnecessary, inefficient, and it makes you look like a newbie. Phil Meggers covers how to fix it in this short video.
Are you having a tough time setting your back correctly when deadlifting? To get it right, it can help to do it wrong first. Phil Meggers explains in Testify's weekly article.