Griffin727

So I have been seeing alot of the gov talking about how our soldiers aka young kids 18 to 24 are out of shape and fat. I am 29 now and I feel younger people today are stronger then when I was their age. For example, I remember when a 405 to 500 deadlift was like a big deadlift for a 20 year old. I see way more young guys pulling that, then I did in 2015. They also run just fine, as we know a 500 pound deadlifter can pass a PT run with only 3 training days. Does anyone disagree, or is it just maybe I am in a unique area.

Mark Rippetoe

It's just you, Griffin.

Griffin727

It has to be my area I live in. I feel people 28 on the low end to 40 on the high end are fat and weak, but 18 to 25 age people seem to be better then we were. I think generations enjoy crapping on the ones bellow them. Unless it's once again just my area. I remember being 17 in school and many kids on the team could even bench 200 pounds.

Jason Donaldson

I'm curious about what factors select the 18-25 year olds you observe, Griffin. If you tend to see the active members of that age range, or particularly if you tend to see the gym-going members of that range, then it may very well be the case that you're seeing that the strong among them are stronger than the strong among your cohort were at that age. This would not be inconsistent with the overall range of 18-25 year olds having a large percentage of the skinny-fat and the outright truly morbidly obese.

As far as service members specifically, I am surprised at how many I see who are grossly outside of the height/weight standards with which I was familiar at the end of the Cold War/post-Cold War drawdown period, when just a pot belly drew scorn, ridicule, and accusation, not to mention mustering out. (Even more so with law enforcement officers...)

Frankie

It probably depends on where you spend your free time. I recently joined a commercial gym and have been frankly shocked and appalled by the beyond pathetic state of every member there.

I've always had a fondness and a hope for the generations younger than me, I hope that never goes away, but the kids I've seen recently have not impressed me. They screw around in groups, they spend 95% of their sessions on their phones between sets of 30lb calf raises and shrugs in between posing. If they do touch a barbell it's on a smith machine and half reps. They seem obsessed with bands too...

I don't see any fat kids, just extremely undernourished low test boys. The only ones I see deadlifting and squatting are the women, which is cool.

In my training lifetime I would contrast this with around 2010 when kids were culturally more into Crossfit and MMA. As silly as much of that was, they got people engaged in serious training, and I sure do miss seeing that. I think it's all going in the wrong direction, frankly and it breaks my heart.

Yesterday I saw a socials comment saying '3 plates is a very impressive deadlift'. Another that haunts me is 'a 200lb bench is extremely impressive, only a small number of trainees will ever hit this'. In 2025 they might just be right about that.

The good news is that the bar has never been lower to be considered a badass.

If you go to a 'powerlifting' gym or a real black iron meathead gym, I wouldn't be surprised if you told me kids today were stronger and better than ever. They look up to Hapthor and John Haack. We have so much knowledge about diet and training to draw on, and there is no excuse to tapping into it, and the new drugs all sound amazing.

HailMary

Griffin, open your eyes. The general population is a hot doughy mess.

jklunder

At least for people who have a hard time gaining weight, I know Mark Rippetoe advocates his SS weight training program, and a 4000+ calorie a day diet.

But, what about those who are 30%+ bodyfat and want to lose their fat the quickest, without sacrificing energy, strength and muscle mass?

1. I would think that the following would be best:

- Mobility stretching before, during and after exercise.
- Some intense resistance training, such as SS. Perhaps SS would be the most intensive out there.
- A mix of high intensity aerobics (like the HIIT Body-for-Life stresses), as well as moderate intensity, and even low intensity (like walking around the park, bike riding around town).
+ low calorie diet.

2. While 1980's exercise dogma spoke about lots of aerobics in the fat burning zone, and neglects weight training, we now know that is not the whole picture.

The real direct way is intensity of exercise (especially weight training + cardio), intensity of diet (strict dieting with calories, less sugar and bad fats), etc.

3. Why is dieting discouraged for those on SS? Why would it be a bad idea?

4. Any articles or data to support opinions that will arise?

Mark Rippetoe

A Clarification

Theseahawk

I don’t think LP 3 days a week can be done with any serious deficit. I’ve found most success on HLM, carbing up the night before Heavy day and hoping to retain as much strength as possible. Seem to be able maintain until about what I’d guess as 15% bodyfat (bicep vein shows through, pretend six pack with light at just the right angle).

It’s what I’m doing now, in fact. Peaked at a bodyweight of 120 kg. Injury has stopped me PBing, and I’m up to 85-90% of pre injury weights with rehab, so I’m happy I can diet without it ruining healing up and it seems a good time to knock back the body fat.

I like fat loss to be quick, so I eat a kg of chicken breast everyday, no carbs or fat. Then 400-500g of carbs on a Friday so I can train harder on Saturday’s heavy day. Chuck a 1000 calorie cheat meal in maybe once a week and a some fish oil supplements and it averages out to below 1500 calories per day with 240g of protein. Its hell, but its quick and based on past experiences I will maintain strength until about 95 kg bodyweight.