If Edition

Starting Strength Weekly Report

September 08, 2025

On Starting Strength

Travel – In the first episode of Starting Strength Light Day, Rip and Rusty talk about travel, language, food, and related topics.
The Good-Enough Lifter by Steve Ross – At Brussels Barbell, like every Starting Strength Gym and Affiliate, we coach the barbell lifts using a time-tested model grounded in physics, anatomy, biology, and decades of practical experience...
Light Day: A New Carrot to Chase by Carl Raghavan – One of the best changes I’ve made to my clients’ programming recently (when the lifter’s ready) is turning the light day into something actually fun: a beginner’s Olympic lifting day...
Coming Back After a Layoff by Andy Baker – I’ve had a few conversations with clients at the gym regarding what to do after a long layoff from training. This is definitely one of those issues that almost all of us face from time to time...
Weekend Archives: Training Kids by Chase Lindley – In barbell training, a coach meets people of all different walks of life. The spectrum is broad – young and old, genetically gifted and physically challenged. It’s been my experience...
Weekend Archives: The Press by Mark Rippetoe – The great Belgian lifter Serge Reding presses 502 pounds here in 1971 at the Worlds, after the clean. This man was strong...

In the Trenches

Lifting camps are an opportunity to be coached on your lifts and also refine coaching ability; here Darroll's squat is observed form the rear 45º angle by Personal Trainer Craig, while SSC Byron Johnston checks for correct knee position at the bottom of the squat. [photo courtesy of Marlene Abreu]

group photo at the manchester uk training camp

Manchester 2025 Squat and Deadlift camp group photo: left to right, Davide, Gary, Ged, SSC Byron Johnston, Darroll and Craig. A fun lifting camp and a great day of learning and refining the barbell lifts in the UK. [photo courtesy of Marlene Abreu]

Note the forearm supination and the shoulder flexion at the top of her curl, but mostly just note that Elisa Dyckman is selling tickets to her gun show at Starting Strength Atlanta. [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]

Starting Strength Cincinnati member Julia always brings the intensity and a great game face, even when she's simply warming up as shown here. [photo courtesy of Nick Delgadillo]

Seth hits a 315lb deadlift PR for 5 reps at Starting Strength Boston. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]

Patrick Mulvanny shows that consistency pays with a three plate rack pull at Starting Strength Columbus. [photo courtesy of Paul Jackson]

With long straight arms and shoulders out over the bar, Blake Moser will hit the mid-thigh jumping position and go medieval (like a catapult) on his power clean at Starting Strength Atlanta. [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]

Get Involved

Submit a question to Starting Strength Radio.
Got something to say about training? Submit an article or video for publication.
Submit your image to be featured In the Trenches.
Submit a question to Starting Strength Radio

Best of the Week

How do you deal with Haters comments?

MarkGarro96

Hey guys, this question isn't really about training per say. A rack pull video I posted last week went viral, and gave me my first hater comment, at least as it relates to training. To be honest, it was pretty funny. Not sure if I can post a link to it here, so I'll just repeat the comment verbatim. Basically, the person said, "this will result in disappointment and 0 fat loss, nice try though, kid." I laughed out loud at the 0 fat loss part. Now to the question at hand: how do you keep what the haters say in the comments from getting to you?

Mark Rippetoe

Why would it matter to me what shitty comments get posted?

Jason Donaldson

As a wise man has said, insults are like drinks. They only affect you if you accept them.

Best of the Forum

Diminishing Returns for Athletes

Devin Morrison

I recently listened to the "You Don't Need to Run" podcast. Reminded me of an old article you wrote, thanks for sharing the information.

In that podcast you mention that at some point, a guy who wants to be a competitive lifter and squat 675 pounds, reaches a point of specialization where other aspects of fitness are sacrificed (running). My question is how, as a coach, can you decide when an athletes' return on investment on strength training has diminished relative to getting better at his sport or another aspect of fitness, given he is already strong and will maintain that strength.

I think your answer would also be useful for those who get injured and want to know when its time to stop working back up to their previous level of strength and get back to their sport.

Mark Rippetoe

When sports practice and strength training begin to compete for time in the schedule, a decision has to be made about the time investment. Depends on the size and age of the athlete, as well as the sport and the technical demands of performance. Marathon will be different than American football.

bendy-legs

Most athletes train like intermediate lifters. The limited number strength gains in season eventually becomes obvious. Adding 5 pounds every week just is not happening every week.

Mark Rippetoe

As I said, it depends on the athlete. If the athlete is a novice lifter, he certainly as hell can add weight every workout.

Join the Starting Strength Network

Previous Report Next Report