For the Ladies - Doing Your Threes, Gaining Weight, & Staying Strong | Inna & Nicole

[dalan]

First, the 'coach on the right' was Nicole. Sorry... I wasn't paying attention to the name on the first post.

Second, Mark, you need to interview her, like you did Chase. 99% of men can't squat 340. I can't. Would very much like to hear the details of that process, of only gaining 20lbs and tripling her capacity.

I don't know how big she is but she appears to be a fairly normal size woman. 20 pounds on her frame might be 50 or more on a 6' male.

I should have been more clear. No, I don't expect many untrained males to squat 340. I was thinking more of potential. I think 340 is a reasonably attainable goal for many men and women. Whether they're willing to put in the work to get there is the question.

Yes. 340 is an excellent squat for a female and while not something you see in most fitness centers, it's far from unheard of.

[David Hooper]

I am curious to know how far to the right of the bell curve a 340lbs squat is after, say, 3-6 months of training. I've always assumed it was within reach for most men, but I don't actually know.

FWIW, I started squatting at 115 lb on December 1 last year and did 300 lb on March 15th (3 1/2 months). I lost some ground to an injury and could theoretically be challenging 340 lb right about now otherwise. I'm 44 years old, 5 ft 9 inches, about as athletic as a stoned sloth, and lived a life of very sedentary office work. There are some potential travels coming up that might slow me down, but barring that there is absolutely no reason I can't hit 340 lb in 6 months and I'm far from the ideal candidate for rapid progress. (Current pace has me hitting it for worksets on April 21st, less than 5 months after starting the NLP.) Heck, I might be able to do 340 lb tomorrow for a 1 RM in the gun-to-my-head adrenaline-filled scenario.

Honestly, for men without legitimately inhibiting medical issues (e.g., neurological disorders), I think 340 lb in 3-6 months is to the left of the bell curve if they were to fully commit to it.

[Matt James]

My opinion only...

Can't because they are not training to do so.
Can't because a bunch aren't physically able to do so (too old? Too short? Maybe something else)
Won't because they refuse to do the work. (answer for most men) or their focus is somewhere else (running, etc)

Now for my own situation.... There is a chance that I will be able to squat 340 one day. I'm 46yo, been training consistently since 1/1/20. Started very weak, and have made lots of improvements. And it will take a LOT of work for me to get there (340). A lot. So, I may be a "won't", as referenced above.

I hope she gets interviewed.

I am in the strong minority, I know, but part of me is more impressed (that's not the right word... I can't think of it) with Nicole squatting 340 than the 405 press of Chase. And 495 press is incredible.

I am curious to know how far to the right of the bell curve a 340lbs squat is after, say, 3-6 months of training. I've always assumed it was within reach for most men, but I don't actually know.

It took me 9 and a half months, with some YNDTP and nagging injury. I guess I was 42 when I started training. So it's doable.

I don't know how big she is but she appears to be a fairly normal size woman. 20 pounds on her frame might be 50 or more on a 6' male.

Yes. 340 is an excellent squat for a female and while not something you see in most fitness centers, it's far from unheard of.

Yeah. 340 is pretty respectable. Nice work, Nicole!

[bobman]

Very good video I sent it to all four of my daughters

I would like to see them make more videos for women I could send them. If there are some other female type topics

[Mark Rippetoe]

Women are just humans with different plumbing. You want a video about how women should squat?

[mitchless]

Women are just humans with different plumbing. You want a video about how women should squat?

While this is absolutely true, I have noticed that many (certainly not all) women respond to training videos presented by women better than those presented by men. I suspect that, like men, seeing someone to whom they can easily relate makes them more receptive to the message. Leah Lutz's testimonial made an enormous impact on my wife, for example.

Among the general population, weight training is still viewed with suspicion by too many women. The images that many women see are coming from Instagram liars telling them to do silly bullshit and body builders who look like men. Every piece of content that shows the reality of what women who train can perform and look like helps counteract that. Being able to point to a 27-year-old woman who squats 340lbs and added some body weight is tremendously helpful when talking to a potential trainee who is terrified that the moment she touches a barbell she is going to look "bulky."

As a related tangent, it always pisses me off to learn that the source of toxic body image is a woman's mother. FFS, pay attention to the words you tell you children!

[bobman]

I think, no I know, that women live under misconceptions about bulking and other nonsense.
In my opinion a video interviewing a lot of their female trainees in their gyms each giving their account of how they feel better being stronger. How being strong has helped their daily life.

Real testimonials are powerful.

More effective than a gruff grouchy old pink guy lol

Yeah I’m older than you and maybe even grouchier but I’m not pink hahahaha

[mpalios]

I mean, you can do another Q&A with terrible questions from guys like me, or interview this bad ass woman.

What's her athletic background?
How long doing SS, and how exposed?
Did she require any mental "deprogramming" from any other training?
How long as a coach?
How did her programming lead her to 340, or how frequently did she have to change/adjust programming?
How long did it take her to go from 85lbs squat to 340?
Are her female clients experiencing the same progress as she did? Ie, increasing bodyweight by only 20lbs and 4x increase in squat?
What's her message to other females?
Gazillion other questions that are prob better than these.

Or, like I said, you can take my terrible question that's been asked 700 times already.

She's a living, walking commercial to women to get strong using this method. Unless all the female SS coaches are squatting 340. Hell, have all the ladies on a show, if they are badasses, and can all squat that weight.

I am assuming that you don't know too many women who can squat this weight. If I am wrong, then ignore me.

Women are just humans with different plumbing. You want a video about how women should squat?

[stef]

You guys realize that there is a lot on this site from XX and about XX and showing performances of XX, right? Right? Sometimes I wonder.

[mpalios]

I'm guessing your comments, like mark's, are directed at me. I've been on this site for 2 years, every day. I don't recall anything about a woman squatting 340.

Again, if it is common on here, please say so and point me in that direction that discusses them. But I am pretty sure a female squatting that weight is NOT common at all. Hell, no more than 20% of the MEN on this site can squat 340. And this is a strength site.

Sorry, but this weak ass 46yo male thinks she (and every other woman who can squat 340) is a f'ing bad ass. If I am the only one who thinks this way, fine. But I doubt it.

You guys realize that there is a lot on this site from XX and about XX and showing performances of XX, right? Right? Sometimes I wonder.