We're trying, Rhett. Doing our best here. As for whether we'll succeed, It does look like a long hill to climb.
Ok, I am a dewy-eyed novice with a novice's excitement about the results I am getting. I want to grab people on the street and ask them if they have begun their strength progression. I really am having to resist the urge to be annoying about it to my family and friends. I watched this video (which is excellent by the way, I highly recommend it to people who have not seen it) and Dr. Sullivan makes some pretty stirring and ambitious comments toward the end about where this is all headed.
My question: what do you think it will take to bring this future to fruition? My 65 year old parents have heard of Crossfit or P90X or what have you, but they haven't heard of Starting Strength. Is there a future where SS is a household name and millions of people are seeing the benefits? If so, what do you think it would take to get there?
We're trying, Rhett. Doing our best here. As for whether we'll succeed, It does look like a long hill to climb.
Tell us what we can do to help. I want to be part of the solution.
I sure hope so. I always recommend the book to people at the gym who ask me questions. Not being qualified to coach, not yet lol, I refer them here and to your books. Thanks again.
It does seem to be making ground. I stumbled upon it out here in the wastes of rural Texas so that's something.
Two ideas, which couldn't be more different:
First, it occurs to me that football, baseball, basketball, and the other athletic pursuits of our culture are all played at all levels in the public school system. I am aware of your critiques of that system, but I am imagining a partnership with an ISD, Wichita Falls or other, where you find an administration sympathetic to the goal of a strong, healthy citizenry. You institute a strength program at all levels in the school. Next thing you know, you're being interviewed by John Stossel on 20/20 for The Fittest School in America. Cue video of all kinds of kids doing crazy barbell work. It would be like that crazy video of Russian students field stripping Kalashnikovs for time in gym class, fear is struck into other nations and schools, next thing you know schools across the nation are implementing barbell training in PE, our nation gets educated, and Bob's your mother's brother.
Second idea, and don't laugh. Package your book and DVD as a product and get a paid infomercial replete with testimonials, videos of transformations of the the elderly, the obese, the hard gainer, etc. Your fatherly voice gets put to work. Has to be slick. No gimmicks, just highlight results. Spend some money on this. Get lots of airtime. I have watched those Intensity and P90x infomercials, they are oddly compelling. They really suck you in. Find a way to tap into that vibe. These things seem to work. You might need a little more product than just the book and DVD, though. After all you have to convince people to join a gym rather than use some gimmicky device, so you have your work cut out for you. Get creative.
Look at that. All your problems solved and it's not even midnight.
You don't seem to have much experience with the public schools.
You don't seem to have much experience with advertising costs.Second idea, and don't laugh. Package your book and DVD as a product and get a paid infomercial replete with testimonials, videos of transformations of the the elderly, the obese, the hard gainer, etc. Your fatherly voice gets put to work. Has to be slick. No gimmicks, just highlight results. Spend some money on this. Get lots of airtime. I have watched those Intensity and P90x infomercials, they are oddly compelling. They really suck you in. Find a way to tap into that vibe. These things seem to work. You might need a little more product than just the book and DVD, though. After all you have to convince people to join a gym rather than use some gimmicky device, so you have your work cut out for you. Get creative.
The show is absolute vomit/drivel/wasted electricity, and Dr. Oz is a fool/huckster/credulous moron. But this is who the masses watch. Maybe he won't read this, and I can still get on. I guess I could become Oprah's strength coach. Maybe that would be better?
Last edited by Mark Rippetoe; 10-11-2013 at 10:50 AM. Reason: spelling