Archive Article: Rip: Good vs Bad Trainers

[Mark Rippetoe]

Good vs. Bad Trainers | Mark Rippetoe

[Jeff LC]

Good vs. Bad Trainers | Mark Rippetoe

A couple months ago i was at a new york sports club doing my deadlifts and a trainer was there and gave me some critiques on my form. He even did that thing, to show why looking up is bad, where he has me squat down then try to squat up, and he presses down on my lower back with my head up, then with my head down, to show how much easier it is when my head is down.

He then told me he was a starting strength coach. I was like, no way! I'm doing starting strength!

Anyway then i ended up actually researching SSCs in NYC, and there are apparently two, Wolf and Arnold, both who work at solace, so not sure who that guy was, or why he was saying he was an SSC, but he definitely was not. He did seem to know how you all coach the lifts though.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Wolf is in Austin now.

[Buddy Rich]

I was pleasantly surprised to see a 4-page feature about you and Starting Strength in FMM (Fitness Marketing Monthly). I’m guessing most people on this forum haven’t heard of it. FMM caters to a crowd that wouldn’t be all that familiar with SS, but needs to be. I’m hoping that feature gets more people involved with Starting Strength and perhaps turns out to be the spark for a few more SSC’s aka Good Trainers

[Mark Rippetoe]

I did that interview with Lou Schuler, and the story is very well done. Too bad it's behind a paywall or I would have linked to it here.