Strongman Robert Oberst Says You Shouldn't Do Deadlifts

[3rdcoast_slope]

So deadlifts are dangerous but lifting the bar off the ground and catching it correctly is not? Why? Because it's less weight? I just don't get this way of thinking. Deadlifts, esp using the SS method can be taught in short time with good form. Also, the reward from deadlifts outweighs the risk IMO.

[Scaldrew]

I opened my wife's Lifetime Fitness magazine the other day (free sub.w/ your gym membership to that franchise).
Behold: "Do your squats and deadlifts" article page 6.

And then they show you how to do them on page 8 and your eyes roll back into the back of your head so fast.

I once picked up a "how to" book by some dr. in a bookshop, just to see if Rip was right: that the people researching the human body performing physical activity just don't know how to squat and how to teach others how. And yeah, Rip was right. The usual "don't go lower than 90 degree knee angle blabla bad for the patella major superior inferior minor," and laughable drawings to match. The guy probably gives fitness advice to the tune of "do your squats," and we could almost be forgiven for thinking we're on the same side. Almost.

[Fulcrum]

And then they show you how to do them on page 8 and your eyes roll back into the back of your head so fast.

I once picked up a "how to" book by some dr. in a bookshop, just to see if Rip was right: that the people researching the human body performing physical activity just don't know how to squat and how to teach others how. And yeah, Rip was right. The usual "don't go lower than 90 degree knee angle blabla bad for the patella major superior inferior minor," and laughable drawings to match. The guy probably gives fitness advice to the tune of "do your squats," and we could almost be forgiven for thinking we're on the same side. Almost.

I'll look again tonight; I don't recall it (instruction/demo pics) being so bad.

Not to belabor the point, but barbell stuff is catching on more and more..."main stream".
From my globo-gym's rag, advocating power cleans:
(better than some other training outfits I know, "oh they're too injurious")

Power-Cleaning Benefits
“Power cleans build not just strength, but full-body power — the ability to move weight quickly,” says Mike Robertson, MS, co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training. That’s essential for athletes’ need to achieve more speed. But anyone can benefit. As Olympic weightlifting coach Mike Burgener puts it, “Anytime you lift something from the floor to your shoulders — whether it’s a barbell, a toolbox or a toddler — you’re doing a version of the power clean.”

Because of its technical demands, the power clean takes more time to learn than the average press or pull-down. Still, says Burgener, “Anyone should be able to do a power clean if they’re smart about it.”

So I really see a big paradigm shift coming with regards to strength training.
Those SS franchise gyms will take off quite nicely.

[FatButWeak]

The "fitness industry" is a huge ship to turn. I'm not saying it cannot turn or that it eventually won't turn, but its not going to happen anytime soon. And Im pretty sure its because the real brokers of power in this world want people eating soy, not pounding iron.

[Scaldrew]

Globo gyms and paradigm shifts

I'm not so sure this move is pro "us" so much as it is pro big corporations. Powerlifting was the big fitness trend during the early 2010s and it only makes sense for big business to try to capitalise on it. Big business seems to generally come way late, never being trendsetters but stubborn adversaries till the trends prove either more stubborn or lucrative. So now the big commercial gyms are building cheap lifting platforms and getting an extra squat rack, and their TVs sometimes show a message that says "do your squats" as though it means they've read the blue book and they side with Rip and Aasgaard; their goals are shifting from profits, absolutely, to making people stronger and prepare them for their later days. In effect, they mean to drive powerlifting gyms out of the market by offering cheaper alternatives to everyone who can't afford to fork over more money for the real thing. If that means being welcoming in a very shallow way and adding a cheap, garbage lifting platform that says "Eleiko" on the rubber, they'd do a lot worse by staying in league with the likes of Planet Fitness. Commercial gyms have gotten a very bad rap the past couple years and a PR makeover is probably long overdue.

That's just me being cynical, and knowledgeable of the fact many business nowadays are more preoccupied with pandering than providing good products and services. I'm sure I can be wrong in this specific case, but that would only make it the exception to the rule in my opinion.

[CommanderFun]

Am I the only one who thinks if Planet Fitness just cleared out all the stupid wacky machines and replaced them with racks, benches, bars, and plates, it'd actually be a solid place to train? I know I'd love at the very least if MY gym took a hard stance against dudes constantly dropping their weights and screaming out every rep of a set of 20 tricep pushdowns like they're having the best sex of their life. I'm over in the corner in the rack working on my squats and my head looks like a bearded tomato, but you don't hear much coming from my direction.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Am I the only one who thinks if Planet Fitness just cleared out all the stupid wacky machines and replaced them with racks, benches, bars, and plates, it'd actually be a solid place to train?

You probably are.

[CommanderFun]

Well, I stand by the assessment. Wouldn't be ideal seeing as the staff would still be pretty unhelpful, but it'd still be better than where I'm stuck having to do my training. One real power rack in the whole joint, shoved in a corner next to some bizarre machine designed for exercising neck muscles. Never seen anyone use it, but it's a convenient place to take a seat between squat sets.

[Mark E. Hurling]

some bizarre machine designed for exercising neck muscles.

I'll be damned. I thought those things had gone the way of all flesh when Nautilus quit making them a few decades ago.

[FatButWeak]

Am I the only one who thinks if Planet Fitness just cleared out all the stupid wacky machines and replaced them with racks, benches, bars, and plates, it'd actually be a solid place to train? I know I'd love at the very least if MY gym took a hard stance against dudes constantly dropping their weights and screaming out every rep of a set of 20 tricep pushdowns like they're having the best sex of their life. I'm over in the corner in the rack working on my squats and my head looks like a bearded tomato, but you don't hear much coming from my direction.

Fuck that shit. Training is the most fun i have other than pounding out My wife. And i dont know about you, but other than reading a good book, fun ( including pounding out my wife) is noisy. I love a loud, boisterous, enthusiastic training hall, replete with grunts, yells, slamming weights, keeyah, fuck yeahs and “lightbweight baby!!!!” If you train in monk-like silence you either hate training or fuck like an old person. I like it noisy. Its fun.