SS coaches numbers

[CommanderFun]

I dunno, I think SS can do without its very own Duffman. I'm sure flashy mass marketing type strategies have occurred to to at least someone in the Aasgaard Company, and I'm sure there are reasons they have not been used. It's probably because trying to tailor something like this for "maximum reach" compromises the soul of its effectiveness.

[DougBriggs]

But really, they just don't want to do the work.

this is true. It's hard. It's hard to sell hard work.

As I have said many times, folks, we are narrowcasting. This shit does not appeal to everybody, it is not accessible to everybody, and it is not understandable to everybody. It is perfectly logical to us, and we understand the importance of it, but most people cannot fathom the fact that a simple progressive increase in the loading of 5 simple structural exercises can accumulate into the biggest improvement in their lives they can make.

If you want to more broadly appeal the appeal more broadly. Instead of illustrating how well a gifted athlete performs a NLP at 35yrs old, highlight the 35yr old who never picked up a weight and progressed in 4 months to squat 230, or the 55yr old who got to 220 after 3 months etc. Personally I don't find his squatting 375 after 18 weeks as impressive as a 47yr old woman squatting 200 after 6 months...... And really, the NLP should be benchmarked by novices no? I'd love to see an example of a 35yr old who weighs 170, who never lifted and in 18 weeks squatted 375. I'd wager it has never happened and never will happen. The fact that a former Div I gifted athlete pulled it off doesn't really do anything for 99.99% of everyone who will try the SS model, so why use that as the example? It's depressing. It's like Arnolds Bodybuilding bible where he shows you all you got to do is 45 sets of curls and 25 sets of Chest exercises 3 days a week and be like him......

why am I ranting? I love all this stuff. Just had to get that off my chest I guess.

[Erik Y]

Some people do care. I notice that I get more people asking me for advice in the gym when I am lifting heavier weights.

I believe you, and that’s good to hear. At the commercial gym where I go, on the other hand, which is admittedly a particularly awful one, I have heard lots of comments like “Oh, he is a power lifter” or “That form isn’t for building muscle” or “This guy doesn’t care about safety,” but I’ve not once been asked for advice despite now being the strongest guy at my gym (after they chased the other guy away by not letting him deadlift).

It’s good news if people are starting to care. Hope it catches.

[AndrewLewis]

If you want to more broadly appeal the appeal more broadly. Instead of illustrating how well a gifted athlete performs a NLP at 35yrs old, highlight the 35yr old who never picked up a weight and progressed in 4 months to squat 230, or the 55yr old who got to 220 after 3 months etc.

Startingstrength.com illustrates these exact examples all of the time.

This post literally came out four days ago. 47 year old who hasn't lifted in twenty years goes from a 95lb squat to a 265lb squat on linear progression.

[DougBriggs]

Startingstrength.com illustrates these exact examples all of the time.

This post literally came out four days ago. 47 year old who hasn't lifted in twenty years goes from a 95lb squat to a 265lb squat on linear progression.

Sorry, I was ranting and being a snarky ahole after reading the notion that you need "jacked" coaches to promote SS. That example in ppst always sort of turned me off because it is such an outlier for a NLP and just sort of set off my response. I actually believe you all are more about your example than the genetically gifted examples, which is why I completely disagree with the premise of needing "jacked" spokesman.

Thanks for the response and the link, I had not been reading this part of the site and these examples are awesome and inspirational.

[Zappey1]

I'm very tired of going back and forth on this topic. It was suggested back at the beginning of this thread that I conduct a survey. I created one on SurveyMonkey. Please take a second to take the survey and let your voice be heard. It is my first time making a survey so cut me some slack if it is not perfect. We can review the data in a week or so.

SS numbers Survey

[Shiva Kaul]

A coach does not need to be strong. However, coaching is a skin-in-the-game activity. I would be wary of any coach who had not expended substantial effort in their own training, and attained at least mediocre strength, at some point in their lives. It is no surprise that SSCs are required to finish an NLP. And it is no surprise that Rip's old numbers are cited along with his experience.

Also, the value of a coaching credential is not determined from its best coach, or even its average coach, but rather by its worst one. So, the statistic of interest in is not the mean total, but more like the 10th percentile.

[Fulcrum]

I'm very tired of going back and forth on this topic. It was suggested back at the beginning of this thread that I conduct a survey. I created one on SurveyMonkey. Please take a second to take the survey and let your voice be heard. It is my first time making a survey so cut me some slack if it is not perfect. We can review the data in a week or so.

SS numbers Survey

1. Would you like to know the top lifts of SS coaches and lifters?

Maybe you missed the article stef provided...or didn't make it down to the bottom. There's some data and what not here: https://startingstrength.com/content...mographics.pdf
Also don't forget the SS lifter rankings page:
Starting Strength Lifter Rankings V2, the web app!
Starting Strength Forum Rankings

2. Would you like to see more big lifters that got that way following a Rippetoe program using SS products?

O - yes
X - no, we care about these "big lifter's" moms numbers.
O - don't care

same thing basically for questions 3 and 4.

SS does its best and most important "work" with the general population.
Outliers and/or the most strong or most 'big'* are not our primary concern.

*whateverthehellthatmeans

[AndrewLewis]

I'm very tired of going back and forth on this topic. It was suggested back at the beginning of this thread that I conduct a survey. I created one on SurveyMonkey. Please take a second to take the survey and let your voice be heard. It is my first time making a survey so cut me some slack if it is not perfect. We can review the data in a week or so.

SS numbers Survey

What would your mom or dad would think if you sent them an educational video about Starting Strength and the first thing they saw was a 250lb guy squatting 700lbs?

Really get into their head and imagine what they would think.

[Zappey1]

I was thinking of more then just lists and data points. I would think more featured lifter videos, product use videos done by top lifters etc... I think the market is there for the taking.

I get it from the comments that some people don't like to see this data and they like their SS one way.

But I think their is a silent majority that would be very interested in this type of content.

If we can get a big enough sample size on the survey maybe Mark will at least consider it?