sport specific lifting

[nlbauers]

Hi Coach,

I am using SS to put on around 25 lbs of muscle to be competitive in flatwater canoe racing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE62f...eature=related

I think SS covers the muscle groups involved in this rowing motion. However, when I'm looking ahead to more advanced programming, do you see a need for adding in some other specific exercise for this motion? Lunges perhaps?

Thanks for your time,
Neil

[Mark Rippetoe]

I never like to prescribe unilateral exercises for sports that are unilateral in some component of their performance, because to do so demonstrates a misunderstanding of the purpose of strength training for sports. Strength is a general characteristic, and as such is trained in a general way, meaning that it utilizes bilateral movements that allow the use of heavy weights so that more weight can be lifted and the athlete gets stronger in general. Strength is applied specifically in the context of sports practice, where the ability to utilize what has been developed generally through training is applied in the specific context of that sport's particular movement patterns. In other words, don't throw a heavy basketball -- get your press stronger and practice your free throws. Don't do lunges -- get your squat stronger and practice in your flatwater canoe (or paddle it, or do your mileage, or meterage, or whatever you guys call it).