Rip Clarifies His Opinion on Powerlifting - Starting Strength Radio Previews

[Bre Hillen]

[VNV]

That is interesting. There are maybe 100 elite powerlifters in the world, and it is assumed that there’s some simple linear scaling between their lifts and everyone else’s.

[Chiaki Nitya]

I've watched several of Wenning's videos, and he doesn't seem like the brightest guy...

[CommanderFun]

That is interesting. There are maybe 100 elite powerlifters in the world, and it is assumed that there’s some simple linear scaling between their lifts and everyone else’s.

There is, and it boils down to both actual genetics, and "genetics".

[Fatfacts25]

I heard Rip saying something about geared lifting. It’s true a lot of equipped lifting did not go below parallel. Ironically it was in whatever league’s rules they had to break the plane. Maybe there is some subtext in that thought. I will say “raw” dominates today. Rips right his business is not powerlifting. That is for weirdo’s and maladjusted people like myself. I’m not strong, I just need the way it evens out all those bottled up emotions. Rips business is health via getting stronger. And getting stronger solves a lot of health issues.

[Chiaki Nitya]

There is, and it boils down to both actual genetics, and "genetics".

I remember reading Jamie Lewis' Chaos and Pain blog back in the day - he did a series of profiles of various elite lifters and their training methodologies, which were all vastly different. His assessment, and what I bought into at the time because I was young and didn't know any better, was that because these elite lifters had such radically different training modalities, that almost any training modality is highly effective. Now, of course, my slightly more educated takeaway is that almost any training program works *for those genetically capable of reaching the absolute highest levels of the sport* but that average people like myself should be more discerning of our training means and methods.

In short, elite lifters can get away with suboptimal form, programming, nutrition, and whatever else, *because they're genetically predisposed to being great lifters*.

[MFCPete]

Geared powerlifting squats AKA Hip Dips.

I don’t see the glory in quarter squatting X amount of weight with a suit on. Nobody takes these lifts seriously.