SS...a beacon of hope for mankind?

[Chewie_jrc]

There have been a few posts lately cracking on the gym rats and the guys doing curls in the squat rack. It's warranted and funny (albeit irritating). However...I actually have a story that gives me hope.

So, I work out a 24hr fitness (I know it sucks, it's what I have to do for the time being). I walk up to the squat rack and a guy is just getting ready to start. He sees me waiting and offers to share the rack, cool. This guy is in his late 30s and pretty damn stout (70s big style).

We start warming up and after our first heavy set he stops me and asks, "So tell me about your technique, I see you're 'looking down' and the bar is placed pretty low." He procedes to tell me that he asks because he sees me attacking the weights deliberatley, sees my lifting shoes (hes read about them online, etc.), and that it looks like I "know why I'm doing" (this guy is much stronger than me btw). So I tell him about Rip, low bar back-squat, SS, and he listens really intently. He even has me coach him through a set (thanks for the seminar Rip) and he is excited about hip-drive and engaging the hamstrings. His form was pretty solid. So he brings over his two sons, a younger guy who is pretty atheltic and his oldest son who is built like a brick shithouse and strong as fuck.

Anyhow, the post is long but it really is encouraging to see the principles of strength and useful athleticsm being prioritized over asthetics and arm curls. A few guys even kinda stopped and were watching us with curiosity as we worked through some low-bar backsquat warm-ups and work-sets (again, these guys are strong as oxen).

The gentlemen commented how its good to see a youngster interetsed in getting strong and doing hard things. He was saying how he understands why guys do arm curls and shit though. "They're easy, and it looks cool in the mirror. Full squats and deadlifts are fucking hard. Nobody likes to do things that are fucking hard anymore". Genius.

Anyway, we're supposed to meet up again next week and workout again....looks like we have a few more good men joining the fold. That is all.

--
Justin

[IWillLiveFreeOrDie]

It is always cool to meet people who "get it"!

[homerj742]

That's a really cool story.

[matclone]

He was saying how he understands why guys do arm curls and shit though. "They're easy, and it looks cool in the mirror. Full squats and deadlifts are fucking hard. Nobody likes to do things that are fucking hard anymore".

That kind of says it in a nutshell. The difference b/t the principles set forth in Starting Strength, and most of the rest of the globo gym/muscle mag world.

[Platus]

I too think that there is some hope for humanity.

K.Diesel and I work out at the local Y. At least once a week for the last month K's workout has been interrupted by people asking him for advice. The reason they do this is because on most given evenings K is strongest guy in the room. The results of his hard work show in his physique and the in the number of plates on the bar whenever he deadlifts; and, this gives frustrated biceps curlers pause to consider the efficacy of their programming. People like K have a positive effect on gym culture with their mere presence and their willingness to entertain even the dumbest of questions - such as from people who are confused about why their bench has been stuck at 185 for months.

The professionals who write, hold seminars, and do research can affect exercise standards from the top down. But, I think that all of us can have a beneficial impact on the industry and on the health of those around us by being good models of discipline, correct technique, and hard work.

[brobinson]

Great story.

There's not too many places like WFAC to workout. Many of us are stuck in these commercial gyms. If change is going to happen, I think it will be from word of mouth to those who do get it.

[mcsquared]

"They're easy, and it looks cool in the mirror. Full squats and deadlifts are fucking hard. Nobody likes to do things that are fucking hard anymore".

Quote of the month.

[strengthstarter]

We start warming up and after our first heavy set he stops me and asks, "So tell me about your technique, I see you're 'looking down' and the bar is placed pretty low." He procedes to tell me that he asks because he sees me attacking the weights deliberatley, sees my lifting shoes (hes read about them online, etc.), and that it looks like I "know why I'm doing" (this guy is much stronger than me btw).

If we are telling stories, I have a similar one.

There are some regulars at our gym and when I started back in September, my friend and I were both at pretty low weights and doing the linear progression. These other guys were mostly just messing around, but one big guy was doing Stronglifts 5x5. They were nice, let us work in, etc., but I don't think they took us too seriously. But by December when we were putting up comparable weights, the big guy started asking us questions about our training program and we talked about the book. He asked us about his form, and I think I've seen him squatting a bit lower than he was before.

Another quick one-- we frequented another gym starting out to get some coaching and another of his clients was rather strong and doing p-menu, trying to push through a snatch plateau. SS was discussed and he was familiar with it but had never done the program. Anyway, a few months later, we find out he decided to try a linear program and made a ton of progress, including something like 50# to his squat. Balls.

Not my intention to take credit for any of this, but it is a testament to the general applicability of Rip's methods, even for folks who might be mostly at the intermediate level.

[lylemcd]

It's a a very good book/way to train, folks.

It's not a fucking religion.

Though folks here seem intent on turning it into such.

Lyle

[Mr.City]