Weight to Strength Ratio

[DPG81]

Just finished reading "The Quest for a Stronger Overhead Press" by Bill Starr. Fantastic article, but I'm left utterly confused how Dave Sheppard, Tommy Kono, Stan Stanczyk, and John Grimek all were able to press 300+ at body weights under 200 pounds. I'm assuming they all didn't cut weight from 400 pounds and 600+ presses. Also, being that they were under 200 pounds, are they still considered grown men in your eyes?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Not a good first post.

[DPG81]

Damn, forgive me if this has been covered somewhere else on the board. The last part was my attempt at a joke. Let me rephrase my question. Were all the guys in the article under 200 pounds, because they wanted to compete in certain weight class? I’m assuming if they wanted to press more they would have gained weight, right?

[Joe Tandy]

Not a good first post.

Grammatically or conceptually.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's just insulting that I might not consider Grimek, Stansczyk, Sheppard and Kono to be grown men. This website does more to promote the foundations of this sport than anyplace else on the web. These guys are my heroes, if I have any heroes. I am not in a position to second-guess the motives or the reasoning of these great men, about anything.

[paul_93]

I think hes referring to the art of manliness podcast where you joked that 'a grown man weights at least 200lbs'.

[Bluntschli]

I think hes referring to the art of manliness podcast where you joked that 'a grown man weights at least 200lbs'.

Rip has made that statement more than once. The point remains that Rip is expressing a general and humorous philosophy, not attempting to create an arbitrary rule that he then uses to look down on people. How many WWII infantrymen weighed 160lbs? Do you or the OP honestly think Rip doesn't consider them to be "real men"?

[CJ Gotcher]

When Einstein said "Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe," would you have been the guy who 'took him to task' for forgetting about strong nuclear force... or (like most people) assumed in context that he was just being facetious to make a point?

[DPG81]

I never once assumed Rip considered the men listed in that article as not being real men -- which is why I felt comfortable making a joke about it. I was simply amazed how the men listed in that article achieved such impressive pressing numbers given their bodyweight. I just assumed it was a combination of great genetics, and a ton of hard work -- but I thought I’d dig for another explanation short of all of them being 4’11”, which I’m assuming isn't the case. I respect the hell out of you Rip, and didn’t mean any disrespect.