Bar speed reference videos?

[iamgmo]

Coach Rip,

Before being dismissed by the title alone let me explain. Just like The Blue and The Grey books have percentages as a way to illustrate some offsets in weight, in spite of indiviual variance; could there not be an SS video that helps illustrate how bar speed will look like for most people during certain stages of LP? At least in the squat. For example: right at the beginning, when 10lb jumps need to stop, when moving to advanced novice before failing. We know a novice will fail terribly at trying to estimate an RPE, but reviewing his bar speed against said guide leaves out the 'perception' portion of the equation and i think could help, especially for those that when it is still light (fast) think it is terribly heavy already. I belive from priors discussion in this forum that gifted athletes with 36" verticals would behave differently, BUT those people would most likely not be looking for this guide anyway.

I think it could be very useful for those that do not have access to a Coach or can afford online coaches and might help ease off repeat questions in the programming forum... but of course you'd know better coach Rip!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Bar speed varies among lifters of all levels of training advancement with the explosive abilities of the athletes. Some people are slow when it's easy, and some people are fast right up to failure. Gauging an effort by bar speed requires that the coach be familiar with the lifter he is watching, and this prevents the use of bar speed as a proxy for RPE, your intended purpose with this post. I'm sorry, but some things require the experience of a coach who is familiar with the lifter to be evaluated properly, whether in-person or online.

[MAD9692]

We know a novice will fail terribly at trying to estimate an RPE, but reviewing his bar speed against said guide leaves out the 'perception' portion of the equation and i think could help

Let me save you some time, your thoughts are wrong. Just keep adding 5lbs for 5 until you cant anymore. That is the guide.

[iamgmo]

Let me save you some time, your thoughts are wrong. Just keep adding 5lbs for 5 until you cant anymore. That is the guide.

Oh, the guide it is not for me. I know how it feels/looks and when to add or not. I just wondered how far off the middle ground was given that probably 80% of people who try to start the program have no idea what 'hard' looks like is all.

[Michael Wolf]

This would have the same unintended but entirely predictable effect that the strength standards tables have - people making programming decisions based on demographic averages, instead of their actual abilities and level of training advancement. I still have a couple of clients who set their goals based on those tables, no matter how much I explain how irrelevant that is to them as an individual.

Rip, I hope you don't mind me linking the recent video where I tied this concept in to our broader outlook that you elucidated so well in your article last year.