Addendum

[Gary Gibson]

Mr. Boyle also bashes the "everyone should squat" argument using an image from Starting Strength...


http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...raining_a_myth

Now I can look forward to even more people coming up to me and telling me that I'm runining my backs and knees after I rack my sets. Isn't this the sort of SB that needs to be expunged from the world?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I saw that. He says that the editors at T-Nation pick the illustrations, not the authors. They picked a picture of Justin Brimhall, a national-level weightlifter and a perfectly proportioned human male, to illustrate why people with poor proportions should not/cannot squat. A picture out of a copyrighted publication, without permission or attribution. Very sharp bunch of people over there.

[Robert Callahan]

He also later in the article says "That said, not all overhead exercises are equally damaging. We'll do shoulder presses with dumbbells, but not with a barbell." and a little bellow that, "Barbells aren't conducive to good shoulder health. Because they don't bend or rotate, they determine the mechanics of the shoulder joint, something you never want an unyielding hunk of iron to control."

So we should only use free weights which we can only do a fraction of the weight we could on a barbell? Cause that will help us develop stronger shoulders??? I am so confused....

[DirtyD]

Interesting. My knee pain has basically disappeared after squatting every work out. I'm obviously a mutant.

[XTrainer]

I saw that and wondered how they could use that picture...I figured you wouldn't give them permission to use it for that purpose...that' s pretty low-class of them, whether "them" is T-Nation, Boyle's people, whoever.

[Sabin]

Boyle also says that athletes that need to have their arms overhead such as tennis and volleyball players shouldn't do overhead exercises like presses because they are already spending too much time up there.

I think that any experienced tennis player who strength trains will tell you that is wrong, especially me.

[elVarouza]

My femurs are insanely long but hey, I can squat, deadlift, and do everything else fine.

If someone can't squat it must suck having to go to the bathroom.

[John N.O. Main]

They couldn't even scan the picture straight. Shoddy publication.

[RichBristol]

Mark I wonder what you make of his claim that dumbbells are safer than barbells for overhead lifts:

Staying away from bars:

Barbells aren't conducive to good shoulder health. Because they don't bend or rotate, they determine the mechanics of the shoulder joint, something you never want an unyielding hunk of iron to control.

Ten years ago we didn't have many choices, and used bars for overhead athletes out of necessity. Now we just use them out of habit, despite the fact there are so many alternatives.

Assuming one is able to increase the load in small enough increments with dumbells, might they be a better option for the long-term trainee looking to preserve his shoulder health? Or is there little difference?

[Mark Rippetoe]

We have talked about dumbbell presses and benches here several times, use the search function. It is easier to shrug the traps up into a safe efficient scapular position using a barbell. By far.