This is a perfect example of the time-honored military principle of rank -- beyond a certain level -- being inversely proportional to intelligence and varying directly with the ability to smooch ass.
Starting Strength Coach
Deadlift Disagreement
Rip, I'm sure I already know the answer, but I wanted to see if you would settle a little debate that occured this morning between myself and a Lieutenant Colonel. Because of military rank structure, I had to listen to his argument, but here goes:
I was performing deadlifts at the end of my workout. The weight was nothing to write home about, but random Lieutenant Colonel walks up and states that deadlifts are bad for your back and instead, I needed to be doing 1-legged kettlebell deadlifts with the 1-leg on a step to achieve "the proper depth". This he said would "allow me to stabilize my core while building strength in accessory muscles"....and other flamboyant faggotry.
My argument was that my core is stable as a necessity of pulling 2x my bodyweight off the floor from a dead stop for multiple reps. If I had an "unstable core", I wouldn't even be able to break the weight off the floor, and from what I could tell from his demonstration of this bastardized kettlebell exercise was that his "core" was effectively unstable because he was essentially doing a 1-legged "rounded back" good morning, and it was compounded by the additional 4 inches or so he had to go down because of the block. I explained that I thought his technique was far more dangerous as far as risk of injury.
I tried searching for 1 legged kettlebell deadlifts, but I couldn't find anything outside of Crossfit discussion forums, which further leads me to believe that they are, in fact, gay.
TMPHBITEU
This is a perfect example of the time-honored military principle of rank -- beyond a certain level -- being inversely proportional to intelligence and varying directly with the ability to smooch ass.
Starting Strength Coach
Never fear, Rip, it works this way in large corporations as well.Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
Only we have Upper Level Management, Buzzword Bingo, and meetings.
Lots and lots of meetings.
Member
Tell him that you are not ready to perform such advanced movements as one-legged ass kissing kettle bell deadlifts and need to stick to the more novice basic barbell deadlift until you build up the required strength to attempt the great feat he has set before you.
I hurt my back in the Corps doing SB and the pain never really left me until I starting doing deadlifts. Same goes for my knees and running causing pain, and then squats making them feel better, random shit hurts my shoulder, but I swear that the overhead press helps with the pain. I can't afford to stop doing these lifts for the ill affect it will have on my health.
Or, you could hurt yourself extremely badly doing what he told you to do and hopefully get an order banning that form of exercise for your unit. The LT.Colonel will just blame it on your "weak core" and bad back.
Member
Is this from personal experience during your military service?
TMPHBITEU
I was never in the military. My personal experience is due to working with the military in a professional capacity.
Is that a satisfying answer to you?
Member
I wasn't picking a fight. I feel like the old thoughts of "you only get promoted in the military because you are an ass kisser" aren't really applicable in today's military. As someone who has seen both sides of the coin (enlisted and officer) I can say there are a lot of misconceptions about the current military officer. We're more competent than most people think.
As for the LTC mentioned in the OP...idiots come in a variety of flavors. He just happens to be the field grade officer flavor...
TMPHBITEU
Note my qualification: beyond a certain level. That level is widely regarded as about LTC. This is by NO MEANS always the case, obviously, but it's very often politics when you get past LTC. But you know much more about this than I do, so I'll stop typing n
Member
I'll chime in if you'll let me...
I had two incidences in the past two weeks that shook my faith in the competence of those appointed over me. First, there was a pair of Captains increduously exclaiming "I don't know how anyone hit's an IED going 12 mph!" I guess that at that speed you should be able to tell the difference between normal dirt, and dirt that's covering IED components. The second incident was when a Major asked me if "most of the IED's I had been seeing were surface laid?" as in out in the open, above the topsoil, exposed for all to see. (Vomit)
I was dissapointed deeply. In a war largely driven by guerilla tactics, and the use of IED's I have met very few Officers who have any clue what's happening outside the wire. The only ones the men actually followed were the ones who knew their shit outside of the wire. We just have to listen to the rest of them. And there is a very high attrition rate for Officers outside the wire. They get fired all the time for incompetence. At least in my personal experience.I've seen LT's lose secret encryption devices and get a letter of counseling where a Sgt would be court martialed. I've seen men refused a medevac, because a LtCol had to hide his mistakes by masking casualty reports (he has now been fired, thank God)
I also can't see any valid argument against the usefulness of ass kissing to gain rank. It's on the enlisted side too. Is their any other reason for General Officers to have 12 Majors,captains and LtCol's writing down notes for them and fetching them coffee wherever they go?
Theres an interesting article in the new Marine Times that compares the top-heaviness of todays forces and shows that successful forces in the past have had a relatively low officer to enlisted ratio. That is not the case for today's military, and may explain the beaurocratic bullshit that prevents the enlisted men outside the wire to kill those who are burying IED's or shooting at our guys. All those top brass guys have to make a mark, and it coes in the form of new rules, new 10-line formats, new justifications for missile strikes, and new COIN operations that take the focus off the fight and put it into supplying the Taliban by proxy. Our grunts have to memorize an explaination to justify the use of deadly force. They better know that shit before they fire! I have yet to hear why there are 40 majors or above in one compound here on base with made up billets that only give them a justification for a "Combat Fitness Report." They do have time however, for 9-5 shifts, two hour lunch breaks, and plenty of stops at the coffee shop over at the British side of the base. If we lose this war, it will be because of the beaurocracy it has spawned, not because of the men on the ground.
There migth eventually be a large change if one day the right Officers realize how little faith and confidence they inspire in their men. As far as I'm concerned, half of them could hand their jobs over to KBR, Halliburton, or Dynocorps civilians and the majority of enlisted men would never know the difference.
As for the original poster, I would treat his advice like most guys do with Officers when it comes to work where your hands get dirty.... Smile, nod, say "Aye Sir" or some such bullshit, and then continue on as before.
I guess I'm just disgruntled, but that's what happens when you get to watch friends die because of clueless overpaid Officers back in the rear just trying to cover their asses and denying support because they don't think it will put them in a good light.
As for me, I'm getting out of this bitch.
Starting Strength Coach
@Ryan: The only reason for mentioning his rank was to illustrate why I actually was forced to listen to such drivel. But, given his impassioned speech as to why 1 legged kettlebell deadlifts would make me nothing less than superhuman, I thought it necessary to share.
@Steve: Same here. Meetings...lots of meetings. Meetings as preludes to bigger meetings. Meetings after the meeting to rehash the meeting. Buzzwords include, "asymmetrical, synergy, fusion, targeting, synchronization"....and the biggest rule in the modern US Army, "If it isn't on a Powerpoint slide, it never happened."
@Rip: The military is great and I love my career, but one need not serve to be witness to the jackassery that takes place in the military.
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