Travis Mash calls out Rippetoe

Are there seriously no other intelligent opinions out there other than these 5 or 6 guys in strength training?
 
Rip does do a shitty job teaching a bunch of lifts, and is pretty easy to rag on, but this article is really poorly written and low information. Basically you could skip it and go to the link where he refers to proper squat instruction
 
lpaulgib said:
Are there seriously no other intelligent opinions out there other than these 5 or 6 guys in strength training?
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A shit ton. A lot of them do not spend much time on the internet, what with being busy coaching and all.
 
belph said:
I don't think they worked that much together. I know they were at the same gym, but I've seen Glenn more than once call Rip on his shit for his claims of coaching the weightlifters too.



This is all from memory, so this could all be wrong. I don't care enough about petty coaching squabbles to remember everything.
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You are correct.

Glenn was always the coach of record for a reason, he actually coached the lifters.
 
lpaulgib said:
Shame. I would love to hear some other perspectives on form
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There are only so many ways the human body can move efficiently. Most important is developing efficient movement patterns for the individual. Basics are pretty constant, with difference mostly relating to bar placement and stance in squatting, etc.

Be advised that most strength coaches actually focus on getting athletes strong for other sports, so the emphasis is somewhat different that a weightlifting or powerlifting coach (but again, the focus is strength for a particular sport).

Any particulars that you would like addressed?
 
Obscure Terror said:
Overriding vibe I get from Crossfit is that they like to get into verbal wars and make everything "us versus them".
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Oh boy, do they ever.

Did you know the falling out between Rip and GG was so severe that any links involving "startingstrength.com" are now banned and censored on the CF Forums?

If you look back (about 10 years ago, now) in the comments section for one workout, Glassman is discussing the risk vs reward for incorrect technique during exercise. He's done such a 180 on the subject since then, that it's almost incomprehensible. In the instance I mentioned, he was discussing thinking about eliminating burpees from the CrossFit "list of exercises" due to the way people round/flex their spine on the way down- something he was vehemently against, due to the "injury risk" associated with lumbar rounding in any situation.

He may have cared about a decent exercise programme or training methodology at one stage. Truly, he might have. But that's history now.
 
Eric Brown said:
There are only so many ways the human body can move efficiently. Most important is developing efficient movement patterns for the individual. Basics are pretty constant, with difference mostly relating to bar placement and stance in squatting, etc.

Be advised that most strength coaches actually focus on getting athletes strong for other sports, so the emphasis is somewhat different that a weightlifting or powerlifting coach (but again, the focus is strength for a particular sport).

Any particulars that you would like addressed?
Click to expand...



Right now it's my squat. I do low bar but I hear too much conflicting advice on elbows down or up. Eyes up vs down. Hips back or down. Seems like too many opinions. Im 6'5 but normal proportions and low bar gives me concerns
 
I also would not take financial advice from a poor man, but should I read something authored by a guy who can't write? If he is wondering why Rippetoe is successful this might be a clue. That said I don't think the name calling is necessary and for the average person "hip drive" vs leading with the chest is pretty inconsequential.

It would be nice if people like the author could write a book similar to starting strength to reflect their own preferences for various lifts and to help the average person troubleshoot any problems they might encounter.
 
Regardless of which squat style is "best", the outcome is that the author of that article comes across as a dickhead, even if he is correct.

Interesting, many people in this thread are referring to "Rippetoe" and "the author". Good way to make a name for yourself is to come at someone with a name bigger than yours. Too bad "the author" couldn't follow through with something most normal adults interested in strength training would want to read.
 
So much butt hurt here. Rip specializes in teaching BEGINNERS. The way he teaches the squat is good for beginners because it works the biggest muscles in the most efficient way. Nowhere does he say "hips before chest", you obviously have to keep your chest high and back flat, your back angle stays consistent on the way up, but it shouldn't be the main focus of the movement or it could throw your weight forward, taking the strain off the biggest muscle groups(a.k.a the most important). This isn't a tough concept to understand. It's the same thing as thinking "push through your heels" or any of the other common cues. All this hate for the "hip drive" cue because it causes goodmorning-ing, but no mention of an equally common cue "chest up" which causes a vertical torso, all the weight to come off the posterior chain and dropped into the knees.
 
Apparently this isn't a new thing:

http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-life-crap-training-and.html

Basically, there's no getting around the fact that you are going to initiate out of the hole with hip drive. If you think not, take your belt off, go low bar, work up to a heavy triple with and without trying to initiate from the hips. High bar squatters that stay more upright do initiate less from the hips, and more from the quads. However if you are a low bar guy, especially without a belt, you need to drive hard from the hips out of the hole.


If there's one thing I hate about the internet at times, it's that if someone "hates" a certain strength coach or "guru" or whatever, then they completely dismiss everything they write and say. Rather than keeping an open mind about what they offer.
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This was written in August and includes some videos of +700lb squats in the "Rippetoe" style:

[YT]?v=d6L1z7afvB8[/YT]
[YT]?v=EchD-nmSW9s#t=92[/YT]
[YT]?v=BrGIh84HBzg[/YT]
 
Wouldn't surprise me if this article wasn't a deal between Rippetoe and JTS to get publicity for each other.
 
People are being too hard on ol Rip. He wasnt a better powerlifter because when everyone around him was on the juice he chose not to.
Im happy that legit strength coaches are cashing in. Who knows maybe one day crossfit will be what it must have been all along:

A half conditioning half lightweight strongman type of thing.
 
Chad Wesley Smith just took the article down.

In regards to yesterday's controversy,

I removed the article from the site because it isn't a reflection of how I want to present information.

I could make excuses as to why it was posted but that would be worthless, the fact is I posted it and I am the sole gateway through which our articles must pass and I failed you, our fans and readers.

Travis and I are friends and I respect him as a per...son, lifter and coach and that hasn't changed.

I agree with many of the sentiments in regards to training that he presented but it was not presented in a way that I want.

Again, I apologize and will do everything from here forward to earn back those whose trust in us wavered, by continuing to provide the highest quality training information possible and support the betterment of training across the board.

Sincerely,
Chad Wesley Smith
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I don't get it. How can you read something like this and think, yes this is an article I can stand behind. And then decide, maybe that wasn't such a good idea? The article was clearly controversial. He had to know this was going to cause shit.
 
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