Barbell Do you think Rippetoe was full of BS when he criticized power training?

[silveraw]

I was brought up in the strength training game via WFAC (I still live in Wichita Falls) and over the years I've come to realize from rip that he's a 1 trick pony... I'm fortunate to have learned to lift at age 14 from him (36 now) but outside of taking skinny HS aged kids and bulking them up etc he doesn't really have much else in regards to training. Dr. Kilgore & pendlay used to run the xfit workouts & Olympic lifting teams due to that... He's opposed to literally every other form of training outside of doing it his way! I've seen him scream & berate members for doing db curls or the leg press lol

Its kinda funny how many Starting Strength devotees suddenly lose tons of bodyfat and increase their lifts once they transition out of the Rip style of nutrition and training.

Rips programs are a great place to start, but if you are still there after six months to a year, it's time to start expanding your knowledge.

 

[james_1127]

I mean Louie Simmons is arguably one of the greatest power lifting coaches of all time, and trained high level/elite lifters and dedicated 2 days a week to DE method to improve power/bar speed etc... I believe power like any trait can be trained and improved upon, obviously genetics determines how much progress one can make

 

[silveraw]

I mean Louie Simmons is arguably one of the greatest power lifting coaches of all time, and trained high level/elite lifters and dedicated 2 days a week to DE method to improve power/bar speed etc... I believe power like any trait can be trained and improved upon, obviously genetics determines how much progress one can make

Didn't Siff write a bunch about it? And the whole reason why kettlebell quick lifts work for strength is that same principle?

 

[james_1127]

Its kinda funny how many Starting Strength devotees suddenly lose tons of bodyfat and increase their lifts once they transition out of the Rip style of nutrition and training.

Rips programs are a great place to start, but if you are still there after six months to a year, it's time to start expanding your knowledge.

The guy is smart at one specific style of training... There would be military guys in there that couldn't bulk up do to weight limits etc... Rip would just gripe about the govt and call them names bc they wouldn't drink a gallon of milk and squat 4 plates! Looking back, it was great learning how to do basic lifts, but the culture there is toxic... He doesn't even take new members anymore

 

[Don Fairbanks]

Yes, and this validates my point even better.

Improper training, caused him to lose his power rapidly.

I doubt his power dropped much even with his less than healthful lifestyle. And I'm guessing it didn't increase much after he hit age 16 or so. Takes more than power to beat Lennox Lewis.

 

[Steve Freides]

Folks, we don't need to pick on Mr. Rippetoe here - people have gotten stronger because of what he teaches. What he teaches is not what we teach at StrongFirst, but that doesn't make it wrong for everyone, either. At StrongFirst we don't say you're wrong, just that we are confident that what we teach can help you.

There were some other interesting aspects to this thread: genetics and their relationship to improving power through training, Westside's use of power training to improve strength, my own comment about the role of genetics in the "ceiling" of a musical performer, and I'm probably missing some other interesting issues that were raised as well. If someone wants to continue discussing those things without beating up on the above-mentioned strength coach, please start a new thread.

Thanks.

-S-