{365} Days A Path towards Elite Powerlifting

Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training 2nd Edition by Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore

My good friend and powerlifting buddy Tim Nee introduced me to one of the greatest books I have ever read regarding the big three lifts: Deadlift, Squat, and Bench. The book also goes into detail about the power clean, the press and various accessory exercises. The reason this book is so amazing is that it really focuses on each little detail of the lift from breathing to hand positions and describes all the wrong ways to do the lifts. I enjoyed it extremely because there were many small tweaks that in the long run will make me a better, stronger and more importantly SAFER lifter. The book is unlike any other guide I have ever read, it does not focus on what people "tend" to do but incorporates personal experience and a thorough knowledge of the human physique. If we are looking at the squat, Rippetoe will go through every minute physiological function and analyze how everything works together, giving you in the end the big picture on how your body works and how the exercise stimulates different muscle groups.

I want to highlight a few things about each exercise that I found interesting and helpful, but I personally think everyone no matter how experienced should check out the book and learn the "best" ways to perform a certain exercise.

SQUAT

• Squats should be performed to FULL depth, quarter or partial squats STRESS the knees. Partial squats fail to provide a full stretch for hamstrings. Essentially a shearing force on the knee is not balanced by the opposing hamstrings leading to greater risk of injury. A full squat is more anatomically "natural" to the body.
• Thumbs should be placed on top of the bar (think suicide grip on bench), so that the wrist can be held in a straight line with the forearm. Do not bend the wrist. Elbows should be elevated to the rear with hands on top, not placed directly under the bar where they intercept part of the weight.
• Point of focus should be 5-6 feet in front of you on the floor.
• The spine should be held rigid in lumbar and thoracic extension. "Arching the back" can be identified by wrinkles that appear in cloth of shirt as the top and bottom of the back get closer.

BENCH PRESS

• Look at the ceiling, this picture is your reference for the path the bar will take as you move it down and up. Stare at the place on the ceiling where the bar is to go, DO NOT look at the bar as it moves and DO NOT follow the bar with your eyes, but just stare at the ceiling. If your eyes don't move from their fixed position, the bar will go to the same place every rep (I still need to work on this)
• For maximum power transfer, the bones of the wrist and forearm should be lined up directly under the bar (meaning don't go with the thumbless or suicide grip)
• Best angle for the upper arm relative to the line of the body is somewhere between the extremes of 90 degrees to parallel to the torso.
• Keep your back tight. Minimal shoulder movement should occur.
• Do not shrug your shoulders in the end of a bench, the bar will have to travel 4-6 inches further.
• On the final rep, do not push the bar towards the rack. Finish each rep correctly.

DEADLIFT

• Gloves have no place in a serious training program. A glove is a piece of loose stuff between the hand and the bar, reducing grip security and increasing the effective diameter of the bar. Gloves make bars harder to hold on to.
• Heavy barbell shrugs are a good assistance exercise for advanced lifters that knows how to perform them correctly.
• Straps are best used from material made out of seat belt of nylon-type material about 1.5 inches wide. Cotton will not work. Straps go around your hands, not your wrists. The ones with the loop sewed into one end SHOULD NOT be used because they continue to tighten on your wrist during the set.

PRESS

• Grip width should be just outside the shoulders at a position that makes the forearms vertical when viewed from the front and back.
• Correct position of the bar in the hand close to the hell of the palm, not back in the fingers.
• Bar rests on the meat of the shoulder.
• Elbows are in front of the bar, this places the bar in the correct position on the shoulders and provides the correct direction of upward drive.
• The torso drives forward as the bar drives up, taking the plane of torso from slightly behind the vertical to slightly in front of the vertical. This movement aids in the lockout. Forward motion helps straighten the elbow.

POWER CLEAN

Personally I need more practice myself. I think I have to either read this part slower or have an actual teacher.

ACCESSORY EXERCISES

A few things stuck out.

• Barbell Rows are best done starting from the ground.
• Chin Ups are a great assistance exercise that utilize many of the bench muscles.