June 09, 2025
Anvil Edition
On Starting Strength
-
Safety Habits in the Gym –
Rip and crew discuss how to manage equipment to maximize lifting safety, covering rack use, trip hazards, and other risky situations to avoid. -
Why Basketball Players Should Train with Barbells by Steve Ross –
After spending 25 years in the game, I’ve seen quite a bit. From dusty high school gyms to pro locker rooms, I’ve had the incredible fortune to play with and against some of the most gifted athletes… -
Safety in the Rack –
Mark Rippetoe discusses the use of the power rack to minimize safety risks during training. -
Welcome to The Judgment Zone by Jen Smith –
In the last ten years, a curious new trend has emerged in the world of health, fitness, and commercial gyms: the introduction of “The No Judgment Zone.” This “zone,” is exactly what it sounds like… -
A Clarification on the Squat Grip –
Mark Rippetoe teaches the proper grip for the squat and addresses the misconception that the elbows should be way “up” and that the shoulder should be in over-extension for a secure and correct grip. - Weekend Archives:
Driving Daddy Hoffman by Bill Starr –
Bob Hoffman was really the heart and soul of York Barbell Club. He, almost alone, supported the sport of Olympic weightlifting in the United States for nearly fifty years. True, he had a motive… - Weekend Archives:
The Problem with “Exercise Science” by Mark Rippetoe –
I talk to lots of kids who are interested in becoming strength coaches. I get e-mail about this every week, and we talk about it with people who attend our seminars every month…
In the Trenches
With this 130 pound workset, Carol Hoover is just one 5 pound jump away from the one plate milestone of her deadlift in her novice linear progression at Starting Strength Atlanta. [photo courtesy of Adam Martin]
After joining Starting Strength Boston a couple months ago, Jamie’s novice linear progression is still going strong. Here he is deadlifting 225lb for 5 reps. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]
Sun’s out? Guns out. Laura Martin, General Manager and co-owner of Starting Strength Atlanta, practices the same consistency she preaches to clients, with both training and nutrition. [photo courtesy of Adam Martin]
Get Involved
Best of the Week
Living in a Hotel
sg10033
Male, 38yo, 210lbs; Squat- 240; Bench- 144; OHP- 115; DL- 275
I’m recently back on my NLP after a year off and hernia surgery. Recovery’s going great—my lifts are climbing back to pre-break numbers faster than I expected.
That said, my job has me living out of state five days a week for most of the summer. Long story short, I only have access to basic hotel gyms—mostly treadmills and a few dumbbells. I’m working to find a local gym but for a few reasons, I want to plan what to do if that isn’t possible. My home gym is closed on Saturdays (it’s a YM&YWHA and observes the Sabbath), so Sunday is the only real day I can lift properly.
Given all that, what can I do during the week to stay active and add at least some meaningful stress? I’ve accepted that my progress will likely stall this summer, but I’d like to keep things from sliding too far.
Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Mark Rippetoe
Sorry, but you can’t make 2+2=5.
Jason Donaldson
Since you’re asking about contingencies, but it sounds like you haven’t yet exhaustively searched, Rip’s answer underscores the importance of looking HARD for a proper gym in the work area.
If you absolutely cannot find a suitable gym, then you’ll have to train hard on your one available day at home, and then do bro-style stuff in the hotel facilities or whatever. If that’s what you’ve got, I’d say have fun with it as exercise. That’s what I’ve generally done while traveling (though admittedly not for a full summer…).
DBragg
Former road warrior here. Find a gym where you can. Often, its not cheap so be prepared for that. Call the local crossfit box to see if they will sell a pass that you can use on open gym days/times. For the places you cannot find a suitable gym, you are going to have to improvise. There is no shame in pushups, situps, burpees, weighted lunges, or running. I think that the important thing is that you allocate a portion of your day to working out, even if it is just exercise. When you return to a non-travel work status that allows you to run the NLP, you will be in the habit of working out and it wont be a challenge to get back on track.
Best of the Forum
Hand Speed
novicejay
You once told me on this forum that a very strong deadlift will give you all the explosiveness you need to jerk people around on a judo mat.
I’m curious about hand speed now. Hand speed is crucial in judo to get your hands on your opponent without being blocked and to grab your opponent’s sleeve before they grab yours. It is also important to be able to block your opponent from grabbing you. We have drills we do for this because there are sequences that must be done so often they become similar to breathing, i.e., deliberate practice. Doing this many reps certainly increases your speed and ability to catch your opponent’s sleeve and block, etc.
But, I was wondering if hand speed be increased more? If it can be increased, what would increase our hand speed?
I’ve searched but I’ve been unable to find any scientific study on this.
Mark Rippetoe
I did not tell you that the deadlift will increase your explosiveness. Your strength, obviously, but explosiveness is barely trainable, as I have discussed many many many many times. Hand speed is the same way.
Jovan Dragisic
You must be among the world’s most mis-cited people. In ten years, you will probably have people on the board with questions like “Coach, I know you said we should wear a mask when lifting, but I was wondering…”
Credit : Source Post
