January 26, 2026
Breaks Edition
On Starting Strength
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Being in a Band –
Rip and Rusty discuss playing in bands, the instruments and interests that got them there, and benefits from the experience. -
Barbells vs Kettlebells: My Response by Kim Goss –
In response to my article on kettlebells published on the Starting Strength website, Gregory Dzemaili posted two rebuttals: a 17-minute YouTube video and a short one suitable for… -
Snatch Balance Drills –
Rusty discusses the use of the snatch balance as a warmup to help connect the idea of punching under the bar and catching it properly with a locked arm at the bottom position. -
Making a Shake –
Rippetoe throws down in the kitchen as he instructs Katia on the art of making a delicious 75-gram-of-protein shake. -
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Strength by Adam Lauritzen –
Fundamentals are the basics, the things that we learn in the beginning of training and which apply at all levels for an entire career. In a complex world, fundamental things work reliably and consistently… - Weekend Archives:
Making It Work in a Commercial Gym by Deborah Lebl –
Millions of people around the world have used the Starting Strength method to train in a wide variety of gyms. They have done their training either in a Starting Strength Gym, in an affiliate gym… - Weekend Archives:
Your First Two Weeks of Strength Training: What to Expect by Mark Rippetoe –
So you’ve finally decided to Be Somebody and start a strength training program. Not a machine-based health spa/corporate gym exercise plan with leg extensions, treadmills, and three-pound dumbbells, but…
In the Trenches
At Starting Strength Atlanta, Clay Kimbrel finishes the lockout of his last deadlift rep with chest up and shoulders back. If the bar did not tug your shorts on the way up, it may not have been directly over midfoot. [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]
Susan Pero completes a rack pull under the watchful eye of apprentice Graham Guthrie at Starting Strength Columbus. [photo courtesy of Paul Jackson]
Get Involved
Best of the Week
Finally started eating
Kickstartmeed
I mean eating for real. Like eating until I gag the food out of my mouth hard eating. I cannot believe I’ve been artificially stopping NLP and causing overuse injuries for years by succumbing to the social norms of being a 20-something woman and trying not to eat *too much*. My squat progress and recovery have been insane. Adding weight to the bar every workout but the squats just feel the same because I have started EATING. 5’5”, just hit 132lbs. I have chronic illness and was at a skeletal 107 four years ago. This program & website gave me the motivation, structure, and tools to transform my physical existence. I am probably the 16,538th person to say all this but anyway this shit works.
Ladies, please, eat. Especially protein.
Mark Rippetoe
Glad we could help.
Cole Gorton
eating excess calories and protein for training is like being on PEDs, for me anyway. it makes hard effort actually feel good instead of torture.
skid
When you workout hard, your body and not your mind tells you to eat more. At least that’s my excuse
Johnsonville
Same here. White rice is almost as good as anabolic steroids it seems like for me when I really start pounding it in.
Best of the Forum
What to do after a callus tears?
Al2020
I watched the video where mark explains how to prevent/minimize callus formation by gripping the bar higher in the hand , the place where it’s already trying to go
I retore a callus today after tearing it for the first time exactly a month ago
They both happened the exact same way , Deadlifting using a hook grip and I only notice them like 5 minutes after they happen.
I do make sure to manage my calluses, is this just something unavoidable having small hands (I remember Mark saying that’s more problematic) and using hook grip?
Also now that it’s torn again how should I go about it? (Should I cut off the remaining skin and is there something I can do to make it heal faster or better?)
I plan on taping it and continuing to pull.
Mark Rippetoe
You have to trim the torn skin down as close as you can get it, and then keep it filed off as it heals. Might be time to think about switching to another grip.
Satch12879
Rip, have you ever used any of the liquid skin products for temporary protection of a torn callus?
Mark Rippetoe
No, because a deep callus tear cannot be protected by anything other than a leather glove. You can glue it down, but it will rupture when it’s loaded. The glove is a problem too because it makes the bar “fatter.”
Al2020
What does filed off mean? Make sure something covers it?
Switching to mixed would suck, it took me a while to get used to hook but I feel really good with it now
Credit : Source Post
