Starting Strength Radio

Ray Gillenwater interviews Mindy Slovinsky, an online client of Nick D, about her past life as an ultramarathoner and what's it's like to lift double her bodyweight at 51 years-old. 01:25 - Mindy's current PRs 05:01 - Motivation to start strength training 07:26 - Running 100 miles twice 10:57 - What's going on in your head? 15:16 - After-effects on your body 18:08 - Experiencing burnout 26:42 - Lifting goals 29:41 - Having Nick as a coach 34:16 - Form and programming changes 41:05 - Changes in bloodwork 45:59 - Opinion on aesthetics 50:07 - Mindy's BS meter

Rip answers questions live from Starting Strength fans. 01:59 Haters! 13:15 Ask a Jew 23:09 Traumatic brain injury and testosterone 34:53 Consistent back tweaks 47:28 Diabetic and training 56:52 Should I gain weight? 1:00:35 What’s the benefit of getting stronger than I am?

Rip explains how our DNA dictates how we adapt to training, why big, strong men command more attention than small guys, and how getting strong improves aesthetics. 00:55 Rip makes ordering food difficult for everyone 04:50 Comments from the Haters! 14:45 Ask a Jew 23:12 Today’s topic 28:46 Big guys get attention 38:32 Physical and mental health are linked 39:51 Two different approaches 45:56 Getting bigger has an impact 51:29 Training for aesthetics is easier and doesn’t work 57:57 It’s worse now 1:07:22 What’s important?

SSC from SS Austin, Andrea Mates, joins Ray on the podcast to discuss Andrea's career change from teaching to coaching, why strength is essential for motherhood, body image, body composition, and her two pregnancies: one from before she started training and her most recent pregnancy as a strength trainee. 02:34 - Why Andrea became a Starting Strength Coach 10:01 - Profound changes in quality of life 15:56 - Premenopausal women struggling with bodyweight issues 20:05 - What makes up body composition? 23:10 - Misconception of the number on the scale 37:13 - Andrea's starting numbers and current PRs 42:07 - Pregnancy while being strong 50:34 - The baby is the PR 52:35 - Attracting more people to the apprenticeship program

Rip answers questions from Starting Strength Network subscribers and fans. 02:52 Comments from the Haters! 13:39 Sore heel after pushing the sled 21:48 Knee cave 25:07 How to set up for a rack pull 30:17 Will stronger people get tired faster? 46:01 Blood pressure guidelines 54:51 How much more should your deadlift be than your squat? 59:46 Why do traps get bigger? 1:03:18 The Army wants me weak 1:08:58 Bar path on the press

Rip talks about how other fitness programs want you to focus on aesthetics and training muscle groups. Machines cannot produce enough systemic stress for growth. Performance-based training works better for aesthetics than training separate muscle groups on machines. The body works as a system of levers powered by contractile motors, “muscles.” None of the muscles function in isolation from the others. 01:44 Comments from the Haters! 13:12 Starting Strength and aesthetics 20:13 We aren’t bodybuilders, but the body gets built 25:23 How to get bigger muscles 31:12 Machines and barbells are not the same 39:24 Getting bigger muscles is a side effect of getting strong 47:12 Machines can’t make you gain weight 52:14 People that train with machines 56:34 Your health

SS Colorado Springs Gym Owner, JD, joins Ray on the podcast to discuss his role as a military leader, his motivation for opening a gym, recovering from a rooftop fall with strength training, and squatting 500 lb in his 40s. 01:25 - JD's squat PR with no proof 03:29 - Role in the military 08:38 - Motivation for opening Starting Strength Colorado Springs...you fell off a roof? 15:03 - Back to Starting Strength 17:29 - When did you start hurting less? 19:00 - Other considerations than opening a Starting Strength Gym 25:31 - JD's role in the military and the skills needed 29:49 - Philosophical viewpoints coming from the military 32:59 - Plan for hiring 39:17 - How to contact JD 41:42 - Goals for the next few years 46:08 - We will grow as slowly as we need to 49:21 - Apprenticeship in Orlando 57:40 - Last day in the Army

Rip and Dr. Malcolm Kendrick discuss statins, accusations of harm caused by "Statin Deniers," and Dr. Kendrick's libel suit against media companies. 00:39 Malcolm Kendrick/News attacks 11:56 Studies prove cholesterol doesn’t kill 18:25 Ancel Keys and data suppression 29:14 Why cholesterol is important 37:25 When does it become dangerous? 47:57 Cholesterol in Men and Women 55:06 Thoughts on doctors

Rip answers questions live from Starting Strength fans. 01:57 Comments from the Haters! 09:38 Hernia surgery 20:47 Where is Rusty? 21:35 The feds and the constitution 38:41 More reps for diabetics 52:20 Groin pull and squats 1:00:17 Trying to lose weight by swimming 1:05:28 Deviated septum tips 1:12:55 A new Jew/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Everyone's favorite guest, Nick, joins Ray on the podcast today to discuss how popular culture's conception of fitness is exactly backwards. Listen and nod in agreement, or angrily share your misunderstandings in the comments. 01:57 - Argument for Starting Strength 05:33 - Adaptions are specific to the stress that you apply 08:03 - How do adaptations carry over into life? 09:58 - Guiding people through the most optimal way to improve performance 17:02 - Where should you spend your time and energy to benefit everything else? 18:48 - People have preconceptions 21:00 - Process-oriented solution to a common misconception 32:09 - High levels of conditioning are specific to the activity that you're doing 36:42 - Most people have their priorities backward 45:08 - Progress that can be measured 47:53 - We are selling improved capability 56:55 - Two types of coaches that aren't ideal 58:54 - How to guide clients when things get hard 01:05:54 - Starting Strength Gyms is getting a new website