November 03, 2025
Frission Edition
On Starting Strength
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TV Shows –
Rip and Rusty discuss television shows they’ve enjoyed throughout the years. -
Intensity Day Jitters by Carl Raghavan –
The weight on the bar keeps increasing. Every session, every week, the numbers creep higher. You know this was the plan – 5 lbs at a time, like clockwork – yet… -
Don’t Give Up on the Press –
Starting Strength Coach Andrew Lewis discusses how to use the hips and torso in a press without the bounce – sometimes called “Press 1.0” – for lifters who are unable to incorporate the dynamic start. -
Be a Mouth Breather by Pete Troupos –
Sometimes we take for granted people’s ability to breathe and brace while training. It seems so natural and simple, yet trainees still find ways to mess it up by… -
Great set. Now add 5 pounds. by Phil Ringman –
The dictionary definition of “reward” is: “A thing given in recognition of one’s service, effort, or achievement.” I retired 2 years ago after 38 years as a financial advisor… - Weekend Archives:
Train Like Your Life Depends On It: Because It Does by Bryan Glahn –
With middle age comes an illusion of security. You’ve settled into a career that most likely brings some financial stability. A few kids, a house, and a spouse may create a sense of achievement… - Weekend Archives:
Can You Put Your Kids on a Strength Training Program? by Mark Rippetoe –
We do seminars all over the country, every month…Every time, without fail, someone asks the question: Can my kids train for strength? Can they do the squat, press, and deadlift…
In the Trenches
SSC Chris Charvat discusses squat mechanics with several camp attendees at this weekend’s Squat & Deadlift Camp at NKC CrossFit in Kansas City, MO. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
Brian squats his third and final set of five at 405 lb to wrap up his squatting for the day at this weekend’s Squat & Deadlift Camp in Kansas City, MO. [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
Jesse attended this weekend’s Squat & Deadlift Camp in Kansas City, MO. Here, he finishes up his lifting for the day by pulling 345 lb for a smooth set of five under the guidance of SSC Phil Meggers. [photo courtesy of Chris Charvat]
Rich pulls a plate for the first time at Starting Strength Boston, setting a deadlift PR of 135lb for 5 reps. [photo courtesy of Stephen Babbitt]
Adam Martin, SSC, modifies Aaron Martin’s squat in order to meet him where he is at in the beginning of his novice linear progression. Aaron and his wife Lisha (background right) sought out Starting Strength Atlanta after seeing the Starting Strength Gyms YouTube video “From Bedridden to Standing at 70”. [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]
Jeremiah wraps up some early morning pressing with 200 lb for a smooth single at Testify Strength & Conditioning in Omaha, NE. Jeremiah’s daughter, Addi, and his dad, Rich, also train at Testify, so it’s a strong family! [photo courtesy of Phil Meggers]
The coaching staff of Starting Strength Columbus found some time to squeeze in a picture during the Day of the Deadlift celebration this past weekend. [photo courtesy of Caitlin Schiebel]
Get Involved
Best of the Week
NLP and Spondy
KnuteMeyer
I was wondering what modifications, if any, you’d make to the NLP for someone with a grade 1 spondy (L4/L5). For context, I’m a male, age 30, 5ft 11.5, 195 pounds.
Mark Rippetoe
Get a good 3-inch belt and learn how to use it.
KnuteMeyer
I’ve got the starting strength double ply belt. Would you recommend keeping power cleans? In your podcasts about spondy, you recommend not doing them because someone with a spondy shouldn’t be slamming things around. Additionally, you’ve said to use the least effective dose, just go in, do one heavy set, then quit. Does that advice apply to novices with spondy as well?
Mark Rippetoe
Do power cleans hurt?
KnuteMeyer
I don’t get any sharp pain but my lower back muscles get tight.
Mark Rippetoe
You want your lower back muscles to be loose?
KnuteMeyer
It doesn’t feel like a good tightness, more the muscles are seizing up and it makes my lowback ache really bad.
Mark Rippetoe
Do deadlifts hurt?
KnuteMeyer
Yeah, the same thing happens.
Mark Rippetoe
Get an MRI.
KnuteMeyer
I did and that’s how they identified the spondy. The assessment is that the muscles are getting tight to protect the spine.
Mark Rippetoe
I’ll bet you that if you gain 20 pounds of bodyweight, this goes away.
Best of the Forum
Fried lower back
Waschechterwiener
I’m 22 years old and doing the NLP. Even though i can progress, my lower back seems to be the weakest link in the chain and feels extremely sore every single time after I do squats or deadlifts. It is not painful, but prevents me from progressing the way I should be.
I read the first 3 questions and I am eating more than enough, sleeping enough and resting enough between my sets. I genuinely have no idea what it could be. I deadlift once a week, do back extentions with added weight once and power clean once.
Do you have some advice, sir?
Mark Rippetoe
Numbers? What about the pain is keeping you from adding 5 pounds to the bar and lifting it?
Waschechterwiener
Around 130-140kg squats, for fives obviously. Deadlifts 155kg for 5, Powerclean Something between 85-90kg for a triple. I can assure you that I’m not a pussy, I always try to do the weights I have to lift but my lower back feels so fatigued that i can’t manage to complete even the first set of 5. This is really weird; let’s say i managed to do 135kg for 3×5. The next workout with 137,5kgs fails at rep number 3 or 4. This happened pretty often unfortunately, and i deloaded by 5-10% every time that happened.
I tried the light day method you explained in practical programming, where you use 80% on squats but that just made me weaker for the next squat workout. I feel like I have to squat “heavy” every workout in order to make progress but that seems impossible with being sore all the time. I know you don’t give a fuck about muscle groups, but it feels like my legs could take way more punishment but my lower back cannot.
Mark Rippetoe
Tell us about the First Three Questions. Details.
Waschechterwiener
I am 22 years old, sleeping around 9 hours a night, I am resting around 10-12 minutes between sets when training squats. I am atleast eating 4000 kcals a day. With 10 eggs and bread and chiapudding in the “morning” later pasta with vegetables and so on. When I do not feel satisfied, im drinking half a liter of milk. Was there more?
Mark Rippetoe
If your lower back is “fried” you are not recovering. Figure out why.
Credit : Source Post
