March 30, 2026
Tether Edition
On Starting Strength
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Peptides and Hormones – What Works? –
Dr. Wittmer joins Rip on this week’s Starting Strength Radio to discuss peptide and testosterone therapy. -
Maybe You Are a Special Snowflake by John F. Musser –
You made the decision to be strong. Perhaps your original goal was weight loss, or some vague idea of needing exercise, maybe you simply wanted to look and feel better. Eventually, those goals led… -
Squatting with Limited Shoulder ROM –
What do you do when injuries and structural changes make it so that holding the bar in the squat is limiting? Rusty and Carmen show a couple options they use so that clients can still train the squat. -
How to do the RDL –
Not to be confused with the stiff-legged deadlift, the Romanian Deadlift starts at the top and uses a stretch reflex. Mark Rippetoe explains how to do it. -
How to Use Kettlebells for Strength Training by James Rodgers –
The kettlebell is a common piece of gym equipment. For most of you, your ongoing experience with kettlebells is tripping over them while making your way to the squat rack or the platform… - Weekend Archives:
Why You Should Stop Stretching at the Gym by Robert Novitsky –
Nearly every community has its myths that tend to go unquestioned, and the fitness world is no stranger to them. Whether it’s myths surrounding when to eat for maximum protein synthesis… - Weekend Archives:
The State of Strength & Conditioning Coaching by Mark Rippetoe –
This essay is about the state of the Strength and Conditioning profession in 2014, most of which is practiced in high schools, colleges and universities, and at the professional sports level…
In the Trenches
SSC Brad Muhlenkamp drops in early to work his snatch at WFAC before auditing the Starting Strength Seminar this past Saturday. [photo courtesy of stef bradford]
Resilience in Motion: Seventy-year-old pancreatic cancer survivor Mark O’Brien continues to defy the odds, successfully performing a safety bar squat of three sets of three at 180 pounds at Starting Strength Boston. [photo courtesy of Max Succee]
Darlene finishing up her final set of presses as coach Brian Beckwith holds the movement standard at Starting Strength Orlando. [photo courtesy of Pete Troupos]
Get Involved
Best of the Week
Prowler after Achilles tendon rupture
Johnsonville
I am nine months out from getting my torn Achilles tendon surgically repaired and am interested in using a prowler for my recovery. I have been squatting and deadlifting since the early fall and doing normal calf focused pt that isn’t helping shit, just pissing off my ankle joint. I’m looking to slowly and progressively load the tendon and calf a little more directly than just squats and deadlifts; is this a horrible idea?
Mark Rippetoe
It was a horrible idea to wait this long. Start light and do them twice a week.
Johnsonville
Shit, I was convinced to do months of calf raises which didn’t help at all. Thank you, I will get on it now.
Best of the Forum
Cardiovascular perks
Griffin727
Do you think that there are any benefits to jogging along with strength training? When I say jogging, I mean 135 to 170 heart rate for a range of 1 to 3 miles. I feel when I jog lightly it helps me recover better, but when I jog at a higher tempo it adds to recovery. Regardless if it helps or not I’ll still jog through the woods for FuN. I only do 5 to 10 miles a week.
Oso Rojo
If you want to do the program and get strong, then do what’s in the book. if you want to jog miles a day, then put the book away and go jog.
Jason Donaldson
Griff – I’m going to say something very direct here. Please understand that it’s coming from a genuine and heartfelt regard for you, and the fact that I see you doing something that I myself used to do, way back when. Please learn this faster than I did.
Get out of your head and submit to the advice you’re seeking here.
There are a bunch of well-meaning folks who’re trying to help you out, and you’re losing them. Step back, detach, simplify, and try what we’re saying. It will reap great benefits for you, I promise.
You’ll start to earn the understanding you seek when you take the actions that the experienced recommend.
rmscott_75077
I just want to throw out my results. I did jogging 1 – 2 times per week during linear progression. I thought it had no negative effect, looking back now, I bet I could have really made more progress at the end of the program before heading toward intermediate. On intermediate, I don’t think I notice much difference until I did. I got stuck for a long time, I refused to listen about “Not serving two masters”. I tried so many things no luck. Finally, to proove everyone wrong that the cardio and running made no difference, I gave it up cold turkey. I’ll be danged if on Friday (the day I try to increase the weights) I made my lifts and it felt easy. I made good progress again on intermediate for a long time that way. SO basically I proved myself wrong because, well, I am hard headed sometimes.
My point is just keep in mind that the running and strength training can be opposing forces. Keep focus on your main goal, run if you like, but don’t let it interfere with your progress.
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