Rippetoes video

[gstacker]

What do you guys think about his form? It looks better than mine im sure lol.... Does anybody grip the bar like him? Hard to tell in the video but looks like just his wrist are pushing against the bar... If you scroll down and read comments alot of guys talking crap but I'm sure most of them can't squat 1 plate.

‪Mark Rippetoe: Coach Rip Squats 315x10‬‏ - YouTube

 

[miked8c]

Uhh why am I stronger than Mark Rippetoe!!!!

Shouldn't he have like crazy old man strength after years of performing the same movements? I'm not trying to hate but I'm kind of disappointed.

I am not trying to come across as disrespectful, but how does a man who has dedicated his life to the science of strength end up having to fight to squat 315x10? He is not that old either.

If a dude of that magnitude ends up there, I hate to see where I am going to be strength-wise down the road.

 

[ExtraMile]

I don't squat like that. The way he looks down so much I think would make it hard to keep the chest up when driving out of the hole. It also appears to me that he looses the arch in his lower back when driving out of the hole.

If you watch the squat series by matt wenning from elitefts.com you will see matt highlights these areas and teaches a slightly different squat style with the head more upright.

Matt Wenning has also squatted over 1100lbs. While Mark Rippetoe is doing 315x10 and probably never went above 500 or so in his prime. When I first saw Rip's squat video my first thought was that with his massive Internet fame and crossfit following I would have expected him to be at least be in good shape, and have some decent numbers to back up what he preaches...

Out of interest does anyone know any big name lifters that trained under Rippetoe for a long period of time?

 

[gstacker]

Well i guess his best was 600lbs but ill check out the vids on elitefts... I been squatting 3 x a week witch i have never done before and my backs getting beat up so im trying to improve my form, also alot of stretching im
Stiff as hell...

 

[gstacker]

Oh em what do you think about that grip?

 

[ExtraMile]

I grip the bar with my full hand around the bar. One of the things talked about alot by the guys at elitefts is how tight the upper back should be during squatting. One thing that helps with this is taking quite a narrow grip (relative to shoulder flexibility) and almost pulling the bar into your back. I think it was Jim Wendler who described it as trying to bent the bar across your back.

With just the heel of my palm on the bar like Rippetoe has I think I would struggle to apply much pressure to the bar, or grip it tightly.

Although the few times that I have tryed "low-bar" squatting it has been more comfortable on the wrists to use a thumbless grip.

 

[ExtraMile]

You're right his best is a 611 squat at 220 bodyweight... pretty good, I never realised he competed on PLing.

Here's the videos I was talking about:

Dave Tate discussing back tightness: ‪Elitefts.com - The Number One Squat Mistake‬‏ - YouTube

Matt Wenning teaching squat technique:
Part 1: ‪EliteFTS.com: So You Think You Can Squat Part 1‬‏ - YouTube

Part 2: ‪EliteFTS.com: So You Think You Can Squat Part 2‬‏ - YouTube

Part 3: ‪EliteFTS.com: So You Think You Can Squat Part 3‬‏ - YouTube

Part 4: ‪So You Think You Can Squat Part 4‬‏ - YouTube

Part 5: ‪So You Think You Can Squat Part 5‬‏ - YouTube

 

[gstacker]

Those are some great videos! My form isnt total crap and could fly for once a week but when you start to squat 3 times a week every little problem is magnified... I know my weak points right now are hams and hip,shoulder flexibility...
That first video ive seen before and talks about a close grip with a low bar position but the video doesnt show a close grip at all?

 

[_cato_]

Wow. You guys are pretty harsh. He's 55 with various injury, including no ACL in one of his legs. He said in a recent T-Nation article that he squatted 405x5 within the last year, and he usually sits at a bodyweight of around 215.

A 2x+ BW squat (presumably something like 450+) for a 55 year old man who presumably isn't aggressively pushing the lift at this point seems pretty impressive to me.

 

[miked8c]

Wow. You guys are pretty harsh. He's 55 with various injury, including no ACL in one of his legs. He said in a recent T-Nation article that he squatted 405x5 within the last year, and he usually sits at a bodyweight of around 215.

A 2x+ BW squat (presumably something like 450+) for a 55 year old man who presumably isn't aggressively pushing the lift at this point seems pretty impressive to me.

Your absolutely right Cato, it is impressive. I think most of us (or at least me) may have built him up as almost this inhuman figure. We never see him lift, we only see his articles and his outstanding knowledge of strength science. He is cited so often on this board that when people see him lift they expect something that is very difficult to deliver.

I guess I am just a little disappointed that such a renowned PL coach struggles with 315x10.