Some of you are probably wondering why the site isn’t updated. Well, the site got moved over to another server, so anything that was posted since the database was pulled is not currently here. That means some of the comments that some of you posted won’t be here, and that also means that the post I wrote last night (like a frickin’ bonehead — I forgot about the database) are not up.
The good news is that the apostrophe problem is now nonexistant. On the old server, when you typed a single right quote mark, as in the word don’t, it would show up as don”t. For some reason that could not be fixed on the old server, and it also prevented newer versions of Word Press to be installed. In any case, now I don’t have to type in the HTML manually for a single right quote, and you don’t have to be irritated by it in the comments.
Stay tuned.
Edit: I’m just going to wait until tomorrow to post.
I’d like to file a formal complaint. This is serious, so I want you to listen…
Some of you are sandbagging, and I don’t like it.
I need to direct my malcontent towards someone, so I am going to choose my pals Ruth and Sean, from CrossFit Intrepid. Yeah, you guys are totally busted. Gant told me all about how you haven’t competed in a weightlifting meet. Gant met them last weekend when he presented at a seminar/workshop, and I met the couple at one of Rip’s barbell seminars at the end of last year.
These two goons have some serious potential in Olympic weightlifting, and would do pretty decently in a meet…yesterday. Apparently they said some hogwash to Gant about “not being good enough” or something. Gant’s response is that you aren’t going to be good enough when you first start competing, but you have to compete in order to get good at competing. Pretty straightforward.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons for not competing, but I am not convinced that these two have a valid reason. They were opening a new gym, and things were probably hectic, but Sean snatched 60 or 70 kilos the day I coached him at the barbell seminar…after squatting, pressing, bench pressing, deadlifting, and power cleaning that weekend. The dude has something like a 39 inch vertical (he played division I football) and is pretty damn strong. He would make a HELL of a 94 kg lifter — as in he would qualify for national level stuff pretty fast. And Ruth is a fiery little gal who is pretty strong and explosive.
Me, Ruth, and Sean at the seminar last year
I told them both right away when I saw them move that they would be good at this sport, and they seemed enthused. We even talked for 15 or 20 minutes about a program they could do when they got home. And the silly bastards never competed! All kidding aside, these are two very nice people, very good athletes, and both pretty damn strong. It is just a bummer to see quality potential wasted. I am sure there are plenty of people just like them — folks that know they will enjoy a competitive endeavor but are for some reason avoiding it.
If you are avoiding competition because you don’t think you are good enough, then you are a Silly Person. The whole point is to test yourself in a competitive environment. I promise that you will enjoy yourself — as long as you set yourself up to do well in that first meet (I will talk more about this tomorrow). If there is a chance that you might be decently competitive in a given weight class, then you have more incentive to get better, but you will never know this without ever competing.
If you think a sport might be fun to compete in, then what the hell are you waiting for? Go online, find a competition, circle the date, and train for it. You’ll thank me later, you buffoon.
The internet is still a funny place. You never can be too careful with who you believe, especially if that person does not have an identity outside of their internet persona. Being an internet skeptic can probably be taken too far and is even analogous (arguably) to Robespierre in the French Revolution.
Robespierre called it like he saw it
In any case, there is still some goofy talk around the net that include accusatory false statements or records pertaining to the improvement my friend Zach in his time at the WFAC. I am not involved in the discussion, but it does have something to do with me since I originally taught Zach the lifts, coach him on his form and program on a regular basis, and encourage him to continue growing. Basically what I am saying is that I don’t think contrary arguments are malicious, but I and we are not fucking around, and if someone with average genetics wants be a good deal stronger and bigger, this is what we do.
Here are some videos of Zach — he weighs himself, then he does his volume squat workout, which is 5×5 at 320. Every rep is to full depth, and the sets are not that hard; Rip’s main priority is keeping him out of his knees. Oh, and there are two videos in order to represent the two cameras used to show different angles, in case his depth was in question.
The late post is due to work being done on the site to prep it for some new features that will be revealed soon. As for today, we have business to tend to.
1. Thank you for all of the replies about the t-shirt help. I will be in contact with some of you within a day or two. We are finalizing two new t-shirt ideas, and a twist on the old one.
Update:
2. Josh Wells and I are starting a new program at the Wichita Falls Athletic Club in which we will be offering weekend training packages. This will include 5 training sessions — two on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday morning. The first weekend we will be offering this is April 9th, 10th, and 11th. The price is set at $275 and will include ten hours of coached training by Josh and I as well as whatever lecture, observation, and experiences go along with hanging out at the WFAC for the weekend. You will see some of our own lifters training, you will undoubtedly interact with the infamous Rippetoe, and you will bathe in the glory that is Wichita Falls, Texas. This training package is capped at 10 people, and we expect it to fill up fast, so if you are interested, e-mail me ASAP.
The emphasis of training will depend on the experience level of who is signed up, but we plan on going through all of the major barbell lifts: squat, press, deadlift, bench press, snatch, and clean and jerk. Assistance exercises such as the halting deadlift, rack pull, jerk lockouts, etc. may be included upon request or necessity. E-mail if you have any questions.
Quick post today (it was my birthday yesterday, so give me a break), and it is mainly a call to arms. I have been referencing a new t-shirt design on the site, and the ideas are narrowed down. However, none of us have the ability to create the image on a computer to get it ready to go to print. If there are any of you who specialize in logo or image design and want to create the next 70’s Big shirt as a side project, e-mail me. We can work out the logistics, but you will be getting some shirts and the image will be credited to your name (which will potentially bring you business to make other simple logos for gym t-shirts, logos, etc.). If you aren’t a “professional”, you could always send in a few things as part of a “mini portfolio” to entice me.
This was the original logo that was used on the first shirt.
Note: The Bill Starr Memorial weightlifting meet was held at the WFAC this past Saturday. Things went well for most of the lifters at the meet, and I will have a recap on it tomorrow (a video will not be up tomorrow, but will be in due time). It is important to note that Bill Starr is very much alive, and the “memorial” is a Texas joke.
