Paul’s wife had a baby. This baby’s name is Gabe, and he lost 13% of his bodyweight due to jaundice (I had jaundice when I was a newborn too). After that, he gained 3 lbs. 4.5 oz in 18 days, which is a growth rate of 2.9 oz/day. The average baby will grow 1 oz/day in the third and fourth weeks of life. In other words, Gabe is already gettin’ 70’s Big and makin’ daddy proud.
Gabe says: If the bear is hungry, he’ll eat.
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I am long over-due with this, but my friend Mike Hom pulled 505×5 at a body weight of 185. I am trying to talk him into growing into the 94 kg class, and he is doing a decent job at it.
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.
I mentioned that people have sent in stuff to be posted, so I decided to throw some together. First is Brent S. out of Amarillo and trains with a pretty good coach and lifter named Ryan who was at the Starting Strength Seminar this past weekend. Brent or Ryan are welcome to talk about Brent’s progress in the comments.
Ian from CrossFit Centurion sent in this video of who they call The Scott who gained a good bit of strength. You will see him do some singles on the high bar squat, bench press, deadlift, and press. Note the attire.
This is Sean and his brother displaying their milk collection and showing their enthusiasm for 70’s Big. Sean attended the seminar this past weekend, and will turn into a good lifter.
We just had a Starting Strength Seminar at the WFAC this past weekend. There were some 70’s Big readers there, so if they want to talk about how the weekend went, they can do so in the comments or send an e-mail that I can post. They all lifted well and there should be some good pictures…eventually.
In the mean time, here is a sweet video of AC squatting 495 for a triple — but the good part is at the very end. Oh, and if you assholes start sending videos or pictures, then I don’t have to keep posting videos of us (some of you have, and they are in line.
PR Friday: Post weights lifted, gained, or eaten as well as pants ripped, girls lifted, and children tossed.
Some of you may remember me mentioning that Rip will be interviewing some interesting people to put on his Starting Strength website. There are two interviews uploaded — one with Shane Hamman, and another special edition with Eva Twardokens.
Shane at the 2004 Olympics
Shane and Eva are two-time Olympians — Shane competed in weightlifting in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and Eva competed in downhill skiing in the winter Olympics in 1992 and 1994. Each interview focuses on the athlete’s particular sport, and Eva’s is quite useful since we are in the middle of the winter Olympics. Both interviews are conducted in a unique way that is not a monotonous, irritating question/answer session aimed at finding out how the interviewee “feels”. Take a gander and see how you like them.
I have never had the pleasure of meeting Shane, but Eva is a friend of mine, a sweetheart, a fiery competitor, and pretty damn strong. Nevertheless, she still succumbed to being pressed overhead…by me.
