Dorothy Dunker shows what a properly locked out deadlift looks like. Dorothy participated in the Squat and Deadlift Camp hosted at Starting Strength Columbus, instructed by SSC Jarret Beck. She attended with the purpose of learning the squat for the first time. [photo courtesy of Jarret Beck]
Kevin Crosby exhibits proper deadlift mechanics at the Squat and Deadlift Camp instructed by Jarret Beck, SSC. Kevin drove from the Cleveland area to attend the camp at Starting Strength Columbus. [photo courtesy of Jarret Beck]
Before the first rep of the first empty bar warmup set, to get in front of a bar path problem, apprentice Kelly Elmore teaches (and learns) the importance of elbow position at the bottom of the press [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]
Mark Carter's day job covers a territory of 8,000 square miles, and then he works part time as an apprentice at an evening session at Starting Strength Atlanta. Some days, before them both, he trains at the gym at 6:00 a.m. Indeed, "The deadlift also serves as a way to train the mind to do things that are hard." [photo courtesy of Starting Strength Atlanta]
Congratulations to Jo Ann on an outstanding performance at USA Powerlifting Masters Nationals in Lombard, IL! Coached by SSC Barb Mueller and supported by fellow Testify Strength & Conditioning member Peg, Jo Ann went 8-for-9 and set multiple PRs on the national stage. [photo courtesy of Barb Mueller]
Fivex3 Training hosted their 15th Charm City Strongwoman Contest last Sunday, June 7, 2026. It was not only their 15th year but also their last. Over the past 15 years, Fivex3 Training has raised money for the Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation and the Ulman Foundation via their Strongwoman Contest. For the past 8 years, they have been raising money for the Ulman House, part of the Ulman Foundation and have raised over $150,000, with $16,000 from this year's event. [photo courtesy of Amy Davis]
Fivex3 member, Jill Peterson, pulls a max attempt on the Axle deadlift. Jill came in 2nd place in her division, Middleweight Novice. She had her first baby this past September and trained for about one month prior to the contest. [photo courtesy of Amy Davis]
Fatuma Abbas carries a 150lb fire hydrant to finish out the Carry Medley (Farmers carry with 280lbs, Chain/sled drag and hydrant carry for 150 feet.) Fatuma placed 1st in her division, Middleweight Open. [photo courtesy of Amy Davis]
Nathalie Coen completes a rep with the 95lb log during the Log Press event. Natalie placed first in her division, Lightweight Novice. [photo courtesy of Amy Davis]
Bawitdabarbell
So I work part-time as a strength coach at a local gym, with the vast majority of my coaching based on the blue book, my experiences running the program myself, my experiences running the program with friends/training partners, and my obsessive watching/listening/reading of Starting Strength videos, podcasts, and articles.
I have a new client, deconditioned 60-something year-old male with no contraindications to basic barbell training or the NLP. I've been working with him for 4 sessions, and he's progressed to an unassisted bodyweight box squat, bench press with a dowel +10lbs (my gym does not have 10kb training bars), and press with a dowel, however I am having a lot of difficulty coaching his rack pull. At the top of each rack pull rep, he brings his elbows up and does an upright row and the bar ends up just below his sternum instead of just below his waist.
Things I've tried to address this:
1) Visual demonstration while explaining the start position, and end position of the rep, noting fully extended/straight arms throughout the entire movement and at lockout.
2) Actively coaching him during each rep to keep his arms fully extended and straight, and to not bend the elbows
3) Explaining what an extended/straight arm is, and what a bent arm is, the difference between the two, and why it's important to keep arms fully extended
I've ensured that his arms are straight at the start of each rep, and are not bent, or forced outward at the elbows by his legs.
On a whim I had do a rack pull with a trap bar (I know, I know), and he did it fine without bending his arms at all, even without me reminding him not to.
Any suggestions or advice on how I can better coach him to not bend his arms during the rack pull? I was thinking of putting an extra set of safety bars just above where the bar should be at lockout, so physically prevent him from upright rowing it. Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.
Mark Rippetoe
Put a piece of tape on his elbows so he can feel them bend. But why is he not doing deadlifts?
As to why he isn't deadlifting, the reason is my lack of skill as a coach with this individual - now I have successfully coached many novices with zero athletic or lifting background, including very deconditioned little old ladies. However, this gentleman has the least body awareness of anyone I've coached, or even seen others coach. He seems to not be familiar with basic human anatomy (like, very basic stuff, such as what shoulders are, or what it means to "bring your feet close together"). During our first session I was coaching him on the squat and after going over the basics, I was cueing him to bend over/point his chest to the floor while shoving his butt back, and he bent his knees and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling, the exact opposite of what I was cueing. This was after several minutes of me demonstrating what to do and even manually positioning him into the proper position.
As to the deadlift, he has no control over his back at all, and I spent around 15 minutes with him lying prone with his hands behind his back, trying to get him to raise his knees off the ground so that he could feel his lumbar, it took around 15 minutes and he finally got it but was only able to hold his knees off the ground for around 2 seconds before dropping them. And he is only able to do 30 min sessions.
Anyway, it's not his fault, I simply need to learn to be a better coach, and I will try the tape technique this week, thanks again!
Mark you are a genius - today instead of rack pulls we went straight to deadlifts, and I coached him using the 5 step method plus a few additional cues to get him to set his back, and he successfully pulled a set of 5 from the floor, no arm bend. Thanks again Mark!
vk60187
Greetings, I am a 44 yo male, 6ft 6in, 227lbs. I had abdominal surgery at the end of Jan. 21 to remove my right kidney (cancer), but have been cleared to exercise. I also take blood pressure meds. Before the meds, my BP would be 160s-180s/100s. With the meds, taking amlodipine 5mg (twice a day), I'm at a normal range of 120/80 give or take. Some measurements are less than 110 over 70s.
My goal is two fold. I want to go grow in strength (1) and I want to be weened of my medicine (2).
Prior to surgery, I was mostly sedentary, although some days I would go for a run. By sedentary, I mean 2500 steps per day or less.
I also want to have a better quality of life to save my remaining kidney and to lower my chances of repeat cancer(s).
Doctors are not concerned with my remaining kidney function but obviously I don't want to do anything that would damage my kidney.
Another wrinkle, I had stomach surgery to remove the kidney, which was mostly laparoscopic but I do have about 4-5 in incision below my belly button that required no lifting higher than 10lbs after 2 weeks post surgery. I'm at week 5 now and doc has cleared me for exercise but cautioned to start slow.
Any advice from you guys (and gals) would be appreciated. Thanks.
What were your numbers prior to the surgery?
I could squat with 100lb weight for 12 reps. Sometimes I’d take breaks with weight still on my shoulders.
Jonathon Sullivan
The other kidney was a spare. Do the program. I suppose it goes without saying that you shouldn't drop the barbell on your remaining kidney, although I'm not sure how one would do such a thing if he wanted to.
Lifting Outside –Jim Steel
Good vs. Bad Trainers –Mark Rippetoe
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