The bulk/cut approach holds that you can either add muscle or lose bodyfat, and that all training should be concerned with one or the other.
This assumes that aesthetics is the criterion by which progress is measured, that pictures therefore tell the story, and that picture magazines can be the arbiters of success.
This type of thinking completely ignores the performance aspects of training, and performance is much more easily and rapidly influenced.
Rapid, quantifiable progress keeps motivation high, much higher than waiting for a six-pack that may or may not show up.
Mark Rippetoe
LIFTING:
Bench Press 1RM
Snatch Balance (work up to a moderate single, then 80%x3x3)
Rippe’s clearly a smart guy when it comes to strength training, but here's my problem with his thinking…
ReplyDeleteHe automatically assumes that strength is the only goal worth pursuing. That everyone will be happy with progressive gains in their lifts. This just isn't the case because of the multitude of goals people have associated with exercising.
Rippe talks about it as if training for a six pack is random and chaotic. Who's to say that there can't be a systematic approach to getting a six-pack? If you work in a progressive fashion with a clearly defined goal, achieving a six pack is possible. You can also see progress in core strength and aesthetics to keep you motivated, the same way you can see strength gains. Rippe may define a strong squat as 1000lbs, so if a person can clearly define what they consider a six pack, why can’t we consider it a viable goal?
Strength is very important in athletic performance, but at the end of the day there are “some” people that just don’t want to look like a 1000lb squatter, and don’t think that would be the most effective way to train for their sport.
John, Rip speaks not of a 1,000lb squat or the look of one in this quote, please reread. The point of this quote is "performance" - nowhere does it speak specifically to strength. Performance is the most important aspect and most effective goal to train for in any sport. And stop looking for interweb arguments at night when you should sleeping to recover for performance.
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