Dr. El-Hewie Forum

[Mohamed F. El-Hewie]

Starting Strength (Paperback)
by Mark Rippetoe (Author), Lon Kilgore (Contributor)


2/5 stars Too much to do about trivial movements. Back alley improvisation of strength training.

The blurring of the individual contributions of each of the two authors of the book raises many questions. The main author who acts as the mentor of trainers seems to have used the credentialed coauthor for the sake of gaining academic credence. The cooperation of the two authors crumbles, with the main author making many mistakes and exposing his lack of knowledge on many aspects of functional anatomy.

Furthermore, the main author’s lack of literal experience is prevalent in this book in the form of redundant illustrations and lack of focus on conveying his concepts. The author’s claim to professionalism in exercise, conditioning, and strength is narrowed to the improvisation of trivial movements of lifting with no demonstrated evidence of understanding progressive incremental training. The entire book deals with body-to-barbell arrangement during lifting and overlooks the advances made in the field of skillful resistance training. The latter requires trainees to learn through modeling and practice rather than through intrusive and restrictive coaching.

Most of the anatomical figures presented in the book serve no good purpose other than attempting to relate to scientific display. The author’s unwarranted criticism to orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, and trainers demonstrates displacing his own frustration on other specialized professionals.

The following are some of the pitfalls of the book.

Chapter on “Strength: Why and How”:
The author states that the two element of coaching are: identification of correct movement and understanding of the athlete’s experience and that coaching develops through practice. That shows the author’s underestimation of the need for standardized education in the field of human biology in order to comprehend the multidisciplinary knowledge involved in strength training. On page 12, the author made the erroneous statement that the methods of teaching barbell exercises have been developed over 25 years in the commercial business industry. That dismisses the century-old Olympic Games that included weightlifting since 1896.

Chapter on “Squat”:
The book claims that partial squat causes forward shear on the patella without the hamstrings opposing quadriceps and that causes problem. It also claims that deep squat stretches stresses glutes and hamstrings more than partial squat. That assertion dismisses the main problem with partial squat in wearing and tearing the most used (during daily activities) surface of the knee cartilages. The deep squat requires lower barbell weight and uses the least used surface of the knee cartilage.

The book further errs on the role of adductors in the knees-out position during squat. It assumes that the pelvic adductors are more active in such spread knee squatting while it overlooks the tighter glutes and tensor fascia latae in that position.

The book further advocates the Powerlifting-style position of the bar below the spine of scapula instead of the weightlifting-style on the traps claiming that better arm-leverage is achieved that way. Yet, the lower position of the bar in the squat is not only dangerous but also traumatic for the shoulders and the chest cage. The compressed scapulas, due to the lower positioning of the bar during squat, stabs the ribs in the back and causes unwarranted trauma to the back of the chest.

The book further advocates the grip of the thumb-on-top of the bar with the four fingers during squat which defies the common wisdom of using a full grip and resisting the barbell from totally falling over the torso. With the top-thump grip, the barbell falls solely on the torso while the hands pull down furthermore on the bar and aggravate the stress on the scapulas.

Few anatomical mistakes are made on the unbalanced forces on intervertebral discs and the roles of the Hamstrings position of the low back position. The author seems to be at loss on how the intervertebral (spinal) discs act as cushioning pads while the intervertebral joints transmit forces. Similarly, the hamstrings do not act directly on the lower back. Other anatomical mistakes are made on the origin of the biceps femoris which has a short head originating from the femur, not only from the ischial tuberosity. Another mistake is made on the origin of the Sartorius, Tensor fascia latae, and the Rectus femoris by claiming that the three originate from the anterior superior iliac spine. Two of them originate from the iliac crest and the anterior inferior iliac spine and upper margin of acetabulum.

Many of the figures are repeated wastefully such as those that show straps and hand grips. There are four pages on belts, wraps, shoes, and clothing in this chapter alone.

On page 60, the author ventures into rough waters by claiming that skull volume-limit opposes the cerebral vascular pressure and the two pressures stabilize vessel structure rather than predispose them to rupture, Figure 59. That exposes the author’s lack of knowledge about the nature of cerebral vascular accidents, in which arterial vessels might suffer from aneurysms or other deformities that give away under undue pressure.

Chapter on “The Bench Press”:
This chapter contains no single word on the effect of the bench press of the inner chest or shoulder muscles such as the Serratus anterior or the subscapularis. Those are the muscles that maintain chest cage support and shoulder anchoring during the bench press.

Chapter on ‘”The Deadlift”:
Entails the same obsession of the author with the idea of chest-up butts-out and kinesthetic awareness. It further shows the intrusive nature of flawed coaching on page 119, of walking the trainee down into correct starting position by holding his low back and chest all the way to the bar.

The book again errs by claiming on page 131, that unnecessary arching (lordosis) asymmetrically loads the spine to the posterior and precipitates intervertebral disc injury. That defied the anatomical fact that spinal disc are only strained during rounding and not during lordosis. Tell that to the wrestlers.

Chapter on “The Press”:
Errs by claiming on page 150 that the upper back muscles spinal erectors contract and thus elevate the rib cage. That defies anatomical fact that the rib cage elevates by a system of muscles attached to the ribs and clavicles and not through the spinal erection. The two scalene, sternomastoid, pectoralis minor, anterior serratus, and intercostals muscles are the main movers of the chest cage.

Chapter on “The Power Clean”:
Placing this chapter at the end of the book shows the author’s remoteness from experienced strength training. The author’s claim that the power Clean converts the strength obtained in the other exercises to power is unrealistic. Explosive lifting and coordination could not gained from powerlifting training but rather by starting and focusing on the Clean. Furthermore, the author advises the lifter on page 174 with trying to jump off the ground with the bar. That violates the basics mechanics of stability. The vertical thrust propagates from the mid-feet through the ankles, knees, and hips through tight conduit of chain of forces and jumping compromises the upper body mobility when the body base is unstable.
_________________
Dr. Mohamed F. El-Hewie.
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training"
http://www.lift-4-life.com

[sjaak smorenburg]

Thank you for this elaborate review, Mohamed

Sjaak

[Ville]

Thank you, Mohamed, very interesting and refreshing review. I will certainly try Back Squat with a different technique next time. Any comments about the "Power Clean" chapter?

[Mohamed F. El-Hewie]

Ville, I added it here. Thank you for the quick catch.
_________________
Dr. Mohamed F. El-Hewie.
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training"
http://www.lift-4-life.com

[Mohamed F. El-Hewie]

Thank you for writing to Amazon.com.

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_________________
Dr. Mohamed F. El-Hewie.
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training"
http://www.lift-4-life.com

[sjaak smorenburg]

Happily we have your unedited review.

Sjaak

[Mohamed F. El-Hewie]

Happily, there are readers who put up with my extreme views.

On criticizing the work of others, it is problematic to weigh the pros and cons of taking an offensive approach versus an appeasing one or to refrain from both.

The offensive approach brings plenty of after rain in the form of dejection in some and relief in others. Some people jump into the conclusion of jealous rivalry and self promotion. Some people feel that they would have said what I said had they have a chance to do so.

The appeasing approach does not motivate authors to change and corrupts the profession on the long term. Taking the heat from an aggressive reviewer might be painful on the short term but might compel others to do better and search harder.

Refraining from any comment is the trend of the masses which I was not destined to follow on many fronts. I rather sit back and ask the why, how, and where in search for more light than maintain the status quo.
_________________
Dr. Mohamed F. El-Hewie.
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training"
http://www.lift-4-life.com