T Nation - Dangerously Softcore

[Kuytrider]

As you guys said, you don't need to deadlift 700+ yourself, you just need to point out the number of clients you have that can deadlift 700+, squat 600+ etc and have done so under your watch.

[Shorts]

I agree with Steve, I wasn't trying to say that a good coach/expert/guru has to have legendary or even great lifters. It is the fact that they can take any person from their own Point A and get them to where they want to be, Point B. You're always going to have specialists in this world that a great at teaching one thing, but those a minimal compared to the number of coaches that are good at taking someone and getting them to their desired goals.

I don't feel like the authors of those articles or information they provide is going to do that. There is my issue with what is coming out over there.

[DieselWeasel]

Originally Posted by Tannhauser

Having great lifts or an impressive physique does not a guru make either.

I see this argument all the time - that if someone doesn't look the part then their advice can't be any good. It seems to be applied by bodybuilders and some powerlifters more than in any other field.

I wonder how many of the great boxing coaches had great fight records themselves? Being a good coach,or having an understanding of how something works, is a different skillset to being able to excel at something yourself - especially at a top level.

It's that suspicion of book learnin' that isn't shared by many other sports - runners, cyclists, track athletes embrace the qualifications, and they profit from it. A top cyclist wouldn't care how fast his strength coach could cycle.

Only in our field would someone look at an author with a stellar academic record, and a successful clientele, someone who has devoted years to systematically studying strength and muscle, and say 'yeah, but how much does he deadlift?'

It's a bit like saying, 'Yeah, just because Robert Ressler has a PhD in Criminology doesn't make him an expert on serial killers. I mean how many people has this dude actually killed?'

I'm a book-worm myself. I think you should have the knowledge AND the in-the-trenches experience with a barbell before proclaiming to be an authority in the stuff that makes me elite. At least Rippetoe competed in powerlifting and put up some respectable numbers before becoming a damn good coach.

I'm not advocating people take the advice of some random gym-rat just because he's strong and muscular, but I will -always- ask how much the self-styled gurus (T-Nation and elsewhere) can deadlift. LOL

[Tannhauser]

Originally Posted by DieselWeasel

I'm a book-worm myself. I think you should have the knowledge AND the in-the-trenches experience with a barbell before proclaiming to be an authority in the stuff that makes me elite. At least Rippetoe competed in powerlifting and put up some respectable numbers before becoming a damn good coach.

I'm not advocating people take the advice of some random gym-rat just because he's strong and muscular, but I will -always- ask how much the self-styled gurus (T-Nation and elsewhere) can deadlift. LOL

Good post. It always seem to me that many lifters are less patient with research than in other sports - but as I haven't got experience of other sports, maybe I'm wrong.

[DieselWeasel]

Originally Posted by Tannhauser

Good post. It always seem to me that many lifters are less patient with research than in other sports - but as I haven't got experience of other sports, maybe I'm wrong.

No, you're probably right about that. However, I think there's too much paralysis by analysis in strength sports and those who do recreational lifting.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by DieselWeasel

However, I think there's too much paralysis by analysis in strength sports and those who do recreational lifting.

I think if we put together a "Beginners 10 Commandments" it would include, thou shalt abhor paralysis by analysis.