Kenny couldn’t sleep on his left side for 10 months after a skiing injury. His doctor told him his muscles were weakening from babying the injury. Within a month of training at Starting Strength Houston, Kenny’s shoulder improved so much he completely forgot about the skiing accident.
But the real surprise wasn’t his shoulder healing, it was what happened to his mental health. At 42, Kenny went through some of the hardest times in his personal life. At that point, Strength training became the thing that carried him through.
Stacie has been training at Starting Strength Boise through her entire pregnancy. The first trimester was rough, but she kept showing up and doing what she could, and it paid off every time. She worked back up to 70-80% of her max weights, building strength to prepare her body for labor. The time under tension and stress recovery she practiced with the barbell trained her muscles for exactly what happens during delivery, and squatting turned out to be one of the best movements for preparing her body for the physical demands ahead.
A Parent’s Strength: Support for Disabled Children | Stronger is Better Podcast #14
In this powerful episode of the Stronger is Better Podcast, Nick Delgadillo is joined by UK-based client and father James Collinge to discuss how strength training has transformed his life—not just in the gym, but in parenting a disabled child.
James shares how barbell training prepared him physically and mentally for the unpredictable demands of caring for his autistic son, and how strength offers freedom, control, and peace of mind in even the most chaotic moments. Whether you’re a parent, a coach, or someone seeking a deeper reason to train, this episode is a must-listen.
00:00 – Intro: Meet James Collinge 01:45 – Training overview and coaching relationship 06:00 – Programming simplicity and advanced progress 09:00 – Current lifts and Dinnie Stones goal 13:20 – Grip work and unconventional lifting prep 18:56 – Specialization vs tradeoffs in strength 21:00 – Daily life with recovery, food, and structure 27:30 – How strength helps parenting a disabled child 30:30 – Real-life travel and care challenges 33:45 – Physical freedom and reduced anxiety 36:30 – Strength makes things easier—not just possible 38:11 – Strength changes social dynamics and confidence 40:40 – Controlling physical situations safely 43:41 – The emotional toll of high-stress parenting 46:00 – A message to parents of disabled children 48:33 – Capability = lower life stress 50:45 – Capability for the long haul: aging with responsibility 53:08 – It’s your responsibility to stay strong 55:00 – Final reflections and future of Starting Strength Gyms
Rose couldn’t stand up from a chair without using her hands after multiple falls that sent her to the emergency room. Her daughter Emily gave her a Starting Strength Austin gift card for Mother’s Day, but Rose had second thoughts about whether she could handle it. The Coaches met Rose exactly where she was and made the modifications she needed. Now she has her confidence back and people notice the difference.
Fighting the Lust for Comfort | Stronger is Better Podcast #13
In this episode of the Stronger is Better Podcast, Nick Delgadillo shares a talk he delivered at the Starting Strength Cincinnati Member event in August 2025.
This talk dives deep into the consequences of modern comfort, the transformative value of hard physical effort, and the role of barbell training in reclaiming your physical existence. Nick outlines how stress, recovery, and adaptation aren’t just for strength gains — they’re foundational to becoming a better human.
He also explores the three dimensions of capability: intelligence, connection with others, and connection with your physical body — and how barbell training uniquely activates all three.
If you’re looking for meaning in your training — or need a reminder of why it matters — this is the episode to watch.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: The power of community at SS Cincinnati 02:00 – Why strength training is still underrated 05:00 – Better people through hard physical things 07:00 – Stress–Recovery–Adaptation and the S.A.I.D. principle 10:20 – Why lifting gets harder, and why that’s the point 13:00 – Accumulated stress and managing recovery 16:00 – Why performance is non-negotiable 18:00 – The “Three Capabilities” model: Mind, connection, body 21:00 – Why physical capability is a human-level multiplier 25:00 – Strength training as a humbling and clarifying process 28:00 – The law of diminishing returns in real time 30:00 – Why you don’t need to quit lifting for cardio 33:00 – Understanding the physical spectrum 36:00 – Bigger muscles = health, longevity, and looking better 40:00 – Why barbells are the most disruptive and accessible tool 43:00 – Three ingredients for happiness (from Matt Larsen) 46:30 – “The lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul” 48:00 – Final thoughts and closing quote from Rip
JD Shipley never felt as strong as someone his size should be, despite trying different approaches. After discovering Starting Strength and helping friends with their training, he realized during his daily commute that he wanted to help people get stronger full-time. He left his oil and gas engineering career to open Starting Strength Houston and later expanded to Katy.
Stop Screwing up your Novice Linear Progression | Stronger is Better Podcast #12
In this episode, Nick Delgadillo and Ray Gillenwater revisit one of the most important topics in barbell training: the Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression (NLP). Originally recorded in 2021, this conversation outlines everything you need to know about the NLP — from day one in the gym to transitioning into intermediate programming.
Whether you’re brand new to strength training or getting back under the bar after a layoff, this episode will help you understand how to approach programming with confidence.
Topics covered: • What actually makes someone a “novice” lifter • Why you should not overcomplicate your early training • Programming for each lift: squat, press, bench, and deadlift • How to know when to adjust your program — and how • Why most people change things too early (and fail) • How NLP builds confidence and transforms lives
Key quote: “The change that you actually need to make is probably much smaller than the one you will want to make. So make the small change and then keep progress going.”
00:00 – Intro: Why this episode matters 01:08 – What is the Starting Strength NLP? 06:45 – Basic structure: MWF training, lift rotation 12:58 – Deadlift: When & how to adjust 31:38 – Consistency, recovery, and form checklist 34:24 – Press progression strategies 47:00 – Bench press variants based on lifter profile 50:00 – Squat as the program driver 55:00 – Top set + backoffs, then one weekly PR 59:39 – Avoiding failure and staying consistent 01:05:55 – Final mindset & success advice
Tony spent five years doing yoga and 5Ks, frustrated he wasn’t getting stronger. When he asked his instructors what else they were doing, he found out they were secretly adding deadlifts and curls. This led him to discover the Starting Strength Method, which became personal when he coached his mother during chemo and MS treatments and saw the positive impact it made in her everyday life.
Instead of traditional physical therapy focused on preventing complications, strength training helped her cook meals and move around independently. Now as Head Coach at Starting Strength Houston, Tony works with people who can sometimes struggle just to walk through the door, helping them build strength that changes their daily lives.
A Stronger Chassis for Everest with David “Ghost” Phillips | Stronger Is Better Podcast #11
On this episode of the Stronger is Better Podcast, Nick talks with David “Ghost” Phillips, a retired Navy veteran, mountaineer, and member at Starting Strength San Antonio. David shares his journey from the Appalachian Trail to summiting Mount Everest, his battle with frostbite, and his ambitious “Project 327”—the pursuit of the Triple Crown of hiking and the Explorers Grand Slam.
We dive into: • Why strength training was the key to his success on Everest • The dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, from avalanches to frostbite • How strength provides the foundation for endurance, longevity, and survival in extreme environments • David’s mission to support Disabled American Veterans through his expeditions
Follow David’s journey and support his project: https://www.grandexplorerscrown.com/
00:00 Intro – Welcome + guest intro 00:43 Who is David “Ghost” Phillips? 01:14 Navy career, trail name & Starting Strength San Antonio 01:45 Why barbell training for Everest 02:51 Becoming a climber & mountaineer 03:53 The Triple Crown of Hiking explained 05:27 Appalachian Trail experience after Navy retirement 07:43 Continental Divide reality & challenges 08:48 Hiking solo vs. trail family 10:20 Pack weight, food & survival tradeoffs 12:23 Mountaineering vs. climbing 15:07 Why Everest required more preparation 16:53 Building a bigger chassis + overcoming hip injury 18:31 Endurance vs. strength on big mountains 22:05 Surviving Everest & making it down 23:42 Dangers of Everest – fatalities, team responsibility 25:20 The Khumbu Icefall 28:08 Avalanches & rockfall hazards 29:48 Frostbite & altitude risks 31:20 Everest vs. South America & Alaska expeditions 32:57 Expedition logistics, videographer & documentary 34:42 Training at Starting Strength San Antonio 36:56 TRT & recovery 37:28 Barbell progression – squat & deadlift 39:37 Combining lifting & trail running 41:22 Re-baselining strength for longevity 44:12 Trail running performance after lifting 46:30 Running heavier – 185 lbs vs. 155 lbs 47:41 Training phases – barbell, Everest plan, altitude work 50:56 Confidence & health from strength 52:28 The summit experience on Everest 54:38 Team effort & Sherpa support 01:01:23 Frostbite & helicopter medevac 01:05:30 Hyperbaric recovery & losing toes 01:09:11 Project 327 – Triple Crown + Seven Summits + Poles 01:12:55 Upcoming goals – Antarctica, PCT, documentary 01:15:04 Returning to barbells post-frostbite 01:17:53 Supporting Disabled American Veterans 01:19:28 Outro & website plug – grandexplorerscrown.com
John spent years as a competitive Muay Thai fighter, but age was catching up and he was losing ground to younger opponents. He tried sport-specific training, kettlebells, and CrossFit, but everything left him more injured than strong.
When he finally searched “how do I get strong” and found Starting Strength Houston, he gained 10 pounds of muscle in three months and saw his martial arts performance improve dramatically. The method worked so well that he started coaching it to everyone he knew, eventually moving to Houston to become a certified Starting Strength Coach.
