How to pick stuff up | Mark Rippetoe

Mark Rippetoe, author of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, shows you how to avoid a back injury by explaining the proper and safest way to pick up non-barbell shaped objects at home and at work.
Find a Coach: startingstrength.org/site/coa...
Starting Strength Gyms: www.startingstrengthgyms.com
Find an affiliate: startingstrength.com/gyms/aff...
Become a Starting Strength Coach: startingstrength.com/careers
Starting Strength Online Coaching: startingstrengthonlinecoachin...

[@miguelrmusic]

I need Rip's voice in my car's navigation system. Make it happen

[@jfalken86]

Turn left on Michigan DRAAAHVE

[@MrTrenttness]

mrodr008 Does that mean my navigation will be calling me a sissy for needing to ask it for directions :)

[@herr_k69]

Just exactly like that

[@fsmoura]

On my RipNav system, no matter what I set my destination to, I keep always ending up on 585 HIP DRV.

[@folksurvival]

With Clint Eastwood and an Orangutan for corners: "Right turn Clyde".

[@DanManThePurple]

Ever since I’ve watched this video. I’ve been picking up things left and right! My house has never been in such tip top shape and I’ve lost 25 pounds!! My wife left me

[@thexguard9492]

Your wife was mad you couldn’t pick her up

[@dextermorgan7764]

You mean your husband left you

[@xXEvangelXx]

Can rip teach us how to pick up a gf?

[@gradydyck3684]

More plates, more dates.

[@encryptedwolf7623]

+Grady Dyck Truth

[@jdagilliland]

Start with a light one, and work your way up 5lb per date for as long as you can.

[@Are1i]

How many dates can I expect with a three plate squat? Correlation might not be 1to1.

[@dylansmith4677]

xXEvangelXx Why would you want to do that? Girlfriends steal your gains.

[@TheHaiku2]

You know it's gonna be good when he starts with "uncle Rippy."

[@bcobesi44]

Full power stance

[@thetruth5232]

Dat face in the beginning. gold.

[@RedSanjuro]

But Uncle Rip, how do I put stuff down?

[@dinhdatVN]

like you've always let your mother down.

[@TrempBoy2]

As if anybody could even lift his mother up in the first place

[@ahmadaldulaie7604]

Dat Dinh wow thats deep, Idk if I should laugh or feel sad xD

[@thebeatles9]

drop it from chest height then roar like a man for your lifting accomplishment

[@fsmoura]

just drop it

[@TrempBoy2]

4:45 - Just imagined Uncle Rippie collapsing on the floor in pain with a slipped disk after demonstrating how not to do it

[@lots3799]

Yelling F*ck!!!!!

[@ltheone]

I hurt my myself when I twisted my back while lifting a 25 kg onion sack. I cured it by working as a construction laborer for 3 months after having severe back pain for at least six months. I started lifting a few years after that and was able to squat and deadlift 2 times my bodyweight with no back pain whatsoever before busting my left knee playing ball with my son...

[@Caaarrl94]

just deadlifted my dog i want to pick him up so will attempt to power clean him next

[@aleidius192]

"How to pick stuff up" from the world's foremost authority!

[@ladev91]

Where did that viking man child come from

[@CaptJackAubreyOfTheRoyalNavy]

From the Halls of Valhalla.

[@fsmoura]

The frozen grim northern wastelands.

[@gradydyck3684]

Norway. Not some shithole country

[@MrEazyE357]

I think Rip made him.

[@GoalOrientedLifting]

He looks like he could be my brother

[@glockrtf-mj1gh]

Haha the best way not to get hurt at work is to let someone else pick up the heavy stuff

[@scottmoyer3854]

Lol.

[@michaelgarcia4364]

I have been a mover for over 10 yrs and I always have incorporated my lifting techniques in moving furniture. I can go up flights of stairs with 5 boxes on my back, completely over head press a recliner sofa to get around a corner, push a baby grand, standing piano up a ramp and take em up flights of stairs. Any how ever thing rip is saying is dead on like always! One more thing I have worked with guys who went to the gym and lifted, but could not last a day or weak as school girls compared to the old school movers who are drunks and do drugs and were hung over. It is pretty amazing

[@awakenyourmind1520]

Long time mover here as well, I've seen many big muscular guys last about an hour before you have to tell them to take a break while we pick up the slack. People think just because the guy is big that he's the ideal mover. I've worked with women movers who are under 180 pounds who can outlast them easily lifting heavy things.

[@JustinBobby-di9zt]

Probably the drugs

[@Whosyourdaddy21]

Adaptation is a wild thing. It just like farmer strength they may not have the biggest 1 rep max but they can move heavy stuff all day and barely break a sweat.

[@dimitarmihov7757]

Can you imagine a virtual companion / A.I. with Rip's voice AND character? It would be awesome...

[@dessertstorm7476]

the govt. posters don't advise the hip hinge either. They always advise you to squat all the way down and lift the whole thing with your legs. Stuff like this gets in the public consciousness and convinces people that deadlifting is a dangerous exercise.

[@zolboobatbold3792]

Couldn't agree more.

[@notablediscomfort]

And people do dumb things like squat on the balls of their feet, completely discarding stability, which is much worse than an awkward but managable weight.

[@XxfinalfearxX]

Uncle Rippey touching us with profound knowlege on this day. Different from your other uncles, this uncle wants you to tell your mom and dad how he touched you, so mom and dad dont get low back pain.

[@XxMsrSzprzxX]

Its literally exactly 3AM right now and I'm watching a video on how to pick something up off the floor.

[@xxFR12]

i feel like this is one of je the major reasons why anyone would benefit of learning the deadlift. it teaches you how to always keep your spine safe and how to lift efficiently for the rest of your life!!

[@3nder93]

I need more uncle Rip in my life.

[@ZeGreatBamboozle]

Got a piano and a stand-up bass in the back? Rippetoe and the Company performs after the gym closes?

[@willwyatt7023]

With Mark on trumpet. Cool

[@CeroAshura]

Rippetoe does sound like a jazzy name so who knows.

[@erebus79]

Thank you for your wisdom, uncle Rippie.

[@nemanjaradeta1541]

A very important overlooked life skill

[@dkahler82]

Lol at "the government"

[@sleepteam]

He’s right.

[@alias8088]

He's right.

[@HelloMF_7.62]

He’s right.

[@ronin4160]

He's right.

[@dude157]

Health and safety dictates that you should not lift more than 25kg. Irrespective of whether or not you can power clean five times that weight.

[@markjohnson206]

i like your songs

[@monsterbarbell8306]

Sam Smith H&S would shit its pants seeing me carry 3 to 4 cement bags at once and trust me it may "only" be 75 to 100kg but its the closest thing to a stone youll ever get without a stone. I can strongman whilst I work 😁

[@KoreyAusTex]

Andrea Bonanno what do you mean by “jog to stay in shape”?

[@obits3]

A man that can clean five times 25kg will certainly be able to lift that 25kg more times without fatigue setting in to compromise form. Further, that 25kg will move faster which can be useful if tossing is a part of the job.

[@onurbole7921]

That is too general. My grandmom couldn't lift 25 kg. If you can clean 5 times that weight and still should just lift 25 kg (I mean, if that is our reference point), then a sedentary female or skinny male should never lift more than 5 kg. If they are allowed to lift 25 kg, it makes no sense a lifter who can clean 175 kg should lift the same. Logic confronts what you claim that health and safety dictates.

[@butters742]

Yeah my back was aching from work today. Good timing on the video. I will use this advice Habitually at work Uncle Rip.

[@YingJwo]

I need to get one of those t-shirts. “Join the fight against muscular atrophy”. I love it.

[@benyben2009]

I love this man.

Maestro, as always!

[@r3n736]

I damage my lower back couple of times not by lifting something heavy but by sneezing in the shower.

[@johntrains1317]

What the fuck? How?! XD

[@zacharyempkey4080]

Seriously though. I’ve re-injured myself so many times from sneezing. It’s surprising how many of your muscles contract when you sneeze >.

[@yvestrembleau2396]

I talked to a former ballet dancer who broke two vertebrae in her lower back by sneezing. She's ok now but no more dancing

[@r3n736]

@@yvestrembleau2396 Some people may think you are been sarcastic by broken vertebrae by sneazing yet that actually does happen. They have to do the research.

[@r3n736]

​@@johntrains1317 Usually, it happens by standing in a bathtub that seems to happen caused by standing on its curved shape. It's strange since I have never damaged it by lifting weights.

[@michaelkarayan6652]

Hahaha "uncle Rippy is here". Excellent form on the captain Morgan pose, chief

[@thefox1703]

Outstanding instructional video!

[@adimanasi]

Very nicely explained.

[@willwyatt7023]

Noticed that I have the EXACT same model fan in my garage gym. I feel stronger already.

[@Uchikomatical]

Thank you Uncle Rippie

[@rfdc]

It's incredible how we, grown men, have to learn how to pick something heavy up from the floor. It always amazes me. What have we become?

[@reallygoodsnusnu]

What we already were, people have been getting herniated disk for ages.

[@Groet]

Can i use it to pick up girls?

[@lightning2436]

Martin Jonsson yeah but remember to use your legs and back in unison. Otherwise you'll get injured

[@Ronnie7X]

when they're in bondage? Yes.

[@CFH298]

Uncle Rippy 😁

[@jocaingles8464]

The cue "lift with your legs" helped me as a teen to maintain a straight fixed back position and engage my quads while I'd use mostly curved back otherwise

[@livestrongforever]

thank you

[@dominiquemousseautremblay1534]

Thanks for this excellent instructive video on how to pick stuff. Great advice. My question, is not about picking up stuff, it's about "pulling stuff". Had a BBQ stove on a dolly. I was alone. Had to pull the dolly up to the deck by way of a 7 step staircase. Let's say I was in the same position as if I was in a tug of war with 2 contenders, pulling 2 ropes. Arms extended. First steps were Ok, but at the last one, I felt an electric shock in my lower back. Just a subtle zip nothing more. That little zip made me stop everything. I was in pain! Led me to my bed for 2 days. What should I have done? Could you explain what I should've done. How about a video of a guy pulling a loaded dolly on a staircase. This is after all a chore that we often do when moving stuff around the house or helping friends moving

[@JacobGunter]

Agree Coach.

[@nickgebhardt4863]

OSHA new hire training program needs to license this video and play it in every work place environment

[@lukeeaton2364]

hey Ripp, if you need a hard-swinging prog-bop guitar slinger to form a trio with your bassist and pianist hit me up.

[@justanotheryoutubeviewer]

thank mr ripp

[@oliverallen5324]

mark is 100% correct.

[@Jake-jv9ff]

You da man🙌👊

[@lucas74533]

Wish i knew this earlier. I hurt my back pretty bad picking up my father from the ground. He uses a wheel chair and a certain day he fell off and as allways i had to pick him up. But that time, i hurt my back a lot, felt a lot of pain and after 6 months i still feel It. Even throug i could deadlift something about 140+ Kilos, i hurt my back by picking someone who has about 105/110 kilos.

[@kcoerr]

Rip needs to be an option for a voice on voice on Waze. How hilarious would that be.

[@CJHan]

I laughed right at "Hi boys and girls".

[@jokecukie]

Could you train with rotational excercises to prevent an injury when you have no choice (catching a fallen child for example)?

[@davidkam4398]

Please make one about how to put stuff down, I've been holding the same thing for two years I still don't know what to put it down

[@vinayms1332]

I was constantly imagining he say "get a hair front" "a tad back" "not quite my position" and go full whiplash.

[@carleynorthcoast1915]

Saved to my "funny comments" playlist

[@laurenjill4810]

Could you demonstrate how to properly load heavy items into and out of the trunk of a car? I do this for my job and am always straining my back.

[@SjaakadeliC]

I've always wanted an uncle named Rip.

[@Iceman-xe7jo]

The problem I have with all the theories today in lifting objects involving the spine is “they” are concerned with holding the spine in an isometric state. At no point in your day is the spine seldom held in an isometric state. The issue with that is the spine is a highly moveable joint and I understand their theory but why not strengthen it in all planes and angles of motions vs a very narrow degree. Rip often talks about load progression the same idea can be applied to whatever angle and force one places their spine. There are intervertebral muscles in between the vertebrae that are not specifically receiving the same amount of load as some of the other erector spinae that are more just vertical. The whole spine must be strengthened as any other spinal muscles.

[@anacharsis93]

this was a public service message from rip. and a good one! listen to rip, meatheads

[@00Noontide]

thanks for the great content!

[@huygfc4257]

true. holding your breath gives you about 3 seconds of the ultimate strength of your body.

[@Alex-lu3pn]

8:09 What does he mean by keeping your spine still while in flexion. I understand while it's in extension, but if it's in flexion won't you have to extend it?

[@darthghitza8037]

it's ok to extend it as long as you don't twist it.

[@nobodyanyways8933]

I’m a mechanic, everything I can find is about picking up something box shaped but I’m in bed right now with pulled lower back muscles and I can’t find anything on how to pick up an 80 pound hummer wheel safely 4 times per one car without almost throwing my back out every time

[@thecosmy1]

I like the little twitches that he has in his arms, looks like he is ready to lift every time.

[@ethanallenhawley1052]

If you weren't in Texas I'd recommend how to shovel snow and not hurt your back. Just looking at the shovel does it for me...

[@Hempflakes]

As a CNA it sucks that im forced into bad positions where im forced into flexiob with rotation (ie pivoting patients/preventing falls)

[@tatts2000]

Uncle Rip explaining the toaster - Well first you have to understand in what axis the toaster is operating, well assuming that it has been set up correctly and if it has the toaster will observe that in both instances of movement the toast the movement is vertical both on the downward and upward portion that is to say the toast moves up and down (quick breath) therefore it only stands to reason that the toaster should also operate in this fashion to achieve the most efficient means of creating a clean toasting movement.

[@VegetoStevieD]

Just watching the intro put hair on my chest.

[@fsmoura]

my chest hair's chest grew some hair watching the intro

[@johnmarlon6916]

Uncle Rip tell us another story, please, please.

[@omkeeg]

Came for the tips on safely lifting things, stayed for the sight of the bull fiddle in the background.

[@NotSoLiberal]

So, the "bad" method is only less efficient? How would it lead to injuries then if the spine rigid?

[@malky736]

Can you do one on how not to feel anxious before lifting stuff? Should I just get an alpha to lift it for me?

[@johntrains1317]

Just man up. Everyone gets nervous, you gotta do it anyway.

[@seanmorrow7306]

Shout out to the cello in the back

[@anthonybrait3681]

If you lift something in flexion, do you remain in flexion even when upright? Or do you straighten at the stop of the movement? Thanks!

[@matcoddy6097]

no you use the correct muscles to extend the spine at that point

[@steelonius]

The biggest problem you can create for yourself is torsion. Twisting the spine while it is loaded is not ideal. Rippetoe did do a quick demonstration of that himself. My impression from this video is that flexion and extension of the spine are acceptable when there is no torsion and when loads are sub-maximal which they naturally will be due to the awkward nature of most objects that are not ergonomically designed to be lifted easily such as a barbell.

[@michaelbolen2118]

Could you say that this suggests lifting everyday objects more like sumo deadlift than conventional?

[@toopkarcher4941]

I get that spinal flexion is the main cause of back injury however is there a good explanation as to why?

[@bsteklov]

Loading the spine while the lumbar is curved leads to bulged disks..

[@sandeepshukla745]

Does he mean that spine can be still only if we drive up through the hips?

[@teamgitusome]

uncle rippy!!

[@AjaychinuShah]

Kind Epistemology lesson we received a Basic ver., then a Fundamental or The Standard. Obviously you know, now when is a Basic ver. The Standard? If any I may ask. Is there?

[@nachtwaandler]

Thanks for the Video. But I still do not know why a flexion is not dangerous and why everyone tries to lift straight if flexion is no problem..

[@theunboxed878]

I love how he say that how you hurt your back 😂 I don’t know why

[@SirNoobs]

Hi Rip, I'm not strong enough to pick up a box from that low. How do I periodize training to pick up a box of that size and height? Or should I do a daily progression and make the box lower each day I successfully complete the prescribed sets and reps?

[@luchadorito]

What is up with the piano and upright bass in the background? Rip doesn’t strike me as your average jazz player

[@JesusSaves454]

At 1:30 I laughed because rip CANT NOT SAY THE WORD ‘BAR’

[@greenyankee]

Rippetoe sounds like a normal human being at 1.5X speed on all of his videos, amazing.

[@andreiionescu520]

How do you shovel snow then?

[@steelonius]

This is what I do... Stand square with the snow you want to move and hinge with a flat back just like you move for a deadlift or clean. With a flat back and strong extension movement you can toss the snow straight behind you (i.e., throw it over your shoulder). This method is good if you have to toss the snow far or high. Alternatively, same consideration for the back but instead of standing up tall you can come up however far is necessary and then while keeping your back in the same position use your arms like pendulums to throw the snow to the side or forward (more of a 45 degree or whatever it is). Experiment with both over and under hand grip of whichever hand is nearest the shovel's end. If its powder you just throw it or if its heavy and wet then you can do a swing back and use the pendulum motion to help in the toss. You can start the whole thing with a pendulum motion of the empty shovel to help drive it into the heavier snow and I find this also helps with rhythm (swing, DRAHVE, swing, toss). Anyways, those are two variations I used without having any spinal torsion and have moved a lot of snow.

[@skan8]

Holy shit , there is a double bass in the corner !

[@sabisan6359]

It’s interesting how everyone bashes the sumo deadlift, but whenever we pick up a big enough object in everyday day life we spread our legs to get them out of the way and pick up with our arms INSIDE the legs. Couch, big boxes, stones even people. We cannot begin to lift until our legs are not in the path of the object. Maybe the sumo deadlift is a more natural deadlift? Maybe not? I don’t know. Thoughts?

[@maverickh9]

i think the issue is that the vast majority of people have underdeveloped spinal erectors and they're trying to make these recommendations with this in mind, to engage more quads and less back.

[@alfiewild356]

Unckie Rip!

[@robbyhoffmann2975]

Are you describing normal lumbar lordosis as extension? Neutral spine makes the facet joints completely flush to its surface areas. Spine needs to be a lever arm just like the femur. If the femur had 17 moveable bodies you wouldn't want them to budge.

[@robbyhoffmann2975]

There is a very common misconception of normal lumbar lordosis looking like extension. If you look at the facet joints they are not open or closed in normal lordosis so there is not an extension moment occurring. Not knowing the anatomy of the moving parts of the lumbar spine would immediately throw a flag and say that spine is extended. However it is not. The cue of extend your low back is really try to achieve normal positioning of your lumbar spine because your slumpy weak back sucks. Normal lumbar lordosis is not extension. Just like inflammation is not your enemy

[@rhopere]

Back to basics, I see

[@bigguy7353]

Lol. I know the point of the video, but my first thought was, "How To Pick Stuff Up: 1-Grasp object with the hands at the end of your arms. 2-Elevate said object to the required elevation. Video over." I'm just kidding, of course.

[@helloween76]

UNCLE RIPPY !!!!!!

[@JedClark]

Ok who plays upright bass at WFAC?

[@chenjerry1015]

just like deadlift

[@pedrovelasquez8680]

What if I have a butt wink?

[@kyledeutch1223]

dropped 45 seconds ago and I'm still not first

[@albertomartinez5444]

Hi chase 👋🏽

[@chaselindley6367]

Aj Martinez hey AJ

[@iamthelizardking6239]

Today I attempted to pickup a mopar 318 that was completed assembled....it never left the ground that damn thing is heavy 😂

[@morojkiller5418]

Conventional Pick-up vs Sumo Pick-up

[@rickbruner]

Geniuses make the things society deems so difficult and dangerous seem simple and innocuous. - ME