As somebody relatively new to personal training I have a lot of difficulty understanding what would be a good starting point for somebody new, specially with more compound lifts like the squat and RDLs. Testing 1RM seems to me to be too dangerous for a beginner (maybe I'm overestimating the dangers?) and at submaximal efforts I have problems assessing what's the real RPE. Does somebody have general advice? How do you make a first assessment with compound lifts?

I was talking with a strength coach who went to a starting strength seminar and he was talking about how it was better to squat in this position (see image) rather then ass to grass as it utilizes the stretch reflex more. Just curious if you guys would agree with this?

Where do weighted jump variations fall within your guys' plyometric toolbox? Is it something you utilize often or more something that is a case by case scenario? I lean heavily on Matt Watson's plyo continuum/classification and I know he will utilize them in deep tier for coordination/COM control - but what about higher performance outcomes/perhaps GRF work? Thanks!

Thought I’d leave this here for everyone, especially thought @Angus Bradley would like this. Probably the most lucid argument I’ve ever seen Rip make (and I’m a huge Rip apologist). “I’ll go out on a limb here and say that Olympic lifters should probably learn to back squat with a low bar position, since it allows the use of heavier weights. After all, why do Olympic lifters do the back squat? It is not a contested lift. The front squat is another exercise anyway. The vertical back angle of the Olympic squat is not reproduced in the pull of either the snatch or the clean. It’s like trying to make the back squat into a slightly different version of the front squat. But that misses the point of the back squat. Olympic lifters squat to get their hips, legs, trunk, and back strong, like everybody else does.”

Hey Angus! Might I know how would u suggest to improve the front rack position. I seems lack of shoulder flexion and wrist extension mobility on my right side. When I did the FR position, I felt my right wrist is stressful and tight.