assistance exercises

[mikefromnola]

Coach, thank you for all your work. I got SS from the Crossfit board and have had the book for 3 months, and I don't think day has gone by that I have not picked it up and learned something. I'm 37 years old, 5'10" and have gone from 150 to 166 today after 6 weeks of the program. Work sets are squat 215, press 105, bench 150, deads 260. I love it, but I have a couple questions.
I want to do some ab work, as I feel like that's going to start holding me back on the squat and press soon. Also shrug high pulls would help me for power cleans, but here's the thing. I am WHIPPED after deads and cleans. No gas left. Can I do assisance work on off days, or should I just stick w/ the basic work?
On the press, my left elbow seems to stray out to the side. Should both elbows be in a staight line pointing ahead on the way up, or is it ok for a little push out to the side?
Thanks in advance Rip or any other knowledgeble board members!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Work the abs into your warmup for the whole workout. Keep the assistance exercises out of it for a while longer, since you seem to be getting plenty of work from the basic movements and your lifts are still going up. Your elbows should move symmetrically in all pressing movements, and if they don't they need to be fixed. Asymmetry of movement will lead to asymmetry of development, so back up to a weight that can be done with perfect form and go back up from there.