Overall pain after starting SS

[bd4sh]

Hi Rip,
I'm getting bad pain in my groin, shoulders (started cracking when I do dips and just randomly when I rotate it), and knees. I seem to have a dominant leg when squatting which could be the cause of my pain. Since starting SS I've noticed I've got really bad shoulder flexibility and holding onto the bar behind my neck caused my shoulder pain.

I'll post a video of my squat below and I'd be very appreciative if you could tell me where I'm going wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2x2tyfUcI

I appologise for the quality of the video

Thanks

[Ello]

Before we get to your video a couple of things you should do before you post on this forum

1) Read the stickies on each forum. They'll teach you certain things that you SHOULD know before you post. For example, camera angle: preferbably, we shoot from a 45 degree angle so we can see proper depth, knee angle, and back angle.

2) Did you buy the book (Starting Strength)? I ask because your squat lacks the most fundamental part of a lowbar squat - it's in a high bar position. If you did not, please consider purchasing it. Mark provides us with so many FREE resources on his forum; the least we can do as part of the community is support him through the purchase of his books. Also, it's THE BOOK. The basics you need to know about the 5 lifts (Squat, Deadlift, Press, Bench, Power Clean) are in that book!

3) Joint pain. Joint pain can arise from a multitude of reasons: bad form, genetically weaker soft tissue integrity, previous injuries, and just the wear and tear of age. In order to understand why you have joint pain we would need more than a single video.

Lifting background
Age
BW
Previous History of Joint pain or injuries
etc

Please, take the time to carefully read through these forums, the stickies, old posts (There's a search function on the top right hand corner of the screen), and the book before you post again.

[Gunnhild Bruno]

I'm getting bad pain in my[...]

Do you have experience with sport and exercise? Please don’t take offense; not everybody who starts SS has had previous athletic experience, and a lot of people mistake normal muscle soreness and routine aches and pains for something more serious.

I seem to have a dominant leg when squatting[...]
I've noticed I've got really bad shoulder flexibility[...]

These are common problems that have been extensively discussed. Use the search function
http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=15737
and search terms like “asymmetry”, “shoulder flexibility”, etc.

I'll post a video of my squat below and I'd be very appreciative if you could tell me where I'm going wrong.

First, before we get into a long post about your squat, have you read the book? I ask because you have quite a few errors that generally are made by people who haven’t read the book.

Secondly, better video would be helpful, especially an additional side angle shot. Here are TomC’s instructions on how to film your lifts:
http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=16744

[bd4sh]

No sorry I've not read the book, I'm a typical broke student, hope you understand.
I'll appologise again about the angle and quality of my video, it wasnt originally shot for the purpose of going on this forum, so I applogise.

I've no real previous experience, I started squatting when I started SS, that was on the 27th Feb 2011. And I didnt play any sports competitively enough to get any serious injuries.

Age: 18
BW: 80kg
Height: 6ft
No previous injuries

Sorry for my arrogance in not posting correctly

Thanks for the replies

[MikeC1]

spar's not always so nice. Buy and read the fucking book, it's not expensive. PROTIP: get Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity while you're at it.

[Gunnhild Bruno]

Give up a night of beer drinking and get the book. Read it and fix everything in your squat. Take more and better video at that time and post in the technique area of the forum.

And even if you do everything right, your shit will hurt in the beginning. This is what happens when you apply novel stresses to the body. In the case of the squat, ALL your shit will hurt.

[Roland Conde]

Buy the book. These are really fundamental issues all answered there in very extensive detail. The book + squat shoes are the best investment you can make in lifting for now.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

I looked at the squat and it didn't seem to be that bad. a 45 degree angle would be better. Drive your knees out, they are caving at the bottom.

If you find that you have poor shoulder flexibility, then you have found something you need to work on. Try widening your grip on the bar while you work on this.

Dips are not in the program. If you do dips, you cannot come back and say the program didn't work. However, if you are going to do dips, make sure you are not letting your shoulders come up as you do them. SHoulders should held in the same position they are in when standing with good posture or pushed down. THey should NOT raise up toward your ears.

[Gunnhild Bruno]

Also, when you're ready to post again, don't forget to describe your diet. A big cause of aches and pains from not recovering correctly is insufficient food.