Should I Cut

[JamieT93]

I remember, a long time ago, right after I read SS:BBT3 and got my first gym membership. Being a nerd my whole life, I was apprehensive to walk into a gym for the first time, being totally inexperienced. But I'd studied the material closely, and felt that I was reasonably prepared with the knowledge to try to teach myself correct form for the lifts. I remember how I looked around the gym, surprised to see so many people doing everything so very incorrectly. I thought to myself, how can this be? Are they even trying? Do they know what correct form is supposed to be? Have they made any attempt to educate themselves whatsoever? I shook my head, and got around to my business.

As I was in the process of teaching myself the deadlift, being studious to remember common cues (that I had read in the book) such as "don't roll the bar", "don't drop the hips", and most importantly, "keep the spine in tight extension", a wise-looking old bearded gentleman caught my attention. "I've some advice for you, son" he said. I was taken aback, but not wanting to seem rude, I listened. He told me "you know, you really shouldn't do deadlifts. I used to do deadlifts, when I was young. I deadlifted real heavy. Then one day I threw my back out. Never been the same since. Still hurts". I considered him, as I mulled over his story. I looked around the gym, and noticed the several other people deadlifting with their terrified-cat spinal positions. Lightbulb! I suggested to my newfound sage "maybe you deadlifted heavy without making sure your back was in the correct, healthy position? Maybe deadlifting with severe uncontrolled spinal flexion is bad for the back, but deadlifting heavy with tight spinal extension is good for the back?". He just smiled at me, shook his head, and limped off. As I watched him walk away, I had to admit that he really did look like his back hurt.

I decided that I would shun his shrewd advice, and continue to deadlift anyway. But, I knew that I did not want to end up like him. So I decided that I would try very, very hard to make sure I was deadlifting correctly, always ensuring my spine was tightly held in correct extension. In order to verify this, I decided to video all of my own sets, all the time, and study the recordings closely. I am pleased to report that this tactic worked well. I have never hurt my back in the gym, and indeed, my back has never felt better since I started training a little over a year ago.

But, alas, it was all for nothing. Because here, today, right now, I felt 3 of my discs herniate themselves just by watching your video.

[CommanderFun]

You need squat depth bad, dude. I don't think you are even loading your hamstrings at all. Get those knees out. Lower your weight and work on your form.

[stef]

Get those knees out. Lower your weight and work on your form.

Specifically, start with the unweighted part of the teaching progression and then to the empty bar for your first warm up set. Film that. Make sure it is below parallel. Then on to the next set. You need to be below parallel for every set and make sure you do not change to partial squats as the weight gets heavier.

Things will work better if you switch to shorts/pants that do not bind you up.

[Robert Santana]

We have an answer for you now. Definitely do not cut since you have not done the program. Get your hips up, lift your chest up as tight as possible until your back, arms, and hands are completely extended, then pull your set of 5. I'm not sure if you can fix it at this weight but if you film your warm ups and work up you'll identify which load your form breaks down and correct it from there. In this case you have artificially weak squats and poor deadlift technique. Now go fix it and we can discuss body composition goals later.

[CommanderFun]

Really I'd say just reread the deadlift and squat chapters of the book in their entirety. Take notes if you have to.

[Szymon]

With all of this free content that can be found on YouTube, main page and this forum. With all of this free stuf that could actualy make someone to question the decision on buying the books, there is someone who dares to post a squat video with 1/3 of the depth. And what the SS Team do ? They are ready to help.

SS Team - I admire your patience.