Video of my Squat, Bench and Deadlift. All critiques welcome

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don’t have the authority to kick you off this board, but if I did, I’d keep you out until you came back 30 pounds heavier and/or with an MRI and the results of lab tests designed to detect/rule out arthritic/degenerative disorders.

I realize you’re frustrated, and I want to sympathize, having dealt with very puzzling long-term knee trouble myself. But your shit is getting old. You’re chasing your tail in circles. You need to do something differently, something that we clearly cannot help you do over the Internet.

When a thoughtful person like Spar makes a suggestion like this, I have to give it some serious consideration.

[Misery]

When a thoughtful person like Spar makes a suggestion like this, I have to give it some serious consideration.

Funny, considering Spar's thoughtfulness is apparently lacking on the actual thought part. I like the unwarranted hostility and ridiculous accusations, when you have absolutely nothing to base them on. Bad posts? Not doing the program? And you base this on...what exactly? (Note this isn't directed at you, Rip. I've taken even your sarcastic responses somewhat seriously)

Now I'll admit that I've fucked up in areas while trying to get the most out of this program, and you haven't told me anything on that front that I'm not already aware of. I know this is a long time to be on a program, but to sit here and give me shit about things you literally have NO information on is absurd.

First of all, I'm a fucking college student with enough expenses to worry about without spending money on a MRI. Several different doctors have already told me that there's nothing structurally wrong with my knee. I've gotten a X-ray and received the same response, so I'm not getting a MRI unless I absolutely have to.

Second, what the hell else could have caused it but a squat form that was initially bad? You say I make "bad" posts, when I've pretty received some type of correction in nearly every topic. The very reason that my squat form seems to have no major flaws is because I consistently posted videos of it here and in the technique forum. If you want to call that bad, then fine. I don't give a fuck. Clearly I benefited long term, so that whatever I did wrong to cause these problems will not be a provoker of more nagging problems down the line.

Most importantly, you're just pulling shit out your ass when you sit at your computer and claim I'm not eating enough. Let me put some numbers down.

I started at 168-169 pounds. I stopped bulking at 215 pounds roughly. I think I ate properly. And I've only been cutting properly for literally less than two months tops. Where do you get the idea that I've been cutting for HALF A YEAR or something?

Okay, let me post some other stats now. Starting weights compared to where I hit on SS.

Squat: 135 -> 270
Deadlift: 135 -> 315
Bench: 90 -> 205 x 3
Press: 55 -> 125
Rows: 110 -> 185 x5

So don't sit here and claim I didn't do the program. You're right I'm frustrated, and I don't kindly take to you effective trying to shit on all my efforts up to this point. I'm not posting these topics for the fuck of it; I'm trying to figure out where I've gone wrong. And if you can't do that without making up a bunch of baseless assumptions or labeling me as a TROLL of all things, then stay out my damn topics.

Really, it's amazing I've put up with these personal attacks up to this point. I'm still a novice and I'm still growing, but I'm not a dumbass. I HAVE THE BOOK and I've read it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I guess we've been dressed down. But this is funny: you're just pulling shit out your ass when you sit at your computer and claim I'm not eating enough.

and then: I think I ate properly.

Misery, I have told you everything I can tell you about this from a remote location. You insist on having a continuingly pointless discussion. Proceed.

[Misery]

I guess we've been dressed down. But this is funny: you're just pulling shit out your ass when you sit at your computer and claim I'm not eating enough.

and then: I think I ate properly.

Misery, I have told you everything I can tell you about this from a remote location. You insist on having a continuingly pointless discussion. Proceed.

I don't understand why it's even come to that. I haven't tried to contradict anything anyone has had to say. In the last topic, someone ASKED for a video of my lifts, so I posted them here. Both my bench and deadlift were included in the list of videos, so this isn't just a squat topic. I've never asked for critique on either of those lifts up to this point.

In fact, my only discussion has been defending myself against the accusation that I don't eat. It makes me want to hit someone when spar comes in here and claims I need to learn how to eat, when I ate my way from 169 pounds to 215 pounds.

I got stronger. I got much bigger. I've posted before and after pics and been used as proof that people can put on significant muscle mass witha strength program. I've never complained about that. My only concern was that there was some critical flaw with my squat form, as people on this forum and others repeat ad naseum how compelx a movement it is, and I didn't put it past myself to fuck it up somewhere.

I'm not in here saying "No, no! There must be something wrong somewhere!" The complaint I received last time is that my camera angles werere absolute trash. I gave it the benefit of a doubt and tried different angles for all my lifts to make sure there wasn't something you guys couldn't see. Clearly there isn't, so I'm not even worried about the form anymore.

Now I'll just focus on getting my knees in order somehow, and I suppose figure out where I go from here program wise. You guys say I've been on SS too long and that I've stupid for trying to cut weight while on it. Fair enough. But everywhere I go, people always say compound lifts like the squat, bench and deadlift are perfect for losing unwanted fat, so I never felt like I needed to alter anything.

Though my responses might indicate otherwise, I am appreciative for majority of the input that doesn't revolve around the assumption I'm 150 pounds living on two hours of sleep per day.

[TXYM]

No offense, but you DO look pretty skinny right now.

I personally think I'm pretty skinny and you are like skinnier than me.

[Gunnhild Bruno]

Misery, I've actually bothered to read all your posts and watch all the video you posted. Nowhere do you look anything but too skinny. And I don't mean ripped skinny, like someone who has gained a bunch of muscle and decided to cut. I mean weak skinny. Have you looked at yourself? You look like the poster boy for overtraining. You can go ahead and tell me I'm full of shit. Really, it doesn't hurt my feelings, and I couldn't possibly care less what you think of me personally. But ignore the possibility that you are in denial about your eating and adherence to the program at your own risk. If you haven't gone back and read all of your posting history from beginning to end, do so. You may find it instructive.

As for the MRI issue, yes, MRIs are expensive. Yes, that sucks. But if you are on school-provided insurance or still on your parents' insurance, I have a hard time believing that there is no way for a person to get one when his knees are so painful that he has to ice them after he goes up a flight of stairs. Have you made a real effort to try to get one? Sometimes, insurance companies make you jump through hoops, such as going to physical therapy for [x] months. You need to set in motion now whatever the approvals process is.

Going to [x] number of doctors and getting x-rays is clearly not enough. X-rays do not diagnose soft tissue and cartilage problems well. They are just to rule out a bone injury/problem, and other than that, they are essentially diagnostic theater--cheap enough that insurance companies don't bitch, all while making the patient feel like something is being done when it really isn't. And doctors have a bad habit of looking at young people and just diagnosing the most common, least serious thing. I know. My problem was dismissed as chronic tendinitis for years until my symptoms got bad enough that they started to mimic a meniscus tear. I lost years of quality training time.

Sometimes, you have to fight to get the right attention from doctors. Going to doctors who just do the same damn diagnostic tests over and over again won't change anything. Go find a doctor who is willing to work with the premise that the other doctors' attentions have been inadequate, one who is willing to prescribe lab tests and go to bat for you against your insurance company to get you an MRI.

And even if it ends up costing you a lot of money, does it save you more in the long run to continue to dick around when you might have a serious soft tissue problem that gets worse by the day and may be causing you permanent damage that is even more expensive to fix down the line, if it can even be fixed by then?

Or whatever. You know, you could just keep doing what you've been doing for the past 8 months or so. Because that's been so effective and hasn't made anything worse.

Meanwhile, I'll happily shut up from this point forward and save myself some time in my busy day.

[Slick]

For someone who has only been "cutting" for a couple months, you sure went from 210lbs. to scrawny fucker pretty quick.

[MikeMc59]

Couldnt say it any better than spar, why even try to refute this? Truth hurts, learn from it.

[mbdonner]

I have "flat" feet and used to have bad knees. I have done a lot of work on my hip flexors so that I am not as tight. This has allowed me to learn to squeeze my butt and this turns my knees out, lifts my arch, limits my knee (and achilles tendon) problems. By the way, Mark's IT band roll out is a regular part of my routine. If it matters, I'm old, 54, and my aches and pains got better from learning to do things the way I'm coached rather than the way I think they should be done. Turns out some people know more than me. I was shocked to learn this, but it has helped.

[RobCor]

You say that you won't get an MRI until you exhaust all other options. Based on your multiple doctor consultations, X-rays, and extensive "discussion" with the members of this forum, I think you have exhausted all other options.

Graduate from college, get a paycheck/health insurance, get an MRI.