I've been reading your forum posts for the past three years. Don't worry! I'm not a complete freeloader; I've bought a book (or three). For some reason, I felt tonight was the night for me to post a formal thank you for all the information you've provided. Since I am beholden to the posters of the past, I'll continue the custom of giving a brief (although not brief enough) description of my own experience lifting weights.

I left High School weighing 120lbs at a height of 5'8.5 (My refusal to round my height upwards is an indication of my integrity and the veracity of this account). Although I accrued many heartwarming nicknames from my jesting friends, 'Skeletor', 'Campy the Holocaust Survivor', and 'Homosexual male who enjoys unprotected sex with multiple partners without access to HAART' being among my favorites, I regretted spending most of the past four years motionless in a computer chair playing World of Warcraft. I didn't even have the decency to binge eat while playing!

I decided to make a major change when I went to college. I did what any bright college bound teenager would do, google "bodybuilding" and blindly follow whatever site I clicked on first. I just thank god it was y... this guy http://www.scoobysworkshop.com/ but seriously, I think the video freeze frame of the nipple clamp pretty much sums up that year of "working out." How do you go through freshman year and not gain any weight?????????? I was nipple clamping everyday!

At any rate you live and you learn. I told myself I would not make the same mistake twice, so I immediately started doing Crossfit. It only took three months to figure out I was wasting my fucking time. Luckily, you were still associated with Crossfit and I learned about "Starting Strength." At first I was really weak (I can hear the gasps). I went into the gym with a mindset of "Gee I hope they mistake me for a cancer patient, that way they might find my fight to deadlift the 45 pound bar inspiring." Thankfully, I stuck with it. Ofcourse I made the typical noobie mistakes but I knew how to use the SEARCH function so many verbal lashings from you were averted!

I did GOMAD (even with a milk allergy) and got up to 165-170lbs. Totally worth it, despite horrendous acne, a disgusting amount of mucus and weird looks from girls on my campus when I was lugging a gallon of milk to class (Don't take this away from me, it was the milk jugs damnit!)

My lifts increased from practically nothing on everything to:
1RM in pounds
Squat: 365
Deadlift:405
Bench:205
SP:135
PC:165

in about 8 months (Rough guess I don't have my logs with me). I know they're nothing to write about (irony?) but I'm proud of them. I eventually developed an interest in Olympic Weightlifting which is what I'm currently doing with coaching (thank god) and have snached 86kg and cleaned 102kg at 155lbs.

Thanks again for all the information! You've sparked a life long interest in lifting for me and I think you've helped me learn to think more critically. I might even be less of a moron!