Spondylolisthesis and Press 2.0

[KnuteMeyer]

Good morning Mark,

I was recently diagnosed with a Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis that was caused from disc degeneration, not the Pars defect (a stress fracture). In Starting Strength Radio #177 (Tusla, Spondylolisthesis, and Elk Meat) you recommended to the gentlemen with a spondy to stop doing power cleans. Would you also recommend to against doing the Press 2.0 for similar reasons? Thanks.

-Knute

[Mark Rippetoe]

Where is the defect?

[KnuteMeyer]

My L5 is slipping backwards (posterior displacement) on the S1, which is actually a form of Spondylolisthesis called Retrolisthesis. I am currently front squatting as opposed to low bar per the recommendations of my physical therapist. He's read your books apparently and also lifts so he's credible in my mind for those reasons... although he originally wanted me to box squat to control my depth, which my back did not like for obvious reasons. The goal is to work back to low bar. Deadlifting feels fine, but flexion bothers my low back much more than extension. I have had a history of over extending my low back during my squats so I am bracing harder to fix that. I believe the buttwink of squatting flares it up, so I am trying to not squat too low, but obviously want to hit depth. I feel fine during my training sessions. Its only after training I notice my low back is tightening up so it has been hard to diagnose what exactly bothers it while executing the movement patterns. I am a 29 year old male, 6 foot, 193 pounds and am in the military (so need to be kind of skinny). I am worried I won't be able to train my squat and deadlift hard without low back pain and making my condition worse. Before I knew about my condition, I would get large amounts of low back pain in the low to mid 300s on my squats and low to mid 400s on my deadlifts. Bench and overhead press feel fine. I stopped power cleaning.

[Mark Rippetoe]

What belt are you wearing?

[KnuteMeyer]

Double ply starting strength belt from dominion.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you're happy with your Physical Therapist, just follow his instructions.

[Jason Donaldson]

Knute - I don't know what branch you're in, or what the current weight/tape requirements are, but the more weight you can gain from strength training, the better you can expect your back to be. 193 is pretty underweight for a six foot man, and it's not doing you any favors for your back.

What do the current regs allow for height/weight/age, and what waiver room is there for a tape test or whatnot?

[KnuteMeyer]

At my height of 6ft I will get taped if I exceed 202 pounds. If I am above 19% bodyfat then I get in trouble.

[Martin Shenfield]

Time to leave the military.

[Jason Donaldson]

What does the tape test allege you to be currently for BF?