Rip,
I just want you to know that you have done a terrible thing--getting me interested in all this Starting Strength nonsense. :) I have robbed my grandchildren's educational funds to purchase every book you and your partners in crime have written--started watching all the videos (may take a a lifetime at my age--thanks!) and bought into the novice masters' program hook, line, sinker, and dead minnow for bait.
I made the mistake of buying a dinky little sorta-rack that nearly falls over when I re-rack my massive work squat of 80 pounds. (Did I mention, I'm an older-than-dirt novice with a bad knee?) So I found myself standing in (Pardon the expression) Dick's, trying to choose between two much more substantial racks--made by separate companies. And they were probably OK for where I will get anytime soon. But for whatever reason, whenever I talked with the store clerk for the "Fitness Department", whenever he walked over from the fishing department, it was clear he didn't know his butt from a hole in the ground with regard to the equipment or its use. And during those conversations, I could almost hear you behind me whispering: "P---y"!
So just two days ago, as I was getting ready to pick between the two, I happened across the videos you did about the SS rack and bench, respectively. Yesterday, as soon as they opened, I was on the phone with Eric at Texas Strength Systems in San Antonio (my old, hometown), and today, I pulled the trigger and ordered:
The Starting Strength Power Rack
An extra set of bolts
The Starting Strength Bench
The SS Weight Tree (Hey, you might as well have stuff that matches.)
The SS Deadlift Jack
And an extra bar (the 1,200 pound rated model so I can do dips)
So now, I suspect I will hear you over my shoulder, shaking with anxiety over whether your rack will stand up to the pressure I am putting on it!
But seriously, I want to tell you how much I appreciate the incentive you have created in at least this one old fart to get up off the couch and put down the donuts. I admit to having had a hard time wanting to keep combining cardio (on the Concept II) and incorporating weight loss with strength gain. But now, I have abandoned the former and am two weeks into the program--and loving it.
Russ